Im a plumber and get asked this all the time. If you work construction (at least in the south), carpentry pays like shit so I'd eliminate that. Between plumbers, hvac, and electrians the pay is all approximately the same. An electrian lives in the same neighborhood as plumbers. Hvac techs drives the same cars as electrians. If you do service earning potential is about the same, but hvac is seasonal. They make their money in about 8 months. The other 4 can suck. Plumbers and electrians are year round. If you work for yourself the skys the limit.
@@whochecksthis I disagree. Pick one trade and be strong at what you do. The trucks are only so big. You can't effectively run an hvac and electrical service calls from one truck. There are too many trade specific tools and materials to keep up with to do two things outta one truck. I'm a plumber, and a well rounded one at that, but I have my truck setup primarily for drain cleaning and underground plumbing work. I can do indoor plumbing, but I make more money and can be more effective specializing in one aspect.
@@whochecksthis hvac guys don't starve in the winter. If you can sell you can still have a good income. Hvac sales guys are probably the highest paid guys in residential service. It's not unusual for guys to bring in $200k to $350k.
@@charlesking678 HVAC and Electrical go hand in hand. To COMPLETELY install Hvac, you need pretty much all the same tools as electricians. Most pure electricians have ZERO understanding of low voltage controls, and electrical service, and HVAC service frequently overlap skillets. I’m just saying. Most every Hvac company ALSO does electrical, and several ALSO do plumbing. The trades just compliment themselves. Sure, and individual worker should specialize, but a company should diversify.
I think you hit it right on the head. Carpentry is also dependent on the overall health of the economy/real estate market so not the most viable option but it is definitely a side skill worth having. Earnings is about the same across the board. The major difference that I've noticed is between those who are payed based on commission and those getting hourly pay. My commission friends made a lot more than I did, and much faster.
Thanks for another informative video! I'll be applying to apprenticeships late February and hope I have good luck! I have zero construction experience but since I worked in landscaping (residential) I'm very accustomed to speaking with homeowners and their needs
Hell yeah bro, you already know!!! You've already got one of the most important components down. A lot of our job is sales based. So if you know how to effectively communicate with a customer and understand their needs then everything else will fall into place.
Bending conduit, running, pulling, labeling wire, installing boxes, preparing light fixtures up high all over structures, receptacles, switches, fuses, splicing, cutting, stripping, crimping, poking holes, trouble shooting nettle in a haystack problems, getting shocked... Done all that as an amateur and thats the one trade I wouldn't want to do full time. Everyone else comes and goes, and messes up what you feel like is your work space,while you're still on the site the entire time. For me framing feels the most rewarding. I just love the smell of lumber. In the southern plains HVAC is the best for the money until plumbing finally beats it at the top end. Its really smart for HVAC companies to get into chimney work for winter time too. Seems like we have a shortage on plumbers and an over abundance on electricians.
Funny you say that. When I was in plumbing school here in Ohio, the electrical class would have around 40-50 students at all times while plumbing classes would be around 12. Can’t imagine we need more electricians than plumbers 😂😂
Hello Nate, this is Leo from Tucson, AZ. I appreciate your videos; they are clear and to the point. Could you create a video focusing on the business aspects of plumbing?
Hey man was looking at your videos because I’m thinking in becoming an apprentice somewhere. I am from Columbus Ohio ! Very good videos and informational
@@PlumberNate Thats good to hear im looking to leave service industry, I just turned 30 and want to provide for my future family. Im not the smartest guy so hopefully the schooling portion isnt too bad
@@iceykid2a lot of people transition from the service industry into the trades (myself included, a former cook). If you bring the same good work ethic and open mind with attention to detail and commitment to doing clean professional work, then the sky is the limit for you👍
Hell yeah man. Good age to get in. Don't be deterred by the schooling, super easy honestly. If I were you I would find a job first then focus on the schooling @@iceykid2
Thank you for an extremely informative presentation. It's very valuable for us. Thank you so much for all of your industry experience and observations.
Thanks for the video, very helpful. I live in Florida, and I’ve been eyeballing my local college’s union apprenticeship and HVAC programs. All great careers with lots of interesting things to do for great pay, just gotta decide what works for you. I’ve been an over-the-road trucker for last three years. It can be a great job, but I’m starting to get tired of it after awhile. Plumbing seems at the top of my list, and I like what you said about going the union-route. Not too interested in sales or owner-operator.
