# Age/Year you started in trade - Add To Total Years Tally



## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

19

2003


----------



## PLUMBER_BILL (Oct 23, 2009)

plumberman said:


> 19
> 
> 2003


parr... 1955 18


----------



## goob (Dec 29, 2008)

17 1975


----------



## MTDUNN (Oct 9, 2011)

I was a fish cutter and crabber in Maryland. I took a second part time job as a plumber helper at the age of 16 in 1980.


----------



## Plumbus (Aug 4, 2008)

68

16


----------



## MACPLUMB777 (Jun 18, 2008)

24 1975


----------



## justme (Jul 4, 2012)

16 1994


----------



## stoop14 (Feb 5, 2012)

Did my pre employment course is 2007/2008 but didn't start at a plumbing company till 2010.


----------



## mssp (Dec 15, 2009)

17/ 1985


----------



## Unclog1776 (Feb 5, 2013)

17 / 2004

Sent from my iPhone using PlumbingZone


----------



## suzie (Sep 1, 2010)

34 in 1997 oh no a woman should never reveal her age


----------



## love2surf927 (Dec 22, 2011)

18/2002


----------



## timrath (Sep 28, 2013)

Started in 2003 at 16


----------



## O.C. plumberman (Nov 21, 2008)

28 yrs old, Jan 5th 2001


----------



## Plumber71 (Dec 20, 2010)

17 years old , 25 years in the trade


----------



## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

started in 1965 at 11 years old


----------



## redbeardplumber (Dec 4, 2012)

Age 27 2000....new millennium new start.


----------



## The bear (Sep 27, 2012)

1973 age 14


----------



## jc2002 (Aug 18, 2013)

18/2002 unless u count cleaning copper fittings for my dad and uncle then 5/1987


----------



## PlungerJockey (Feb 19, 2010)

Started part-time and going to school at 14 in '89.
Went to work full-time after graduation in1993.


----------



## Burner tech (Oct 24, 2013)

15 in 2000


----------



## Plumbbum0203 (Dec 14, 2011)

20-2004.


----------



## Ruudplumber (Feb 21, 2011)

10/ 1990


----------



## 504Plumber (Jan 26, 2011)

17 / 2003


----------



## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

I forget exactly it was around '77 or '78 when my AFSC was changed...
I worked for the same plumbing outfit Jerry Mac started at.... Different location though...


----------



## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

10 - 1973


----------



## wyrickmech (Mar 16, 2013)

16 1983


----------



## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

11 / 1971


----------



## AKdaplumba (Jan 12, 2010)

18/2003


----------



## redbeardplumber (Dec 4, 2012)

rjbphd said:


> 11 / 1971


Your just a young fart. You act older than that old man! Lol


----------



## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

redbeardplumber said:


> Your just a young fart. You act older than that old man! Lol


Started by sweeping the floor and put fiittings away... used to know WB by heart... now afther this boiler replacement this week, I'm so fooking old...


----------



## TX MECH PLUMBER (May 27, 2011)

I was 26

In 2005

Started fire protection in 2000 at the age of 21

Soooo happy I got into plumbing


----------



## MTDUNN (Oct 9, 2011)

TX MECH PLUMBER said:


> I was 26 In 2005 Started fire protection in 2000 at the age of 21 Soooo happy I got into plumbing


Well it must be your calling. You're a hard ass SOB but you do excellent work. 

Kudos


----------



## TX MECH PLUMBER (May 27, 2011)

Who me ?? Why am I a hard ass. ? I just don't like people that want hand outs all the time 
And yes it is my calling 

When I was little I had a book of busy scenes. Subway hospital shipyard ect ect and a construction site like a sky scraper. Red iron cranes const fence. Guys in hard hats. I use to star at that page for hours. So much action.... little did I know that's where I'd end up at 

Il snap some pics my mom still has the book. 

But I'm actually a nice guy and the other plumber s at work request me when they are in charge of a job and I'm not busy running my own. I like to cut up and enjoy work I'm known as the mech plumber with big comm and industrial experience But don't ask me to start or use the jetter.


----------



## MTDUNN (Oct 9, 2011)

I'm no Stan the drain man either. Actually, I have no feel for it. 

I do respect them though and I make it easy for them when roughing in waste and vent although I don't do much of it anymore.


