# Protech's Journal



## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

my day.

did 3/4 of a $3200 repipe with slowpoke(who is just a smidgin above worthless) Then did a leak repair for $260. Then did a call out to open a valve on a water heater $49(HO was a tard and couldn't figure out why she had no hot water)

total hual for the day: $2709

Going home to put a steak on the grill and figure out this YP thing.


----------



## Turd Burglar (Sep 26, 2009)

Protech said:


> my day.
> 
> did 3/4 of a $3200 repipe with slowpoke(who is just a smidgin above worthless) Then did a leak repair for $260. Then did a call out to open a valve on a water heater $49(HO was a tard and couldn't figure out why she had no hot water)
> 
> ...


Hey, burglar wannabe, start your own journal! You're mucking mine all up!:tt2:


----------



## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

I must admit, your name is cooler than mine. I'm jealous.



Turd Burglar said:


> Hey, burglar wannabe, start your own journal! You're mucking mine all up!:tt2:


----------



## Phat Cat (Apr 1, 2009)

Slowpoke needs to gooooooo!


----------



## Turd Burglar (Sep 26, 2009)

Yeah, there must be some better skilled plumber that you can hire. It seems like you run a top-class business Pro, you need a top-class plumber working for ya.


----------



## TheMaster (Jun 12, 2009)

Protech needs a BODY. He needs a guy to go stop that emergency from happening. He's not paying the guy much and the guy shows up for work. Thats the only thing I can figure. Somtimes even a slowpoke can provide that 3rd or 4th hand on a job or go stop that flood and calm the customer down till backup can arrive.


----------



## ILPlumber (Jun 17, 2008)

Protech's company is represented by slowpoke. Do you want your company ambassador to be a lazy slob? 

Do you want a fluff man to put the homeowner at ease until you get there? 

The thought in their mind will be. Why didn't the smart guy come out to begin with. Now I have to pay for 2 guys???


----------



## TheMaster (Jun 12, 2009)

ILPlumber said:


> Protech's company is represented by slowpoke. Do you want your company ambassador to be a lazy slob?
> 
> Do you want a fluff man to put the homeowner at ease until you get there?
> 
> The thought in their mind will be. Why didn't the smart guy come out to begin with. Now I have to pay for 2 guys???


Who said anything about an Ambassador,fluff man,lazy slob? Protech said the guys slow is all I heard. If all the guy could do is put the customer at ease then NO I wouldn't want the guy but surly he does more than that. WTF does it matter how slow he is to the customer......Flatrate right?


----------



## Optimus Primer (May 20, 2009)

Turd Burglar said:


> Yeah, there must be some better skilled plumber that you can hire. It seems like you run a top-class business Pro, you need a top-class plumber working for ya.


I'm already employed, plus he said lakeLand was too far for me to drive.


----------



## ILPlumber (Jun 17, 2008)

TheMaster said:


> or go stop that flood and calm the customer down till backup can arrive.


Who was that that mentioned a fluff man like person to put the customer at ease till the skilled guy comes?



TheMaster said:


> Who said anything about an Ambassador,fluff man,lazy slob?


If the lazy slob goes on a job wearing the Protech uniform. He is an ambassador. 

Slow = lazy or stupid. Take your pick.


----------



## TheMaster (Jun 12, 2009)

ILPlumber said:


> Who was that that mentioned a fluff man like person to put the customer at ease till the skilled guy comes?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 I call a $15 dollar an hr man that wears a uniform an EMPLOYEE. So if your slow your a slob? WTFever:laughing:


----------



## ILPlumber (Jun 17, 2008)

TheMaster said:


> I call a $15 dollar an hr man that wears a uniform an EMPLOYEE. So if your slow your a slob? WTFever:laughing:


You know what I mean. 

I'm sorry you are slow. You are not a slob.


----------



## TheMaster (Jun 12, 2009)

ILPlumber said:


> You know what I mean.
> 
> I'm sorry you are slow. You are not a slob.


