20 years self employed, residential oil burners, a/c, plumbing, water treatment, consistently made $85 -$125k yr, no advertising, never at a need for new work. treat customers fair, be polite and informative, beautiful skill/trade to have.
Started this trade when i was 20. Started at 6/hr with a mom and pop shop. no technical experience or previous schooling when I started. 13years later I topped out at 40/hr with a large company before I went on my own. It’s what you make of it! The learning process in this field is endless! The more you learn the more you earn! I found in this trade you create your own ceiling..
Good points. I remember one job interview I went on. One of the questions I was asked is why should we hire you? I asked him, Can I be straight with you? He said yes. I told him if you don't hire me I'll go and work for your competition and blow your ass out of the water. Needless to say I was hired. Ended up working for them for fifteen years.
My father owns a HVAC company with about 50 techs. The shortage of good trained help is ridiculous. I wanted to go into law and get my degree, when I decided to do service calls as a helper for the summer I think I’m changing my mind lol. I like the ability to fix things and make people feel relieved that I exist 😂
Same thing here, my father owned an AC business and he still involved with it but I'm running it now. He got cancer and he's better now but he had to slow down and he's 62 anyway and I've been training to take it over and I've been working here for 15 years. It is getting to the point where it's impossible to get competent help. All of the good people already work for a company that will do anything to keep them. We try and hire people fresh out of the schools and train them, but more than half the time they quit once they're on their own because they don't like being in the heat and doing this kind of work and it sucks because we invest money and pay them to train them and then they quit on us and leave us high and dry when we get busy. If it's not for you, then I wouldn't do it because it can be a stressful job and make your life miserable if you don't have a passion for it but if it is something that you enjoy it's a very fulfilling thing to do and not to mention you'll make the big bucks. Me and my brother were going to take the company over but he's where you're at and he wasn't happy doing it and now he's in firefighter school.
I live in Washington state and I got my AA degree in HVAC, I put in the time and effort and I started in the industry at 15 p/hr, within a yr I had changed employers and was at 20 an hr, a year after graduation I changed to employer three and started at $27.64 and will top out at $44 p/hr plus benefits and I'm in a union position with a commercial industrial aerospace company
treedawgin That's pretty good pay. I guess every company is different. I get paid $24 an hour & have been in the trade as a service tech for 4yrs. I have friends that make $28 to $34 same time as me but different company's
Ronald Jacamo I graduated in April 2017 and 9 months with one company and 8 with another before coming where I am which is commercial aerospace manufacturing and I do facilities HVAC, started at 28 plus full benefits costing 122 a month for whole family
I turn 20 tomorrow. My life’s been a journey man, a lot of my friends didn’t make it past 18 so I’m grateful to still be here. I don’t take life for granted. My pops and I had a talk and I’m more than ready to start this new part of my life. So here’s to my next ten years of greatness, thank you for all the game you put out man. ✊🏾 much appreciated
I would disagree with this route personally but it doesn’t mean that you’re necessarily wrong. I think trying to get an electrical license as a licensed HVAC tech could be great if you plan on going out on your own but it is largely a distraction and detractor to your core trade otherwise. There are more relevant licenses to acquire if you plan on sticking to commercial work such as a fitting and plumbing licenses that are more directly related to your trade and will expand your day to day capabilities. I’ve spent years of my life trying to do it all and I’ve found that your much better off focusing fiercely on one or two things to become very good at or you just end up being mediocre at a bunch of things.
Dude you hit the nail on the head. I've been involved in this work for 19 years. Residential, commercial, building maintenance, controls installation/programming/commissioning. About 16 months ago, I took all that knowledge and went into business for myself.
Excellent, (I am a retired HVAC contractor, and Mech Engr, worked projects in 40 states, incl large scale systems) ...its the best advice anyone in the trade can get.
And not only in the USA is there a shortage in qualified technical personal it's the same in Europe and probably all over the world. Why is this ??? Everyone wants his kid to be the architect and not the bricklayer...but they forget bricklayers build houses without architects...architects can't build houses without the bricklayers....and yet we technicians don't get the respect and pay we deserve, strange....?
Guys, good specialists are in deficit ALWAYS in all areas. There are tons of engineers, but we see Boeing 737 being designed so poorly that all countries are forbidding those planes. Hey! This is Boeing. They have an enormous amount of money. Their guys are very well payed. And still non of them noticed bugs in the airplane? Bugs in programming code? So if such a company can't find good specialists, why do you expect lots of good HVAC techicians considering that it's a really hard work and requieres a very good brain with knowledge in it. You even need to understand thermodynamics to be a good one. But you have to carry weight, you have to suffer extreme heat, all the oil and stinky gas when welding lol... so... no surprises haha
It's because the idea of college has been pushed towards kids since they were in elementary. Not many parents seem to realize that you can make a decent living going after a trade
After almost 20 years as a service tech I felt like I maxed out my pay for my area and had no further upward growth opportunities....made the jump to Building Automation HVAC Tech and now I'm back at the bottom of skills ladder but pay went up so I'm excited to be climbing skillwise again!
