# electrician vs plumber?



## Jboy24 (Jul 5, 2016)

Hi all,

After working for the last 5 years in a few jobs just to get by I feel I now want to learn a trade and I am torn between plumbing and electrician. I don't know much about either, just that both of them provide a stable career once qualifications are completed and you know what you are doing.

For anyone who knows a thing or two about this what would you advise going into and why? I am 25 and not sure how to start, isn't 24 the cut off age for the apprenticeship route?

Thanks in advance


----------



## Muckshifter (Apr 5, 2014)

Would say sparky would open up a lot more opportunity's s the further you advance in it. Just my opinion tho


----------



## united (May 11, 2016)

Jboy24 said:


> Hi all,
> 
> After working for the last 5 years in a few jobs just to get by I feel I now want to learn a trade and I am torn between plumbing and electrician. I don't know much about either, just that both of them provide a stable career once qualifications are completed and you know what you are doing.
> 
> ...


 My mate did an apprenticeship at the age of 25 in plumbing/gas fitting but he had to pay for his own course while working as labour/apprentice with a plumbing firm.

He went to companies and asked them for an apprenticeship with no luck until he offered to cover the costs of collage himself.

7 years on he has his own company and is minted - but he is very driven and extremely hard working!! 12 hours + days are the norm for him


----------



## Yes (May 4, 2014)

Jboy24 said:


> Hi all,
> 
> After working for the last 5 years in a few jobs just to get by I feel I now want to learn a trade and I am torn between plumbing and electrician. I don't know much about either, just that both of them provide a stable career once qualifications are completed and you know what you are doing.
> 
> ...


 I was told that apprenticeships are for anyone above the age of 16.


----------



## Sphinkter (Apr 10, 2015)

I thought plumber at first cause of their spanners and lengths of copper pipe etc but if you get a handy spark he could be not bad with a screw driver..

duno I'd still rather watch a gorilla be a tiger or something.


----------



## Lew1s (Feb 3, 2012)

ive been a sparky since I left school....subby since I was 19, I sub to a large M&E company 2-4 days a week and do my own stuff the rest of the time. For the amount you have to learn the pay isn't great unless you're getting your own work in - 160 a day is the going rate in the midlands, 180-250 in London. You can advance with the HND side of things yes, lighting controls and bms is also another option which doesn't need a degree (the best money to effort ratio I ever made working for someone was doing BMS, £250 a day home by 3 most days). If you weigh up plumbers and gas fitters vs domestic electricians who work completely for themselves though plumbers always win pretty much, always seem to earn a lot more.


----------



## tommolad (Oct 20, 2007)

I do plumbing and its sh!t pardon the pun, always got your head round a pissy toilet or even worse a urinal. However I tile too and can make a good wack on full bathroom en suite jobs


----------



## BLUE(UK) (Jan 9, 2008)

IMO, whichever you do, you'll need to either do your gas safe or the various add-Ons as a sparky.

On the HNC/HND side, you can do them as either plumber or spark.

Whichever you choose can be as good or bad as you choose depending on the type of work you do.


----------



## Lew1s (Feb 3, 2012)

for sheer money in your position I would go scaffolding to be honest and get in with a firm that gives price work on mainly domestic sites....you can only do it for so many years before it takes its toll but you can earn £1600-1800 a week if you're good at it, if you're willing to work hard you could do that for a certain amount of years and put your money else where. they get laughed at as a trade and have a rep for being thick etc but every scaff I know who isn't an idiot earns very well, even the idiot ones I know still do a £1000 a week consistently. only downside is the day rate is s**t on their day work.


