Is plumbing still a trade?

[lagunaglen]

whats the definition of a simple job, and whats the definition of so much?

Well the professional plumbers definition of a simple job (pump change,tap repair,bathroom suite install) are simple jobs.
Fitting correctly designed heating and hot water systems (like unvented)
and boiler repairs and fault finding are so much more.
Then of course you have the big stuff such as industrial and commercial ,and thats a whole other world.

 

[nikon70]

all building works are still TRADES....

its just there are so many DIY'ers doing it on the side (maybe 100% fine) but not all of them....

 

[mark vincent]

What is a trade anyway? is a tradesman a labourer who is skilled in one aspect of labouring?when a tradesman gives you a bill he charges for 'labour' not plumbing or whatever.

 

[hairyben]

What is a trade anyway? is a tradesman a labourer who is skilled in one aspect of labouring?when a tradesman gives you a bill he charges for 'labour' not plumbing or whatever.

And a brain surgeon is a nurse skilled on one particular aspect.

Would you want a nurse operating on you or your nearest and dearest?

 

[bengasman]

Plumbing is not a trade, it is an art

 

[wsdconst]

I'm a DIYer and would never use speedfit. Doesn't it have a shorter lifespan, and cannot carry hot water in heating systems??

yes it does have a shorter life but of course it can carry hot water just not gas but jg are soon to release such fittings

 

[tabs]

I'm a DIYer and would never use speedfit. Doesn't it have a shorter lifespan, and cannot carry hot water in heating systems??

yes it does have a shorter life but of course it can carry hot water just not gas but jg are soon to release such fittings

Being the devils advocate here but where is the evidence from studies that it doesn't last?

 

[wsdconst]

i was talking to a jg rep and he tod me their life expectancy was about 15 years off the record, but he also said this is about the same as a modern boiler so they should be changed with the boiler,don t shoot the messenger suppose we ll just have to wait and see

 

[Softus]

There is no evidence, other than anecdotal.

Every forum member who loves copper appears to have abundant tales of plastic pipe bursting and plastic fittings either leaking past the O ring or "blowing off". However, very few people have seen many examples of this happening themselves.

IMHO, the average plastic installation is likely to last longer than the average copper/soldered one, simply because of the number of incompetent solderers who leave pipework randomly daubed with flux, both inside and out, and the number of careless builders and chippies who crush and crease any pipework that they go near.

 

[wsdconst]

good point softus i m pro plastic love the stuff think it makes life so much easier. i only know of 1 fitting that blew off and that was because it was nt tightened up suppose only time will tell

 

[tabs]

I've not had any probs with it myself either as long as corrcetly installed. Stilll won't use it if its on view though. Agree with Softus on carp soldering as well - for gods sake clean your work !

 

[Softus]

Personally, I'm not pro plastic or pro copper - I'm just in support of whatever materials and fittings suit the job at the time, the criteria being (a) cost of installation and (a) longevity. There's no one single best method in all conditions and for all tasks.

It used to be the case that plastic and push-fit was more expensive than copper, but the price was easily counterbalanced by the time saving, so job prices ended up about the same. With the recent copper price hike, the decision is a no-brainer most of the time.

Hep2o is guaranteed against defects for 50 years. It's rare to come across copper that has survived that long, and I frequently see copper that's corroded within 5 years.

 

[bengasman]

I have had 1 case where hepworth fittings desintegrated on a mains water connection, twice in the same house. Maybe excessive water hammer or something like that. The green ring inside had shattered to bits. Changed to polyplumb afterward which has a gripper ring completely made of steel, rather than the plastic ring with steel teeth in it like you find in the hepworth fittings.
I do virtually all water and heating pipes in plastic and so far, so good.

 

[mark vincent]

Hep2o is guaranteed against defects for 50 years.

How can they guarantee their pipes for 50 years when they haven't been in general use for 50 years.

 

[bengasman]

quite simple, by just replacing them when or if they go pop. they don't have to prove they don't go pop first.