plumber pricing?

[SGKent]

Had the main line back up today. Guy who I called was a little pricey although he way came down when I showed him I understood math, and that he wasn't a $1000 an hour kinda guy. He did say that the 40 year old cast iron clean out has a downwards facing pyramid on the bottom that has rusted over that time, and that when my housemate used those special wipes like baby wipes that hit it they snagged on the jagged scale, and that is what created the blockage. He recommended replacing the cast iron clean out with an ABS one that goes in both directions like the cast iron one does. He wants $950 to do it if he digs, or $650 if I have my landscape people dig it. That sounds a bit pricey to me but I don't work with this stuff so have no idea what a realistic price is for something like that. I am mentally thinking 2 hours max @ $125 an hour for him and his 18 year old helper, and a $15 - $20 ABS part so $250 - $300 is more realistic if it is already dug up. Anyone out there who is a plumber have an idea what replacing a master clean out should run? This one is a cast one about 2' - 2 1/2' deep with a cast iron riser with a rubber top held on with a band clamp. The pipe leaving the house is I think 3" ABS, built in 1979.

 

[The Cobbler]

do it yourself

 

[PassnThru]

Throw away your roommate's 'flushable' wipes and forbid their future usage.

Seriously. Then you don't have to fix the clean out.

Flushable wipes? You know - golf balls are flushable also

 

[SGKent]

Throw away your roommate's 'flushable' wipes and forbid their future usage.

Seriously. Then you don't have to fix the clean out.

Flushable wipes? You know - golf balls are flushable also

that issue has already been dealt with.

 

[Jackfre]

Pictures

 

[jetnow1]

the plumber I use gets 175 an hour, and is worth every bit of it.

 

[Farmall450]

You're also in CA. If you don't like his price shop around or DIY...I doubt he is there to take your suggestion of what you think he hand his helper should get hourly.

 

[Stuart in MN]

that issue has already been dealt with.

That's good. 'Flushable' wipes are the bane of most public works employees, since they aren't really flushable. They usually end up clogging a pump somewhere in the system.

very few here are worth $175 an hour. That is a $10,000 a week income with very little overhead. $520,000 a year. Someone is stoned, drunk or a pure narcissist if they think any trade is worth that a year. Do the math.

Remember that what a plumber (or any company) charges per hour is totally different from what the individual who comes out to your house is earning as an hourly wage.

 

[SGKent]

That's good. 'Flushable' wipes are the bane of most public works employees, since they aren't really flushable. They usually end up clogging a pump somewhere in the system.

Remember that what a plumber (or any company) charges per hour is totally different from what the individual who comes out to your house is earning as an hourly wage.

thanks

 

[crasher98]

....when my housemate used those special wipes like baby wipes that hit it they snagged on the jagged scale, and that is what created the blockage.

I don't have any useful knowledge or experience so perhaps I should remain silent, but instead I'll just say get 3 quotes and take the best one. But the sentence above reminded me of a story so I'll tell it. One of my brothers went from being a slightly dissolute bachelor to marrying a wonderful woman with three kids because they had twins on the way, then one more came along later. One day the sewer at their house backed up all over their yard and the neighbor's, so he called a plumber. Plumber cleaned it out and told him, "Your problem is tampons and baby wipes", and my brother responded, "No kidding - but what's wrong with the sewer?"

 

[tab2]

You think $175 for a licensed guy AND an apprentice is expensive? A union foreman here is $145 and journeyman is $139/ hour.

I would do it myself and the one with the wipes would be doing the digging...

 

[PassnThru]

that issue has already been dealt with.

Good. Just so you know - I didn't say that with no experience. I'm on septic - and my wife got into that when my kids were younger. Nothing I could say would end it until we had to have the tank pumped. I made sure to invite her out to see all the flushable wipes creating a floating log jam on the top of the tank. Not only do they not dissolve - they float.

 

[Vahispd]

"Your problem is tampons and baby wipes", and my brother responded, "No kidding - but what's wrong with the sewer?"

Love it!