How to make more money than 75 percent of the people in any given field. Do what the other 75 percent of the people in that field won't do. It takes skill and hard work to make good money in any field. The trick is to master your given field to the best of your ability. You have to provide value to receive value. Be obsessed or be average. That's the name of this game we call capitalism. The absolute most fair game of value exchange ever invented by man.
I am a HVAC instructor and getting my students to understand this as high schoolers is huge. I say the same things to all people I meet and teach! Great video! Keep up the good work! I would like to add for anyone considering this as a trade is keep educating yourself!
I considered 43,000 dollars an excellent sallary! I guess im just modest but i would consider myself rich with $43,000 a year. All i need is a roof over my head,food, and basic entertainment to be happy.
Guess it really also depends where you live. I live in New Jersey about 10 minutes from the beach. 43k a year is barely livable but like he said at the beginning of the video if your making 43 in Alabama you’re probably living very well
Watching these videos is really getting me excited about applying for the local hvac union. Currently 20 years old and not afraid of a little hard work
I really like your philosophy bro. I think it applies across far more fields than just hvac. I started my career as an auto mechanic about 15 years ago. I feel like there is a similar mentality in all skilled trade jobs of not being paid enough or feelings of being under appreciated. I did exactly what you’re preaching, I never just settled and became complacent. I applied to oems and r&d facilities until someone gave me a chance. I’m now a test engineer and still working to improve myself
First off I love your channel! Secondly my 3rd year as a tech I made about 50k 5th year was about 80k last year i was in the 6 figures(pre tax). I do both residential and commercial, i just want to let everyone know it’s possible and it has to do with how much you know, if you get good at properly diagnosing systems, especially high end variable speed systems and communicating systems you will make more money than you can spend! Get your Nate certification to! That’s what turned me into a 25 an hour tech to a 35 an hour tech. My only regret is I didn’t get into the field earlier, I started at 24, if I could go back in time I would have started the day I got out of high school it really is an amazing experience to be in the hvac field!
Hvac owner for 35 years and about to retire. I really enjoyed your video and it's so true the sky is the limit. My youngest brother couldn't change a spark plug in a Luan mower and got into hvac . He's a engineer in the industry and make lots more than me .
Terry Moline I am certified, and only have a couple months experience which is a major major barrier. I live in Las Vegas but a lot of the employers want experienced hvac techs. How does one get a job in this business?
You hit every note and said it perfectly in my opinion. I have been in the trade over 35 years and I have never been without work through every economical up and down. What you have described again was very well laid out... now the problem is the upcoming work force of today has no desire to commit to this as a career and do not want to learn never mind master the trade. In the commercial world of HVAC and building automation we HVAC techs are really systems techs that have multiple trades to understand and be able to make them all work together that takes years of training and exposure and the learning never ends which is great. The shortage of techs is a huge problem nation wide and really needs more attention to help strengthen the work force. Great video .. I would love to have you on my team 👍🏻
I agree about the up and coming bro, I'm a installations and mechanic but still have did a bit of it all, but being in the trade for about 7yrs from labout/helper to mechanic in 1yr, the guys now I try to give them the info I was blessed with but they dont seem to think this is worth it
I'm trying to move from apartment maintenance into HVAC at 33yr old. I can't take a pay cut to 15/hr. I know how to diagnose most things mechanical and electrical, but need experience on diagnosing clogged metering devices, stuff like that. All the companies want 3+ years of experience or they start you as install helper. It wouldn't hurt my pride at all, but I got bills to pay.
Nice video! I’m 47 years old and I’m starting a technical school ( I hope is not too late) I don’t know about AIr and heat, I have been working on golf course maintenance for almost 30 years, this video motivates me a lot, thank you GOD bless you 🙏🙏
Great advice overall...I have been in the trade for 35 years. I worked for one company for about 14 years and have owned my business for 21+. We currently have about 45 employees and I can tell you keeping employees happy has never been more difficult. Quite honestly, I don't blame them. They know that they are needed everywhere and can "pick any crayon". For young people going into the trade, I would say that your people skills are as important as your mechanical talent. Being able to work with others and speak to the customers and explain what you have done and are planning to do is extremely critical, especially in the commercial side where we work. Our customers can see through the BS. My goal is, and always has been, to provide my employees with a good place to work with steady hours and comfortable pay. In current times, that isn't always enough. I'm still learning. Thank you for the video. I wish they would play it at High Schools.
