[TheForge] housekeeping

[xlch58 at swbell.net]

paul wrote:

Hello Charles

>
> Rather than take any of what you said badly, I believe that it 
> reinforces what I said. Your bad experiences were with 'plumbers in 
> name only'. I may have an advantage here in Wisconsin. We have a state 
> license law which applies to both union and non union plumbers alike. 
> If you practice plumbing, or advertise plumbing services, you must 
> have a master plumbers license. You also need a MPL to hire plumbers 
> to work for your business.
>
> The enforcement of these laws is up to all master plumbers and local 
> code compliance agencies. We do care. Your bad experience reinforces 
> my belief that untrained, and in our state unlicensed, practitioners 
> of any trade are more expensive for the consumer.  We may not have the 
> freedom in Wisconsin to simply hang out a Plumbers shingle, but that 
> seems like a freedom abused in your area. The gas problem would be 
> handled by our local gas company who is responsible for the gas up 
> through  the meter to the outlet,  and from there into the house by a 
> licensed and trained craftsman.
>
> If the practices you describe in your area are typical, it seems that 
> your are in need of lawyers and courts. I can't imagine your scenarios 
> in our area. Would not happen without prosecution.
>
> As to the vehicle of choice of some service providers, I never cease 
> to be amazed at the choices some folks make. A local savings and loan 
> officer drives a Hummer with the S&L name plastered on the side... but 
> not my Savings & Loan
>
> Paul

The guy that ran the vent through the window was a licensed master 
plumber, which means he worked as a journeyman under a master plumber 
for some period of time and passed all of the tests.  The guys that gave 
my mom a 10,000 estimate were working under a licensed master plumber as 
well.   The rest I doubt were licensed at all.   I agree in general, the 
problems lies with unlicensed, but I have seen extremely conceientious 
and good folks that knew what they were doing, but had no license and 
plenty of the oposite with licenses.  Regarding the pipe, if the meter 
is on the street, the owner us responsible for the yard line and house 
piping.   Point of common coupling is the term we use in the industry.  
The codes vary by city and county regarding who can service the line, 
with most specifiying a master plumber or those working under the 
direction of a master plumber.   Some localities allow home owner repair 
for gas lines.   Regarding lawyers and courts, for most of these types 
of things, they are only useful if you really enjoyed what the plumber 
did to you and want to do it again, only have a partner with a suit 
instead of suspenders.

Charles