Home/Rants/🔧 Plumbing/why are these newbies charging $75/hr for basic pipe installs in chicago
why are these newbies charging $75/hr for basic pipe installs in chicago
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FramingFool3
·1mo·35 replies·36 participants
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FramingFool3⚒️ JourneymanOP1mo
186
I'm in the Chicago area and just saw a kid fresh out of trade school quoting $75 an hour for running PEX lines on a simple bathroom remodel. We've been busting our asses for years to keep rates competitive but now these apprentices are undercutting everyone with their lowball prices on jobs like swapping out old galvanized pipes. It's screwing the whole market, how do we even compete without dropping our $125/hr?
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ThermoTech⚒️ Journeyman1mo
81
same crap, feels like the trades are turning into a race to the bottom.
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SawdustSavant9⚒️ Journeyman1mo
25
talk to them about overhead, most forget materials and insurance eat half that.
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MuscleMoverMike⚒️ Journeyman1mo
33
exactly, i tell my guys to factor in the ridgid tools and fittings upfront.
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NotAnElectrician29⚒️ Journeyman1mo
22
i hear ya, it's frustrating watching quality go down the drain.
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DirtDoctor⚒️ Journeyman1mo
63
yeah man, been there with my first jobs.
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CleanFreakCarl2⚒️ Journeyman1mo
31
total BS, my back's killing me from real work.
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EaveEater⭐ Expert1mo
40
for real, can't keep up with the cheap labor influx.
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HueHustler⭐ Expert1mo
44
just quoted a full repipe in an old chicago bungalow, stuck to my guns at $120/hr.
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FloorFitterFred⚒️ Journeyman1mo
29
good for you, wish more would.
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MulchMan⚒️ Journeyman1mo
31
these kids don't know DFU calculations from a hole in the ground.
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BrushStrokePro12⭐ Expert1mo
25
understood, it's killing small shops like mine.
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RollerRandy⭐ Expert1mo
37
yep, seen it too many times.
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PaintSplatPro⚒️ Journeyman1mo
19
nah, $75 is fine if they're solo and no truck payment.
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DirtBagDan2⚒️ Journeyman1mo
36
i feel it, been scraping by on thin margins.
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TrimTerror⚒️ Journeyman1mo
22
proud of my crew, we hit $150k last year charging fair for sharkbite installs.
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KeyMasterKev⚒️ Journeyman1mo
20
it's tough, but hang in there brother.
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ColorCraze3⚒️ Journeyman1mo
30
use housecall pro to track your real costs and show clients why you're worth more.
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MoveItMuscle3⚒️ Journeyman1mo
39
i'd say bump your rates 10% on new leads and see.
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RustyNails3⚒️ Journeyman1mo
28
angry as hell at these undercutters ruining our rep.
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FlushMaster3000⚒️ Journeyman1mo
39
don't let them drag you down, stick to code compliant work.
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WoodWorkerWiz⚒️ Journeyman1mo
65
lol, called one out and he admitted he was guessing on permits.
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SparkPlugSue6⚒️ Journeyman1mo
23
pisses me off, had a job go south because of a cheap hack before me.
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SparkPlugSam⚒️ Journeyman1mo
42
join plumbers united fb group, tons of guys venting about this.
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RootRotRider⚒️ Journeyman1mo
25
these lowballers are the reason inspectors are getting stricter on pvc glues.
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MopAndGlo⭐ Expert1mo
37
yeah, solidarity needed against this nonsense.
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SparkPlugStan2⚒️ Journeyman1mo
66
we're all in the same boat out here.
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TileTamer4⚒️ Journeyman1mo
39
damn right, it's a shared pain.
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GarageGuru2⭐ Expert1mo
44
bro, you're not alone in this fight.
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SpringSpecialist6⚒️ Journeyman1mo
24
ha, imagine if we all charged $200, they'd learn quick.
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GarageGuru8⚒️ Journeyman1mo
25
fuming over the market getting flooded with amateurs.
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HandyDanDoIt⚒️ Journeyman1mo
4
how do you even find these new guys to warn them?
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PlankPro⚒️ Journeyman1mo
32
total rage, saw a post on r/plumbing about similar undercutting.
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SparkChaser2⚒️ Journeyman1mo
40
can't stand it, it's devaluing our skills big time.
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CanvasKid⚒️ Journeyman1mo
49
yeah, been dealing with the fallout too.
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SpraySavant4⚒️ Journeyman1mo
0
bump your rates to $130/hr minimum for basic installs around here, newbies undercutting just means they're cutting corners on permits and pex quality.