----------



## Haunted_Sausage (Jan 2, 2015)

Why not learn the elite trade and become a welder? Alstoms and PJD welders can make £100k in under 9 months, those companies are clicky but last year I was working for a company on the books averaging £1700 take home! I'm now on offshore standby getting paid 56 hours a week at £20ph for doing nothing and working at my old place at the same time! Easy life


----------



## Growing Lad (Feb 14, 2009)

Haunted_Sausage said:


> Why not learn the elite trade and become a welder? Alstoms and PJD welders can make £100k in under 9 months, those companies are clicky but last year I was working for a company on the books averaging £1700 take home! I'm now on offshore standby getting paid 56 hours a week at £20ph for doing nothing and working at my old place at the same time! Easy life


 What's the path into welding?


----------



## ausmaz (Jul 14, 2014)

Apprenticeships can be sourced at virtually any age mate, when i did mine at 25 there were a few blokes in there 40's doin it....although you may have to self fund initially. As mentioned by a few others its the 'add-ons' or further training you do which makes the difference...for us plumbers, its gas tickets, tiling, welding ( for pipe fitting) etc....for sparkies its instrumentation,HV etc....

Rather than looking at salary to decide.....think about what type of work you like to do....are you precise? Analytical, patient......then become an accountant 

Good luck mate


----------



## 31205 (Jan 16, 2013)

Lew1s said:


> for sheer money in your position I would go scaffolding to be honest and get in with a firm that gives price work on mainly domestic sites....you can only do it for so many years before it takes its toll but you can earn £1600-1800 a week if you're good at it, if you're willing to work hard you could do that for a certain amount of years and put your money else where. they get laughed at as a trade and have a rep for being thick etc but every scaff I know who isn't an idiot earns very well, even the idiot ones I know still do a £1000 a week consistently. only downside is the day rate is s**t on their day work.


 That's helpful given that his two options were plumbing and electrics.


----------



## Lew1s (Feb 3, 2012)

sen said:


> That's helpful given that his two options were plumbing and electrics.


 he hasn't said why they were his options, he could be looking for money as well as stability in the trade he chooses in which case scaffolding is better. ive already told him exactly what electrics is like, unlike you who hasn't actually contributed atall to the thread other than a 13 year old attempt at being funny. nice one


----------



## Lew1s (Feb 3, 2012)

Haunted_Sausage said:


> Why not learn the elite trade and become a welder? Alstoms and PJD welders can make £100k in under 9 months, those companies are clicky but last year I was working for a company on the books averaging £1700 take home! I'm now on offshore standby getting paid 56 hours a week at £20ph for doing nothing and working at my old place at the same time! Easy life


 not being funny or disrespectful but is that all? you can get that subbying working 8+ hours and be home every night in quite a few trades, even in the midlands


----------



## Lew1s (Feb 3, 2012)

Jboy24 said:


> Hi all,
> 
> After working for the last 5 years in a few jobs just to get by I feel I now want to learn a trade and I am torn between plumbing and electrician. I don't know much about either, just that both of them provide a stable career once qualifications are completed and you know what you are doing.
> 
> ...


 19 is the cut off for the gov paying for all your course I believe with no strings, gets a bit harder once you're 20+ but I know lads that started late and companies still received money so don't be put off for being 25.


----------



## Jboy24 (Jul 5, 2016)

I am open to any trade, just thought that the two i mentioned were most common/stable/best paid choices

I wont let my age put me off doing it, just got to give it all a lot of thought and research before i decide


----------



## Lew1s (Feb 3, 2012)

scaffolding/brick laying are the best earners without having to work away or build up a client base/own business, I quite like being an electrician & the position i'm in, avoid PAYE unless you want to be tied down and earn a lot less than subbies. you'll learn a lot faster and be more time efficient as a subby aswell. You can do a grand a week subbing on day work without loads of hours/effort either 4 days and 1 day doing your own stuff or working a Saturday morning if you haven't got enough of your own work in yet.


----------



## 31205 (Jan 16, 2013)

Lew1s said:


> he hasn't said why they were his options, he could be looking for money as well as stability in the trade he chooses in which case scaffolding is better. ive already told him exactly what electrics is like, unlike you who hasn't actually contributed atall to the thread other than a 13 year old attempt at being funny. nice one


 electrician or plumber.... Scaffolder. That's a contribution??