Yeah union would definitely be the way for you to go if sales/ownership is not part of your agenda. And totally respectable to because everybody thinks they can be owner or deal with the stress from sales so they miss some good opportunities. If it were me I would maybe not look at the college programs and just try to go straight for the union. You can look on my website (plumbersociety.com) to find a list of plumbing unions in your area
@@yellowstoic7678 that’s tough cause in order to properly get the customer what they need there is a degree of sales involved. Big difference in people who sell morally versus those selling anything just to make a buck
@@yellowstoic7678 that’s tough cause in order to properly get the customer what they need there is a degree of sales involved. Big difference in people who sell morally versus those selling anything just to make a buck
Not true about non-unions. I work for a non-union hvac company and we work on all kinds of big commercial hvac, chiller and industrial systems. Plus we get paid way more than 58k a year. Don’t need to work union to work on bigger systems or get paid well.
That's good to know. Im mostly discussing on average how it works and average pay. Of course there are alot of factors that determine types of jobs you do and pay as well. One point I make regularly is that you can make more money not being in the union. Where im located its more common for union based companies to work on larger projects as the smaller companies don't have the manpower as the unions here. Its different everywhere you go. Keep stacking that bread though bro
Yup. It's completely location dependent. When I lived in the PNW, Unions typically had much better pay and worked bigger jobs. Now down here in the SE, it's the opposite.
6 years under my belt doing HVAC. Currently at the end of my military contract and was thinking about getting into plumbing. Majority of company trucks I see driving around are plumbing and heating. What are your thoughts, as a plumber, of an HVAC tech making their way into the plumbing sphere? To be fair, there is a lot of similar technical attributes and terms that HVAC and plumbing do.
Thank you for your service!! Personally I think this would be a great transition to make. You now have a skill that you’re knowledgeable in and by going to plumbing you will elevate your skills even further. The fact you have the hvac knowledge while working as a plumber will make you a better asset to any company as well. Also if you decide to start your own business you now have 2 trades working under you. No brainer move in my opinion
I have two aptitude tests in Feb for an apprenticeship in Plumbing. Your videos have helped tremendously. Any advice for test preparation? Either way, thanks bro !
Yo what's good man! Glad my videos helped you out. I'm not familiar with any aptitude tests. Company might just want to see what you know so they can figure out how to fit you into the company. Best advice I can give you is to take the test. Don't worry about getting things wrong or not knowing what to answer. This will help determine your current knowledge and how much you will need to be trained. Every single one of us plumbers started at some point not knowing shit
Bro thank you so much, I think you are right it looks to be Math and problem solving + measurements. This is all new to me, but as you advised I will take it and go from there. Looking forward to your videos man! Cheers@@PlumberNate
Thanks fam, much appreciated! There is a lot of math involved. I purchased a a dealt plumbing book from amazon (watch my video on what books you need for plumbing test) ru-vid.com_ntL1_p2SI8 and you'll see which book I'm talking about. Made everything super easy and straight forward.@@properbydesign
Great video man. Question on attire. I got some steel toe boots. What do you wear? Regular, steel toe, or composite? I know steel toe is heavier but you also don’t gotta worry about dropping a tank or wrench on your foot haha
Amazing question! Good shoes that protect your feet are one of the most important things you can have as a plumber. I always wore steel toe boots. I found that it was tough wearing those outside in the winter months. Not only heavy but they get real cold. I switched to composite toe and have never gone back to steel. Composite is just as strong if not stronger imo. I kick and drop stuff all the time on them. Rest water heaters and heavy equipment on my foot if needed. Never a single issue. I personally get the Timberland brand with a composite toe
@@PlumberNate I absolutely agree that composite>steel toe. Now as for myself, I tried many brands/styles of boots in my career and I eventually fell in love with my moc-sole red wing boots. Sure they are “old-fashioned” looking and don’t provide as much safety in the front BUT I’m also mindful enough to not be dropping giant pipes right onto my feet ever lol and there’s no boot more “comfortable” when you’re working 12+ hour days
I used to do a lot of digging for sewers and waterproofing, the red wings wouldn't last more than 3-4 months. I found that Timberland was a better boot for what I was doing. Those redwings were comfortable tho!@@ligyron2835
@@PlumberNate yeah everyone has their preference. One of my best mates still rocks the Tim pros, but he’s also a maniac wearing logger height boots lol. Like I said before, I’m a steamfitter so never had to do a lot of underground to test their durability. Waterproof wise I’ve never had an issue even standing in flooded service rooms.
