# Water Heaters are going up



## ZL700 (Dec 8, 2009)

I'm starting to see price increase announcements. Hearing between 5-9% increases effective June and July.
Heres an announcement from AO Smith.


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## Qball415 (Nov 20, 2010)

Is this nationwide?


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## SewerRatz (Apr 25, 2009)

Thats good it will ge these fly by night water installers out of the trade.


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## easttexasplumb (Oct 13, 2010)

They go up every year.


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## 89plumbum (May 14, 2011)

They made a big deal a few years back when they went up 10 to 15% and now there back down to what I paid 3 years ago??


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## affordabledrain (Nov 24, 2009)

Now if only the quality would go up


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## Catlin987987 (Nov 12, 2010)

SewerRatz said:


> Thats good it will ge these fly by night water installers out of the trade.


How is that?


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## PunkRockPlumber (Mar 26, 2012)

Yeah they tend to go up, especially when you don't install a T&P valve.


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## stecar (Mar 18, 2012)

They are all going up, BW is going up more than most. Still cheaper than last year I believe.


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## TopDog (Jun 12, 2010)

Time to stock up and keep the difference. Where else are you guaranteed to make 8% + (when factoring in mark-up)?

:furious: And why am I reading about it online? Thanks again for nothing suppliers. Three weeks ago, could have put together a mailing to generate more calls.


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## TallCoolOne (Dec 19, 2010)

SewerRatz said:


> Thats good it will ge these fly by night water installers out of the trade.


It will actually hurt plumbers.

Unlicensed Hacks on Craigslist, and Paco or Nacho off craigslist will install them and be a happy to put couple hundred bucks in thier pockets.


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## GrumpyPlumber (Jun 12, 2008)

affordabledrain said:


> Now if only the quality would go up


I feel a sense of irony any time I'm replacing a 20 yr old State or Rheem that's still working. - Knowing it may have outlasted the one I'm installing.

On prices, it's gotten almost to the point where a tankless is break-even to a PV.


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## GrumpyPlumber (Jun 12, 2008)

TopDog said:


> Time to stock up and keep the difference. Where else are you guaranteed to make 8% + (when factoring in mark-up)?
> 
> :furious: And why am I reading about it online? Thanks again for nothing suppliers. Three weeks ago, could have put together a mailing to generate more calls.


An easier way to accomplish this, open a stock account, buy steel & copper the way freight co's and airliners buy oil to hedge against higher prices.


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## user2090 (Sep 26, 2009)

GrumpyPlumber said:


> I feel a sense of irony any time I'm replacing a 20 yr old State or Rheem that's still working. - Knowing it may have outlasted the one I'm installing.
> 
> On prices, it's gotten almost to the point where a tankless is break-even to a PV.


I consider that to be a good thing. Upfront cost is the main barrier between tank and tankless for me. I've done one install recently and made nice bank for a day install. If I had one or two a week I would buy that new truck and boat. 😊

I really like the price point on Naiven, they have helped make it more competitive. 

In my area there is a bit of extra work to make a install happen, and that cost is the difference. For some reason the local gas company likes the smaller meters. 



As for the hacks, nothing will stop them so long as water heaters are readily available. Once I cared about that, but not anymore. I make money despite the hacks. People hiring hacks don't hire legit companies.


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## TallCoolOne (Dec 19, 2010)

Here is a hack installing water heaters for $700 in Dallas- Found this gem on Craigslist

http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/hss/3023640885.html


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## MTDUNN (Oct 9, 2011)

TallCoolOne said:


> Here is a hack installing water heaters for $700 in Dallas- Found this gem on Craigslist
> 
> http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/hss/3023640885.html


In most cases? I don't think so


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## GrumpyPlumber (Jun 12, 2008)

CL was told to stop allowing plumbing ads without license# in my state.


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## love2surf927 (Dec 22, 2011)

GrumpyPlumber said:


> CL was told to stop allowing plumbing ads without license# in my state.


Did it work?


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## TallCoolOne (Dec 19, 2010)

Here is a licensed plumber (Per ad) who doesn't have insurance and is not allowed to advertise, but it don't stop them. 

http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/sks/3043785673.html

You can check licenses here:

https://licensing.hpc.state.tx.us/datamart/selSearchType.do?from=loginPage


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## SewerRatz (Apr 25, 2009)

Ok this is not water heater specific, but WTH http://chicago.craigslist.org/wcl/sks/3001111623.html


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## SewerRatz (Apr 25, 2009)

SewerRatz said:


> Ok this is not water heater specific, but WTH http://chicago.craigslist.org/wcl/sks/3001111623.html


Give them a call, I did. I pointed out the fact their ad says $19.99 for any plumbing and drain repair. I was then told to call back at 10:30 to talk to the boss.


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## TallCoolOne (Dec 19, 2010)

SewerRatz said:


> Give them a call, I did. I pointed out the fact their ad says $19.99 for any plumbing and drain repair. I was then told to call back at 10:30 to talk to the boss.


Probably meant the will come out for a 20 bucks, Still way to cheap 

I willl come out to a customers house within about 15 miles for $50, but I will do no work and only give a estimate. It seems to weed alot of the tire kickers out of the game.

We still have a few plumbing companies that offer free estimates in my area, Stupid in my opinion....