@@ballershub9837 My best advice is to not rush going out on your own. Find a solid business with a good reputation and go to work for them and be patient. Learn everything you can and work on your customer service skills as well. Going out on your own is scary as hell because everything is on you, but it can be rewarding too.....just don't be in too much of a hurry. It takes time. It's a great field to go into!
You overestimate your customers judgment. If people can see through BS, then why are there so many cheaters out there getting away with their player cheating games??? In churches, corporations, at the gym and law enforcement.
I just recently turned 25, been working in the skilled trades for the last 6 years. Due to COVID-19 I am now on long term furlough, possibly permanently. Quite honestly I'm tired of the shop life in the manufacturing industry and learned you won't always have good job security. Now I have the opportunity to attend an HVAC school, granted that I am nervous and excited for a new beginning but who isn't? Part of me wishes I would've started sooner, and part of me feels more or less that my skill sets I acquired in the last six years will now help me get through school a little easier then without them. The last few videos I watched on your channel about becoming an HVAC technician has giving me hope for my future and have been very informative! Knowing that becoming an HVAC technician you'll have great job security, able to see yourself stepping up on the later, and following a path to owning your own business.
Just turned 32 yesterday. I was making 50k yr as a logistics manager until our company was shut down for good due to Covid. I got an opportunity to work for a guy as a helper for $16.50/hr....Had to move back home with the parents (believe me it's not ideal but I'm blessed to have that option as many people do not). After watching your videos and the comments from everyone it's made me realize that I can do this. My plan is to work and do night school to get certified on the side. It'll be a grind but you gotta embrace the suck sometimes. Thanks all!
Hey AK, about to start my second semester in HVAC school. Love it so far. I am a ex auto mechanic so this learning curve isn’t bad as far as the mechanical aspect goes. Just took my epa 608 test and passed for universal so that’s awesome. Can’t wait to get started in this field. Love your videos man. Take care man.
I feel like I was slightly over-paid when I first started(no prior HVAC experience or training); but stepped-up and learned quickly enough to be worth that amount after my first year, i've gotten a dollar an hour raise both years since then - currently going into my third year in the trade. It's nice to work directly for my owner/boss and being able to go to him with any issue I have rather than working for a larger company - my work is appreciated where I am, so that's worth more to me than a few bucks and hour more working for a huge company and a supervisor or manager that deems me replaceable. In two years I can go to work for myself if I get my contractor's license OR go work for a larger company that will provide benefits and health insurance. Right now I make enough to get by while still learning as much as I can and gaining experience. Started in the trade when I was 35 and recently laid-off from the Oilfield here in Texas...probably gonna stick with HVAC.
That’s an awesome story Mike! Money isn’t always the driver for our goals, like you said, sometimes it’s better to focus on learning in the beginning with a great company. That will be worth more money on the back end. Thanks for watching homie🤘!
Your worth is getting recognised by Bosses in family business. I started and ended my career with small family owned companies. Stick with them as long as pay matches performance, when it doesn't move on if you want to grow in trade.Ole timer~~Retired 2009
You hit in right in the nail( when you mention "don't let noone tell you, you can't make it" my previous boss used to tell me "if you go somewhere else you won't make it 🤨🤨🤨
As a tech myself, I’d say this is a solid video with superb advice. I just changed a contactor out of pocket for a former customer and he paid me 500 dollars just because he trusts me and loves my personality. THAT is where the money is. Not under the boot of a company
Real speak! Your video should be shown at every HVAC trade school as part of their curriculum. I've been in the industry for 31 yrs myself and I have been so fortunate to have crossed paths with excellent opportunities. Your video touches on every single aspect of what a young tech or even a novice will eventually encounter. At 53, I'm entering "the pasture" and things are winding down. I came off the road about 3 yrs ago and took a pay cut and gave up a company vehicle and now work for the federal government at a large VA hospital. My weekends with my wife are more important to me than chasing the big money but occasionally, I still miss being in that van alone racking up the miles and logging the overtime hours. Again, a great video man.
i live in the upstate of SC and have been in the residential new construction side of the trade for about 10 years. I have made roughly low 80s the past two years in a row. I do not have any schooling just started at the bottom and worked my way up and now i make a very comfortable living.