First off, truly amazing content. Couldn’t be better. I’m in canada. I have some few questions as im interested in plumbing. HOW TO GET APPRENTICESHIP. and second, is it necessary to do schooling for plumbing or you can just complete physical hours and can give red seal?
Thanks man, really appreciate the comment. In all honesty, I dont know how Canada does with schooling and apprenticeships. I usually tell people here to get a job first and then worry about schooling. Do you guys have plumbing Unions up there?
I met a guy that happened to know a guy that led me to a guy which then hired me into a reputable 80ish employees -but still small company values- company and will be starting that shortly with 0 experience in plumbing and only a 1 1/2 years in framing. I took the offer pretty quickly as it seems like it’ll be a good choice with a higher ceiling of opportunity and education. I will admit I first appealed to being an electrician but figured If I really wanted too I could do that later. I could see how it could potentially be boring messing with wires all day but I also figure doing plumbing related work may have its own boring side. Being dirty doesn’t really make me any less bored or entertained either 😂
I’m proud of you for securing that. That sounds like you made the right choice going forward. Electrical can be very appealing but plumbing definitely has way more benefits inside and outside of work. I hope that company takes their time in training you properly. Best of luck!!!
34:18 "you wanna build some stuff, put some wood together, use some nail guns, shoot at your buddies" 🤣🤣 Great video! I work with appliances, and am considering starting a plumbing apprenticeship in a year or so. There's lots of plumbing involved with appliances, so it's opened my mind up to getting some formal training in plumbing vs just hacking things together.
Another factor is if you’re doing residential, commercial, industrial. I’m in HVAC(R). The Commercial (R)efrigeration is a big salary difference from residential HVAC.
Definitely speaking from more of a residential service standpoint. I’m sure you can make considerably more doing commercial work. Same for plumbers who do commercial. I tend to just stick with residential numbers cause that’s what I know and also I think people learn more valuable skills by doing residential versus commercial
@@PlumberNate I gotta disagree with you a little bit there. HVAC is like learning to drive a regular car. HVACR is like learning to drive a Semi. Far more valuable skills in Commercial Refrigeration
@@danielortiz7421 I wouldn’t disagree that it’s a more complicated job that requires specialized skill. I look at it from the aspect of business ownership. By working commercial, in either plumbing or HVAC you miss out on a lot of skills that you would otherwise get by working in residential. From my experience in residential you learn sales, customer relationships, networking and you get opportunities to invest in real estate. Your not going to get much if that working commercial. Additionally much easier to start a service based business working residential than it is starting a commercial business.
I would 100% agree with that. Most plumbers I know are working 50+ hours per week and making more than the average. They probably base that off average pay scale and a 35-40 hr week
HVAC-R is basically all those trades on a basic level plus technical diagnosis, plus its all dirty asf. I understand Nate's coming from new construction perspective. None of these trades are easy. Unless you got laborers, then it becomes easy. HVAC does change out gas line just not initial construction ,that gets inspected. Always servicing gas lines in commercial HVAC. Most HVAC techs steer away from duct installs as much as possible, most HVAC companies around here have duct crews in Tn , most residential is flex duct so no sheet metal work except plenums. Just wanted to add that. But great vid brother... Also in my opinion Plumbing deserves the highest pay. I've done plumbing before getting into HVAC-R. Did some electrical, mostly runnin lines. But plumbing is the most labor intensive, most dirtiest and that adds to the stress level. Each of these trades takes a certain type of person. The skills last a lifetime even if just on the home front. God Bless these trades, id been a mess without them.
Absolutely hit it on the head. These jobs are not for everyone but they are some of the best jobs to build character along with an easy path to start your own business. Thanks for the comment!!