----------



## justme (Jul 4, 2012)

MTDUNN said:


> Well it must be your calling. You're a hard ass SOB but you do excellent work.
> 
> Kudos


He's not a hardass he's a TEXAN.:yes:


----------



## ibeplumber (Sep 20, 2011)

18/1995


----------



## D D W P (May 9, 2011)

18 years old


1978........thanks dad and grandpa


----------



## TX MECH PLUMBER (May 27, 2011)

D D W P said:


> 18 years old
> 
> 1978........thanks dad and grandpa


I was born in 78


----------



## justme (Jul 4, 2012)

TX MECH PLUMBER said:


> I was born in 78



same here , there's some old ones around here. lol


----------



## TX MECH PLUMBER (May 27, 2011)

justme said:


> same here , there's some old ones around here. lol


Really. I figured u wer a bit older. Ur in a great position at this young age


----------



## iantheplumber (Sep 8, 2013)

2000 @ 18


----------



## SewerRatz (Apr 25, 2009)

1979 - 10 years old

Officially 1991 - 22 years old


----------



## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

1994, 26 yrs. old.


----------



## beanburner (Apr 30, 2012)

18/1973


----------



## leakfree (Apr 3, 2011)

19/1973


----------



## Chandog (Nov 22, 2010)

27. 2007


----------



## RW Plumbing (Aug 16, 2010)

18 03


----------



## AlbacoreShuffle (Aug 28, 2011)

28 / 1989


----------



## HSI (Jun 3, 2011)

22/ 1987


----------



## Hillside (Jan 22, 2010)

15/1995


----------



## Plumbing newbie (Jan 9, 2012)

24/2011


----------



## TX MECH PLUMBER (May 27, 2011)

I guess ther wer no labor laws back in the day. Old timers started young. You can tell by that they are 2nd & 3rd generation plumbers


----------



## 422 plumber (Jul 31, 2008)

age 32 in 1996


----------



## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

TX MECH PLUMBER said:


> I guess ther wer no labor laws back in the day. Old timers started young. You can tell by that they are 2nd & 3rd generation plumbers


The family labor law:

"You're family so you must labor."


----------



## dmar2053 (Feb 6, 2013)

13/ 2000 part time, 21/2008 full time


----------



## TX MECH PLUMBER (May 27, 2011)

I'd like for my sons to be able to work with me. But even at 18 they can't where I work now. Not till 21


----------



## MTDUNN (Oct 9, 2011)

My son worked for me before he joined the army. He wants to work for me when he gets out in May. He's the best helper I ever had. I am however encouraging him to go back to school first before he makes that decision. The GI bill will help too


----------



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

20 (2000)


----------



## PlungerJockey (Feb 19, 2010)

TX MECH PLUMBER said:


> I guess ther wer no labor laws back in the day. Old timers started young. You can tell by that they are 2nd & 3rd generation plumbers


You can start plumbing school here Arkansas at the ripe old age of 14. One of my sons will be old enough to start next year. I hope he finds another path, but if he does not he will be a journeyman by the time he graduates high school. Atleast he will have something to fall back on which is more than a high school education and most bachelor degrees offer.

Eventually one of my 3 boys will take over the business.


----------



## Cajunhiker (Dec 14, 2009)

Crawled under my first house at 8 yrs old in 1974 to help my dad fix busted water line from a freeze. 
Full time since 2006, with my dad, btw.


----------



## Plumb26 (May 18, 2013)

21 / 2000 HVAC
24 / 2003 drain cleaning part-time + HVAC
26 / 2005 plumbing full time
33 / 2012 Got plumbing license

My smartest move in 2005 was to listen to a co-worker and request to be trained for an open plumbing position. :thumbsup:


----------



## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

My reason for starting this thread was to show combined years of experience within this forum...

I may be off a few either way because my laptop is on the frizzle and I'm doing this on my iPhone

But I've got...

1,064 total years of experience so far.


----------



## tims007 (Aug 31, 2013)

i remember it well .. it was December of 2002 and i enlisted in the Air Force and went of to learn my trade .. i was a strapping young lad, 20 years of age,


----------



## jnohs (Jan 27, 2012)

16/1996


----------



## Mr-Green (Apr 29, 2013)

29/ 2010


----------



## where am i (Nov 14, 2008)

Early June In 1982. I was 18.


----------



## plumber tim (Jul 4, 2013)

19 in 1993 plumbing / pipe fitting


----------



## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

tims007 said:


> i remember it well .. it was December of 2002 and i enlisted in the Air Force and went of to learn my trade .. i was a strapping young lad, 20 years of age,


Ah you worked for the company too... :laughing:

Jerry Mac & I did years ago....:thumbup:


----------



## Lja1821 (Jul 27, 2013)

23/2003


----------



## 89plumbum (May 14, 2011)

17/1989


----------



## ken53 (Mar 1, 2011)

26/79


----------



## Abel Plumber (Sep 3, 2011)

18/2004


----------



## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

1,224 years total and counting..


----------



## crown36 (May 21, 2013)

Age 18. Summer of 1996.


