Today's Service Calls

61465 Views 1472 Replies 32 Participants Last post by PlumbingNewbie, 7 h ago

TerryTotoSucks

Discussion Starter · 9 mo ago

I’ll be running service today as usual.

I have a 4” clay sewer with pine tree roots in it. It’s about 65’ long and I installed a cleanout in the line about 5-6 yrs ago. She calls about once every couple years with the line backing up.

She will not replace it……

So, I’m going over to collect my $200 and sweat my nuts off in the process.

This afternoon I have some inside repair work. Replace some toilet stop valves,rebuild the toilets, repair some faucets, etc.

Nothing major, just how I like it.

What are you guys doing ?

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TerryTotoSucks

Discussion Starter · #2 · 9 mo ago

Bam ! Two more service calls just came in with toilet tank parts broken. Within 2 miles of each other !

Reactions: 3

OpenSights

· #3 · 9 mo ago

Easy day for us. Kitchen drain. Undersized for the run, S trap. Going to tell the LL that I want to bring it up to code. Then a quick stop at customers house to install a hole cock cover. Taking the rest of the day off, other than paperwork and scheduling some non emergency jobs I have lined up.

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ROCKSTARPLUMBER

· #4 · 9 mo ago

Sweating my Balls off makin easy money for one of our regulars. And three more estimates.
Bid a pet supply store this morning for 89k.

Wheel Tire Land vehicle Plant Car

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TerryTotoSucks

Discussion Starter · #5 · 9 mo ago

I just hit this one for $250, had to make two passes but I let her slow grind pulling it back……

Plant Tree Bird Shade Natural landscape

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ROCKSTARPLUMBER

· #6 · 9 mo ago

TerryTotoSucks said:
I just hit this one for $250, had to make two passes but I let her slow grind pulling it back……
View attachment 134165

God i hate drum machines. We are sectional over here with the ol root 66. and if that doesnt do it we bust out the ol spartan elite jettah.

Reactions: 1

TerryTotoSucks

Discussion Starter · #7 · 9 mo ago

ROCKSTARPLUMBER said:
God i hate drum machines. We are sectional over here with the ol root 66. and if that doesnt do it we bust out the ol spartan elite jettah.

Sectionals have you handling the cable too much. Big facts

My Marco is lightweight, powerful and is in perfect condition. I had to machine brass bushings for it……I installed high dollar bearings. I can run out 225’ and cut heavy roots. 3/4” innercore cable for the win.

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TerryTotoSucks

Discussion Starter · #8 · 9 mo ago

Just finished the two service calls that needed toilet parts. A mile from each other.

Ballcock
Flapper
Water supply
Tank flush handle.

$175 each. 30 min hit N runs.

Reactions: 2

TerryTotoSucks

Discussion Starter · #9 · 9 mo ago

The service life 🫶

It’s in 90’s today so I’m going home to eat lunch and chill. Around 4:30 I’ll shoot over to my last service call and work on a few toilets and faucets.

I’ll be between $850 and $1,000 today for about 1/2 days work. Legit, no over charging.

Reactions: 3

Tango

· #10 · 9 mo ago

The usual cheaters here. Guy wanted to relocate the vent in the upstairs wall to install a huge window. He didn't tell me it needed to be repiped in the attic. He didn't want to sign the contract because he didn't want to pay my time to get my ladder. Then he found his own ladder while complaining it was only a 1 hour job, it was expensive etc. The freaking thing in the attic was the main stack going through the roof with a branch. There wasn't room to do it easily without cutting most of it out and swearing to repipe. Told the guy call somebody else it's almost in the soffit, there's no room and have to redo all that too, it will take several hours and there's no plywood to lay down in this 200 degree attic. The window guy was pissed the window was already out, they asked for a cap and what the cost of it was, it's F-N free!

I'm outa here!

Karma was instant today, there you go you whinner.

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ROCKSTARPLUMBER

· #11 · 9 mo ago

my techs day,
50 gal electric first thing 1300
shower curtain rod for regular client we just did reno bathroom for 200.00
kitchen faucet replacement owner provided 200.00
replace boiler drains at washing machine outlet box 200.00

residential crew, started rennovation/flip installing 1" gas line with mega press for new range and tankless in crawl space

commercial crew 1 staff of 5 continued working on 750,000 sq ft structure weve dubbed "mega tron"

commercial crew 2 staff of 4 worked on GA site consisting of 3 24k sq ft buildings.

i did 3 estimates, got another bid sent out, scoped and located one sewer line for bathroom additions at a commercial space. taught inspector how to read his code book at another commercial reno we wrapped up the wall roughs on yesterday.

tommorow about more of the same, have a jet job set up for 8:30, slab leak after that, couple more bids to send out.

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OpenSights

· #12 · 9 mo ago

ROCKSTARPLUMBER said:
my techs day,
50 gal electric first thing 1300
shower curtain rod for regular client we just did reno bathroom for 200.00
kitchen faucet replacement owner provided 200.00
replace boiler drains at washing machine outlet box 200.00

residential crew, started rennovation/flip installing 1" gas line with mega press for new range and tankless in crawl space

commercial crew 1 staff of 5 continued working on 750,000 sq ft structure weve dubbed "mega tron"

commercial crew 2 staff of 4 worked on GA site consisting of 3 24k sq ft buildings.

i did 3 estimates, got another bid sent out, scoped and located one sewer line for bathroom additions at a commercial space. taught inspector how to read his code book at another commercial reno we wrapped up the wall roughs on yesterday.

tommorow about more of the same, have a jet job set up for 8:30, slab leak after that, couple more bids to send out.

How far out wold you be if I called you for residential full bath remod, gutted, moving two fixture locations? About two years ago when I was fulltime’ish with my master (and my business), we’d be looking at 3-4 weeks. Everyone out here’s about the same.

