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If you were to be offered the opportunity to become a plumber or gas engineer, and you had to make a decision on which to choose, which one would it be, gas engineer or plumber, and what are the reasons for your choice? Can anyone compare and contrast the gas engineer and plumber roles? What are the similarities and what are the differences?

For example, would you do more heavy lifting as a plumber than a gas engineer, or are they both about the same, are they both equally as physically tough as the other? What examples is there of the differences in the heavy lifting between plumber and gas engineer?

Are you restricting your opportunities for earning by choosing the gas engineer route? I'm assuming a gas engineer doesn't fix taps, toilets, wash hand basins, or fit bathrooms etc? I guess that's a silly question?

Which is better paid and why?

Is gas engineer more 'specialist' than being a plumber?
Will you learn a lot more about the gas if you chose to be a gas engineer or a plumber, or does gas get equal attention in both in your training?

Cheers anyone who can help...
 
Rightly or wrongly, the public expects a gas engineer to also be a fully competent plumber. Look at it this way, you can't fit just the gas side of a boiler installation and leave the domestic customer with having to find a plumber to finish the rest of the install.

There are some companies out there that just do gas servicing and smaller gas work but you will find that most gas engineers are also trained and qualified plumbers first.

It's my opinion that being a competent gas engineer requires a good few years of working as a plumber first. Most gas engineers I've met who went straight into the trade without plumbing experience are a bit lacking on whole systems knowledge, to say the least.

As a result, gas engineers typically earn more than plumbers. Significantly so I'd say. But then they also have more overheads too.

I'd say a gas engineer's job is less physical than a plumbers to be honest. Lifting modern boilers is a lot easier than large cylinders and removing old cast iron baths.

Hope this answers your questions.
 
Why do gas engineers have more overheads than plumbers?
So if I were to apply for a gas engineer role with British Gas, they'd train me on the plumbing side because I need to know that inside out to be a competent gas engineer?How does pricing compare between the two? Can you give some examples that show why a gas engineer could charge more than a plumber?
I know you need water flowing through a central heating system...the word 'water' is more plumbing than gas engineer yes...so I'm assuming this is where you're coming from when you say you should have industry experience in plumbing before hand, yes?
 
Plumbing is very underestimated in my opinion , think about this ...... when I go on holiday and the phone rings and a customer has a problem I can pass on at least 10 or more phone numbers for gas guys , I havent got 1 number for a decent plumber .
 
As @cr0ft ha said a gas safe engineer with a good experience will earn more, I believe it's because you have got more responsibilities than a plumber. But don't under estimate a plumbers task though. A plumber compared with a gas safe engineer has as much responsibilities as a gas safe but the difference is that a gas safe registered person will have a little more responsibility because of the gas appliances. You will need to be trained and competent on all gas appliances in a domestic property which means cooker, hobs, fire places, boilers, ventilation, unsafe situations, pipe sizing, etc. The engineer has to make sure that you as a customer is safe.
I do not know how British gas works I believe it ain't that easy to become a bg engineer. First of you will most likely need experience as well as being knowledgeable. I don't know if they eomploy and train people without having no background or plumbing.


Croft has explained it very well and it actually explains everything.

Kind regards,

Ron
 
One thing to think about is the one going costs, gas Safe, insurance, public liability insurance, tool insurance, five year training, cpd, professional bodies to join and pay yearly, wages, ni, sickness cover, tax, pension. Plus van tools, more tools replacement tools etc, phone,computer, software, website. Hope that helps.
 
One thing to think about is the one going costs, gas Safe, insurance, public liability insurance, tool insurance, five year training, cpd, professional bodies to join and pay yearly, wages, ni, sickness cover, tax, pension. Plus van tools, more tools replacement tools etc, phone,computer, software, website. Hope that helps.[/QUOTE
 
Depends if your gas engineer does installations. I'd take shifting 100 baths etc over the 30yr old floorstanding boiler we had to take out last week. Ruined back and knees!
 
As @cr0ft ha said a gas safe engineer with a good experience will earn more, I believe it's because you have got more responsibilities than a plumber. But don't under estimate a plumbers task though. A plumber compared with a gas safe engineer has as much responsibilities as a gas safe but the difference is that a gas safe registered person will have a little more responsibility because of the gas appliances. You will need to be trained and competent on all gas appliances in a domestic property which means cooker, hobs, fire places, boilers, ventilation, unsafe situations, pipe sizing, etc. The engineer has to make sure that you as a customer is safe.
I do not know how British gas works I believe it ain't that easy to become a bg engineer. First of you will most likely need experience as well as being knowledgeable. I don't know if they eomploy and train people without having no background or plumbing.


Croft has explained it very well and it actually explains everything.

Kind regards,

Ron

Bull. Tbh.

I plumb and do oil. I charge what I want. Make as much or more than just gas.

Depends on how you sell yourself imho.
 
Bull. Tbh.

I plumb and do oil. I charge what I want. Make as much or more than just gas.

Depends on how you sell yourself imho.

Well each to their own lad. Just because you don't agree with me doesn't make what I'm saying 'bull' any more than what you are saying does it?

In my opinion of course you should be charging gas work out at considerably higher rates than plumbing as there are many more costs involved and more investment of your time to learn it. Isn't that just simple economics??

Around my way I know you can get £80 for a boiler service that won't normally take more than half an hour if you are organised. Try charging that for a tap swap or another typical one hour plumbing job and the customer will **** a brick.

No one is saying you can't make more doing both than just gas work. However, I bet someone who fills every day just doing boiler services and repairs will make more money than someone doing plumbing and gas installs. Not least because they need next to no tools to do it.

One of the wealthiest sole traders I know does just that from the back of his estate car. Next to no costs and is making £500 a day after costs. I doubt most people doing installs could pull in £2.5k a week profit (not turnover) on their own.

If you can then let me know the secret to it as you are doing something I've not worked out in 10 years of plumbing and heating work.
 
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You still getting out?

Just saying that gas is not the only way to make money.
 
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On that we agree :)

Yes, Want a bit more time in my life than I've had recently and a bit less stress tbh. Still on the tools starting in August but doesn't sound like it will be for long before I move up the organisation a bit from what they've told me.

If it is then I'll be back doing gas work self employed again!
 
In my experience, for what its worth, people pay for people. If you are good at what you do, you are honest and treat people with consideration then you can earn very well no matter what you 'do'. In my opinion too many people are choosing gas via the likes of 6 week courses which are being falsely advertised as being some kind of root to stardom or a fortune. This is leading to oversupply and pushing down general charges. Wet plumbing, on the other hand, is not so glam so we're left alone ;)
 
I'd like this conversation to continue to be honest.

I'm not long off paying my gas course etc. My dad was formally trained at the Gas Board and has been in Gas for 40 years now. He tells me there is money there, but he'd recommend I'd stick to just plumbing, for now.

I'm lucky in a sense that once gas, I have my Dad to show me boiler servicing, repairs, etc and set me off on the right foot. Ready for in another 4 years time his needs renewing and I take over the gas side.

But, would you say get it done now, or wait and continue to just plumb for another 12-18 months and save more money?
 
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