Plumbing

Where I live you are required to be a licensed plumber to do plumbing work, my question is at what point do you say this is not something I need to sub-contract. The clients wonder why I need to have someone else install their toilet or put their kitchen taps in their new countertop after a job when all the existing plumbing is there. If I were to handle these small handyman jobs I could save customers time, money and headaches. Where do you guys draw lines? Simply stated you don't need an electrician to screw in a lightbulb?

I do the minor plumbing stuff myself, but each town has it's own guidelines and codes. For instance, many years ago we were doing a job and the toilet had to be pulled. When it was removed we set it outside in the driveway and a township inspector just happened to be driving by while it was sitting there. He stopped and asked who removed it and the homeowner said one of us had. The inspector told him that only a licensed plumber or the homeowner could remove and reinstall the toilet, not just anyone. That's only happened twice in the 18 years I've been doing tile. I say if you know how to do the plumbing and do it correctly then go for it. If it requires running new pipes or drains or has to be sweated on then I say leave that to a real plumber.

I dont do anything but TILE. I am not a Handyman.

You won't catch me taking apart walls or replacing floors because I was the guy that thought I knew it all and wanted to also do the plumbing. If there is a leak it won't be my problem - that's why God made plumbers.