Awesome video, subscribed immediately. I went to community College for a hvac cert got it in a year. Walked in a residential small company and told them I would work for free volunteering, I got hired and started at $10/hr. I worked for a year and was treated bad so I went on to the industrial side of things like buildings in downtown Detroit. Haven't even finished my second year and I'm already at $17, I'm super motivated, excited for the future and I love my job. Love and respect.
I just left a company after 25 years there. I was the one interviewing the companies to see what they would offer me. I’ve been doing AC work for 43 years. Started with a neighbor when I was 14. The ball was in my court. I got a great raise and outstanding benefits. Wish I was with this company for the last 25 years.
HVAC tech in Australia is strictly regulated and licensed. Average wage - $ 65K/ year. It’s a robust trade which can either be a career or an easy fall back job. Great vid!
No man can tell you how to make your money. If you work for someone you are there to contact work for them, and not solicit their customers. What you do outside of work is your business. Cant nobody tell you when or what or how to use your tools, skills, or mind... If they do youre a damn dummy
A BOSS can tell his employees what to do. As an employer my guys work for me, drive my truck and cultivate work for me or... YOU'RE FIRED! then you can buy your own truck and gear and deal with moonlighting staff robbing you blind.
Great video. I live in tampa fl. I have been a state licenced AC contractor 18 months now. Before I got my licence. I topped out at 30 per hour running service nights and weekends. 15 hour days 7 days a week. Majority of my work was cleaning drain lines at 1 am for new installs that were two days old..and replacing lots of txv valves that had the sensing bulb cooked during the install...I got paid all travel time , 60% of my day was traveling. Plus overtime and 5% of all service tickets..average 2k a week in pay...over 100k a year. But I had to be willing to work every night, every weekend, every holiday, and most importantly..be accurate AF. Good times. Now a days I still work almost everyday of the week..but i schedule my first call at 2pm, and I can clear 1k a day with 3 to 5 light service calls...
Holy shit .. wow thanks for the input, I just got an offer to join a school here literally an hour ago that’s why I’m watching this video .. I’m currently in IT and make crumbs in comparison even when my knowledge is extensive .. This really makes me think
Union trade is the reason in wake up in the morning. Been union steamfitter running hvac service for almost 10 years and only being 29 years old clearing 100k in one year is more then accomplishing my five year goal. Takes time and dedication to develop a quality skill set but will help provide a life you can really be happy with
I am 22. Have over 4 years experience in landscaping, light plumbing, carpentry, machine mechanics, and painting. I cant wait to start my new HVAC APPRENTICE INSTALLER job in San Antonio. Never been paid only commission before. I love your videos!
Hey just wanted to say thank you for telling people to never stop learning! I'm a 26 year old plumber with a grip of certs, but constantly learning is what has allowed me to grow my own business and grow as a person. #goodkarma pass it on.
Great video. I'm currently doing HVAC as my AFSC in the Air Force, and looking around outside for continuing work post. This gave me some great ideas to chase down. Really appreciate the help!
I work for a commercial HVAC contractor in SE Michigan. 9 techs and 9 or so on the install crew. 4 of our techs have less than 2 years experience in the field. 3 techs that had more experience than that were fired since Nov 2015 when I hired in there. Skilled trades help is hard to find now.
Some guys feel you gotta sell water to fish to get ahead. I feel there is a way to look out for the customer and still sell upgrades. the Boss going to reward the one, who has low call backs and are making work when things get slow. You can't get complacent when doing PMs . You can't think that your job ends at your last call. The a/c world is changing rapidly with the VRV units such as Mitsubishi , LG and Daikin. The Techs who keep up with the new technology are in the best position to advance . Let it be you .
AK HVAC I decided I would get certified oem on startups and repairs on data centers. Niche market and will always be in demand. Especially with the certifications. Been kicking ass ever since
Great insight on the trade, good video. People just don’t understand that this trade has TONS of directions that you can go, and plenty of facets to perfect themselves and become experts in. When you see how much there is out there, you realize how much there is to still learn.
This is a great point....when I was a residential service tech making the transition to large facility HVAC, it surprised me just how much I DIDNT know about the trade. So many different directions you can take with HVAC knowledge
Before I got my 608 I worked for a mom and pop company out of a small town that was located between two larger cities and made decent money doing so. I was nothing more than a helper but we had all the over time that we could ask for I loved it
Got hired w JCI about 4 months ago. Paying my dues and cleaning a bunch of coils and brushing a bunch of tubes but still learning. Starting apprenticeship school in the fall and I can’t wait 💪🏼
I Agree with you 100%, I'm 63 as of 2018, I've been in the service business all my life,, guys or even Girls should be service people, Even start out in Preventive Maintenance level, check the cap for age, clean the unit with a hose & cleaner, check the pressures, PM,, not so hard. Even plumbers make a good living. better than all the collage in debt others.. Be Happy, Be Needed, Be debt free Life
Im wanting to start learning a trade in hvac, plumbing, or electical work. I'm a female and i want to be able to buy a home within the next couple years and take care of myself with no help. Tired of working multiple jobs in retail, and hotel housekeeping. Its sucks! Hoping to geta job that i recently interviewed at so i can start learning that stuff.