Thats funny coming from a union plumber:laughing: 
How many times have you ever heard this "THOSE UNION GUYS ARE SOME FAST WORKERS"


----------



## Bollinger plumber (Apr 3, 2009)

I have worked with guys that are quick and sloppy and and resulted in constant call backs and I have worked with guys who are slow and proficient with mimimal call backs. Give me the slow guy anytime. But if he is slow and sloppy then out the door he should go.


----------



## Plumbworker (Oct 23, 2008)

slow and steady wins the race... all i ask of my guys is nice neat and clean work i dont mind the time needed to do so....:yes:


----------



## UnclogNH (Mar 28, 2009)

ILPlumber said:


> Who was that that mentioned a fluff man like person to put the customer at ease till the skilled guy comes?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Bingo :thumbsup:


----------



## TheMaster (Jun 12, 2009)

Yeah i think we should start asking bodyfat percentages when someone asks for a job. I bet alot of jobs would open up in the plumbing field if that were to happen. What do you guys think? I could hear it now....."hey you guys hiring?"....."Uh maybe...whats your waist size". How many plumbers do you think can sprint 100 yards and not throw up or still be able to hold a normal conversation? Maybe some of the sterotypes have some truth to them?


----------



## Optimus Primer (May 20, 2009)

TheMaster said:


> Yeah i think we should start asking bodyfat percentages when someone asks for a job. I bet alot of jobs would open up in the plumbing field if that were to happen. What do you guys think? I could hear it now....."hey you guys hiring?"....."Uh maybe...whats your waist size". How many plumbers do you think can sprint 100 yards and not throw up or still be able to hold a normal conversation? Maybe some of the sterotypes have some truth to them?


I depends, what size of waist is the cut off? If I qualify I'll respond.


----------



## ILPlumber (Jun 17, 2008)

Our trade is physical. This means being fit. You can be the guy that takes care of his body. Or, you can be the guy who didn't.

The guy who didn't will be looking for a different career at 60.

This thread is sposed to be Protech's Journal:laughing:

Protech. Any entries today??


----------



## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

OK.

Started working at 11:30am 

1st call was a polybutylene mobile home leak. $259.90

2nd call, copper slab leak bypass. $1060.00

3rd call, main line cable out from yard CO. $310.00

done at 8:30 pm


Slow pokes totals: $269.00 toilet rebuild, $289 badger 5 install. 4 hours on the clock.

total haul = $2187


----------



## Regulator (Aug 20, 2009)

ILPlumber said:


> Our trade is physical. This means being fit. You can be the guy that takes care of his body. Or, you can be the guy who didn't.
> 
> The guy who didn't will be looking for a different career at 60.
> 
> ...


Sorry Protech, your journal I know But I had to say this, my waste size increased the day I quit smoking. Didn't slow me down. I actually became MORE productive because I wasn't slowing down for a smoke break.


----------



## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

Top class plumbers are very hard to find. 

I'd hire house plumber if he weren't so far away. I can't have a box truck driving to and from new port richey every day. Besides, that's a 2 hour drive minimum. How much work can he get done if he's driving 4-5 hours just to get in and out of the service area.



Turd Burglar said:


> Yeah, there must be some better skilled plumber that you can hire. It seems like you run a top-class business Pro, you need a top-class plumber working for ya.


----------



## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

Maybe 1 in 200 guys interviewed would be 25K a month tech with low call back ratio.


----------



## TheMaster (Jun 12, 2009)

Protech said:


> Maybe 1 in 200 guys interviewed would be 25K a month tech with low call back ratio.


If that protech...your being generous. I bet you could easily go through 1,000 applicants before you found a guy who would work out long term. I feel your pain. I would love to expand but to do that and make money you hafta find the right tech. All the right techs have jobs already and they are getting paid so well that to hire them I would make no money off them after you add the overhead they cost me,not to mention the time an employee can take out of your day.


----------



## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

1st call 9AM: Diagnosed a gas pool heater. Bad transformer. Got paid $347. Have to go back to install the new xfmr in a few days when I'm already in the area. Takes about 5 minutes to change one out.

