# Dumb plumbers - Here's Your Sign!



## Wiser (Jul 25, 2008)

Things *not to do* when looking for a job or trying to keep a job:

On application. Position Desired: Plummer 

During interview process: "I'm an excellent plumber and have done practically everything" On application. Salary Desired: $11.00 / hr. :no: Got this bozo just last year!

During interview process for Service Plumber (min. 5 years Service experience). "Can you snake a drain?" Answer: "Yeah, but I'm not a turd chaser. Can't stand the smell of sh*t!" :no: Can someone say NEXT!

During interview process. "Why did you leave your last job?" Answer: "The boss got pi$$ed because I did side work on the weekend with the company truck." :no: Oh yeah, we want you! 

After hiring Master Plumber from NJ. Call to look at possible leaking water heater due to water in pan, may be A/C Unit above dripping down on heater into pan. Call to office:
Plumber: This heater looks shot. 
Office: How old is it?
Plumber: I dunno.
Office: Give me Model #, Serial #, and Manufacturer.
Plumber: Proceeds to give me Model # & Serial #. Manufacturer, hold on to your chair . . . drum roll please . . . . Manufacturer: "It looks like it's an UL heater" :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:. . . Can anyone say Underwriters Lab?

He brought the sticker back. Listed right on the bottom of sticker Mfr.: A.O. Smith. We fired him that day.

First day on job: Plumber setting up his truck and among his tools CHAINSAW!  Told him he won't be needing that. He lasted one week.


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## Alan (Jun 18, 2008)

:laughing::laughing:

almost sounds like it would be better to hire someone with 0 experience and a little common sense, then you might end up with a decent plumber before you would if you continued with those types of people. 


Did he say what the chainsaw was for? :laughing:


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## 22rifle (Jun 14, 2008)

A CHAINSAW? What was that for?


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## user4 (Jun 12, 2008)

I carry a chainsaw in my truck.


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## Wiser (Jul 25, 2008)

I asked my husband and he thinks it was to cut floors open, but he isn't sure.

The 'plumber', I use the term loosely, was working for a competitor when we hire him. His reason for looking for a job was that the co. he was working for had money troubles. We knew this to be true because supply houses had cut the co. credit off.

When he came to pick up his first (& final) paycheck, he was already in another competitors truck. That competitor was out of business within a year. Makes you wonder.

Killer - Pray tell, why is a chainsaw in your truck???


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## nhmaster3015 (Aug 5, 2008)

Here's my favorite reason to give someone the boot " You can't see if from my house" And now my friend you will get the opportunity to see if that's true.


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## user4 (Jun 12, 2008)

Plumbcrazy said:


> Killer - Pray tell, why is a chainsaw in your truck???


It cuts concrete.


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## smellslike$tome (Jun 16, 2008)

Killertoiletspider said:


> It cuts concrete.


Wet rescue saw, unless the concrete is very thick. How do you keep the dust down?


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## user4 (Jun 12, 2008)

smellslike$tome said:


> Wet rescue saw, unless the concrete is very thick. How do you keep the dust down?


It has a water hook up, just like my Partner saw.


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## Alan (Jun 18, 2008)

nhmaster3015 said:


> Here's my favorite reason to give someone the boot " You can't see if from my house" And now my friend you will get the opportunity to see if that's true.


That seems to be the attitude of a lot of the contractors' employees that we work for. :no:


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## Marlin (Aug 14, 2008)

We don't carry chainsaws at the shop I work for but I can think of many instances where one would have come in handy doing trenching.


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## GrumpyPlumber (Jun 12, 2008)

*A thing to ponder....*
*One of the best all around plumbers I ever worked with was nearly illiterate.*

*It had taken him 12 tries to pass the state exam, he could barely read.*
*Give him a job and he was ALWAYS the fastest, seldom had leaks and he knew the code inside & out.*

*He was dyslexic, he wanted to be a plumber badly enough to have his wife walk him through the code book and quiz him as they went.*

*He wanted to be a plumber badly enough to get right back up after failing the exam each time, studying yet again, and retaking the exam until he finally passed.*


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## 3KP (Jun 19, 2008)

*help*

We went through trying to hire our first employee. First kid home just finished high school. Flexable hrs, willing to learn, I only have had 2 jobs my whole life. 1 job for 2 weeks and the other job for week and a 1/2. He was driving a new Toyota Truck. (Daddy is a doctor) Well we didn't hire him. 

