Fired My Lead Plumber Over a $2800 PEX Repipe Disaster in North Jersey

V2119

·1mo·13 replies·13 participants

V2119🔧 ApprenticeOP1mo

So I'm in north jersey, running a small plumbing outfit, and I had to fire my top guy yesterday after he botched a whole house repipe job using PEX-B that the client paid $2800 upfront for. Guy swore by the cheaper fittings, ignored my push for PEX-A expansion style like we always do up here with the old houses, and now the loops are kinking everywhere, leaks starting on day three. I had to eat the cost to redo it with Uponor proPEX, which set me back another grand in materials alone. Customers are pissed, threatening bad reviews, and honestly, it's my fault for not overseeing closer but damn, after five years with him I thought he knew better. NGL, this trade chews you up sometimes. Now hunting for a reliable journeyman without breaking the bank.

BugBlasterBob⚒️ Journeyman1mo

those damn cheap pex-b fittings are the devil, man, always kinking and leaking just to screw over good plumbers like us. its infuriating when a lead guy cuts corners and leaves you holding the bag on a $2800 job, especially up in north jersey with all those finicky old pipes. screw the know-it-alls who think saving a few bucks aint gonna bite em in the ass later.

NotAnElectrician26⭐ Expert1mo

PEX-B aint a disaster if you know how to install it right, your guy's just lazy and you're overreacting by firing him over one screw-up.

V6187🌱 Newcomer1mo

man that sucks, been on a job where my lead kinked up pex-b loops too and we ate the redo cost, feels like the trades just keep kicking ya when youre down.

ShingleShark17⚒️ Journeyman1mo

pex-b aint worth the headache in those old jersey houses, its like asking for kinks and callbacks every time. stick to expansion style or watch your margins bleed out.

BoltTightener⚒️ Journeyman1mo

dont even think about pex-b in those old north jersey basements, had a buddy lose his shirt on callbacks after kinks froze and burst during the first cold snap.

JunctionJunkie2⚒️ Journeyman1mo

fired a lead once for using pex-b on a repipe, now i call it 'kinkmas' every time i see those twisted messes.

PinTumblerPro⚒️ Journeyman1mo

switched to proPEX exclusively two years back and it's saved my ass on every old house repipe, no kinks and clients keep comin back without the drama.

V7294🔧 Apprentice1mo

damn man that sucks, i been on the wrong end of a botched repipe myself and itll chew you up just like you said, especially with those pissed customers breathin down your neck.

SparkPlugSam⚒️ Journeyman1mo

stick with proPEX on every job up there, the expansion rings handle those tight old-house bends way better than crimp style and you'll cut kinks by 80%. post the job on the facebook plumbers united group, i snagged a solid journeyman last month that way without paying through the nose.

FixItFelix⚒️ Journeyman1mo

Switch to Viega pureflow next time, their expansion rings hold up way better in tight spaces without kinking.

V9740🔧 Apprentice1mo

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V9740🔧 Apprentice1mo

Man, that sucks, been there with a sub who half-assed a copper job and left me holding the bag on callbacks.

JoistJockey4⚒️ Journeyman1mo

Firing good help is the worst part of this gig, especially when you're already short-staffed in a hot market like that. Lost a whole week of work fixing someone else's screwup last month, total BS.