# Bosses work



## rob the plumber (Oct 21, 2011)

Here is my bosses idea of a great job installing a water powered back up sump pump. His philosophies include no fittings on his pex for superior flow (......cheap......) Supporting the water line to the discharge line with zip ties, and no isolation valve at the pump.
Who needs a valve when there is one at the meter right?


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## ranman (Jan 24, 2010)

hack work, he could not work for me


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## Widdershins (Feb 5, 2011)

rob the plumber said:


> Here is my bosses idea of a great job installing a water powered back up sump pump. His philosophies include no fittings on his pex for superior flow (......cheap......) Supporting the water line to the discharge line with zip ties, and no isolation valve at the pump.
> Who needs a valve when there is one at the meter right?
> 
> 
> ...


 Your boss sounds like an insurance claim just waiting to happen.


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## DesertOkie (Jul 15, 2011)

Bad news is if it goes to crap and they call it's on you. hehehe


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## rob the plumber (Oct 21, 2011)

This is his best friends house too. He can do nice work but jumps at the opportunity to save a dime every chance he gets. 
Zip ties and duct tape have sadly become the norm since he has been getting away with it.


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## Mississippiplum (Sep 30, 2011)

Where's the rpz and iso valve and it's an unlevel mess.


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## Phat Cat (Apr 1, 2009)

I hope your boss doesn't use social media or the internet in general. I sincerely hope you do not make enemies either.

Either would make your post invalid. Your boss would need to be changed to 'former boss.'

The work is shoddy, but posting it online IMO is very wrong. You should take it up with your boss. In the meantime, you should look for alternative employment.

Bad-mouthing your boss and posting his work is the cowards way out IMO.


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## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

Phat Cat said:


> I hope your boss doesn't use social media or the internet in general. I sincerely hope you do not make enemies either.
> 
> Either would make your post invalid. Your boss would need to be changed to 'former boss.'
> 
> ...


I was thinking the same thing.

I would be fired on the spot for doing that.


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## Mississippiplum (Sep 30, 2011)

I would be fired on the spot also


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## U666A (Dec 11, 2010)

Plumberman said:


> I was thinking the same thing.
> 
> I would be fired on the spot for doing that.


Agreed. 

This thread is in poor taste and totally unscrupulous!

Nevermind getting fired, how about working on building some ethics?!?

:blink:


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## rob the plumber (Oct 21, 2011)

He and I argue about this stuff a lot. His argument is that often times the customer does not want to pay for quality work, so they get what they pay for. 
I'm not concerned about poking fun of his work on the internet. It does not affect his business in any way since it is anonymous. 
He and I are the only ones in his business, so we are not exactly formal. We bust each others balls quite often about work.


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## user2090 (Sep 26, 2009)

Not a good idea to post a picture like that and identify it was your employers work. Unless of course you don't care to be fired. Try keeping it anonymous.


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## GREENPLUM (Jul 27, 2008)

the OP made some comments about his jackleg boss..big deal 

I hope the boss sees this 

If the OP gets fired then he gets fired 

who cares


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## rob the plumber (Oct 21, 2011)

But, I didn't realize that this thread came off that way, and I will refrain from similar posts in the future. I'm a new guy here and don't want to come off disrespectfully. 
On the other hand hack work is hack work. I'd rather not compromise my quality of work for a pay check. Getting fired is no concern of mine.


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## user2090 (Sep 26, 2009)

rob the plumber said:


> He and I argue about this stuff a lot. His argument is that often times the customer does not want to pay for quality work, so they get what they pay for.
> I'm not concerned about poking fun of his work on the internet. It does not affect his business in any way since it is anonymous.
> He and I are the only ones in his business, so we are not exactly formal. We bust each others balls quite often about work.


It's his company and therefore his choice at the level of quality he wants to deliver.


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## rob the plumber (Oct 21, 2011)

Indie said:


> It's his company and therefore his choice at the level of quality he wants to deliver.


You make a very good point.


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## Phat Cat (Apr 1, 2009)

Rob The Plumber - you could have posted the pic and asked for feedback without identifying it as your bosses work.

Then, you could have shown the thread to your boss. Apparently he knows it is wrong. Survival in this economy causes many to do things they would never have done before.

I try not to judge others for their decisions. It's brutal out there. Rules fly out the window in times of desperation. 

Not condoning it by any means.


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## rob the plumber (Oct 21, 2011)

Understood.


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## Michaelcookplum (May 1, 2011)

I think every plumber would be lying if they claimed they never did hack work once or twice. It happens. But at a friends house.....


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## Mississippiplum (Sep 30, 2011)

Michaelcookplum said:


> I think every plumber would be lying if they claimed they never did hack work once or twice. It happens. But at a friends house.....


The Dom. Water feed for the backup pump doesn't have any form of backflow prevention on it, that's not just hackish but can indanger lives.


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## ZL700 (Dec 8, 2009)

*The Liberty Sumpjet does have back flow protection built in acceptable by many. Maybe the water valve is at the tap and out of view?*

From the install 

5.01 BUILT IN BACK WATER PREVENTION DEVICE
The water powered back up pump shall provide an internally installed back flow prevention device equal to Neoperl OV20 check valve for the inlet water supply. The OV20 is a UPC approved device, IAMPO file 4374, and in compliance with ASME A112.18.3-2002 and ASME A112.18.1/CSA B125.1.2005. The device shall be provided with a foot valve, to provide further protection in the event of a valve falure.


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## rob the plumber (Oct 21, 2011)

There is no rpz on the line which is code in Michigan considering sump water is considered high hazard. But I honestly have yet to see an inspector enforce it, or a plumber install one.

