Plumbing is actually a pretty lucrative business overall, but there are a few simple steps that you can take to optimize your returns and get the most for your money. Take these tips to heart, and stretch your effort and your wallet just a little farther.
Upgrade Your Plumbing License
Jumping from a journeyman to a master plumber can translate into a direct pay upgrade for the work that you do. If you already meet the time requirements for the upgrade, then making the shift is a no-brainer. If not, then working hard to hit those hours is a great goal to set. A higher license means having the right to set a higher salary in the commercial market, or to charge higher rates as an independent.
Specialize
The more versatile you are, the more hiring and work opportunities are ahead for you. Getting a specialization helps immensely with this. You may be able to get a contractor’s license, a carpentry license, or target a different field. Get sprinkler certified, septic certified, or gas filter certified, and open up access to those types of job opportunities. Also, specializing just provides you more marketability and job security long-term, even if it makes way for higher monetary gains in the present.
Switch Parts Providers
If you’re working independently or with a smaller plumbing business, the parts providers that you choose can impact the rates that you charge. Making a shift in your provider might actually be the best choice for your bottom line, and the work that you’re able to provide clients. Consider making a switch for a better balance of quality and cost to help with this.
Consider Going On-Call
Making yourself accessible in emergency situations, volunteering specifically for emergency call shifts, can help ensure that you gain some extra dough. This shifts typically apply to nights and weekends, and usually involve more high stress jobs, which means that the general cost charged is higher. Working these less convenient hours, for higher rates, is a great way to make more for the time you spend at work.
Whether it’s upgrading your certification, or making a switch to using American Standard faucet parts, there are several practical steps that you can take to help you make the most profits for your time and effort as a professional plumber. Consider these adjustments, and see how they impact your bottom dollar, and your job security overall.
