After some advice

[barney 911]

Hello im after some advice im a qualified carpenter and i also want a 2nd trade to fall back on ie plumbing as i do alot of kitchens etc it would be nice to plum them up etc i know some people might say you dont need to be qualified for little things like that blah blah but id also like to do bathroom installs aswell. Im currently doing a beginners course at my college only 10 weeks and fully aware i wont really learn a great deal. My questions are

1. If i find someone to take me on will i have trouble getting my course funded because i already have a nvq3 in carpentry and joinery? Also whats the max age for an apprentiship im 23

2. If i cart find anyone how far can i go with paying for a course can i achieve any NVQs without employment?

Thanks in advance
Tom

 

[dontknowitall]

Quite a few carpenters do tiling as well. Assuming this isn't something you do I'd recommend this route as opposed to plumbing. Learning to do plumbing is either expensive (short fast track courses) or time consuming (college course over a year or so).

You'd be more likely to pick up tiling jobs than plumbing from carpentry enquiries.

I'm not saying don't do plumbing, but I feel it would be much more profitable for you to do tiling instead. (And after tiling then you can get into plumbing!)

 

[barney 911]

ive done abit of tiling but ive always found the plumbing restricts me when i go and rip a kitchen out getting a plumber there and cap everthing off then get him back to plum the sink up etc i have to take his fees off i just think if i learnt that id save myself that cost. I want a new challenge.

Thanks
Tom

 

[dontknowitall]

In that case you could probably do the final fix yourself without much problem. If you get a plumber to do the first fix and leave you with pipes coming out of the walls/floor and ending in isolation valves then you can do the tiling and fit all the rest afterwards.

To be honest this doesn't really require much training as usually it's a few compression joints to fit. Perhaps I've made it sound too simplistic but it really is quite simple. If you could do one or two jobs with another plumber helping him with the first fix and him helping you with the final part you'd probably feel confident in doing them on your own after that.

Then, later on, you could learn much more about the first fix, heating, etc, etc.

 

[barney 911]

Thanks for your help dontknowitall it doesnt look to complicated its just the confidence thing with it been water lol but i want to do bathroom installs also i know some of those are quite simple but some of the jobs ive been to have had fantastic wetrooms bathrooms etc and i think to myself yea i would like to do that but it looks abit more complicated than plumbing up a sink. If i paid for a course would i learn enough knowledge for these tasks?

Thanks Again
Tom

 

[dontknowitall]

Paying for a course would be an expensive option in my opinion! A two week course would give you some knowledge but as the saying goes, "A little knowledge is a dangerous thing."

Many plumbers want a local carpenter they can call on (and sometimes a tiler as well, especially for wetrooms!) Do you ever work in the same house as a plumber? If so, I'd ask him for some advice. You'd be surprised at the helpful outcome. Sometimes plumbers love doing the first fix but don't really want to return after the tiler's been in just to fix up a few bits and pieces!

If they know a tiler is willing to fit the basin and WC and towel rail then it wouldn't take more than an hour or two to show you how to make a good compression joint with a few tips! Quite a few builders do simple plumbing and they've not been on courses. Likewise, some plumbers do tiling (except wetrooms) and simple boxing and skirting boards. But when it comes to cutting the bottom of a door they're more than likely to phone a carpenter.

If I was you I'd phone half a dozen plumbers and see how you might be able to work with them. If one likes the sound of you tiling and finishing and is happy to teach a bit then it saves you the course.

Hopefully someone else will give a different perspective on this!

 

[fuzzy]

Hello im after some advice im a qualified carpenter and i also want a 2nd trade to fall back on ie plumbing as i do alot of kitchens etc it would be nice to plum them up etc i know some people might say you dont need to be qualified for little things like that blah blah but id also like to do bathroom installs aswell. Im currently doing a beginners course at my college only 10 weeks and fully aware i wont really learn a great deal. My questions are

one. If i find someone to take me on will i have trouble getting my course funded because i already have a nvq3 in carpentry and joinery? Also whats the max age for an apprentiship im 23

two. If i cart find anyone how far can i go with paying for a course can i achieve any NVQs without employment?

Thanks in advance
Tom

1. no max age for apprenticeship, already having a l3 will mean you dont get any further reduction from the norm
1. you cannot get an NVQ without working as a plumber