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Puddle
well a gas engineer works on gas,a heating engineer works on heating systems and a fully qualified plumber works on it all :wink5:
imho
imho
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diamondgas
My take ---
Gas Engineer specialises in installing, maintenance & repairing gas appliances
Heating Engineer specialises in installing all aspects of Central heating systems
Plumber specialises in all other aspexts of plumbing e.g. baths toilets sinks and wastes ...
All have a specialist field but do have a greater or lesser knowledge of the other two depending on their chosen path
IMHO
Gas Engineer specialises in installing, maintenance & repairing gas appliances
Heating Engineer specialises in installing all aspects of Central heating systems
Plumber specialises in all other aspexts of plumbing e.g. baths toilets sinks and wastes ...
All have a specialist field but do have a greater or lesser knowledge of the other two depending on their chosen path
IMHO
I done an apprenticeship in plumbing and was taught in all aspects of plumbing/heating & gas. Gas engineers would only be taught about gas appliances, heating engineers would only be taught about heating and gas aswell.
I do all of the work, plumbing, heating, gas, installation and repair. New to the fault finding of boilers its a whole different ball game which maybe the gas engineer would have an advantage on, but I'm learning and have been on a couple of manufacturers courses and will still be trying to learn as much as i can to improve my skill.
If your wondering whats the best career to choose to start then I'd say go for plumbing
I do all of the work, plumbing, heating, gas, installation and repair. New to the fault finding of boilers its a whole different ball game which maybe the gas engineer would have an advantage on, but I'm learning and have been on a couple of manufacturers courses and will still be trying to learn as much as i can to improve my skill.
If your wondering whats the best career to choose to start then I'd say go for plumbing
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Bernie2
Hmm!
We where required to do the lot, depends on which firm you worked for and what work they got. I have worked for companies that had big gas fitting and appliance repair contracts and you where expected as a graded Plumber to be able to do it. The same companies next contract may be central heating, same applies, the next contract cold water, the next drainage, the next central heating and so on. The Plumber was required to know and be able to do it all. Makes sense in a way, a company has to get work where it can and you have to be able to do it if you want to stay in work.
What usually happens though, is that among any given number of Plumbers, you usually find some are very good at one or two things, so you put them on the contracts that suite the skills they are good at. Makes sense.
Some guys I worked with where exceptional at lead work. I was rubbish to mediocre at it, but worked along side them doing it, my lead work would perhaps be passable theirs exceptional. I was regarded as a sanitary fitter in that company. So obviously we usually got the work on the contracts that entailed a lot of work at what we where supposed to be good at. To be multi-skilled is a must nowdays if you want to stay in work.
We where required to do the lot, depends on which firm you worked for and what work they got. I have worked for companies that had big gas fitting and appliance repair contracts and you where expected as a graded Plumber to be able to do it. The same companies next contract may be central heating, same applies, the next contract cold water, the next drainage, the next central heating and so on. The Plumber was required to know and be able to do it all. Makes sense in a way, a company has to get work where it can and you have to be able to do it if you want to stay in work.
What usually happens though, is that among any given number of Plumbers, you usually find some are very good at one or two things, so you put them on the contracts that suite the skills they are good at. Makes sense.
Some guys I worked with where exceptional at lead work. I was rubbish to mediocre at it, but worked along side them doing it, my lead work would perhaps be passable theirs exceptional. I was regarded as a sanitary fitter in that company. So obviously we usually got the work on the contracts that entailed a lot of work at what we where supposed to be good at. To be multi-skilled is a must nowdays if you want to stay in work.
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my simple take is this (domestic)
gas engineer - service and maintenence of gas appliances (acs/gas safe)
Heating Engineer - installation's and maintenence of heating and hot water systems.(acs/gas safe)
Plumber - installation and maintenence of plumbing fixtures and fittings, gutter and wastes systems and lead.
