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I posted this at the Ridgid forum, and I thought it would be good here too:
Yet another reason I am slowly transitioning to mostly drain-cleaning. Not only are water heaters being made worse and worse every year, but the cost keeps going up and up. Here in NC, it is supposed to be illegal for anyone to install a water heater without pulling a permit and having a plumbing license. Yet, every day unlicensed handymen install water heaters without a permit.:cursing:
Now that water heaters are so expensive, and my unlicensed competition is so cheap, its gotten to the point that I rarely ever get to replace one. Most people call for a price, then they keep calling until they get the cheapest guy in town who has no license, no insurance, and will not bother with a permit.
I used to get upset about it, but now I have come to accept it. It wont change, the almighty dollar drives the market and people will continue hiring unlicensed, uninsured installers as long as they are cheaper than a legitimate plumber.
I just decided to move one. I sell a water heater maybe once a month for customers who are willing to pay a little more for quality, permitted, inspected, insured work. Other than that, I get lots of "I'll just get it at lowe's" (and have my handyman install it).
So now I have some of the best drain-cleaning/inspection equipment in the county and hopefully within a few years I'll have so much drain business that I won't even bother with the ridiculous politics of water heaters installs any more.
Yet another reason I am slowly transitioning to mostly drain-cleaning. Not only are water heaters being made worse and worse every year, but the cost keeps going up and up. Here in NC, it is supposed to be illegal for anyone to install a water heater without pulling a permit and having a plumbing license. Yet, every day unlicensed handymen install water heaters without a permit.:cursing:
Now that water heaters are so expensive, and my unlicensed competition is so cheap, its gotten to the point that I rarely ever get to replace one. Most people call for a price, then they keep calling until they get the cheapest guy in town who has no license, no insurance, and will not bother with a permit.
I used to get upset about it, but now I have come to accept it. It wont change, the almighty dollar drives the market and people will continue hiring unlicensed, uninsured installers as long as they are cheaper than a legitimate plumber.
I just decided to move one. I sell a water heater maybe once a month for customers who are willing to pay a little more for quality, permitted, inspected, insured work. Other than that, I get lots of "I'll just get it at lowe's" (and have my handyman install it).
So now I have some of the best drain-cleaning/inspection equipment in the county and hopefully within a few years I'll have so much drain business that I won't even bother with the ridiculous politics of water heaters installs any more.