# I need a good man



## MTDUNN (Oct 9, 2011)

It's hard to find a good plumber and I need one.

I sent my guy to a leak call. Customer said its coming from behind the kitchen sink and it drips outside on the stem wall. I see this all the time with ABS fittings cracking. I call him to give his second call. First he tells me to call him back he's busy. Strike one. I have him the info on job #2 and asked him how things were going. He said the customer has to call a leak detection company. Strike 2. I asked him crossing my fingers that he didn't tell the customer that. 
He said well yes, it's in the wall somewhere. I tell him so the leak detector will come out and point his finger to the wet spot on the wall and say, "it's right here." Do you want to have the customer pay $300.00 for that and embarrass you and me?

Fuming MAD I drive there, he's outside smoking. I grab the drywall knife, open the wall, find cracked elbow point to it. There, fix it and I left.

This guy has to go but my workload is getting heavy and it's hard to find a good qualified plumber.


----------



## PlungerJockey (Feb 19, 2010)

I don't think you need a good man, you just need someone willing to work. My guys like making holes in drywall too much sometimes. If they can't find their saw or utility knife out comes the hammer


----------



## Plumbbum0203 (Dec 14, 2011)

Good workers are hard to get. Especially a licensed one. Good luck!


----------



## justme (Jul 4, 2012)

This guy is a service plumber? Sounds like you go a hold of a pipefitter lol


----------



## MTDUNN (Oct 9, 2011)

justme said:


> This guy is a service plumber? Sounds like you go a hold of a pipefitter lol


Not for long


----------



## Cal (Jun 17, 2008)

Lord I could use a good plumber also. Someone who takes initiative and cares about things past Friday !!


----------



## Lja1821 (Jul 27, 2013)

It seems nowadays work ethic takes a seat behind all the other bs that doesnt get you paid.. Hard work always equals success i dont care what you do for a living the rule applies to everyone but some just dont get it..hope it works out for you..


----------



## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

I may in Oregon before the year is out.. But it'll be for mucho denario.


----------



## MTDUNN (Oct 9, 2011)

Plumberman said:


> I may in Oregon before the year is out.. But it'll be for mucho denario.


I have a post in help wanted


----------



## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

MTDUNN said:


> I have a post in help wanted


No offense sir but I don't think you can afford me... 

We will be working out of Portland UA Local at a chip plant if all goes as planned.


----------



## MTDUNN (Oct 9, 2011)

Plumberman said:


> No offense sir but I don't think you can afford me...
> 
> We will be working out of Portland UA Local at a chip plant if all goes as planned.


I can certainly afford a decent journeyman at scale. Problem is here, there aren't many available.

You should do well at the chip factory


----------



## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

MTDUNN said:


> I can certainly afford a decent journeyman at scale. Problem is here, there aren't many available.
> 
> You should do well at the chip factory


Are you signatory?


----------



## MTDUNN (Oct 9, 2011)

Plumberman said:


> Are you signatory?


I'm not bound to any union


----------



## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

MTDUNN said:


> I'm not bound to any union


Hope you can find a suitable plumber sir


----------



## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

MTDUNN said:


> It's hard to find a good plumber and I need one.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
seeing him sitting in his truck smoking would have made me blow a gasket.. too lazy to just cut a little drywall.

I would put him on the end of a shovel digging a water service for a few days before you let him go just for meanness and spite...:laughing::yes:...


----------



## Phat Cat (Apr 1, 2009)

Did you deduct $300.00 from his paycheck since you were the 'leak detector?' :laughing:

Seriously, he has to go sooner, rather than later.

Good employees are damn near impossible to find. When you get one, you have to hold on to them with both hands.

BTW - smoking on the job would have been "GTFO!"