Reactions: 1

TerryTotoSucks

Discussion Starter · #13 · 9 mo ago

ROCKSTARPLUMBER said:
my techs day,
50 gal electric first thing 1300
shower curtain rod for regular client we just did reno bathroom for 200.00
kitchen faucet replacement owner provided 200.00
replace boiler drains at washing machine outlet box 200.00

residential crew, started rennovation/flip installing 1" gas line with mega press for new range and tankless in crawl space

commercial crew 1 staff of 5 continued working on 750,000 sq ft structure weve dubbed "mega tron"

commercial crew 2 staff of 4 worked on GA site consisting of 3 24k sq ft buildings.

i did 3 estimates, got another bid sent out, scoped and located one sewer line for bathroom additions at a commercial space. taught inspector how to read his code book at another commercial reno we wrapped up the wall roughs on yesterday.

tommorow about more of the same, have a jet job set up for 8:30, slab leak after that, couple more bids to send out.

Are they licensed plumbers or “ techs “ ?

Reactions: 2

ROCKSTARPLUMBER

· #14 · 9 mo ago

OpenSights said:
How far out wold you be if I called you for residential full bath remod, gutted, moving two fixture locations? About two years ago when I was fulltime’ish with my master (and my business), we’d be looking at 3-4 weeks. Everyone out here’s about the same.

we run about 3 weeks out depending on who its for. i have a motel renovation down at a little coastal community just south of us we were going to try and start this week, but its going to be next week now. But i am constantly moving stuff around to keep everyone happy. its an art all on its own..

Reactions: 3

ROCKSTARPLUMBER

· #15 · 9 mo ago

TerryTotoSucks said:
Are they licensed plumbers or “ techs “ ?

Not licensed plumbers. they are employees. FL doesnt require journeyman cards like other states do. It just knowing your guys abilities, their strengths and weaknesses. And i train them on what theyre lacking in when i have time to do so and meet them at jobs, or help them with a job. Ill spend a half hour or so each week at our conference table in the mornings with breakfast and go over some things i know they dont have a good grasp on, or something else i come across that was done wrong looking at estimates in the field. Its nice having a chick filet 1/2 a mile from your office.

Terry the main goal with this business is getting it to run without me. And it can to a point already. But not completely. My exit strategy is in the works as we speak and i plan to walk away from it in the next 6 years. And if a few things come through that are suppose to, it will definitely happen. That will put me at almost 30yrs in this trade and i want to retire from it by the time im 50.

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TerryTotoSucks

Discussion Starter · #16 · 9 mo ago

ROCKSTARPLUMBER said:
Not licensed plumbers. they are employees. FL doesnt require journeyman cards like other states do. It just knowing your guys abilities, their strengths and weaknesses. And i train them on what theyre lacking in when i have time to do so and meet them at jobs, or help them with a job. Ill spend a half hour or so each week at our conference table in the mornings with breakfast and go over some things i know they dont have a good grasp on, or something else i come across that was done wrong looking at estimates in the field. Its nice having a chick filet 1/2 a mile from your office.

Terry the main goal with this business is getting it to run without me. And it can to a point already. But not completely. My exit strategy is in the works as we speak and i plan to walk away from it in the next 6 years. And if a few things come through that are suppose to, it will definitely happen. That will put me at almost 30yrs in this trade and i want to retire from it by the time im 50.

That explains the crappy work I see in Florida. I mean true disasters.

ROCKSTARPLUMBER

· #17 · 9 mo ago

TerryTotoSucks said:
That explains the crappy work I see in Florida. I mean true disasters.

Its getting worse. Ill start taking more pictures of "winners" that i come across. I see some of the comps staff at the supply counters, ordering parts they have no idea what theyre called. And the handymen companies in this town are ridiculous. Theyre everywhere. Job security. My guys know, because i preach it everytime i see something that isnt totally perfect, that they called professionals and we are professionals, and were going to do professional work. And its usually dumb sh!t, mainly pipes being perfectly level or secured properly, backfilling and raking off the grass, cleaning up after them selves. Bending exposed gas flexes for a water heater to where they are neat and tucked, not just pulled and bent around looking like dog sh!t. thats one that came up the other day when i was doing some QC and PR work on some of the recent jobs.

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OpenSights

· #18 · 9 mo ago

ROCKSTARPLUMBER said:
we run about 3 weeks out depending on who its for. i have a motel renovation down at a little coastal community just south of us we were going to try and start this week, but its going to be next week now. But i am constantly moving stuff around to keep everyone happy. its an art all on its own..

That’s an art I’m teaching my kid. I’m just residential service now, maybe a few restaurants and dentist offices and such. Probably 50/50 LL to HO. I’m glad my master is in retirement now, for unfortunate reasons. Now I can schedule emergencies the same day. People are working from home more often now, so that makes my juggling much easier. “I have a call on the way to you, can we reschedule for 2:00?“ Most are just fine with that and are just appreciative that I can make it out.

It’s great to be busy, but I’m done with too busy. Sometimes it’s nice to be a little slow, for a day or two maybe.

Reactions: 2

dhal22

· #19 · 9 mo ago

TerryTotoSucks said:
Are they licensed plumbers or “ techs “ ?

All of my plumbers are master class II licensed, just lost a journeyman plumber who was with me 13 years to another career. Very hard to find licensed plumbers.

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TerryTotoSucks

Discussion Starter · #20 · 9 mo ago

dhal22 said:
All of my plumbers are master class II licensed, just lost a journeyman plumber who was with me 13 years to another career. Very hard to find licensed plumbers.

I should move to Florida. It would be easy to take that place over by just doing average work.

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