----------



## Lew1s (Feb 3, 2012)

sen said:


> Electrician or plumber...... Scaffolder!! Cos that's a decent contribution.





Jboy24 said:


> I am open to any trade, just thought that the two i mentioned were most common/stable/best paid choices
> 
> I wont let my age put me off doing it, just got to give it all a lot of thought and research before i decide


 @sen

a lot of people who want to get in to trades later on, will be in it for money cause they more than likely work in a dead end/average paid job. not that the money is amazing in any trade, but the options can get you there. I mentioned one of the most profitable. get a grip.

/thread


----------



## 31205 (Jan 16, 2013)

Lew1s said:


> @sen
> 
> a lot of people who want to get in to trades later on, will be in it for money cause they more than likely work in a dead end/average paid job. not that the money is amazing in any trade, but the options can get you there. I mentioned one of the most profitable. get a grip.
> 
> /thread


 Rather be inside myself. Feel sorry for those f**kers working outdoors in winter.


----------



## 0161M (Nov 17, 2015)

How much would it cost to pay for the college courses to become a plumber or electrician ? I imagine it's a fair few thousand


----------



## Haunted_Sausage (Jan 2, 2015)

Lew1s said:


> not being funny or disrespectful but is that all? you can get that subbying working 8+ hours and be home every night in quite a few trades, even in the midlands


 I was doing 8 hour days and home every night plus got sick pay, holidays etc don't need a van or any of my own gear. Just turn up. id say my weekly take home averaged 1700, some weeks would be £3k give or take. Or was you saying that £100k in 9 months isn't that great? I don't know many trades that can make that kind of money

for a job that anyone can learn, don't need any NVQs or apprenticeship or Owt.


----------



## Goranchero (Mar 26, 2015)

@Jboy24, afraid of heights?


----------



## Dirk McQuickly (Dec 29, 2010)

A mate of mine retrained as a spark a few years back. There was a surprising amount of maths involved. I would have struggled with it. I'm a time served gas service engineer (though haven't actually done it for about 30 years) and I don't remember there being a huge amount of maths involved in my apprenticeship.


----------



## Lew1s (Feb 3, 2012)

Haunted_Sausage said:


> I was doing 8 hour days and home every night plus got sick pay, holidays etc don't need a van or any of my own gear. Just turn up. id say my weekly take home averaged 1700, some weeks would be £3k give or take. Or was you saying that £100k in 9 months isn't that great? I don't know many trades that can make that kind of money
> 
> for a job that anyone can learn, don't need any NVQs or apprenticeship or Owt.


 so you earnt 100k on £20 p/h and was home every night off shore? and 8 hour days equated to 58 hour weeks? ok


----------



## anaboliclove (Oct 9, 2010)

I only read the title but I'd say plumber bcs he could just stick a plunger on his face then set about him with a spanner or length of piping! An electrician would have screw drivers and lengths of wire to hand tbf but I still say plumber

do we have a volunteer plumber and sparky who wouldn't mind having a fight for the sake of this experiment on here??


----------



## Haunted_Sausage (Jan 2, 2015)

Lew1s said:


> so you earnt 100k on £20 p/h and was home every night off shore? and 8 hour days equated to 58 hour weeks? ok


 No that's not what I said at all. I mentioned alstpms and PJD they are on shore conpanies who do the boilers.

I was making reference to the industry and what money can be made, I then went on to say I'm getting standby pay at the moment 56 hours a week on £20 for doing absolutely nothing. Obviously the rates are much higher when I'm working but how many electricians or plumbers get paid standby money?

My dads a sparky been at it 45+ years so I do have a good understanding about the industry. I think you may be getting confused with running a business and being a tradesman. If your running a business then there no upper limit to your earnings but your a businessman who is operating within a trade vs just being a tradesman and providong labour.


----------



## Jboy24 (Jul 5, 2016)

Goranchero said:


> @Jboy24, afraid of heights?