----------



## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

MTDUNN said:


> It's hard to find a good plumber and I need one.
> 
> I sent my guy to a leak call. Customer said its coming from behind the kitchen sink and it drips outside on the stem wall. I see this all the time with ABS fittings cracking. I call him to give his second call. First he tells me to call him back he's busy. Strike one. I have him the info on job #2 and asked him how things were going. He said the customer has to call a leak detection company. Strike 2. I asked him crossing my fingers that he didn't tell the customer that.
> He said well yes, it's in the wall somewhere. I tell him so the leak detector will come out and point his finger to the wet spot on the wall and say, "it's right here." Do you want to have the customer pay $300.00 for that and embarrass you and me?
> ...


No guy is better than the wrong guy.

Granted you will lose revenue by being a man short but how much revenue is lost when customers refuse to call you again after a bad experience with him?


----------



## DesertOkie (Jul 15, 2011)

I can teach someone to plumb, I just want someone who will be at work on time everyday without me bailing them out of jail.


----------



## PlumbDumber (Aug 7, 2013)

If the employee is not part of the solution, he is part of the problem.


----------



## MTDUNN (Oct 9, 2011)

New guy starts today. I will be in teaching mode once again. He is a greenhorn but he is young and motivated and won't smell like a cigarette.


----------



## Shoot'N'Plumber (Apr 27, 2013)

Darn! and im just getting ready to go on my own after 12 years of being underappreciated, well at least the last 4 anyway. And Hillsboro is awesome, easy access to the Columbia River and Mount Hood, and awesome Waterfowl hunting. Although being a USC fan would not fare well for me there, lol.


----------



## bigduke6 (Sep 8, 2011)

Plumberman said:


> No offense sir but I don't think you can afford me...
> 
> We will be working out of Portland UA Local at a chip plant if all goes as planned.


HOW ABOUT $21/HR AND 1 BATHROOM BREAK BROTHER,LOL!!!

Sent from my iPhone using PlumbingZone


----------



## matkg (Mar 3, 2013)

Sounds like an aprentince pay to me


----------



## pdxplumber (Nov 21, 2009)

I'm in SE Portland . I'm not a great plumber, but I did figure out a lot of those leaking pipes are actually inside of the wall!!?? Sorry to hear you troubles. I think a lot of us are getting hammered with work this summer. All the union guys stopped side jobbing and went back to the chip factory work they love.
2 guys to carry a 10ft piece of pipe. Who doesn't love that.


----------



## bigduke6 (Sep 8, 2011)

pdxplumber said:


> I'm in SE Portland . I'm not a great plumber, but I did figure out a lot of those leaking pipes are actually inside of the wall!!?? Sorry to hear you troubles. I think a lot of us are getting hammered with work this summer. All the union guys stopped side jobbing and went back to the chip factory work they love.
> 2 guys to carry a 10ft piece of pipe. Who doesn't love that.


BECAUSE WE WORK SMARTER NOT HARDER!!! WE DO NOT NEED TO WORK (SIDEWORK)!!!! WE MAKE FAT STACKS,$$$$$$$$ PLAY SAFE BROTHERS!!!!

Sent from my iPhone using PlumbingZone


----------



## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

pdxplumber said:


> I'm in SE Portland . I'm not a great plumber, but I did figure out a lot of those leaking pipes are actually inside of the wall!!?? Sorry to hear you troubles. I think a lot of us are getting hammered with work this summer. All the union guys stopped side jobbing and went back to the chip factory work they love.
> 2 guys to carry a 10ft piece of pipe. Who doesn't love that.


There's one thing that's constant in life..

THERE WILL ALWAYS BE HATERS


----------



## 422 plumber (Jul 31, 2008)

Most people who have never worked in an industrial site don't understand the work rules. They blame the union hands, but it is the plants' own safety practices/job briefs/qc hold points, etc that change the way we work. We aren't expected to show up for work and just start slinging pipe while running around like chickens with their heads cut off. We are expected to work safely, productively and make 0 errors.
Plan the work and work the plan.


----------



## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

422 plumber said:


> Most people who have never worked in an industrial site don't understand the work rules. They blame the union hands, but it is the plants' own safety practices/job briefs/qc hold points, etc that change the way we work. We aren't expected to show up for work and just start slinging pipe while running around like chickens with their heads cut off. We are expected to work safely, productively and make 0 errors.
> Plan the work and work the plan.