Plumbers just don't want to buy one either, or charge the homeowner for it. My boss charges $650 for that installation. $180 for the pump and maybe $30 in misc parts. They take around an hour and a half to install. What's that, $300ish an hour? I think proper cross connection control should be in the budget.


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## Phat Cat (Apr 1, 2009)

rob the plumber said:


> There is no rpz on the line which is code in Michigan considering sump water is considered high hazard. But I honestly have yet to see an inspector enforce it, or a plumber install one.


Sounds like a case of 'when in Rome . . . .' 

Code is either important or it's not. Inspectors not enforcing it tells me that they don't consider the rpz important. Plumbers aren't installing them, appears they think the same way.

Regardless of what your boss is charging, if he is adding more to the job (RPZ), then his price will go up. If he's competing for work, chances are he will lose the job every time.

It's hard to sell how necessary a RPZ is when another plumbing co. comes in and says 'we never install one, if they were so important the inspectors wouldn't pass the job.' 

From a H.O. perspective, I would go with them, believing you are just up-selling to line your pockets.

Not condoning going against code, but I do have a hard time defending it when the inspectors don't enforce it, the vast majority of plumbers ignore it (or worse, don't even know the code), and h.o.'s aren't willing to pay for something to be done correctly.

Unfortunately, many people have to die before anything changes.


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## PlumberShep (Sep 22, 2010)

I dont find the post in poor taste at all.Shoddy work is shoddy work, and should be called out every time it happens.Hard times or not ,he gets no quarter from me.Knowing better makes it all the worse.No wonder so many HO's dont follow our advice when we explain the importance of hiring a licensed pro.If he doesnt take any more pride than that in his work, he deserves whatever he gets.
BTW, I would have put an RPZ on that regardless of any min. code requirement.If the customer did not want to pay for it I would collect my service fee and go.They can hire the guy who did the work in the pic for all I care.


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

*looks nasty*

the work is very nasty ...... I dont care for the green check valve either cause they usually
 start to bend and warp after a while.... a solid one is much better 

a shark bite ball valve and an extra shark bite elbow would not have cost
 this guy another 18 bucks on this job ..the guy is a cheap ass........ no doubt about it

\doing work like this for a freind is the best way to lose 
that beer buddy ........that I can think of........

it makes me wonder if he would half ass something like this in for a freind,
 I hate to see what he would do for someone he dont like.......:laughing:

I dont know wether I would have named the hack that did this work, but as long as
 you are ok with it,,,, its ok with me..... it is anynomous as far as I am concerned,
 I dont know where you are from or what state or company... 


I think everyone shooud just get over it..... 

but of course its your paycheck, not mine ....that might end up missing some day..... 
it depends on how petty your boss is:yes::yes:


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## Plumber (Jan 18, 2009)

rob the plumber said:


> There is no rpz on the line which is code in Michigan considering sump water is considered high hazard. But I honestly have yet to see an inspector enforce it, or a plumber install one.
> 
> Plumbers just don't want to buy one either, or charge the homeowner for it. My boss charges $650 for that installation. $180 for the pump and maybe $30 in misc parts. They take around an hour and a half to install. What's that, $300ish an hour? I think proper cross connection control should be in the budget.


300.00 an hour? You know diddly-jack, kid. I bet he's losing money at that price.


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## Widdershins (Feb 5, 2011)

Plumber said:


> 300.00 an hour? You know diddly-jack, kid. I bet he's losing money at that price.



'Splain.

This should be good.:laughing:


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## plumberkc (Jun 23, 2011)

If I were you I would look for a new employer. Or, if you know so much then go out and start your own business. You may do better work than your boss, but at the end of the day you still look to him to line up the work.

The biggest mistake your boss made is not in his workmanship, although very poor, it was telling you how much he charged. I always get irritated when employees want to know how much I am charging. There are many expenses that go into running a business that often get overlooked. This is a common mistake of new business owners and often leads to undercharging.


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## Mississippiplum (Sep 30, 2011)

plumberkc said:


> If I were you I would look for a new employer. Or, if you know so much then go out and start your own business. You may do better work than your boss, but at the end of the day you still look to him to line up the work.
> 
> The biggest mistake your boss made is not in his workmanship, although very poor, it was telling you how much he charged. I always get irritated when employees want to know how much I am charging. There are many expenses that go into running a business that often get overlooked. This is a common mistake of new business owners and often leads to undercharging.


I never question my boss about how much he charges, as far as I'm concerned its none of my business.


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## rob the plumber (Oct 21, 2011)

I don't ask, he usually tells me. I know there are many not so obvious costs in running a business, but paying your employees cash, taking in almost all cash, and paying zero taxes really cuts down on your overhead.

I am currently looking for a real job. I hold a masters license and a backflow license. I am looking for the right job. One that provides insurance and benefits and an honest w2. Most people hiring around the Detroit area don't seem to want to hire a master plumber. Most are small companies who can't afford to even give health insurance to their employees. I want to be challenged at work and start learning again. The right job is out there, it will just take some time to find it.


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## Greenguy (Jan 22, 2011)

It doesn't matter what the boss wants to charge nor the quality of work he puts out. I've worked for several guys who had a masters in business and were not plumbers at all, what matters is the quality of work that you put out Rob. The first guy I worked for spent more time on holidays or gambling out of country then he did on the job site that company had 5 of us the; boss 1 3rd year, 2 second years and me a first year. 

If you live in Detroit what about crossing the river and looking for work in Windsor. So times we have to move our families to get better work.


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