Most engineers cross over 2 or more of these areas (especially plumber and heating engineer), i for example would call myself a heating engineer because thats where most my work is at, but i am a qualified plumber and have also done some limited service and maintenence of gas applainces.
personally i dont think there should be a great difference in wages between the three areas as a really good plumbers is worth just as much as a really good gas engineer imo.
I dont believe in branding yourself into one section unless you perform a specialist job, i will do anything somebody is willing to pay me to do providing i am competent to do so.
gas engineer - service and maintenence of gas appliances (acs/gas safe)
Heating Engineer - installation's and maintenence of heating and hot water systems.(acs/gas safe)
Plumber - installation and maintenence of plumbing fixtures and fittings, gutter and wastes systems and lead.
Most engineers cross over 2 or more of these areas (especially plumber and heating engineer), i for example would call myself a heating engineer because thats where most my work is at, but i am a qualified plumber and have also done some limited service and maintenence of gas applainces.
personally i dont think there should be a great difference in wages between the three areas as a really good plumbers is worth just as much as a really good gas engineer imo.
I dont believe in branding yourself into one section unless you perform a specialist job, i will do anything somebody is willing to pay me to do providing i am competent to do so.
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Budd
interesting what would you class yourself as? question for everyone. say someone had there level 3 nvq what would u class them as a heating and plumbing engineer? as the have knowledge in plumbing,and heating installs?
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dontknowitall
I say plumber because everyone understands what a plumber does.
Had one a while back ... "Is that the boilerman? Can you come and repair my tap?"
Had one a while back ... "Is that the boilerman? Can you come and repair my tap?"
I class myself as a plumber, but on paper its plumbing and heating engineer. When someone is wanting a new heating system put in, they search for plumber.
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Billy Bob Bob
i am a gasman,and a plumber,and a heating engineer,and highly experienced in fault finding but that does not stop me sticking my hand down a soil pipe to remove a turd the reason? i can still make money at it and the last one i done led to a full heating/boiler replacement i could be a multi skilled operative but plumber or gasman will do just fine turd remover will result in death
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gaspastemania
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Puddle
I was talking about this the other day to a customer who asked what I do
I explaining I do plumbing ,gas ,electrical, drains ,heating ,guttering ,leadwork ect ,plumbers have to cover all this, why I said ,do you have a problem with a multi talented Tradesman? Are you one of those who is going to call me a ‘jack of all trades ‘think one skill base ,one person!!
''No'' he said,''not at all, it was just the silk knee length dress,beeky boo bra, stockings and stilettos threw me a bit ''!
Think he was worried I did not have me hard hat on
I explaining I do plumbing ,gas ,electrical, drains ,heating ,guttering ,leadwork ect ,plumbers have to cover all this, why I said ,do you have a problem with a multi talented Tradesman? Are you one of those who is going to call me a ‘jack of all trades ‘think one skill base ,one person!!
''No'' he said,''not at all, it was just the silk knee length dress,beeky boo bra, stockings and stilettos threw me a bit ''!
Think he was worried I did not have me hard hat on
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Im not a plumber but as already said Ill unblock a toilet or shower trap if it pays. I don't do bathrooms as I don't like them tbh, too much wood butchering to be done these days with fitted furniture etc. Im more suited to heating and gas,although I'm getting more into renewables. On paper Im a building services maintenance engineer owing to my experience in the facilities maintenance game, but I run my own firm as a Heating business.
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IDCHAPPY
Thought it was the other way around? heating engineer works on everything and a toilet technician( sorry plumber ) works in bathrooms :ciappa:
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TomazSamson
Gas engineer ---> 2 pies, a butty and proper coffee in in his flask
Heating engineer> 1 pie, 2 butties and nescafe
Plumber --------> 0 pie, 2 butties and tea when the customer cares ?
Heating engineer> 1 pie, 2 butties and nescafe
Plumber --------> 0 pie, 2 butties and tea when the customer cares ?
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