# Rooter Hero? Orange, CA



## bryan1354 (Apr 4, 2016)

Hey guys, I'm prob not on the right discussion category but was wondering if any of you work or have worked for Rooter Hero in Orange, CA? (or maybe heard great things about the company)

Thinking about putting on my best suit and tie and heading to there office for an application/ Interview. 

My current company is getting very very slow! we rely mainly on yellow pages. It's been three days now & I've only gotten only 2 calls. I know it's the slow season as veteran plumbers say but I need to make some money! minimum wage does not cut it! 

Thanks & sorry If i'm in the wrong spot. :thumbsup:


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## celtic1 (Dec 16, 2008)

*Spend a couple of mornings at*

a few different supply houses. When trucks roll in start asking.:thumbsup:


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## Debo22 (Feb 15, 2015)

You're intro said you were 5 months in the trade, I think you'll learn a lot more if you can get into a small 1-5 man shop instead of a sales based company.


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## wharfrat (Nov 1, 2014)

They told my friend $2,500 to fix broken sewer. I cleaned it and televised and did not find even the slightest issue with his line. This happened about a month ago, the day he and wife brought their newborn baby home after being born. I don't know if you blame the plumber or the company?


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## bryan1354 (Apr 4, 2016)

Debo22 said:


> You're intro said you were 5 months in the trade, I think you'll learn a lot more if you can get into a small 1-5 man shop instead of a sales based company.


Currenty in a 7 man shop. Learned a lot, still tons to learn but i've been doing sales since I turned 18. Im good at it so I want to be apart of a company that is aggressive, advertises a lot, caters to certain areas.. Etc.


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## bryan1354 (Apr 4, 2016)

celtic1 said:


> a few different supply houses. When trucks roll in start asking.:thumbsup:[/QUOTE
> 
> Did that today, RH did not show up. Gotta try it again tomorrow :thumbup:


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## bryan1354 (Apr 4, 2016)

wharfrat said:


> They told my friend $2,500 to fix broken sewer. I cleaned it and televised and did not find even the slightest issue with his line. This happened about a month ago, the day he and wife brought their newborn baby home after being born. I don't know if you blame the plumber or the company?


I think the plumber is the one to blame, most of us are commissioned paid so we want to make money. That is why we are in this trade. The earning possibilities are endless therfore alot of plumbers are scammers. If they see an oppurtunity they go for it! And a lot of companies support that. That is what i'm seeing since getting into the trade.


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## wharfrat (Nov 1, 2014)

After 5 months you are being paid commission! That means you are running calls already... scary stuff. You should focus on learning the trade and not selling the trade this early into your career.


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## Fatpat (Nov 1, 2015)

5 months experience, really?

Concentrate on learning the trade.


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## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

I have a 10 years experience minimum requirement on new hires. No way in hell I put my customer at risk with junior plumbers. Even at 10 years you still have a lot to learn.


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## bryan1354 (Apr 4, 2016)

I recieved 1 month training and got thrown out in the field. Fully stocked van. Commission paid or minimum wage whichever is higher lol. 

I guess its different in my area.


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## bryan1354 (Apr 4, 2016)

Till date havent caused damage to customers homes, etc. we just do repairs and service mostly residental.


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## Plumber (Jan 18, 2009)

dhal22 said:


> I have a 10 years experience minimum requirement on new hires. No way in hell I put my customer at risk with junior plumbers. Even at 10 years you still have a lot to learn.


10? I was told 40 years before I learn enough.


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## wharfrat (Nov 1, 2014)

bryan1354 said:


> I recieved 1 month training and got thrown out in the field. Fully stocked van. Commission paid or minimum wage whichever is higher lol.
> 
> I guess its different in my area.


 Sign up for the 4 year plumbing program at a phcc, only 1 night a week.


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## celtic1 (Dec 16, 2008)

*40 years*



Plumber said:


> 10? I was told 40 years before I learn enough.


 some R slower than others !:whistling


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## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

Plumber said:


> 10? I was told 40 years before I learn enough.


I'm over 30 years in the business and still learning.


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## MikeyLikesIt (Jul 24, 2016)

Bryan.. sounds like 100% commission is what you need. That minimum wage to fall back on is an nice cushion. HaHa. Multiple decades of experience should not be a prerequisite to diagnosing 95% of all residential plumbing issues. The experience of working with and for your homeowners while gaining a profit is what is critical. Most if not all modern/progressive companies are more focused on sales then they are anything else.


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## wharfrat (Nov 1, 2014)

If you have no skills then what the hell are you selling?


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## Flyout95 (Apr 13, 2012)

So now, to be a plumber the only skill you need is the ability to lie right a home owner? 