I think people only believe HVAC techs who not do installs or residential. Until last year I was a HVAC tech. I’ve never done an install, worked residential, and make less then 75k after 2006. If you need someone to run your co gen plant or your fab. I’m your guy. The biggest electric motor Ive worked with is 400hp. In an atlas copco air compressor and the biggest chiller was 2000tons. I can’t remember the biggest size steam boilers though. Anyway, my point being that you can make good money and have a stable job working in an industrial setting. You have to know a lot more theory, but you do less physical work.
@@PlumberNateYeah I don't know if I could deal with that. I mean, if I had to I could, but would definitely rather do something that doesn't have that in the job description. Thanks and best wishes.
aye man architect deals with everything on the list you talking about but it doesnt matter what trade we go because we all need eachother to get the job done the trades is like military branch if that anology makes sense
I get what your saying because I look at blueprints all the time. They know principals and code but they have no skill when it comes to the sales or install side of things. They have a very important roll in the whole scheme of it but we could get around without them if needed @@rapboykhari
Awesome video, big Nate! Working in HVAC, from my experience you will be getting your hands dirty with a bit of all the trades. We’ve had to repatch and repair walls and ceilings from having to run refrigerant piping linesets. Sometimes we need to wire up heating and AC systems to electrical power. And sometimes we get a little wet changing out water heaters🤣
Appreciate you fam. I would agree that I did not give you guys enough credit. I forgot about the amount of work you all have to do in attic spaces as well. Not a job for the faint
@@PlumberNate all good, broski! All trades get down and dirty, this is the life we chose. Super hot attics, tight crawlspaces, asbestos filled basements, 40’ ladders in the wind, sketchy rooftops in the hood…all in a day’s work👍🤣
@@JimKimTheIdeaHunters 🤣 Part of why I love the trades so much. Everyday is different and you never know what your going to get into. Allows for a lot of great stories
hi good wise sir. I recently started in commercial plumbing company and headed back for my 3rd day on Tuesday and thanks to you and the job site I've learnt lots but i am serious about becoming a plumber and any future tips to becoming an apprentice???
Awesome question! If your wanting to become an apprentice, the best thing you can do is try to get a job at a plumbing union in an area you want to be in. You can got to my website Plumbersociety.com to find a list of plumbing unions here in the US
HVAC in Canada makes bank! I've heard of some making around 140k / year. Not sure how much over time they're pulling, but they're also apparently billing about $75 / hour. That's a lot more than I'm making with my university degree! And When I've worked for carpenters, they do so much different work. We did everything from the initial framing all the way to putting on the baseboards. We did bathrooms, kitchens, basements, drywalling, flooring, ceilings, painting, concrete - just about everything except plumbing and electrician stuff. Do you think Plumbing is good for a guy with ADHD? It looked boring to me compared to carpentry.
Love the comment man!! As somebody who is real ADHD this is by far the best career I could have chose. ADHDrs like us tend to be very creative. Carpentry is creative but straightforward where as plumbing allows you to be creative on a different level most can’t comprehend until you actually try it. You would probably make a great plumber
@@PlumberNate Thank you for the reply! I guess I can always give it a try! Apprenticeships are paid for here, so there's really not much of a downside!
@@TimmyTimbits-qj8isEntertaining and informative video. I'm an avid supporter of the mindset that all of these trades are equally important and each is completely supported by the others in the bigger picture. Personally, I chose the carpentry route, and yes I've enjoyed it overall. As anyone experienced in these trades will admit to, carpentry is not the one to get in to full time if you'd goal is a high paying career (in comparison) every step of the way. I've thought about that fact many times throughout the decades, while at every job site the electricians, plumbers, HVAC, etc. are all making significantly more money day to day, and the carpenters are usually the one sweeping up their messes too 😂
Hey i’m new to this type of field. I was getting my bachelors degree but was getting no jobs at all and my father told me about plumbing I just wanted your take more about it because I’m scared to throw away my five years of college to jump on something else. got any opinions I’ll take anybody to be honest I’m just scared because I put a lot of money into my college with no jobs.