I talked to an owner of a HVAC company recently about this topic. I'm in the Reno NV area. He said one big thing he has trouble with is new hires, fresh from a trade school assume they should be starting out a lot higher than what is offered. He said exactly what you said. Put in time, gain the knowledge and you will make more money.
man I'm stoked that I came across your channel! brand new to hvac and just called around to different companies introducing myself and my interest in hvac asking if they needed any helpers. I'm gunna put in my all throughout my time in this trade and I'm gunna make sure I'm one of the best techs I can be one day. love your content man!
That’s perfect. Hit nail on head. Hvac is very open and can be very specific. Up too the tech where they head in what direction. I decided too go the data center route and it pays me very well. And who is the only one thumbs down on this video ?
Chicago HVAC Thank you for watching and the support! Lol and yeah, I have a secret hater I guess. Every video Ive done in the last 6 weeks has the same 1 thumbs down. Sometimes two. Whoever it is never leaves a comment though, but they continue to watch. Works for me! (Also, thumbs down help the RUclips algorithms just as much as the thumbs ups. They don't care if it's up or down, they consider it all "engagement".). So thumbs down away! Thanks again for watching Chicago!
This was a great video man! @AK HVAC I am starting my career in HVAC by apprenticing with my older brother who has 20+ years in the trade. Glad there are channels out there like this.
Well said. Just bumped into this channel and subscribed. I’m from Nashville and been in the trade 16 years as my dad and I own a small company. Our main focus in the business is service, commercial install and custom duct fabrication. One of the ones that still cut by hand and bend in a break. It’s a dying art these days it seems. Pre fab and flex have become the norm with a vast majority of companies. We spend most of our time making things like fittings, closet boxes and hoods for units. A few companies in our area prefer using us rather than the prefab methods. We’ve also made big concession hoods for restaurants which were rather fun to build. Keep up the good content 🤘🏻
Hey, man. I just wanna say "Awesome video!". You've really helped to clear some things up for me and give me not just a different perspective, but multiple perspectives. I'm sure that this what I want to do now regardless of the pay or how long it takes me to work my way up. I'll be completely honest, I was lost for the longest time, unsure with what I want to do. I'm so tired of working dead end warehouse jobs. So, thank you.
Coming down the homestretch of my hvac tradeschool , had one interview so far but have been feelin down and in a funk , this information is definitely helpful and picked my energy up.
I’m 19 years old and I’m about to go to UDC in DC For HVAC and this really helped me think bout what I would like to do for some extra skills so thank u💯
Sir you really MOTIVATED me to have more of a drive i'm 23 i was just planning on getting my certificate because i wasnt focused on money but you made me realize the trade is growing daily and knowledge must increase. I also haven't been studying at home as i should but i seen your video about studying what you learn on job as a apprentice from that day and i started at trane as a helper monday and ive taken your advice and i started studying and watching videos this morning to help me learn faster. You know the old heads wont be here forever so its best to soak it up from them while we're still young and apply it because the book cant teach everything and we must want to master our craft! Great advice thanks Sir
Go for it bro. It's money everywhere. The game is changing. People want to be thier own boss to get freedom and boss pay. The bosses have ruined the game being arrogant.
Thanks bro I live in New York and I'm 35 years old and I'm just going back to school for this because I work doing security for about 12 years and it's good money but for right now I need to do better for myself and I picked this and I think it's the best way to go and thanks for all your info some part of my family thinks I'm crazy for doing this but in my personal life a lot is going on and I want to get back on track and do better for my kids and myself and you just pushed me to do even better because I have to go to school for 2 years so I'm ready for this God bless great video
Great content, good message. I’m a union pipefitter/welder/plumber and I feel like HVAC R service technician would be a good wrap for my career. Great job!
My dad has been doing plumbing appliance repair and hvac for over 30 years.. He loves it, yes it's hard work some times long hours but he makes dam good money doing that job and has everything he wants or needs... "Really jealous for his tool collection some day I hope to own that collection".😉
That was a great video for me to see right now, thanks for that. I’ve been away from the trade for almost two years now, serving my family as a stay-at-home dad and also pondering how I’m going to step back in. You given me a bit of inspiration to expand my horizons. Well done!
