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Forum Β» Contemplating becoming a full on tradie. Electrician or plumber?
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Thread: Contemplating becoming a full on tradie. Electrician or plumber?

post 1651776913 11-30-2021, 10:41 PM
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Contemplating becoming a full on tradie. Electrician or plumber?

I feel like lightning brahs probably make more money but the work is more dangerous, whereas pipe brahs make less but the biggest risk they face is having to get sprayed by sewage occasionally. Not sure what the average income difference would be between the two in a scenario where they're self employed doing a mix of subcontracting for construction sites and on-call home repairs.
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post 1651777083 11-30-2021, 10:46 PM
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post 1651777093 11-30-2021, 10:46 PM
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Look into thermal engineering. The apprentice pay is decent, math fairly easy, great unions and once certified you can work anywhere in the world


Electrician over Plumber though, can’t stand the smell of sewage
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post 1651777103 11-30-2021, 10:47 PM
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Can't go wrong with either one. Gotta make sure you are at the very least competent at Math if you wanna become an Electrician.
post 1651778053 11-30-2021, 11:16 PM
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Plumbing or electrician if you want side work. Pipeline welder if you wanna make disgusting amounts of money.
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post 1651778233 11-30-2021, 11:23 PM
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Originally Posted By OatSlap⏩
Plumbing or electrician if you want side work. Pipeline welder if you wanna make disgusting amounts of money.
Welding is fun too, I love mig.
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post 1651778443 11-30-2021, 11:29 PM
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any trade where you can start your own business is the way to go mayne
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post 1651778493 11-30-2021, 11:30 PM
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I prefer getting the best tan ever while I’m working, not likely to get that as an electrician or plumber. Plus our tool belts look the sexiest, rocking a big dirty ol hammer swingi’n around also.
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post 1651778653 11-30-2021, 11:38 PM
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Originally Posted By JaymzJ⏩
I prefer getting the best tan ever while I’m working, not likely to get that as an electrician or plumber. Plus our tool belts look the sexiest, rocking a big dirty ol hammer swingi’n around also.
what trade?
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post 1651778673 11-30-2021, 11:41 PM
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Originally Posted By snailsrus⏩
what trade?
Concrete. But don’t do it, too much work for the money. I should have been an electrician, lol.
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post 1651778873 11-30-2021, 11:47 PM
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Originally Posted By snailsrus⏩
Look into thermal engineering. The apprentice pay is decent, math fairly easy, great unions and once certified you can work anywhere in the world


Electrician over Plumber though, can’t stand the smell of sewage
Thanks will research
Originally Posted By OatSlap⏩
Plumbing or electrician if you want side work. Pipeline welder if you wanna make disgusting amounts of money.
That sounds nice. Will research this.
Originally Posted By JaymzJ⏩
Concrete. But don’t do it, too much work for the money. I should have been an electrician, lol.
Lol on spread
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post 1651778963 11-30-2021, 11:50 PM
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Originally Posted By RobotDeathSquad⏩
any trade where you can start your own business is the way to go mayne
Das it mane. Currently self employed making really good money but I live in the most expensive liberal city and I need to escape the culture, cost of living, and cramped conditions of this location. Sadly my business only applies to high density wealthy areas and I want to live in a more suburban or even rural area so I'm thinking electrician would be my best bet. I'm 34 so if I gotta reinvent myself professionally it needs to happen asap before I'm legitimately old. I'd bet nobody wants a 40 year old apprentice.
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post 1651779693 12-01-2021, 12:16 AM
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At least you have this to look forward to.
post 1651779933 12-01-2021, 12:26 AM
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I work natural gas for a utility gas company. It's a pretty awesome fuking job. We make right about or even a little over $100k. Which is really good for our cost of living. More expensive places pay a lot more to compensate. It's got good benefits, good job security, I was provided a brand new Silverado 3500 with about $20k worth of tools to take home. I get lots of PTO. Requires 0 schooling. They train you on the job for 6 months then send you on your own. It's Union too which has it's benefits good and bad. However I can work as much overtime as I want but not really required to work any if I don't feel like it or need to be off work on time. We have a lot of freedom too as long as we are getting our work done. If it's slow and I need to run errands or take a nap, I just do it. But we do work hard when it's busy. It's not a lazy job by any means.

It can be dangerous I suppose but I haven't had any close calls and neither has anybody I've worked with. We do respond to gas leaks but as long as you are careful it's pretty low risk. Ive had one house that's been full of gas. I could smell it from my truck so I got the fuk outta there and shot it with a Laser from a block away to see if it was explosive. It wasn't. But that possibility is real.