----------



## tims007 (Aug 31, 2013)

Redwood said:


> Ah you worked for the company too... :laughing:
> 
> Jerry Mac & I did years ago....:thumbup:


Yep ... stationed at davis-monthan ...a wonder full place in Tucson az ... you want to talk about hot ..oye . To dig in the dirt I just used a fire hose and a hydrant .:


----------



## Pacificpipes (Oct 1, 2013)

19 2001


----------



## mccmech (Jul 6, 2011)

36 / 2000


----------



## GAN (Jul 10, 2012)

20/ 1977. Damn starting to feel old and gray,,,Oh I am old and gray.....


----------



## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

1,292 

Do me a favor for the post after this one..

Add your total years in the trade to the thread total on each post. Keeping the numbers straight on my phone poses issues with my fat fingers..

Out of the post with dates I'm calculating an average thus far of...

21 years. Pretty impressive what is here.


----------



## Best Darn Sewer (Dec 23, 2012)

Unofficially as a ranch hand doing plumbing since summer '97 at 18. Officially, as in, working for a plumbing company since '02 at 23. If I add only my official plumbing years we're at:

1,304


----------



## wyplumber (Feb 14, 2013)

18
2006


----------



## Gryphon Plumber (Jun 3, 2012)

13
1996
Freshman year at Greater Lowell Tech. I almost took Info Processing, but luckily was talked into Plumbing by my freshman a plumbing teach Mr. Conlin.


----------



## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

wyplumber said:


> 18
> 2006






Gryphon Plumber said:


> 13
> 1996
> Freshman year at Greater Lowell Tech. I almost took Info Processing, but luckily was talked into Plumbing by my freshman a plumbing teach Mr. Conlin.


Add them them our running total..


----------



## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

Biz

Hook us up with a thread title change

Age/Year you started in trade. Add to running totals

Or something like that if you would please sir..


----------



## ROCKSTARPLUMBER (Dec 14, 2008)

Age 12 digging my first trenches for dad and co. 1992

Full time 1999-20--


----------



## Letterrip (Jul 28, 2013)

1988, 14 years old. Every summer break, Christmas break, spring break, got to work at the family business.


----------



## retired rooter (Dec 31, 2008)

age 22 in 1972 while on spring break


----------



## PLUMB TIME (Feb 2, 2009)

17 part time, 19 full time. 1983


----------



## Letterrip (Jul 28, 2013)

I gave myself 20 years full time. Should be close enough. My tally puts us at 1,432 years of experience so far. Who else can add to it?

1,432


----------



## love2surf927 (Dec 22, 2011)

Letterrip said:


> I gave myself 20 years full time. Should be close enough. My tally puts us at 1,432 years of experience so far. Who else can add to it?
> 
> 1,432


Talk about a wealth of knowledge, that's why I stick around, you guys are alright too I guess lol.


----------



## alliance1 (Dec 20, 2012)

20-95


----------



## lockeplumbing (Sep 25, 2013)

17-2010

Micah Robinson
Locke Plumbing
lockeplumbing.com 865-525-9318


----------



## Michaelcookplum (May 1, 2011)

17 2000


----------



## triadplumber (Jul 14, 2012)

18

2011


----------



## Hyper Piper (Nov 29, 2008)

1982 
31


----------



## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

Did a quick re-add. I think we are at 1,448 years of combined experience (give or take a few re-pipes).


----------



## MTDUNN (Oct 9, 2011)

plbgbiz said:


> (give or take a few re-pipes).


Now that's a good one


----------



## Eddie77 (Nov 6, 2013)

32 & about a year ago.


----------



## CaberTosser (Mar 7, 2013)

Started @ 16 in 1986, but that was on summer holidays in high school, so I'll count from 18 in 1988 when I was actually indentured as an apprentice.



So that's + 25 years to our running total of 1448+ Eddie77's 1

=1474


----------



## evan (Dec 10, 2010)

22 - 2006


----------



## Copper face (May 8, 2013)

18 - 2000


----------



## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

Add the running totals!


----------



## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

=1,494


----------



## Shanesplumbing (Mar 14, 2012)

16 1987(-4yrs)
1516


----------



## Cal (Jun 17, 2008)

33 yrs 
=1549


----------



## nickplumbing (Nov 8, 2013)

16 2002


----------



## Triodaddyo (Sep 1, 2011)

20 / 1996 After two years at Jefferson Technical College


----------



## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

*Hello! Introduction Requested* 
An intro is requested from all new members. In case you missed it, here is the link. http://www.plumbingzone.com/f3/.