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## SewerRatz (Apr 25, 2009)

TallCoolOne said:


> Probably meant the will come out for a 20 bucks, Still way to cheap
> 
> I willl come out to a customers house within about 15 miles for $50, but I will do no work and only give a estimate. It seems to weed alot of the tire kickers out of the game.
> 
> We still have a few plumbing companies that offer free estimates in my area, Stupid in my opinion....


When we come out, we are coming to do the repair. So they pay the first half hour plus trip charge. 

There are a lot of guys on the Chicago CL that word things in such a way where it can be easily misinterpreted. Also if they are truly licensed, they would know in the section that ask for the license they are supposed to put it there. Illinois requires your license # to be with any type of advertising.


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## AndersenPlumbing (Jan 23, 2010)

SewerRatz said:


> When we come out, we are coming to do the repair. So they pay the first half hour plus trip charge.
> 
> There are a lot of guys on the Chicago CL that word things in such a way where it can be easily misinterpreted. Also if they are truly licensed, they would know in the section that ask for the license they are supposed to put it there. Illinois requires your license # to be with any type of advertising.


The sad part is that the IDPH is so lame that they wont go after them anyway. It only keeps plumbers honest, not Nacho. Nacho's can do plumbing all day long with no threat, its a "civil matter" nobody can legally aquire their information to send them a fine. I learned that a couple years ago when I showed up to a job and found 3 of them doing my job....Called the building inspector, plumbing inspector, state inspector, the police, and the IDPH.....These guys walked out the door laughing at all of us! The police said they didnt break any criminal laws, cant request their information for your use in a civil matter.


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

RedRubicon2004 said:


> The sad part is that the IDPH is so lame that they wont go after them anyway. It only keeps plumbers honest, not Nacho. Nacho's can do plumbing all day long with no threat, its a "civil matter" nobody can legally aquire their information to send them a fine. I learned that a couple years ago when I showed up to a job and found 3 of them doing my job....Called the building inspector, plumbing inspector, state inspector, the police, and the IDPH.....These guys walked out the door laughing at all of us! The police said they didnt break any criminal laws, cant request their information for your use in a civil matter.


And yet, during the CE class where the liensced plumbers are, IDPH went out to parking lot and check their truck with name of company and fined them for not have liensce number on trucks. This make their job easier..


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## GrumpyPlumber (Jun 12, 2008)

love2surf927 said:


> Did it work?


Last I checked every ad had a #, but it's been awhile - and I freaking hate going there.

Ultimately I think the solution is whistle blower incentives, fine unlicensed guys, give a potion to the whistle blower, no need to increase budgets for more regulators, and it would be 10-fold more effective.


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## GrumpyPlumber (Jun 12, 2008)

RedRubicon2004 said:


> The sad part is that the IDPH is so lame that they wont go after them anyway. It only keeps plumbers honest, not Nacho. Nacho's can do plumbing all day long with no threat, its a "civil matter" nobody can legally aquire their information to send them a fine. I learned that a couple years ago when I showed up to a job and found 3 of them doing my job....Called the building inspector, plumbing inspector, state inspector, the police, and the IDPH.....These guys walked out the door laughing at all of us! The police said they didnt break any criminal laws, cant request their information for your use in a civil matter.


Plumbing code is law, I can understand the police not caring - they have bigger fish to fry, but the local inspector is a moron for saying that.

Maybe it's just my state, but if I were to call in and tell the inspector I were sitting in front of a home with a group of hacks goin' at it, he'd be there in a heartbeat.

I understand and agree on the point that far too many licensed guys are the focus, but my state goes after both.

Take a peek at some examples, my state - http://license.reg.state.ma.us/public/dpl_discip_actions/da_results.asp


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## MTDUNN (Oct 9, 2011)

son chicos malos


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## TallCoolOne (Dec 19, 2010)

GrumpyPlumber said:


> Last I checked every ad had a #, but it's been awhile - and I freaking hate going there.
> 
> Ultimately I think the solution is whistle blower incentives, fine unlicensed guys, give a potion to the whistle blower, no need to increase budgets for more regulators, and it would be 10-fold more effective.


That would work here also

But any fine collected by the Plumbing Board here goes into the General Fund and Plumbing Board doesn't see a dime.

I was thinking turn them into the each city and let the city pay a finder fee and the city gets to keep the fines


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## TallCoolOne (Dec 19, 2010)

rjbphd said:


> And yet, during the CE class where the liensced plumbers are, IDPH went out to parking lot and check their truck with name of company and fined them for not have liensce number on trucks. This make their job easier..


That is Chicken $hit

If it was me I would find out who was behind this. Get me a Magic Jack with a local area code, and when I traveled outside of the USA I would call them and tell them how I really thought of them.

You can't be traced outside US........


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

TallCoolOne said:


> That is Chicken $hit
> 
> If it was me I would find out who was behind this. Get me a Magic Jack with a local area code, and when I traveled outside of the USA I would call them and tell them how I really thought of them.
> 
> You can't be traced outside US........


Illinois Dept of Public Health... they gotten cushy with some state legislatives and voted to give police authority to pull over lisenced plumber for not having their number on the trucks. 
How do I know this? They proudly printed this in their own IDPH monthy magizine.


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