 

[SGKent]

I don't have any useful knowledge or experience so perhaps I should remain silent, but instead I'll just say get 3 quotes and take the best one. But the sentence above reminded me of a story so I'll tell it. One of my brothers went from being a slightly dissolute bachelor to marrying a wonderful woman with three kids because they had twins on the way, then one more came along later. One day the sewer at their house backed up all over their yard and the neighbor's, so he called a plumber. Plumber cleaned it out and told him, "Your problem is tampons and baby wipes", and my brother responded, "No kidding - but what's wrong with the sewer?"

good one

 

[redneckcharlie]

That’s 50-75$ in material, tops. Dig it up, take some measurements, build it at ground level, and install it. Worst part will be cutting the old cast iron pipe to allow the installation of the new section. Even if you had to buy cheap tools from harbor freight, you would be way ahead.

 

[ard]

DIY. Few things take less smarts and skills, IMO.


for a chuckle...

Dr. is getting ready for work one morning- wife tells him "Honey, the sinks is clogged". He tells her, "Call a plumber".

She insists that he deal with the plumber, so he calls and tells the plumber he is a neurosurgeon, he is late for surgery and can he come over immediately. Plumber agrees.

15 minutes later the plumber pulls up, and diagnoses the problem, fixes it in 10 minutes. Presents the doctor with a bill for $426.

Doctor say, “Holy ****, I’m a neurosurgeon and I don’t even make that kind of money for 10 minutes work.”

Plumber replies, “Hey neither did I when I was a neurosurgeon”.

 

[Bretny]

This thread is just over 12hrs old now. You could be done by now if you did it your self. Some times making time to get quotes and all that comes with that just isn't worth it.

 

[like2wheel]

Pictures

of the housemate.





.

 

[59 wagon man]

actually especially for cal it seems cheap. Just curious what you do and make? I would not have bargained an inch and left you with your backed up sewer with that kind of attitude. how do you know what it costs him to operate?

 

[Jackfre]

I'm a licensed plumber in CA. With the blockage cleared you are fine now, correct? This is not a massive project once the hole is dug and the pipe exposed. You can rent CI cutters. I would suggest you have your housemate dig the hole exposing the pipe and I can tell you how to go about it. That way you can have the housemate in the hole dealing with the **** pipe and you can advise from above. I don't think the guy is ripping you off. That is miserable work.

 

[JRC3]

I don't know your area pricing, but that is high for where I'm located. But you do live near Sacramento, California afterall.

And keep in mind that service people don't bill every hour of their 40 hour work week. They have accounting, driving, and talking to customers on the phone, texting and face to face. They have to get parts, and someone like a plumber has a stocked truck, that cost money in advance.

Sole proprietors have to cover their vacation time, health insurance, retirement and such (things your emplyer provides). Then they have to pay for their business liability insurance, any possible license and filing a fictitious name with the state if they don't use their real given name. Then the cost to file and maintain an LLC. If they choose there is paying to be with the BBB and/or Chamber of Commerce. Their truck/trucks have different registration fees than your car. The truck has to be purchased or has payments on top insurance on that vehicle.

There are things I'm forgetting and there are other things specific to the service they provide that eats into that hourly rate.

 

[dr_clyde]

I am happy to pay skilled trades to do what they are good at. I don't DIY quite a lot of things because I value my time just as much as they do.

Things I am happy to pay the man for include but are not limited to:
Plumbing backups
Auto repair and maintenance
Heavy rigging
Paint and body work
Electrical installation
Excavating
HVAC

I find the people in these trades tend to be faster, more efficient and I get a better job done. I can do all of them to some degree, but I will take longer and in some cases the work won't be as good. Or I straight up am not interested in doing the work. You couldn't pay me enough to deal with what a good plumber deals with.

I do some mobile welding and fab work, and I charge up to $175/HR for myself and a guy to pack up the van and go to your site and work. Field work is expensive, so I try to remember what I charge for my work when I need to call a tradesman to do work for me.

I paid my riggers $700 for an hour's work. Semi truck showed up on time at 9, they did a professional job, moved two 10k+ lbs machines safely with precision and care, and were packed up and gone before 10. He had told me to budget 1k to move the machines, but since I had a 5 ton bridge crane he was able to leave one forklift at his shop and it saved me $300. He quoted the job, not an hourly rate. I was happy to pay him. I would have paid probably double that for any other joint in town. No way was I going to attempt moving tools that heavy to try to save a buck.

I view most trades this way. I'm money ahead usually to keep working in my shop and making my shop rate, then pay the pros to come do what they can do better than me. Or at the very least I don't have to potentially get covered in ****, and that's worth a chunk of change to me.