@@evanarcher7083 did you go thru trade school or straight working for a company. I'm in the same boat...retire in a year theres a co.pany hiring paying 3 months training and start @ $16/hr
mptemplin I went through trade school which is currently on hold cuz of this whole covid thing..... I didn’t do a pre apprenticeship though I went for my gas license, my school put me in a co-op placement and my co-op wound up hiring me.
I'm currently going through HVAC School here in Las Vegas, the information you provided was very informative and not disheartening . I'm in a position right now where I make less than $21,000 a year so even a $10,000 increase in pay just being a Apprentice would be such an improvement in my standard of living and what I would be able to do along the lines of self-improvement !
Your in a bad location. You need to move. The competitors, Your fellow technicians are willing to work for less so that drags your pay down. Consider moving , get better skills and move to the commercial side. I know because I to was in a low paying location for years. Wish I had the balls to move but did not, now I am way behind in pay.
I retired after 22 years as HVAC Tech. I have to say this. The salary really depends on if you're working for a unionized Company to a non union One. I've never worked for a union company. Up until 10 years or so ago, we had to do it all. I mean installation, gas piping, electrical, duct work, charging a unit, and repairs. Now most Counties say that you have to have an electrician for the wring, and a pipe fitter for the gas lines. The trade is all screwed up now, because you had to work around their schedule. As far as salary goes, again it really does depend on which state you live in. When I started, a 30 lbs tank of R22 was less than $30, and now it's closer to $850. It is a good trade, but it does come with a lot of BS too.
About to retire from the military soon. A company is offering 3 months paid training starting out $16/hr....no experience just get trained and start working. Am I better off going to school or union apprenticeship? Or if I can get picked up just start working? I'll be 40 when I retire from the military
@@johnmoore1495 thanks! Yeah I decided to go a different path. Started school for Turfgrass Management @ Penn St. Already got offered an Golf Course Assistant Superintendent at a local country club. But my brother recently got out of the Marines and is in HVAC school now, he already has a job lined up making great 💲 Trade schools/apprenticeships need to be pushed to the younger kids. Great careers making damn good money & no college debt to worry about. Thanks again!
@@mptemplin I agree, wish I would’ve known of the potential, I would’ve became a helper right away out of high school and joined the UA. I’d be a journeyman by now.
Great video! Just subscribed and fixing to binge watch your videos lol. I'm starting my HVAC installation certificate in two months and this video really motivated me. I can't wait to learn the trade and start my own business one day.
Going OSU IT to further my career. I've gone to a technical school for 2 years already with a few months of apprenticeship under my belt. Looking forward to walking into this career.
I have my own HVAC company in the midwest. I was doing residential installs in combination with commercial service. I was always having to haggle price on the residential end and in general hated dealing with residential installs. Once I made the decision to stop doing residential installs (I'll still do a quick service call for old residential clients if they need it) and went strictly to commercial service, it was immediately a perfect fit. Focusing on commercial service has allowed me to streamline my business, focus on what I enjoy, and know that my commercial customers know the rates and are perfectly happy with them and know what to expect. This info was simply to point out what you said about finding what you like. It is absolutely great to be well rounded in residential, commercial, industrial etc... but finding your niche can be rewarding.
Inspiring videos, gives a lshine on the thing we love doing, HVAC. Big hello from a HVAC engineer im France. Service technicians are the best people to work with !
Great video Andrew. Keep em coming. I have been in the trade 25 years. I started off as a $7.50 warehouse/filter boy at 39 years old. My package is now $68 per hour. I don't work as hard as I did in construction the previous 20 years. I love what I do and I do what I love. So it's not like I have a job. I will be retiring in a year and a half with some great memories and some great friendships. I have two pensions and a 401K. I think that part of the plan is the willingness to be trained. Apprenticeships are great if you can couple them along with working in the trade. Also when you become the proverbial Journeyman training doesn't stop there. I even at 64 still go to classes. My old Journeyman who is now 76 still went to classes up until he retired and he was a Journeyman's Journeyman. I guess bottom line is. There are always going to be a need for workers in the HVAC trade. Don't be discouraged. Stay with it and you will have an enjoyable career. Great job with your daughter. What a cutie! Have a great week. See you on the next one. God bless.
nate belden this was San Diego back in 1993. I was going through a divorce. I was working on my second unemployment allowed by President Clinton. At the time I needed a job. The company that I worked for allowed me to work 3 hours overtime every day. So I had 15 hours overtime including my 40 hours plus I went to school 2 nights a week for 4 hours. Man. That seems like another lifetime ago. Have a great week. God bless.