2nd call: A long time customer. He claims that he needs a new 50 gallon heater. I get out there and the garage is flooded. My spider sense was tingling so I decided to pop the cover off of the AC condensate drain tee and sure enough it was full. Popped it with my swoosh gun for him. $59. Now hold your horses on this one. This guy has called me several times and has never once complained about price or anything and is always just as nice as can be (passes you cold drinks and food the whole time you are there). I was only a few blocks from my 1st call to. I was in and out in 5 min. In light of all of that, I just charged him my call out charge.

3rd call: Snaked a cast iron kitchen drain from a wall cleanout. Cable bound up about 5 feet in. Managed to get it back and it was packed with sand and shiny as heck. Got 50% down payment for jet/camera/reline job next Monday. Job price is $4800.

Got home at 5pm and cleaned my air handler coils.
Now sipping lemonade and chillin on PZ.

Good day :thumbup:

Going to go see a movie with wifey now


----------



## smellslike$tome (Jun 16, 2008)

Protech said:


> 1st call 9AM: Diagnosed a gas pool heater. Bad transformer. Got paid $347. Have to go back to install the new xfmr in a few days when I'm already in the area. Takes about 5 minutes to change one out.
> 
> 2nd call: A long time customer. He claims that he needs a new 50 gallon heater. I get out there and the garage is flooded. My spider sense was tingling so I decided to pop the cover off of the AC condensate drain tee and sure enough it was full. Popped it with my swoosh gun for him. $59. Now hold your horses on this one. This guy has called me several times and has never once complained about price or anything and is always just as nice as can be (passes you cold drinks and food the whole time you are there). I was only a few blocks from my 1st call to. I was in and out in 5 min. In light of all of that, I just charged him my call out charge.
> 
> ...


Are you kiddin', I thought you were going to say he took crazy and complained about the price since it was only 5 minutes. I know plenty of guys who would have sold him the new water heater and popped the condensate drain while he wasn't looking for $1500 or so. Sounds like he was already a good client, you just insured that he will now, never call another plumber as long as he lives and you also probably picked up another 100 or so referral clients :thumbup:!

People, this is how it's done!


----------



## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

Kinda slow today. 

1st call: guy complaining of high water pressure and water hammer. Sold a new PRV and ice maker hammer arrestor. $667. Have to come back when the material comes in.

2nd call: minor toilet rebuild. $155.98


----------



## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

Went out first thing in the AM to do a free solar evaluation. Walked out with a signed contract for several thousand $ solar DHW system. I was also invited to a homeowners association meeting next month to talk with the rest of the HOs in the subdivision about solar retrofits.

Apparently, the second phase of construction started in the subdivision and the builder is now doing "green homes". This is a VERY well to do neighbor hood and everyone has to keep up with the Jones'. So of course all of the current HOs now want to green up. This HO is having me do his house first (for bragging rights?) and then we will use his system as a model for the rest of the HOs to look at while I give the presentation. This could turn out to be a goldmine for me. :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:


----------



## Plumber Jim (Jun 19, 2008)

Protech said:


> Went out first thing in the AM to do a free solar evaluation. Walked out with a signed contract for several thousand $ solar DHW system. I was also invited to a homeowners association meeting next month to talk with the rest of the HOs in the subdivision about solar retrofits.
> 
> Apparently, the second phase of construction started in the subdivision and the builder is now doing "green homes". This is a VERY well to do neighbor hood and everyone has to keep up with the Jones'. So of course all of the current HOs now want to green up. This HO is having me do his house first (for bragging rights?) and then we will use his system as a model for the rest of the HOs to look at while I give the presentation. This could turn out to be a goldmine for me. :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:


Awsome! I hope you can get alot of the other HOs onboard.