 

[SGKent]

actually especially for cal it seems cheap. Just curious what you do and make? I would not have bargained an inch and left you with your backed up sewer with that kind of attitude. how do you know what it costs him to operate?

and if a person's business strategy is to gouge and belittle the client that is their choice, but it would not work with us. In my second career I took about 50,000 mortgage and refinance applications during 35 years in the mortgage industry and know what everyone makes, and what their P&L's look like. I am retired and had 3 careers. We take very good care of the people whom we do business with. If Boston requires $175 an hour or more to survive then no wonder the Socialists are winning so many votes there.

I am not doing this one myself. Right now I have so much on the plate there is no time for it. I know another plumber who is in extremely high demand here in Norcal, in both new and old construction - both residential and commerical. I'll see if I can get on his or his son's waiting list. I have an old main gate valve that I want replaced, I'll have both done at the same time.

Thank you all for your ideas.

footnote: Telling it like it is. Someone who makes on average $120 an hour working out of their house and truck has an opportunity to work 50 to 60 hours a week at that rate if they are really good at what they do, and constantly sought after. $120 hr x 60 hours billable = $7,200 a week x 50 weeks, assuming they take 2 weeks off for vacation. That is $360,000 a year in income potential. That is in the top 2% of the US population so that is very successful. Even if they can only find 30 billable hours a week that is $180,000 a year which is in the top 10% in US income. Trades like this usually write off many things that others would consider for personal use so that enhances the real income even more. $175 an hour implies either much less than full time work, or gouging if one expects that fellow to earn in the top 1% US income. Why would a consumer want to pay for the other guy's vacation, or for a top 1% income earner to fix the plumbing?

 

[kngelv]

and if a person's business strategy is to gouge and belittle the client that is their choice, but it would not work with us. In my second career I took about 50,000 mortgage and refinance applications during 35 years in the mortgage industry and know what everyone makes, and what their P&L's look like. I am retired and had 3 careers. We take very good care of the people whom we do business with. If Boston requires $175 an hour or more to survive then no wonder the Socialists are winning so many votes there.

I am not doing this one myself. Right now I have so much on the plate there is no time for it. I know another plumber who is in extremely high demand here in Norcal, in both new and old construction - both residential and commerical. I'll see if I can get on his or his son's waiting list. I have an old main gate valve that I want replaced, I'll have both done at the same time.

Thank you all for your ideas.

footnote: Telling it like it is. Someone who makes on average $120 an hour working out of their house and truck has an opportunity to work 50 to 60 hours a week at that rate if they are really good at what they do, and constantly sought after. $120 hr x 60 hours billable = $7,200 a week x 50 weeks, assuming they take 2 weeks off for vacation. That is $360,000 a year in income potential. That is in the top 2% of the US population so that is very successful. Even if they can only find 30 billable hours a week that is $180,000 a year which is in the top 10% in US income. Trades like this usually write off many things that others would consider for personal use so that enhances the real income even more. $175 an hour implies either much less than full time work, or gouging if one expects that fellow to earn in the top 1% US income. Why would a consumer want to pay for the other guy's vacation, or for a top 1% income earner to fix the plumbing?

It is always interesting when other people tell someone how much their time is worth even though they have little or no knowledge of it. It’s especially rich coming from someone who was in the mortgage business with their wonderful sub-prime market - tipping the economy toward collapse in 2008. Not to mention piles upon piles of fees to close.

James

 

[619DioFan]

Recently had to replace the water heater. I picked up the new one from HD , I use an independent plumber who has his own small business. he came the next day. removed the old and installed the new. the lines are pex and I don't have the tools for that. he also installed a new shut off valve as well as new drain line off of the pressure release valve. paid him 350.00 parts and labor plus an extra 10.00 so he could get some lunch. he was done in under 3 hours. I had NO problem at all with the bill. while he did his part I was able to work on other things I needed to do.

 

[JRC3]

It’s especially rich coming from someone who was in the mortgage business...Not to mention piles upon piles of fees to close.

Typically, home buyers will pay between about 2 to 5 percent of the purchase price of their home in closing fees. So, if your home cost $150,000, you might pay between $3,000 and $7,500 in closing costs. On average, buyers pay roughly $3,700 in closing fees, according to a recent survey.

 

[finn]

It is always interesting when other people tell someone how much their time is worth even though they have little or no knowledge of it. It’s especially rich coming from someone who was in the mortgage business with their wonderful sub-prime market - tipping the economy toward collapse in 2008. Not to mention piles upon piles of fees to close.