Great video brother. Liked and subscribed. I've been doing a/c my whole life. Learned to braze at 12 years old. Done residential change outs for years. Done a lot of different things in HVAC being an installer for different companies. I've been questioning my staying in HVAC recently because of how seasonal it is here in Florida. Your video confirmed my faith in HVAC. I love this trade and I take pride in my work. Thanks for posting this.
Thank you for the content, but even more for being a Great Human being that looks to contribute and help. So glad Nor-Cal turned me on to this channel will tell fellow techs wanting to learn.
Gcanno humbled by this comment, thank you for the kind words. I am far from a great human being, but am thoroughly satisfied knowing these videos may help motivate and lift up people coming in. Thank you!
Thanks for your knowledge.I just lost my job at the company I worked sold. I've been there for the past 16 years doing Fertilizer applications. sales, as well as chemical applications. Was at a loss what to do with my life. I was really wanting a career from the chemicals and exposure. But had no avenue to get me there, besides long term school. I just got the opportunity to get into a fast track HVAC course applied and recently approved to attend. That's paid for by a local foundation. Planning on taking it seriously and being the best Technician I can be. Hearing your wisdom has really brought me insights, I wasn't considering or even thinking of. Keep up the hard work, thanks for the content!
After 17 years in the Collision repair business I have been considering a career change. Found your content to be enjoyable and very informative. Started taking classes at the local tech school in January.
Ak, you got my mind spinning with a million things I want to say. First off, I'M so impressed with your Knowledge , And how you handle yourself . Watched your interview on HVAC Shop Talk and was Flawed to find out that you are so young ( just 31, a kid compared to me at 52).So much Knowledge and poise. Young man I'm Big fan. Keep up the great work. If you want to make max money in this field, you got to get your Nate certificate , or If your Union ,you need to get your U.A Star certificate. This has nothing to do with guys being better or worse than the guys with the Nate or U.A Star certificate. The owners wants it as a sales pitch. If you pass the U.A star exam ,. You get 30 College credits. U.A Star exam is good for 5 years and then you have to take a modified version of the U.A Star exam. ( 50 Questions opposed to 200} . If you want to make over scale( $ 41.50 is Journeyman scale for Local 638 B Metal Trades division of Steam Fitters Union in NYC.) You need the U.A Star . In NYC it cost me ten to even bucks a day for lunch. A bottle of Water is $ !.50. A 20 once bottle of Diet Dr Pepper costs 2 Bucks. Every thing is Expensive in NYC. I haven't even mentioned Breakfast. An Egg Sandwich and a coffee can cost you $6.50.
Mike, solid advice and MAN thats expensive food!! Thank you so much for the praise, I enjoy making the content and will keep trying to do better. I am 31, but feel 60 sometimes.
Mike. Excellent advice. Anyone who is watching this I guarantee that you will like this trade. There are many of you that will be told to go to college and that's also good advice but if you want something that's challenging and sometimes a bit physical you can't go wrong with HVAC. I never did the STAR exam because I didn't think that I was that smart. I'm an old fart now getting ready to retire. This trade has been good to me for 25 years. Ladies! You can do this too. One of our welding instructors was 5'2" and if she weighed 100 lbs. I would be calling her fat. She demanded respect from us guys and she got it. She had no problem standing up to a guy twice her size and 4 times her weight. I was privileged to call her "Sister ". Best of success with your lives. Have a great week. God bless.
Nick Santos hi Nick. I always felt like Nate Certification was mainly a vendors desire that one would have. Training is always good even if it's repeated sometimes. It's like band practice. The more you do it. The better you play. I have a brother in the trade no matter what he passes he likes to put the patches on his work jacket. Bottom line is no matter how many patches you have. It's how you perform that makes you a good mechanic. We're all one service call from asking,"Would you like fries with that?" Best of success in all that you do and never give up. Have a great week. God bless.
What I'm learning from this field is that if u know your job and good at what u do u always gonna have work and u not gonna go broke in the HVAC field unless u are doing something very wrong. It's so many types of jobs in this field if u wanna make more money u just gotta step your game and maybe your type of Hvac service u provide.
In the Chicago area union journeyman make I'd say an average or 80k. It's a really good living. There are a couple of different unions you can go into to specialize in different aspects. Obviously apprentices make significantly less. Non-union also make quite a deal less, so much so that I'm dumbfounded why anyone would go that route around here. I also don't know why any able bodied man wouldn't go into a trade around here. I make way more money than the vast majority of my buddies who work office jobs. I think if you're not gonna go the full on "professional" route and be like a doctor or lawyer or engineer than you're a chump if you don't learn a skilled trade. HVAC is as good a trade as any and I'm happy I got into it.
