Can you recommend a good plumbing training provider in the Midlands?

Discussion in 'Plumbers' Talk' started by Henk Kroon, Aug 6, 2009.

  1. Loz the Plumber

    Loz the Plumber New Member

    Henk Kroon welcome to the forum I see you have already been introduced to the TS (Timeserved) here.

    Let me introduce myself I am one of the CCC (Career Change Cowboy) as we are affectionately known as here.

    Next month I will have been trading for twelve months and I will admit work is impossible to get if you are looking for employment. If however you intend to be self employed there is work there, but it is cut throat.

    I will also vouch that many of the courses promise a great deal but deliver very little. Since trading and spending some time with a friendly TS and communicating with some on here I have learnt a great deal.

    I would also like to point out that when I did my 6129 out of the four students I am the only one still trading and actually doing plumbing.

    On the positive it is good fun, but hard physically and the media don't help by dishing out that plumbers all earn mega bucks, they don't. Some do however earn very good money but it has taken them years to build up their business and customer base.

    What you will learn on a course is a taster on basic plumbing it will however not give you the skills to be fully competent in many aspects of plumbing or skills in diagnosing problems.

    If however you could go ahead and be successful not all businesses fail during a recession, good luck.
     
  2. tightenit

    tightenit New Member

    Well Henk, if your skills are in management, sales and marketing why do you want to go on the tools? Surely your obvious skills point you to doing the same work as a freelancer for all those who are already on the tools.
    Advertising on here has been discussing the merits of leaflets, targeted mailshots, local papers, shop windows and website.
    As a marketing man you'll know how relatively ineffective these methods are.
    Why not offer your skills to those who haven't got them, taking a commission on every job. The plumbing courses are not what they appear to be. The money is in arranging / brokering / snagging and smoothing.
    You pull in the work from a range of sources, and pass it out to plumbers, taking your fair cut en route. Just a thought.Some may call it spamming but when the going gets tough the tough get......
     
  3. Loz the Plumber

    Loz the Plumber New Member

    But tightenit is there a need for that? i get enquiries for work that are way beyond me so I pass it for free to a local TS. And if I am available I go along to so I can learn from it.
     
  4. tightenit

    tightenit New Member

    Hi GGM,

    There is likely more need for that service than a new entrant plumber trying to make a crust.The old gits have it sown up just now. Protectionism, for that is what it is, favours the 'club'. We all know it, we're all in it, and we all make a good living from it.

    Maybe Henk needs to use the contacts, skills and experience he already has rather than break into a receding market. Only trying to be helpful.
     
  5. HOTDOG ø

    HOTDOG ø Active Member

    Loz by your own admittance you are hardly setting the world of plumbing alight and you are struggling to break even - and you are the most successful from your batch.

    I'm sorry but I see this sorry tale repeated endlessly:

    Manager loses jobs. Feels despondent.

    Decides to be a plumber. ( Reads the LIES and convinces himself it is a good idea)

    Goes on plumbing course, spends redundancy money on van and tools.

    Starts off getting a bit of work, thinks he can do this!

    Then either he bites of more than he can chew - big flood in a posh house say. Or work simply dries up when word gets around that he is not very good, far to slow and is a course cowboy.

    Manager finds himself back on the dole, no money, big debts.

    It's called out of the frying pan into the fire.

    99% DO NOT SUCCEED!

    I see them year in year out at my trade counters. I should not moan, they buy a lot of tools and materials at first.....( no credit of course ;) )
     
  6. Captain Leaky

    Captain Leaky New Member

    What absolutely amazes me is how clever, educated, business managers get taken in hook line and sinker.

    They are like sheep to the slaughter.

    I guess the scammers promoting these schemes know how to prey on peoples weaknesses and fantasies.

    I'm sure if they were not so intent on going ahead they would see they are being duped. Instead they get ripped off only to find out too late that they were done.
     
  7. G Brown

    G Brown New Member

    Good scams always prey on peoples desires. Someone who wants something bad enough is blind to the pitfalls. It's like buying a used car - buy with your head not your heart - but do people?