The PZ is for Plumbing Professionals ( those engaged in the plumbing profession)

Post an intro and tell our members where you are from, yrs in the trade, and your area(s) of expertise in the plumbing field.

This info helps members who are waiting to welcome you to the best plumbing site there is.

We look forward to your valuable input.


----------



## smoldrn (Oct 4, 2010)

21 / 1975


----------



## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

=1,615 years


----------



## Letterrip (Jul 28, 2013)

Come on guys. If you can measure take offs, you should be able to handle this!! Add your years of experience to the running total!!


----------



## redbeardplumber (Dec 4, 2012)

Can I add my years of underground water and sewer work? can't see why not.... It's plumbing.


----------



## schrades5482 (Nov 15, 2013)

31
2013


----------



## Letterrip (Jul 28, 2013)

^^^^i guess he gets away with it. Number is 0, so he can't do takeoffs OR read intro instructions.


----------



## NorCal (Jun 25, 2012)

Late bloomer...age 40 in 2012. Owned a pizza restaurant for 13 years.


----------



## TX MECH PLUMBER (May 27, 2011)

We have a 52 year old apprentice at work. 1st yr too


----------



## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

=1,616.37


----------



## plumber78 (Nov 14, 2013)

Started at age 11 and now I am 35...24 years = 1640 
Only job I have known.


----------



## Associated Plum (Nov 4, 2008)

1973 17

=1680

Also the only job I have had and at the same company for the previous owner.


----------



## hasbean (Jun 27, 2011)

1957 at 15 retired at 60=45 years, wow the changes!! the only thing the same is water comes of a tap and goes down the drain.

1725


----------



## Leach713 (Nov 1, 2013)

24
2012


----------



## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

Some plumbers must not read too well...


----------



## Leach713 (Nov 1, 2013)

leach713 said:


> 24 2012


 1727


----------



## anthony d (Nov 23, 2013)

30
2007


----------



## Dpeckplb (Sep 20, 2013)

16, 2008


----------



## redbeardplumber (Dec 4, 2012)

plumberman said:


> some plumbers must not read too well...


1738


----------



## Jason1969 (Sep 21, 2013)

was 25 and started in 1994

1,758


----------



## ESPinc (Jul 18, 2009)

Started in 1979, 20yrs old--34yrs


1792


----------



## 6th Density (Nov 29, 2010)

Beginning of 2005 @ 27

1801


----------



## DUNBAR PLUMBING (Sep 11, 2008)

Was 18 and started in 1988 - 26

1827


----------



## TXPlumbBob (Dec 13, 2013)

17 1979 

1861


----------



## BOBBYTUCSON (Feb 8, 2013)

started when i was 20 in 2007. im 26 years old now , am i the youngest on zone?


----------



## MTDUNN (Oct 9, 2011)

bobbytucson said:


> started when i was 20 in 2007. Im 26 years old now , am i the youngest on zone?


1867


----------



## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

BOBBYTUCSON said:


> started when i was 20 in 2007. im 26 years old now , am i the youngest on zone?


Not by a long shot. Age is all in your mind and based on that, Plumber_Bill has you beat by at least 10 years. 

I can only hope to be as young as Mr. Parr when I am his age. :laughing:


----------



## BOBBYTUCSON (Feb 8, 2013)

Lol


----------



## CTs2p2 (Dec 6, 2011)

1999 at 20 years old 

So 14 years learning this most excellent of trades

1881 and counting


----------



## Justin Gruver (Apr 9, 2012)

26/4 years


----------



## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

Justin Gruver said:


> 26/4 years


1,885 and counting


----------



## PlumbDumber (Aug 7, 2013)

Started in 1968 at the age of 19. Thats 45 years in the trade & counting.

1920 years


----------



## Txmasterplumber (Oct 2, 2010)

18 / 1980


----------



## philoplumb (Nov 25, 2013)

29 yrs. old in 1990. This is my second occupation, I still have a valid Class 1 with doubles/triples, tanker, and hazmat endorsements. Just in case this plumbing thing doesn't work out.


----------



## mtfallsmikey (Jan 11, 2010)

16/ 1970


----------



## gasaman (Oct 19, 2009)

18 / 1983


----------



## Best Darn Sewer (Dec 23, 2012)

New total - 2049 yrs


----------



## LBurk (Dec 23, 2013)

21

1977

New total 2085


----------



## liquidplumber (Dec 6, 2009)

17 / 1985


----------



## gilbertjeffrey (Mar 6, 2011)

18/2001


----------



## redbeardplumber (Dec 4, 2012)

Total. 2125


----------



## Uncle Bob (Jan 10, 2010)

20------1972


----------



## redbeardplumber (Dec 4, 2012)

Total 2167


----------