Last year a former co worker wanted to move back to his home state. He put in 5 applications and got 5 offers. The demand is always high for gas workers. You can go anywhere you want. And I don't see it going anywhere for at least 30 years. Politicians might try to crack down on gas but it would take a very long time to convert every house from gas to electric if they ever do decide to move away from gas. It's not going anywhere.
post 1651780293 12-01-2021, 12:43 AM
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Go for plumbing op. Less dangerous
post 1651780363 12-01-2021, 12:47 AM
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Originally Posted By OatSlap⏩
Plumbing or electrician if you want side work. Pipeline welder if you wanna make disgusting amounts of money.
Pipeline welders do extremely well when the gas and oil fields are booming. Might be a tough career with the current us president. I'm sure it will come back in a few years. But shutting down all the drilling and the keystone xl pipeline fukked the job market for welders. Lots of unemployed welders with lots of experience sitting at home with no work.
post 1651780623 12-01-2021, 12:57 AM
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Originally Posted By JaymzJ⏩
Concrete. But don’t do it, too much work for the money. I should have been an electrician, lol.
pretty sure I am not big enough to use a jack hammer, and I have a non trade career lol
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post 1651798373 12-01-2021, 10:17 AM
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Originally Posted By bsrkoacar2⏩
I work natural gas for a utility gas company. It's a pretty awesome fuking job. We make right about or even a little over $100k. Which is really good for our cost of living. More expensive places pay a lot more to compensate. It's got good benefits, good job security, I was provided a brand new Silverado 3500 with about $20k worth of tools to take home. I get lots of PTO. Requires 0 schooling. They train you on the job for 6 months then send you on your own. It's Union too which has it's benefits good and bad. However I can work as much overtime as I want but not really required to work any if I don't feel like it or need to be off work on time. We have a lot of freedom too as long as we are getting our work done. If it's slow and I need to run errands or take a nap, I just do it. But we do work hard when it's busy. It's not a lazy job by any means.

It can be dangerous I suppose but I haven't had any close calls and neither has anybody I've worked with. We do respond to gas leaks but as long as you are careful it's pretty low risk. Ive had one house that's been full of gas. I could smell it from my truck so I got the fuk outta there and shot it with a Laser from a block away to see if it was explosive. It wasn't. But that possibility is real.

Last year a former co worker wanted to move back to his home state. He put in 5 applications and got 5 offers. The demand is always high for gas workers. You can go anywhere you want. And I don't see it going anywhere for at least 30 years. Politicians might try to crack down on gas but it would take a very long time to convert every house from gas to electric if they ever do decide to move away from gas. It's not going anywhere.
Not scared of dangerous conditions personally. This is exactly what I'm looking for tbh. Can you provide any resources on where to get started for this?
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post 1651813733 12-01-2021, 04:58 PM
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Originally Posted By Peacening⏩
Not scared of dangerous conditions personally. This is exactly what I'm looking for tbh. Can you provide any resources on where to get started for this?
I had 0 experience when I got started. Just filled out an application for a service technician position for our regional gas company and got the job. Some companies might train new employees longer than 6 months but that's not a bad thing. I don't think anywhere really requires experience to get started. I'd say our company looks for self motivated individuals who are also low drama.
post 1651816223 12-01-2021, 05:41 PM
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Originally Posted By Peacening⏩
Das it mane. Currently self employed making really good money but I live in the most expensive liberal city and I need to escape the culture, cost of living, and cramped conditions of this location. Sadly my business only applies to high density wealthy areas and I want to live in a more suburban or even rural area so I'm thinking electrician would be my best bet. I'm 34 so if I gotta reinvent myself professionally it needs to happen asap before I'm legitimately old. I'd bet nobody wants a 40 year old apprentice.
Sparkie here, I have had a 51 yr old apprentice before. If they have the desire to learn and work, that in itself is most of the battle.
post 1651816653 12-01-2021, 05:48 PM
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Keep in mind that as an electrician you're going into worksites that have no power or AC so new builds are going to be hot AF or cold as bawls until you get power going 3 weeks later.

You should become a fire alarm technician, much easier
post 1651816963 12-01-2021, 05:54 PM
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post 1651817903 12-01-2021, 06:12 PM
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I would pick pipefitter over plumber, the fitters don’t have to deal with sewage and the pay is the same.

You could go hybrid and do mechanical/HVAC service.
Requires thorough electrical knowledge, need to know how to fit and run pipe, never need to worry about the seasonality of the construction industry
post 1651818083 12-01-2021, 06:16 PM
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Originally Posted By Peacening⏩
I feel like lightning brahs probably make more money but the work is more dangerous, whereas pipe brahs make less but the biggest risk they face is having to get sprayed by sewage occasionally. Not sure what the average income difference would be between the two in a scenario where they're self employed doing a mix of subcontracting for construction sites and on-call home repairs.
I’m a plumber. New construction so I never deal with nasty stuff.

I have done service plumbing and it can get pretty gross, definitely prefer construction. You’re β€œoutside”(in houses/buildings without doors, windows or heat) a lot though so it’s cold and hot, depending on the seasons
Hey gideon! Ive been looking at your wall, its pretty frickin sickening bro.

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post 1651818603 12-01-2021, 06:26 PM
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Originally Posted By OatSlap⏩
Plumbing or electrician if you want side work. Pipeline welder if you wanna make disgusting amounts of money.
Yeah I'd probably go welder route. Thinking about doing this myself for a side gig. Start off by charging $50 for a Saturday fix for someone who needs to weld on some floor boards for their resto project and turn it into a full on side gig after a year or two.
#
post 1651818873 12-01-2021, 06:31 PM
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thats what you're gonna settle for in life? plumber or electrician? strive for greatness bruh. we are all witnesses
post 1651819873 12-01-2021, 06:49 PM
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Originally Posted By bsrkoacar2⏩
Pipeline welders do extremely well when the gas and oil fields are booming. Might be a tough career with the current us president. I'm sure it will come back in a few years. But shutting down all the drilling and the keystone xl pipeline fukked the job market for welders. Lots of unemployed welders with lots of experience sitting at home with no work.
So close and yet so fuaaaarrrr

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