I'm happy I live in IL for that reason.... Even the non union hack shops still have guys who have apprenticed for 4 years.


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## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

It's always the 'plumbers' with no experience that argue that experience isn't really necessary. Which makes sense as they don't know anyway.


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## jimmy D (Jul 27, 2016)

Be very careful with rooter hero, I heard you had to buy your own material to stock the van, If you don't sell, they will get rid of you. Its all about numbers with this company and nothing else. If and when you leave you have to take the material you bought with you, they don't buy it back!


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

wharfrat said:


> Sign up for the 4 year plumbing program at a phcc, only 1 night a week.




Hey, you make it sound like going to school one night a week is too easy....... like a walk in the park..

My apprentice guys would not go to class for one night a week even with me paying for it..... been there and done that. Fired them all eventually..

The excuse for not being able to go was that it was always ladies night somewhere in town at some bar and they did not want to miss out on "the lady of their wet dreams" or " miss right now" .... :laughing::laughing: .....

I suggest you get all the training you can or you will be in the gutter some day with my guys......


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## wharfrat (Nov 1, 2014)

I did four years of plumbing school. I would work all day and often show up covered in plumbing. After class I would go run calls if it was my night. I know it isn't easy to do. 

Getting educated in the field and the classroom is the number one way to get in the position to win.

We currently have 5 guys in Phcc-glaa (greater los Angeles area) plumbing school. We are non union service co.


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

wharfrat said:


> I did four years of plumbing school. I would work all day and often show up covered in plumbing. After class I would go run calls if it was my night. I know it isn't easy to do.
> 
> Getting educated in the field and the classroom is the number one way to get in the position to win.
> 
> We currently have 5 guys in Phcc-glaa (greater los Angeles area) plumbing school. We are non union service co.



So seriously what is your secret to motivate them to stick it out....??

we even paid for the class and offered them a bonus if they passed every semester, but it all fell on deaf ears.... I finally just had to fire them when they 
disrespected the rules and expected me to keep them working . 

I suppose I should have promised them a night out at the local strip club if they stuck it out and passed the course??


https://youtu.be/KN3YKSRcq4k?t=5


secret


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

Master Mark said:


> So seriously what is your secret to motivate them to stick it out....??
> 
> we even paid for the class and offered them a bonus if they passed every semester, but it all fell on deaf ears.... I finally just had to fire them when they
> disrespected the rules and expected me to keep them working .
> ...


https://youtu.be/ipjZkMKikeM?t=1


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## Fatpat (Nov 1, 2015)

8000 hours as an apprentice 
5 years of school twice a week

Education in the field and classroom are key.


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## wharfrat (Nov 1, 2014)

Only the young guys have taken up our boss on his offer of free schooling. The older plumbers aren't interested. 

I think guys decide to attend for many reasons. Competitive with each other, Nobody wants to be looked at as less qualified as their coworkers. Once a few got started others and the new hires just fall in line.


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

wharfrat said:


> Only the young guys have taken up our boss on his offer of free schooling. The older plumbers aren't interested.
> 
> I think guys decide to attend for many reasons. Competitive with each other, Nobody wants to be looked at as less qualified as their coworkers. Once a few got started others and the new hires just fall in line.





It disappoints me when I run into some of the guys that worked for me 15+ years ago and see they still have not even got their journeymen's cards and they have some old plumber who pulls permits for them.... They have even asked me to do it for them...no thanks:no::no:

They claim to be in business for themselves but never have gained any altitude and been successful.... just clod-hoppers


.


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## RealPlumbers (Dec 4, 2016)

If I may, is there any way the customer/homeowner would benefit (or not benefit) by the plumber working on a commission basis only? The customer would not know the plumber is paid this way. 
Please reply and Thank you.


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## 89plumbum (May 14, 2011)

RealPlumbers said:


> If I may, is there any way the customer/homeowner would benefit (or not benefit) by the plumber working on a commission basis only? The customer would not know the plumber is paid this way.
> Please reply and Thank you.


No... you may not:no:


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## ToUtahNow (Jul 19, 2008)

bryan1354 said:


> I recieved 1 month training and got thrown out in the field. Fully stocked van. Commission paid or minimum wage whichever is higher lol.
> 
> I guess its different in my area.


This is one of the major problems with States which do not require Apprenticeship programs and Journeyman cards. I'm guessing your shop is charging journeyman wages for you and you are barely a laborer. This really should be criminal and they are not just cheating the consumer, they are cheating you out of valuable training.

What's worse, now I am getting mail in California from Attorneys asking if I will be a paid consultant for their unlicensed client. What they are really asking is if I will qualify their unlicensed client for their Contractors license. So now there will be unqualified Contractors hiring unqualified "plumbers" doing who knows what?

Mark


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