----------



## Phat Cat (Apr 1, 2009)

Protech said:


> Went out first thing in the AM to do a free solar evaluation. Walked out with a signed contract for several thousand $ solar DHW system. I was also invited to a homeowners association meeting next month to talk with the rest of the HOs in the subdivision about solar retrofits.
> 
> Apparently, the second phase of construction started in the subdivision and the builder is now doing "green homes". This is a VERY well to do neighbor hood and everyone has to keep up with the Jones'. So of course all of the current HOs now want to green up. This HO is having me do his house first (for bragging rights?) and then we will use his system as a model for the rest of the HOs to look at while I give the presentation. This could turn out to be a goldmine for me. :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:


Very, very good! You should do very well. Congrats on the opportunity Protech!


----------



## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

omg, booked 8 calls so far today slammmmmmmmmmmeeeeedddd


----------



## Phat Cat (Apr 1, 2009)

Glad to hear it! Though why it has to be feast or famine, i'll never know.


----------



## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

Started the day pretty bummed because my jet/reline job cancelled for today.

Phone started ringing off the wall late morning. Sold a repipe for this week back and so did slowpoke fist thing. Slowpoke did a few toilet rebuilds after that. I changed out a delta monitor cartridge and located a leak on an irrigation system. Stopped by to install a transformer that I ordered from last week in the same area. I now have 2 repipes and several service calls booked for this week(I'm not sure how I'm going to get all this done) and have a few calls booked for next week as well. I have a job for one of my accounts to move some gas lines that I never even got to look at today and I have no idea when I can even look at it. I will not be taking anymore calls for this week. Maybe I can squeeze a few in on the weekend. Most of the calls were out of the at&t yp. A few were repeat/referrals. Only one was from verizon and it was a loser call.

I'm going to bed now. I'm going to be mainlining red bull for the rest of the week to try and clear all of this work............which I guess is good.


----------



## Phat Cat (Apr 1, 2009)

Yes Protech, it is good considering the alternative. It's been my experience when opportunity knocks, open the door wide and hold on. Keep momentum going, it's good for the bottom line and very good for morale. Working 10 hours a day beats worrying for 1/2 a day.

When you try to slow things down, opportunities dry up.


----------



## smellslike$tome (Jun 16, 2008)

Protech said:


> omg, booked 8 calls so far today slammmmmmmmmmmeeeeedddd


Same thing here. We only booked 4 calls today but it finished out our schedule through Friday including a double booking in the morning . It's crazy, 2 weeks ago I was actually starting to be concerned a little bit. Now, I'm almost hoping the phone doesn't ring so we don't have to tell someone no. It's not nearly so difficult when it's someone new but we go to extraordinary lengths to make sure we don't put our clients off any longer than is necessary. 2 clients were booked for Friday today. This makes me nervous because we are used to getting to clients same day or next day except for when they request a later day. If any more call (for the rest of the week) I really don't know how I will get it done. What a delicious problem.


----------



## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

Went out on a emergency water service leak call at 7pm. Sold a new 1" pex water service for $1750. Doing it tomorrow. It's about 120 feet long but it's easy digging.
:thumbup:


----------



## Phat Cat (Apr 1, 2009)

Protech said:


> Went out on a emergency water service leak call at 7pm. Sold a new 1" pex water service for $1750. Doing it tomorrow. It's about 120 feet long but it's easy digging.
> :thumbup:


YEAH for you PT!!! You have been on a roll. Hope you can find someone to replace slowpoke and reap the rewards. :thumbsup:


----------



## SlickRick (Sep 3, 2009)

Protech said:


> Went out on a emergency water service leak call at 7pm. Sold a new 1" pex water service for $1750. Doing it tomorrow. It's about 120 feet long but it's easy digging.
> :thumbup:


Keep pluging Ken. You inspire me to get out and hustle. I can't let the "Kid" out work me! :thumbup:


----------



## M5Plumb (Oct 2, 2008)

Dig or Bore??



Protech said:


> Went out on a emergency water service leak call at 7pm. Sold a new 1" pex water service for $1750. Doing it tomorrow. It's about 120 feet long but it's easy digging.
> :thumbup:


----------



## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

Dig


----------

