Many homeowners wonder what they are getting when a journeyman plumber comes to the
house.
For starters, there’s probably a crisis going on in your house. You are worried that water is
about to deluge your basement, your toilet will overflow, or that pesky small leak is going to turn
into a geyser. One of the first things you will notice is that when a journeyman plumber comes to
your house, he seems calm and at ease. That’s because he has seen your problem dozens or
maybe hundreds of times, and he knows exactly how to fix it. At the very least, he knows all five of the issues that could be causing the problem.
Journeyman plumbers know how to take care of water and sewer lines. You DON’T want a problem there. In addition, they are familiar with bathrooms, kitchens and laundries and can manage problems in all those areas.
Journeyman Plumber - Extensive Training
How does he know this? A journeyman plumber has had a couple of years training in order to
get to where he is. That’s a requirement for holding the job. The knowledge and experience of
workers goes a long way toward helping them complete the job to the customer’s satisfaction.
Most plumbers begin their training through either an apprenticeship or in-depth training program at a community college or vocational school. In these programs, the journeyman plumber will take courses such as domestic piping, blueprint reading, cost estimating, construction materials, and plumbing code. Each of these subjects is important for the plumber.
For example, if the plumber is not aware of the plumbing code, he might do things that are not approved, creating problems down the road, or even making it difficult for the homeowner to sell his home when that time comes.
Satisfied customers
Using a journeyman plumber increases the chances that the homeowner will be satisfied with the
results. One satisfied customer wrote, “They arrived on time, got right to work and completed the
replacement water heater install without any trouble or damage to my house. Great
technicians.”
Most of the time an apprentice must work 4 to 5 years to have enough practical experience to pass the licensing test. Unions and other organizations offer programs divided between on-the- job training and classroom work. Many of well-recognized programs require around 2,000 paid on-the-job training hours.
The apprentices will also absorb training in pipefitting, welding and science. Then the apprentice
may select the type of plumbing he wishes to do. Once his training is complete, the apprentice can become a journeyman plumber and work on his own.
Journeyman plumbers also use software programs to assist in analyzing problems and designing
new plumbing systems where needed.
Journeyman Plumbers Are In Demand
If the homeowner is having problems reaching a plumber, the reason is that journeyman plumbers
are in demand. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the plumbers job growth for
plumbers and the related jobs of steamfitters and pipe-fitters will reach 26 percent from 2010 to 2020.
This demand is larger than for both construction jobs and regular jobs. The Bureau estimated that
plumbers earned an average of more than $50,000 per year. If that seems like a lot of money it
shouldn’t. Many plumbing jobs are “rescue” jobs. The journeyman plumber has to clean up the mess made by a homeowner or do-it- yourselfer who thought he could save some money. You can have the job done right when a journeyman plumber comes to your home. You can forget about buying those extra tools that you will never use again, making multiple trips to the hardware store and wondering if you did it right.
Also, remember that the journeyman plumber who comes to your house is able to read plans and
handle the tools of the plumbing trade – wrenches, cutters, and pipe-fitters. It is rare that your
house will have a problem that the journeyman plumber cannot handle appropriately.
One customer said of his experience with a journeyman plumber at his house, “The plumber was
excellent, informative and thorough. I also purchased a service plan, because I saw no reason to
use anyone else.”
A job well done and peace of mind. Just two more reasons to use a journeyman plumber at your
house.