 No


----------



## Jboy24 (Jul 5, 2016)

Dirk McQuickly said:


> A mate of mine retrained as a spark a few years back. There was a surprising amount of maths involved. I would have struggled with it. I'm a time served gas service engineer (though haven't actually done it for about 30 years) and I don't remember there being a huge amount of maths involved in my apprenticeship.


 Not problem for me, good with numbers


----------



## Haunted_Sausage (Jan 2, 2015)

electricians vs mechys

(don't be a mechy!)


----------



## Goranchero (Mar 26, 2015)

Jboy24 said:


> No


 Good, fear of heights is no.1 disqualifier for electrical work.

Although, even plumbers work at heights when installing sprinklers or heating installation.

Check what is more deficient. In Croatia plumbers have it a lot easier than electricians if you do not mind occasional bad smell at work.

Although repairing lighting and electrical installation at a pig farm is no better than messing around toilets.


----------



## Lew1s (Feb 3, 2012)

Haunted_Sausage said:


> No that's not what I said at all. I mentioned alstpms and PJD they are on shore conpanies who do the boilers.
> 
> I was making reference to the industry and what money can be made, I then went on to say I'm getting standby pay at the moment 56 hours a week on £20 for doing absolutely nothing. Obviously the rates are much higher when I'm working but how many electricians or plumbers get paid standby money?
> 
> My dads a sparky been at it 45+ years so I do have a good understanding about the industry. I think you may be getting confused with running a business and being a tradesman. If your running a business then there no upper limit to your earnings but your a businessman who is operating within a trade vs just being a tradesman and providong labour.


 Why are you turning this in to some sort of debate about my job vs yours? embarrassing really, I misread what you wrote but when did I say you didn't know anything about the industry either? most embarrassing attempt at getting on a high horse I've ever seen.


----------



## Haunted_Sausage (Jan 2, 2015)

Lew1s said:


> Why are you turning this in to some sort of debate about my job vs yours? embarrassing really, I misread what you wrote but when did I say you didn't know anything about the industry either? most embarrassing attempt at getting on a high horse I've ever seen.


 You call defending your own comments 'getting on your high horse'? I think you need to take a look at your life princess.

i made reference to knowing about my industry to validate my opinions, showing they are based on more than just speculation. I know the welding game but I also have a good knowledge of the electrical trade. What do you know about the welding industry though? You will try to pull my trade down for whatever reason I really don't know, yet you don't know anything about it.

It's really sad you feel the need to argue with someone on the internet about a subject you know nothing of. It's even worse that you had to post up the first bitchy comment towards me! I don't care what anyone chooses to do providing they enjoy it. All I did was give my opinion which is what the OP was looking for, hence why he posted the question in the first place.

Now, it's a lovely Saturday afternoon I'm sure you have something better to do than try to post bitchy comments towards me to boost your ego Xx


----------



## Lew1s (Feb 3, 2012)

reality is I don't give a toss about your job, I misread what you said and thought your situation seemed s**t, turns out its different and all of a sudden you go on the defence writing paragraphs. embarrassing


----------



## Haunted_Sausage (Jan 2, 2015)

Lew1s said:


> reality is I don't give a toss about your job, I misread what you said and thought your situation seemed s**t, turns out its different and all of a sudden you go on the defence writing paragraphs. embarrassing


 I'd call not being able to read my initial response 'embarrassing', I was forced to write such lengthy paragraphs out to try and break down the information as I can tell your one of those who struggle with simple tasks.

if you want I'll get some crayons and try and draw it out in pictures for you if that would help? Xx


----------



## spod (Mar 25, 2010)

sen said:


> Rather be inside myself. Feel sorry for those f**kers working outdoors in winter.


 Different strokes for different folks, brother. I couldn't stand being indoors all day...summer or winter.

Working outdoors is ace - just get yourself a wooly hat and a big-ass beard and rock on! :beer:


----------