James

Agreed. Why should I have to pay two points to close on a new mortgage. The work the broker does is repetitive and requires no physical effort oe original thinking. The only requirement and qualification a mortgage broker needs is clean fingernails, a full candy bowl, and a quick tongue.

Closing shouldn’t have more than $250 in fees.

 

[sms1974]

your average consumer has no clue what it costs to run a small business. i like to ask customers what they think it costs me just to get to there house when they complain about a price. Here are a few things to consider when your going to try to barter for a better price with a guy who's doing it all himself...

you called him, he has to have a phone to answer your call. hopefully he has a shop or office, hes paying for that as well as utilities and taxes and maintenance. state and local registrations as well as property and completed operations insurance, then tack on the 1-2 million dollar bond most cities require these days.
how did you know who to call? the cost of advertising is absurd.
he had to write down your info and keep records of your job, office supplies.
is he coming to your house? not only are we talking about the cost of fuel to get there but the cost of the vehicle, fuel, maintenance, licensing and if that truck has his name on it he likely paid someone to do that too. now when he gets there hes going to need some tools and some supplies to be able to do anything. Oh and training and knowledge we might want him to have some of that, along with the cost of "continuing education" expenses required to maintain you licensing... this all happens before he even knocks on your door... At this point the "free estimate" our going to complain about has cost him something...

is there an opportunity to make a good living in the trades? yes there absolutely is I make a comfortable living as a business owner. i also give my customers a great service at a fair and reasonable rate. for those who can not see the value in hiring a professional to do there job there are plenty of hacks out there with no insurance working off of there kitchen table and buying the products to do your job at home depot. there also typically doing sub par work with no inspections or liability for the future failure of there repair nor the damage it may cause... I quote our jobs and when customers as for a better price i ask if there willing to go to there job and work for half of there normal rate? here is my price if there are options to make it lower i will give them the options but my price is my price...

 

[signcrafter]

and if a person's business strategy is to gouge and belittle the client that is their choice, but it would not work with us. In my second career I took about 50,000 mortgage and refinance applications during 35 years in the mortgage industry and know what everyone makes, and what their P&L's look like. I am retired and had 3 careers. We take very good care of the people whom we do business with. If Boston requires $175 an hour or more to survive then no wonder the Socialists are winning so many votes there.

I am not doing this one myself. Right now I have so much on the plate there is no time for it. I know another plumber who is in extremely high demand here in Norcal, in both new and old construction - both residential and commerical. I'll see if I can get on his or his son's waiting list. I have an old main gate valve that I want replaced, I'll have both done at the same time.

Thank you all for your ideas.

footnote: Telling it like it is. Someone who makes on average $120 an hour working out of their house and truck has an opportunity to work 50 to 60 hours a week at that rate if they are really good at what they do, and constantly sought after. $120 hr x 60 hours billable = $7,200 a week x 50 weeks, assuming they take 2 weeks off for vacation. That is $360,000 a year in income potential. That is in the top 2% of the US population so that is very successful. Even if they can only find 30 billable hours a week that is $180,000 a year which is in the top 10% in US income. Trades like this usually write off many things that others would consider for personal use so that enhances the real income even more. $175 an hour implies either much less than full time work, or gouging if one expects that fellow to earn in the top 1% US income. Why would a consumer want to pay for the other guy's vacation, or for a top 1% income earner to fix the plumbing?

All these price threads are crazy. So because a plumber charges 120 bucks an hour you think that is his income? Come on you really can't be that out of the loop can you? He has so many bills to come out of that "income" like liability insurance, workers comp insurance, health insurance, business taxes, and a ton of other stuff. Then if you think a plumber's overhead is low you should see what it takes to stock a truck with the tools and materials you need to carry. What a business charges is not considered an income.

Then you say why should you be paying for his vacations? Who paid for your vacations when you were a mortgage broker? Pretty sure your customers paid for them from what your company charged them and paid you out of that money. It amazes me when people that have zero clue on what it takes to run a business try to justify what others should be charging.

 

[Ilikeike]

I see it like this, as I use to do some electrical service calls.
The guy and helper show up to work, go to your location, complete you 2 hour job, pick up, go to the next "2hr" job wherever that is located, that would pretty much be the day. so they get 4hrs of pay for a days work.

