Plumbing Licence

[sheff paul]

You're not a happy camper are you?

Try looking at the glass as 1/2 full instead 1/4 empty!

By the way,
How much did you get charged for picking up a spanner?

not happy or sad skip,just say it as I see it,i didn't get charged that much cause I did it years ago,new poms now get fleeced as hell,most of the guys on here think you guys earn great money,but they forget to factor in the fall of the pound,and the rise of the aussie dollar,i went over on 2.3 to the dollar,which is about right,aussie plumbs are good with their hands,as their job is made harder with flared fittings,and hard soldering everywhere.We had a good time out there,but things forced us back to the UK,most brits look on oz with rose tints,as I probably did 12 years ago,but saw a lot of people out there doing it hard as you say,saw more homeless in oz than in uk,and thease people weren't bums either.

 

[chris watkins]

Here here Gasmanrob, I whole heartily agree with the sentiments in your post, it is just such a shame that we are now in the minority within the industry that we love, so it has becomes almost impossible to effect any changes.

 

[oz-plumber]

Hi all,

I have been pondering for quite some time on a response.

I'm lost for (suitable/allowable) words after Gasmanrobs post.

Our system ( in Victoria ) is not perfect, but it does ensure that most Plumbing work is done by qualified Plumbers.
We are never going to stop DIY'ers doing work, but we have a system in place that can keep their work to a minimum.

We may have a Governing authority - but who is Governing the Governing authority.
May it be a case that we are seen to be working in partnership... or is it a case of the Governed Governing?

Oz Plumber

 

[sheff paul]

Hi all,

I have been pondering for quite some time on a response.

I'm lost for (suitable/allowable) words after Gasmanrobs post

Our system ( in Victoria ) is not perfect, but it does ensure that most Plumbing work is done by qualified Plumbers.
We are never going to stop DIY'ers doing work, but we have a system in place that can keep their work to a minimum.

We may have a Governing authority - but who is Governing the Governing authority.
May it be a case that we are seen to be working in partnership... or is it a case of the Governed Governing?

Oz Plumber

skip do you have hydronic heating down there

 

[northcarr]

Try the renewables sector then

We have to be certified and are checked every year for every type we install, we have to pay fees to at least three different bodies - we actually pay them to FIVE regulatory bodies - and MUST purchase insurance warranty for EVERY installation, on top of that we are audited by each of those bodies for all of our paperwork and have to prove our documented procedures every year... that's about 16 days a year just chasing regulatory paperwork.

So as we are are qualified for heat pumps (ground and air), biomass, solar thermal, solar pv, air conditioning, G3, electrics ... just think of the amount of time we already spend on paperwork for every job - a MINIMUM of 8 HOURS.. plus all those luverly fees to third parties.... don't expect us to be cheaper than Joe (unregistered) Plumber ....

And that is why I have made the choice not to get involved with renewables until all new builds are forced to fit them,then the cost will drop for all of it including admin because builders will not stand for it .

 

[Phillay]

It's difficult to regulate plumbing or any other trade. As far as the experienced tradesman who are out there, I totally agree their skills should be protected and they shouldn't have to go round correcting problems that have been caused by 'have a go' home owners who've seen it dabbled with on one of the makeover programs on TV.

So regulations and licenses in place make a lot of sense... that said, there are also way too many plumbers/builders etc... out there who use bad practices and don't take the care and time to do things right. You've got home owners who'll take more care and do a better job than some 'trade professionals'.

I'm not a sparky by any means, but I know flex cable shouldn't really be buried in plastered walls... so why would a licensed sparky do it??... (I've seen it done many times).

So if it's regulated and there are licenses in place, it's then only fair tradesman are re-tested regularly to try and ensure that the correct practises are being followed in peoples homes.

 

[chris watkins]

It's difficult to regulate plumbing or any other trade. As far as the experienced tradesman who are out there, I totally agree their skills should be protected and they shouldn't have to go round correcting problems that have been caused by 'have a go' home owners who've seen it dabbled with on one of the makeover programs on TV.

So regulations and licenses in place make a lot of sense... that said, there are also way too many plumbers/builders etc... out there who use bad practices and don't take the care and time to do things right. You've got home owners who'll take more care and do a better job than some 'trade professionals'.

I'm not a sparky by any means, but I know flex cable shouldn't really be buried in plastered walls... so why would a licensed sparky do it??... (I've seen it done many times).

So if it's regulated and there are licenses in place, it's then only fair tradesman are re-tested regularly to try and ensure that the correct practises are being followed in peoples homes.

Regulations are not the answer & neither is re-testing on its own, the real thing which will lift standards & improve the lot of proper plumbing tradespersons is to have effective policing of all the existing ones.
Prosecutions of the public as well as persons selling there services as plumbers when anything is found to not be to the required standard, is the only thing which will send out the message that this is not a d.i.y / sort training job !!

 

[snowhead]

I'm not a sparky by any means, but I know flex cable shouldn't really be buried in plastered walls... so why would a licensed sparky do it??... (I've seen it done many times).

There is nothing in the 17th Regs that prohibits this.

 

[Phillay]

There is nothing in the 17th Regs that prohibits this.

...I must have heard it on some random 'DIY' program then! haha. I know I've seen somewhere B-Standards advise against using flex cable in fixed installations or something like that... but there's the exact reason I wouldn't and shouldn't be giving electrical advice.

...Yet the builder I 'used' to work with put pressure on us to do all sorts, including dabbling in 'minor' electrics. Customers thought our 'Property Maintenance' company had all the skills and trades to do the job, but there lies my point about not all tradesman being up to par.

When I was a complete plumbing novice he had us fitting bathrooms... and he knew even less than me, once asked me "can't we just tee into the heating pipe to get hot water to the bath?".

It's a shame, because there are some really good, experienced guys who have taken years to master their profession and care about their work, yet it's too easy for anyone to just slap 'property maintenance' on the side of a van and on the face of it, customers wouldn't know any different... until it was too late.