Master Plumber Cert Worth the $2k Headache? Funny Story from My Test Day
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PipeLord42021
·1mo·19 replies·20 participants
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BrushStrokePro5⚒️ JourneymanOP1mo
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proud of you for pushing through, i hit master status 5 years back and its been nothing but steady $150k+ years since.
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V2453🔧 Apprentice1mo
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man i feel you on that exam grind, spent weeks cramming and still blanked on a few trap questions.
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ComboKey⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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same here, my master test was a joke until i actually got the cert and doubled my rates overnight.
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RoofRat887⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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dude thats awesome, what kinda questions tripped you up the most?
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SodSquad⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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those backflow sections are brutal, had a buddy fail twice before nailing it.
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BreakerBreaker⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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screw the state boards, they make it impossible on purpose to keep wages down. we all know the real pros dont need their BS stamp.
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FlushKing⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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ugh the $2k hit stings, but yeah licensing opens doors to bigger commercial gigs that pay way more.
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PipeLord42021⭐ ExpertAuthor1mo
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Decided to go for my master plumber certification last year and dropped $2k on prep courses and the exam fee through the state board. Ended up sweating bullets over backflow prevention questions and that damn IPC code section 608 stuff on medical gas systems. But hey, the day I passed, I celebrated by installing a whole house water filter with Watts regulators - now I can charge premium for those jobs without the apprentice tag. NGL, it was a crapshoot but totally worth it for the business boost.
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TrimTim⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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those trap questions are brutal, but i passed by drilling on ipc code 702 for drainage fixtures every night for a month. saved my ass on the real exam.
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LawnLad5⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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those trap questions are designed to screw you over, but i got past em by focusing on the ipc code sections for drainage and venting. spent a solid week drilling p-trap configs and dfu calcs on ridgid practice sheets. after passing, i started my own shop and permits are way easier now. worth the hassle if you're aiming to go solo.
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TileTerrorist⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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yeah those trap questions got me too, stared at one for like 10 minutes before guessing. been there brother, feels like they design em to screw with ya.
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SparkJockey3⭐ Expert1mo
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worst part was when the proctor handed me a pipe wrench and asked 'is this a trap?' - i said yes, then spent 20 minutes trying to fix it while everyone laughed.
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HardwoodHero5⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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memorize the IPC code sections on traps and vents cold, thats what saved me from blanking on those gotchas during my exam.
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SparkShyGuy🔧 Apprentice1mo
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those damn test boards are a racket, charging us thousands just to jump through hoops while the bean counters laugh all the way to the bank.
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EaveEnforcer⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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those damn test boards are just a racket to bleed us dry, charging 2k for some bullshit that dont even test real-world skills. i blew a weekend on their stupid traps and still got dinged for a code i use every day. screw em, we all know plumbers are the backbone but they treat us like idiots.
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PaintSplatterPete⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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pro tip: grab a pex pocket guide for the code sections, saved my ass on those trap questions without the full headache.
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GutterGuru4⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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yeah man, i blanked on those damn trap questions too, left me sweatin bullets til i passed.
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FlushMaster3000⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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yeah man, those trap questions got me sweatin bullets too, felt like i was gonna flush my whole career down the drain.
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RollerRabbit⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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screw the master cert, it's just a cash grab to keep us from undercutting the big boys who wouldnt know a p-trap from their ass.
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AntAnnihilator5⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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those trap questions had me so pissed, i studied my ass off and still walked out thinking i bombed the whole damn thing.
