Hello

I suppose I can comment on this topic as I am a plumber. I do agree that some tradies charge too much (but how much is too much) but we all have the option to say no to the work or ask for a quote.

I have found with myself that if you get to know your tradies and use them as a regular, it seems to help keep the cost down as repeat business is much cheaper than one off jobs.

My only concern with people slagging tradespersons (some are women) is they usually do not know how much it costs to run a business. I started my business in 1995 and I did not realise the amount of costs involved to run my own business. The cost of downtime is huge, overheads, licensing, vehicles, fuel, tool insurance, tools, machinery, professional indemnity, mobile phone, software, advertising, continued training (night school), etc etc  

Sometimes I have asked my customers how many quotes they have got to do a job and they have said 5. That is 5 people to go and quote one job and there is only ever one winner. I have sometimes quoted 30 jobs in a week that take an hour per quote only to win 15 jobs. And some jobs only take an hour.

Unfortunately there has been major changes in the plumbing and electrical licensing systems in Australia which has led to very heavy increases in regulating by government authority. When you do a job, you have to put in paperwork in to the authority. There is a 5% (1 in 20) jobs that are audited by an inspector, which you have to go back and meet them on site to go over the job (who pays for that).  

I have been doing plumbing for 18 years and I still learn new things everyday. I do not suggest for people to do their own work as many children and adults have been burnt by hot water, caused explosions by gas leaks, allowed sewer gases to enter their properties, flooded their whole home from doing their own tap washers, dishwashers, toilet cisterns etc, blowing up split system air conditioners by not knowing how to install them and the list goes on and on and on. 

If you ring your insurance company and ask are you covered if you do your own plumbing or electrical work – I am sure I know what the answer will be. 

The funny thing is when you go into someones home when they have done their own work and you see the following.

A simple tap washer replacement that has now wrecked the wall and the vanity cupboard
A simple cistern changeover that now leaks on the floor and causes the tiles to pop the gyprock to swell and the arcs to swell.
A simple hot water unit changeover that has not been installed properly and voids the warranty.
A simple flickmixer changeover and it gets metal filings in the cartridge and it drips the same as the old one
A simple dishwasher install that has the wrong water pressure and blows the unit up
A simple skylight install that leaks and causes the ceiling to fall in
A simple water filter cartridge install that cracks the cannister due to too much pressure and floods all 10 floors of the building you live in.
A simple upright oven changeover that has not been chained to the wall and falls on the child when the door is opened and the hot pot of liquid and the oven falls on them causing 3rd degree burns and in some cases death
A simple LPG cylinder changeover that has the safety blow off valves facing towards the house, which burns the side of the house down insted of the fence
A simple shower rose replacement that the teflon has been put on backwards allowing it to leak in the wall (big repair bills)
A simple sink install with no silicone which allows the bench to swell (new bench required)
A simple home brewery install that pollutes your house and the whole street with a fermented water supply
A simple new tap at the back of the house that has no backflow prevention which is left in the backyard pool which also leaves you all with a poisoned water supply
   
(These are all real stories in our industry)

I think you get my point. Being a tradie is not simple. I have had guys who have done a 4 year apprenticeship and it takes me another 3 years to get them to a point where they are a fully competant tradesperson who knows many aspects of the trade. 

I have had many many customers who I have had to get out of trouble – it is often a time to have a chuckle amongst the guys at the end of the day to share the stories. 

I am sure the time is coming when it will no longer be a chuckle but a statement will be required to be filled out at the police station as we will be required by law to refer you to the authorities. Already places like Bunnings are being taken to court as they are giving people advice on how to do their own plumbing etc. Which is an offence under the law to do so.

Hope this is an insight into a simple tradies life