Next kid that we did hire (wish I didn't) Showed up 5 min late to interview (got lost) He was fresh out of high school as well. I almost think he had on womens pants:blink: (punk rocker kid) But I knew some of his family kept on telling me he was a hard worker.:jester: First 2 weeks kept on trying to sleep in the truck on the way to the job sites, I put a stop to that by making him drive. He worked for me for 2 months probably took off 1-2 days a week for he can go play in his band. ( I was fine with that.) He asked for 2 weeks off to go on tour with his band I said sure not that busy right now. He returns back to work tells me on Tuesday he needs Thursday off. Because his B-Day is on Wed. but he's going to work that day but already made plans for thurs and fri to be off. It made me a little mad. The next week he came back worked Mon. did a good job. Tues took him 1 1/2 hrs to prefab 2 Kohler valves, My 7 now 8 year old could do 3 in 1hr:blink: So I was ticked off again. Wed went to pick him up due to car being broke down, knocked on the door, No answer. So I let myself in (house is unlocked) Yelled Hello! no one answered! Walked in he was a sleep on the couch. turned around and left his  there. I called the person who owned the house and let him know what I did. He started to laugh his  off. The kid called me 1/2 hr later saying his alarm didn't go off dog unpluged it :blink: I told him to pack his bags he's done!( there are other issues but I think I would take up a whole page to tell them all)
So now I'm back to a one man shop trying to plumb an 6000 sqft house by myself. My wife came out to help me carry the tubs in the house it's taking me 3 weeks to do plus run service calls. Soon as I'm done I will take pic and post them. I ran 2500ft of 1/2 pex pipe. 

Oh Grumpy Plumber hats of to the best plumber you know:thumbup: for never giving up!


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## GrumpyPlumber (Jun 12, 2008)

*Michael, I have knots in my stomache imagining plumbing a full home and keeping up with service calls as well.*

*6,000 sq/ft...how many baths?*


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## 3KP (Jun 19, 2008)

*Custom home*

Grumpy,

It has 2 up stairs with cast iron stacks to help keep the sound down in the walls, master bath and 1/2 on main floor, and full bath in basement.

Here is the builders web site: www.dunvillecustomhomes.com find the Henderzahs floor plans. that is the house I'm doing. I will be done with it on Monday!

Click on floor plans! Oh I was wrong it's closer to 5460 sqft I was guessin goff the top of my head. Soory to miss lead!


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## masterk (Jun 20, 2008)

I hate when they show up ed up and then want to argue when you send them home.


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## GrumpyPlumber (Jun 12, 2008)

*Nice Michael, counted a total of 5 full/half baths.*
*Nice layout for the house.*


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## Double-A (Aug 17, 2008)

masterk said:


> I hate when they show up ed up and then want to argue when you send them home.


That's an easy one. I ask if they want to spend the day sleeping it off at home, county, or city. I can call their family, the sheriff or the city cops, their choice.

Public intoxication is a crime in our city.


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## nhmaster3015 (Aug 5, 2008)

In the past 5 years I have probably hired and promptly fired 30 or more idiot's. But then I'm not real easy to work for. When you show up 10 minutes late it means the partner you work with is now effectivly 10 minutes late also. Any later then I send your partner without you and now when you finally dragg your ass in someone has to run you out to the site. Guess how many times I put up with that? They show up wearing the same uniform (we provide) that they have worn for a week, because they were too lazy to turn them in for cleaning. This list of idiot excuses is endless.


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## Cal (Jun 17, 2008)

Over all these years ,,, I have pretty much given up . " Can't come in , my girlfriend is in jail and I gotta bail her out " . " I need to get hold of $1,000 so if you can't give it to me I won't be to work this week " . " I worked real hard yesterday ,, I'm too sore "

ON and ON and ON they go !! I just want ONE PERSON that cares enough to get there everyday , work hard ,laugh often and care to be in the service of others !

footnote *** I absolutely LOVED being a 4 year apprentice!!! Best time of my life !!

Cal


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## Double-A (Aug 17, 2008)

Put your company policies in writing and let your folks know they will not only read it, but sign off as having read and understood it and agree to be bound by it as a condition of employment.

Say it. Mean it. Do it.

That is my credo with employees. They can play by the rules or clean out their trucks. There are hardworking and sober folks out there, you just have to be willing to fire the ones that aren't. Once word gets around that you drug test and enforce punctuality, they will start showing up. Those that like that atmosphere will flock to your door, those that don't, won't bother to darken it.

"Wanted! Reliable, sober and ethical people for satisfying work and great benefits. Willing to train. Top pay for licensed plumbers that qualify with an additional pay for each current certification you have! Earn what you're worth and be treated like the valuable asset you are by a company that puts their people in front of their ego!"

Now, who among you wouldn't answer that ad?


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## uaplumber (Jun 16, 2008)

The real drawback to expansion is needing more employees. I have a guy who hoked up the DWV under a mobile home last week. He talked to the homeowner about where to run the gas under the trailer with respect to BBQ hookups then went home early because he said he was done for the day. That was Thursday. Today he goes out to the same trailer to run the gas and cals me an hour later with a material list. I asked why he didn't just bring everything out there with him when he left the shop this morning? His reply, I didn't look to see what I needed last time I was out here. This is the same guy that asks for a raise once a month. (hasn't gotten one in 6 months, gonna be a while yet)


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