    Every unemployed person wants to be a plumber - so lets charge them lots of money to fulfill their fantasies....knowing full well they will fail!
     
  8. Loz the Plumber

    Loz the Plumber New Member

    Hotdog once again you have decided that I am having trouble breaking even! Where did I say that in this post? I didn't! In fact I am making a profit and I am continuing to expand my marketing for my business.

    I didn't have any work booked today but have been to two jobs and once again have achieved my day rate. All I am saying is that when I obtain work that is beyond my current capabilities I pass it to someone who is capable.

    They in return do the same for me for small jobs well within my capabilities, which I am more than happy to accept.
     
  9. mantor

    mantor New Member


    I didn't have any work booked today but have been to two jobs and once again have achieved my day rate.


    With all your new found experience it must be up to nearly 30 quid by now.
     
  10. Captain Leaky

    Captain Leaky New Member

    Goodness Gracious Me

    Posts: 447
    Registered: Jun 2, 2009

    Re: Mate/Improver jobs
    Posted: Jun 4, 2009 7:16 PM
    Reply

    April Turnover £3,328.00
    April Gross Profit £ 987.78

    May Turnover £4,834.00
    May Gross Profit £1,357.00

    Small eh to you big knobs, but rome wasnt built in a day.



    It would never get built if you were paying Loz
     
  11. Captain Leaky

    Captain Leaky New Member

    By the way your gross profit ought to be much nearer 50% of turnover.
     
  12. Loz the Plumber

    Loz the Plumber New Member

    I am sure in Scouseland it is the cheapy chavy market you cater for Mantor! However down south we tend to be able to achieve the higher rate of £200 plus materials
    :).

    I shall let you get on now sorting out your shell suit and burberry cap for next week, as I dont want to have a detrimental effect to Scouseland. ;)
     
  13. Dick Puller

    Dick Puller New Member

    Clearly the OP is as thick as you Nurse Loz, but hey, at least we get a laff when you tozzers go t.ts up...................:O) :O) Q)
     
  14. dangermouse46

    dangermouse46 New Member

    these career change clueless course cowboys (ccccc's) are like lemmings walking off a cliff. They know no better. Locally one a week folds and I personally enjoy laughing in their faces.


    Ha Ha.
     
  15. Loz the Plumber

    Loz the Plumber New Member

    Stupid people for those that do not understand my gross profit margins are in fact higher but as I have said before. I currently invest it back into my business to increase my stock levels to be able to do more jobs.

    I also invest it back into advertising as it is a new business to increase its public profile. Local papers magazines internet and so on! I am not talking of your poor standard of advertising as many of you appear to do.

    My day rate plus materials this often means a gross daily turnover of £300 +! If you muppetts can not have any understanding of this should you be in business?

    Yes I know you all like to ridicule me but you forget I have managed businesses with vast turnovers and profits. With the exception of Puller who claims I rip people off but then states his 5 Million turnover!


    And to cap it all of from a effing kangoo! My what a plumber he is!
     
  16. G Brown

    G Brown New Member

    " Buying stock is NOT an " investment" Loz.

    It's worth a fraction of the price you bought it for as soon as you put it in the van.! Only a fool carries loads of stock that is not needed.
     
  17. G Brown

    G Brown New Member

    Advertising is not an " investment" either. It is an overhead and should be a % of turnover.
     
  18. Loz the Plumber

    Loz the Plumber New Member

    When I say stock carrying float valves, toilet siphons, immersion 11 & 22, stop cocks, gate valves, lever valves. some traps and fittings!

    2/3 port valve 5m c/h pump
     
  19. mantor

    mantor New Member

    these career change clueless course cowboys (ccccc's) are like lemmings walking off a cliff. They know no better. Locally one a week folds and I personally enjoy laughing in their faces.


    Ha Ha.



    I'm sure you do DM, till one of them turns round and * you one. :^O

    [Edited by: admin]
     
  20. G Brown

    G Brown New Member

    Laughing at others misfortune is not funny or clever.

    Unless they are politicians or footballers! :^O
     

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