 

[JRC3]

^
Worker's comp, I knew I forgot one earlier.

 

[Dagny]

I have an electric and refrigeration service business. I think about half the population will never understand what it takes to run a business. They just can't link one thing with another. The ozone hole cost billions of dollars, who paid it? all of us.

 

[sberry]

Takes all my will power to pass on this,,,, mortgage broker vs plumber. Who deserves catching the **** in this thread?

 

[Kaizen]

I replaced 20 feet of cast iron pipe this summer in my cellar and 1st floor. rented a cutter and bought pvc at home depot. quotes i had were 2k. cost me under 2 hundred. just an intimidating job as once you cut your plumbing is dead. no work around for that if you run into trouble.
In this case think i'd expose it and grind away the broken pyramid or hammer it flat if it looks like swiss cheese. if its not leaking i'd go the cheap route first.
but that price you got is not bad for this.

 

[nmk_61802]

In before lock??

If OP dosen't like price, can do it himself or find another if he likes.

His payscale breakdown is so off base, I don't know where to start.

Not a plumber here, but did sleep in Holiday-Inn at some point in my life

 

[SGKent]

So to sum it all up from those who are spewing flames -

Customer to Plumber with clean out snake - "I'll pay $100 an hour shop rate and guarantee 1 hour even if it takes you 10 minutes. If we need to do more I'll guarantee $100 an hour cash for 1 person, or $120 if you have a laborer with you, and cost of whatever the parts needed are."

Plumber to customer, "Screw you. I'll charge you what ever I want to charge you if I do the work."

Yeah, that will go over well with the customer. Better live in a one plumber county.

Client to lender, " I want $650,000 at rates substantially lower than the market pays for money right now, and with no costs. No questions, no credit check, no proof of income, and I want it by Tuesday morning in certified funds."

Yeah, that will go over well with lenders who have saved that money.

 

[59 wagon man]

60 billable hours is forgetting about the unbillable hours for travel time, supply house for materials, office work, training, etc so your 60 + the back end 40 is over 100 hrs of work for 60 hrs of pay

 

[JRC3]

60 billable hours is forgetting about the unbillable hours for travel time, supply house for materials, office work, training, etc so your 60 + the back end 40 is over 100 hrs of work for 60 hrs of pay

Hey, you don't need to sleep, eat or **** in a week. Now get back to work.

 

[SGKent]

60 billable hours is forgetting about the unbillable hours for travel time, supply house for materials, office work, training, etc so your 60 + the back end 40 is over 100 hrs of work for 60 hrs of pay

travel is included in billable time. That is why the guarantee is 1 hour even if the time spent is just 10 minutes. Distances here are about 10 - 15 minutes apart, non-rural. It is also why any extended work gets scheduled at a time when it doesn't detract from more profitable work. I am home most of the time so for an extended job I don't expect a contractor to drop 5 ea x 15 minutes clients for me, or one week large job that has to be done for whatever reason.

 

[Toomanytools?]

Had the main line back up today. Guy who I called was a little pricey although he way came down when I showed him I understood math, and that he wasn't a $1000 an hour kinda guy. He did say that the 40 year old cast iron clean out has a downwards facing pyramid on the bottom that has rusted over that time, and that when my housemate used those special wipes like baby wipes that hit it they snagged on the jagged scale, and that is what created the blockage. He recommended replacing the cast iron clean out with an ABS one that goes in both directions like the cast iron one does. He wants $950 to do it if he digs, or $650 if I have my landscape people dig it. That sounds a bit pricey to me but I don't work with this stuff so have no idea what a realistic price is for something like that. I am mentally thinking 2 hours max @ $125 an hour for him and his 18 year old helper, and a $15 - $20 ABS part so $250 - $300 is more realistic if it is already dug up. Anyone out there who is a plumber have an idea what replacing a master clean out should run? This one is a cast one about 2' - 2 1/2' deep with a cast iron riser with a rubber top held on with a band clamp. The pipe leaving the house is I think 3" ABS, built in 1979.

Well as usual things have gotten a bit out of hand. Are you capable of digging the hole yourself? Maybe you can save that $300 by doing it. If possible get another bid and see where the two stand, it's not leaking so no real hurry right? I admit I'm a DIY versus paying someone but sometimes you have to bite the bullet, his price doesn't seem too bad if I'm understanding what needs to be done also if it goes wrong it's on him.