Hey what's up man. Appreciate the comment. I was in a very similar situation as you. Went to college for 4 years and found it impossible to find a decent job with my degree. Found a plumbing job and that changed everything for me. I guess to properly answer your question it would depend what your going to school for, and how much longer you have until your degree is complete. If your almost done with school, I would personally finish. Might be in your best interest to take some psychology and business classes as some electives. While in college you can try to find a labor position at a local plumbing company to start getting some experience so you can go full time once your done with school. Hope this helps
Hey I'm thinking about going into trades. Initially I thought electrician since I had a buddy in it, but really I don't mind getting dirty. Plumbing looks like a great career. I was wondering how long where you in it till you opened your business? I've seen some people say they work 4 12s is it that highly likely? Starting out what should I look for an apprenticeship union program or nonunion, trade school? I'm 21 in a few months btw
Awesome question bro!! So check this out, I worked for a couple companies over an 8 year period before starting my own business full time. During those 8 years I worked on building up my skill set and building a customer base by doing side work after hours. I took my time, you could probably start your own business within 5 years. If your wanting your own business its important to understand that you want to get your plumbing contractors license. This took 5 years in my state to meet all the requirements. Each state is different though. Plenty of people work 4 12s or even 5 10s. Personally the businesses I worked for would have me working about 50 hours a week. To build my business while working I would do a lot of work after hours and on the weekends. During that time I was working about 70-80 hours most weeks. The money was well worth it. Its also a sacrifice you'll have to make if you want your own business. Now I've got employees and some systems in place so for plumbing I'm probably closer to a 40hr week now but making a lot more money. If the business route is not the way for you then get in with a plumbing union. If you want to have your own business then go non union. Reason being is that union is generally commercial work and you don't get the sales, personal or job skills that will help you start a business. Non union tends to involve more sales based jobs, dealing with clients and working in environments such as homes and rental properties. I wouldnt worry about an apprentice program unless you decide to go the union route. Unions will typically pay for you to go to school. Hope this helps! If you got anything else or need additional info let me know!!!
@@PlumberNate Been calling up plumbing companies today. I said I have no experience but am eager to learn and was wondering if they need a helper. Got 2 spots that are looking for helpers. how much should I ask to start? Anything I should ask from them? or to look out for? I remember you said in one of your videos find a plumbing job first as a helper then schooling . What should I do next as far as schooling? Should I just work for a year then look into a trade school? I want to go the nonunion route for now. Since unions are hard to get into.
Yo big congrats on securing those couple spots. Those are some great questions by the way! How much you should ask for really depends on where you live and job duties. I live in Ohio. Its easy to find something for $17+. Ive seen some companies starting in the 20s. If you are in sunshine states, Ny city, or other expensive cities then I would think you could get considerably more money. If your wanting to know more about schooling then I would ask them directly. Personally one of the places I worked for sent me to school after about 6 months. Some great questions for any of these jobs would be: - How fast can i go from a helper to a plumber? - Does your company send plumbers to school/pay for schooling? If not, then ask the company if they believe sending you to school would make you a better technician? - What type of training is offered for me to go from a helper to a plumber? Hope this helps! @@trustjune8959
Dude I left a commission based place I was in hvac, I applied to all, hvac got back to me 1st and bro this is true in my state and the company I was at, plumbers made the most money, however I had a plumber tell me it’s harder to sell because people want comfort, the hvac techs made the least, out of 30 of us , only 5 made 100k and hvac was only busy in the summer. Hvac techs made the least and have to know more then electricians. Anyways the company I was at give us a percentage of sales the plumbers had the biggest percentage they took home, then electricians then hvac techs, also there seems to be more people going into the electrical and hvac field because plumbing sounds more dirty. Union pays more then non union, but commission based pays the most, anyways with that said the company I was at paid for our tools gave us a truck with a gas card, but it was mostly sales, it was a corporate place and they manipulated us saying oh but we selling them things they need and made us upsell 6 options every single house even on a brand new unit that didn’t need anything, I hated that shit and some of these guys barely broke 50k in hvac upselling in every single house. It was a nexstar company, you got a vid on how to find a reputable commission based company?
Bro commission is tough and in my honest opinion I have yet to find a reputable commission based company. Commission jobs force you to upsell things to clients that are not needed. If you don't do this, you don't eat and get reprimanded by the company. Commission companies look for sales people, not plumbers. Best to go with a company that pays hourly with bonuses.
Boom you hit the nail on the coffin my guy this company is straight commission I thought they were genuine at 1st they use facts to manipulate us. I made a mistake of going to a commission job when I was broke too, you know that pressure was there and everyone one or another way lying to eat, selling hvac or plumbing is tough it’s better to go in do some service work then make a sale thru a bonus. Where are you located my guy?