Indeed

They can like it or not but we are held at a higher expectation when you hit the front turn style... Safety men have a knack for bird dogging, and love to do write ups...


----------



## 422 plumber (Jul 31, 2008)

Plumberman said:


> Indeed
> 
> They can like it or not but we are held at a higher expectation when you hit the front turn style... Safety men have a knack for bird dogging, and love to do write ups...


I do plumbing at several plants that have union as well as non-union fitters. It is amazing what they let the non-union fitters do. It is actually a shame, because they do really unsafe stuff, breaking OSHA regs and the plant safety regs. If the union guys point it out to the safety guys, they are told to mind your own business, or you and your shop can be replaced. The decision to use non-union is made at corporate HQ, several states or countries away.


----------



## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

422 plumber said:


> I do plumbing at several plants that have union as well as non-union fitters. It is amazing what they let the non-union fitters do. It is actually a shame, because they do really unsafe stuff, breaking OSHA regs and the plant safety regs. If the union guys point it out to the safety guys, they are told to mind your own business, or you and your shop can be replaced. The decision to use non-union is made at corporate HQ, several states or countries away.


It's being played out on a very large scale here.. What's interesting to me is the fact that the pre fab here was done by union labor, being installed by non union general contractor, the plant start up is being carried out with union labor. 

The job itself has doubled its projected budget and the non union guys are scratching their heads wondering why corporate contacted the UA and set up a contract and now we are taking over... 

Droves of the non union guys are asking us how to go about buying a book.. 

Buy skilled you only pay once, buy cheap and you pay twice.


----------



## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

bigduke6 said:


> BECAUSE WE WORK SMARTER NOT HARDER!!! WE DO NOT NEED TO WORK (SIDEWORK)!!!! WE MAKE FAT STACKS,$$$$$$$$ PLAY SAFE BROTHERS!!!!
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using PlumbingZone


Not even enough to put my boots on for...


----------



## pdxplumber (Nov 21, 2009)

I'm not hating, just breakin balls a little bit. 
I seriously have a lot of respect and admiration for the technical stuff you guys do on those jobs. I wish I could get in to one of those fab plants and see what goes on. My neighbor is an iron worker out there and told me some interesting stories. Have fun making those fat stacks.


----------



## MTDUNN (Oct 9, 2011)

I believe the chip plant Plumberman was referring about is the Intel site in Hillsboro. I was approached and gave it a lot of thought. 60 hrs a week at union wages was tempting. But I am not young anymore and I get plenty of work on my own. 

Also if it wasn't for unions, there would be a lot of plumbers wondering where their fingers went and why that rebar is sticking out of their head.

Props to you union workers


----------



## crown36 (May 21, 2013)

MTDUNN: I'm totally razzing ya, but perhaps you could ask one of the mods to change the title of this thread to something else. Every time I get on here and see the "I need a good man", I double check to see what kind of site I am actually on. Whats next? gonna "Need someone who can lay the pipe" ??


----------



## MTDUNN (Oct 9, 2011)

Triplecrown24 said:


> MTDUNN: I'm totally razzing ya, but perhaps you could ask one of the mods to change the title of this thread to something else. Every time I get on here and see the "I need a good man", I double check to see what kind of site I am actually on. Next thing you know, there will be someone on here talking about they "Need someone who can lay the pipe"



Can a mod change this to "I need someone good at laying pipe?"


----------



## Mr-Green (Apr 29, 2013)

bigduke6 said:


> BECAUSE WE WORK SMARTER NOT HARDER!!! WE DO NOT NEED TO WORK (SIDEWORK)!!!! WE MAKE FAT STACKS,$$$$$$$$ PLAY SAFE BROTHERS!!!!
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using PlumbingZone


Not a fan of side work. Off time is for family/hobbies/ etc, not more work.


----------



## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

MTDUNN said:


> Can a mod change this to "I need someone good at laying pipe?"


:no: :laughing:


----------