Currently an HVAC tech under a 18month contract , residential HVAC is a soul-sucking trade , companies don’t care about their clients, they only try to squeeze every single penny out of them ..threatening your job if you don’t upsell , i may not make it through my contract 😂 because i refuse to upsell. i only reccomend what they actually need. got in to it easy because they were the first trades job to give me a chance ..sent me through a training program , that was all sales , with a sprinkling of Technical . just enough so you don’t break shit lol 😂…now im stuck paying back 10k if i don’t finish my contract …right now currently on a waiting list for Local IBEW for next apptitude test in 4 months. it was a big mistake getting on with this company…once i start my electrical apprenticeship im never looking back…👋
@@jessegonzalez7413 Yeah thats very common in the trades with companies just all about the money. I get it from a business perspective but at the same time we can still eat and take care of people. I left a large company years ago for the same reason. Good morals will take you far. Hope the change works out for you
I’m fairly new to plumbing, almost half a year + 3 month entry lv plumbing trade school course. Currently doing new construction plumbing. What would you recommend to increase your annual salary?
Hey what's man! Glad to see you starting your plumbing journey. Great question by the way!! The easiest thing you can do to increase your annual salary would be to switch from new construction to service. Service has the opportunity to make loads more money and you'll learn a lot more about the ins and outs of plumbing. Along with a lot of real life skills.
Join a union if you can. You'll never have to negotiate your wage ever again. Plus free healthcare, 3 type of pensions, annuity, and optional or paid 401k. Unions typically make about 10-15% more than non union.
Very true. Union has great job security along with no sales pressure. Hard to get fired as well. Just depends on what a persons end goal is@@hmoobmikah
Yeah both of these definitely offer more service related work which relates to potential for higher pay. Point of the video was that plumbers have better knowledge and pay opportunity based on what they have to know/deal with
I want to be a plumber, been at a union service company as a parts runner/"helper" for almost 2 years. They have plumbing, hvac, and a few electricians & I don't get to be picky about who I help. It's been great for picking up a bit of Hvac and plumbing knowledge for around the house! I'm just finally getting the plumbers' attention to get asked to help more, but management is being stingy with apprentice spots and as a non-union position I don't get to do most of the simple stuff (let alone the slightly difficult stuff). The union is super picky with apprentice applications (specifically the interview part), I've tried twice and no-luck so far. Have a plan to try again next year if the current shop doesn't step it up though!
Great question Bill. I think this would depend heavily on your backround. If you have some sort of construction/plumbing experience then it could still work out at the age of 50. If you have no prior construction or plumbing experience then you have some other options. If this were me and I had no experience this is what I would be looking at. You can try to become a plumbing inspector for a city/town in a location your willing to travel. Supply houses (where plumbing materials are sold) are always in need of good people, and you can get potentially work your way into sales at one of these warehouses. These are just a couple examples. Im sure there's other opportunities out there as well. Hope this helps
But aren't you only dealing with the gas/electric when it comes to the HVAC system. How often are you running all new gas lines, or all electric in the house? You get to do a small bit of a lot of this stuff but in general it doesn't seem that its on a large scale
That seems to be the consensus. I know a lot of HVAC guys who are killing it but then my carpenter buddies who do commercial work are meaning some high bank as well.
@@WindsongPodcast yes you can be a helper with zero experience. Your pay is gonna suck but just like any job, the better you get the more you make. I had helpers who were ex-cons older than you with zero days of training. I teach them how to run the machine because as a steamfitter helper your job is to almost entirely to make pieces that I give you the measurements for, hand me things, and “help” me when we are dealing with something big or heavy. Any good tradesmen worth their salt will ask what you know and adjust from there. I’ve had guys work for me that had never used tools before but as long as you can read a tape measure and learn you can be taught everything else.
Dude in new houses we are all in the same spaces. Crawls, attics, basements. Plumbers can have the couple grand extra on your chart. Not dealing with peoples shit. If you work for yourself in hvac and you’re good, you’ll always be busy. In that case that chart is pretty off. Appreciate it. No hate but hvac sells equipment. With mark up.