Hey Jim , just wanted to know if you could give some insight on how to get into unions . All the people I seem to talk to or rumors i hear are that you have to know people to even be considered for a union . Just started in the trade about 2 years ago . Money is alright but nothing close to you at all . Thanks
It's best (in my experience) to approach the service company first. If they like you, they will make it happen on the back end. If you go to the union hall first, their process is much slower and you'll likely find yourself on a waiting list. I approached and applied at my company first, and they got me in 2 months later. Hope that helps!
I've heard things like that being perpetuated a lot myself. I think maybe people who have someone that could vouch for them could have an easier path but I know from experience that if you follow the track the union lays out for perspective members you eventually get in. I took classes at the union hall at my own expense and also began a separate HVAC program at a community college as a show of good faith and to demonstrate that I was serious in picking the field and willing to put in the time and effort it would take to develop the skill set necessary. I would basically go to the hall of the union you're interested in and ask if their is a track for membership and ask about their training program. It also helps to be as active as possible and be persistent. If they direct you to a business agent who handles prospective members then make sure that person knows who you are. Check in with them regularly. The union's meetings will most likely only be open to active members but they may have other events that are more open such as rallies and fundraisers and political events for pro-union candidates for office. I also know people who got into good graces with the union by participating in organizing efforts. If you go to them and say hey, I'm with a non-union shop and but I think I can help organize them, or I have built a skill set that I can use to move to another non-union employer you hope to organize then you will turn yourself into an asset to that union. Also keep in mind that the wages here are reflective of cost of living. You might live in an area with lower wages but homes and other things are cheaper. In Chicago taxes are very high and in the city or close suburbs house prices are high as are the cost of things like gas and other daily necessities.
Joining the union is very easy, typically you attend a trade orientation then you take an accuplacer/ apprentice test. After that you go out and apply at contractors. Its not as hard as it seems, i started in the union and it has been great, My advice is to go union, you’ll be better trained and youll get a journeymans card, that in itself is worth it
Hey man I watched your videos for a while! I even collected antique fans as a kid and running around my neighborhood looking at all the older neat condensers! This is my passion and I'm loving every second at my class and soon I'll be graduating my AC class in less than a month! I'm down in south Florida where its salty air and all the HVAC hackers run around with few and far skilled techs to come, I'd like to DM you for some advice and get some of your first year on the job walls and obstacles you have faced as a AC tech! Thank you man!
There's a good book to help people understand all the facets of one job or career. Multiple Streams of Income: How to Generate a Lifetime of Unlimited Wealth! No, I am not trying to sell this book, but I did buy it and read it.
I was in that apprenticeship in oregon but my boss didnt pay full wages to journeymen. Maybe that's standard but I bounced when I became aware of that. Not union though.
appreciate you man. i’m 19 starting school for HVAC this october just signed the loan. hopping to get myself into a good career and become successful like you.
Went from hvac commercial/residential doing install and PM into hvac controls doing programming and graphics in the NYC/NJ region and I'm loving it. The starting salary for me in 2008, directly out of technical school was very low and I had to put the work in to get to a much larger salary working in controls. As you said, the whole gamut of the hvac industry offers a ton of different options to find your niche, it's not worth giving up in the beginning just because your first job or role isn't what you had hoped for. Thanks for the great video!
Thank you for this video, it helped me figured out what I'm getting myself into. I'm 29. "Jack of all trades, master of none." I'm trying to dedicate this year into just learning a skill and get started in a career instead of a job. As soon as I'm ready of course. long story short, my local college is providing free education and three different skills HVAC being one of them. I've been contemplating on which one I should choose. this video helps me get more clarity on what I should go for. Thanks again I'll definitely being a subscriber to your channel.
I made 100k my first year and a half in florida. No school just started as a install helper and became a lead in 9 months. You can make money on the right place and the right company
Awesome video man. I'm moving down to Florida and will be doing HVAC . I love your ideas to get out there and be better to market yourself by picking up plumbing experience and other things so you can get to where you want in life. Great video.
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20 years self employed, residential oil burners, a/c, plumbing, water treatment, consistently made $85 -$125k yr, no advertising, never at a need for new work. treat customers fair, be polite and informative, beautiful skill/trade to have.
Where at?
same here, but huge difference in incomes, i live in mexico where salary are low asf.. i feel like my work worth so much more
The word Mexico give it away why you don't get pay as high.
Def lying. 20 years in business u be able to make way more that 85k a year
i make that working for contractors
Started this trade when i was 20. Started at 6/hr with a mom and pop shop. no technical experience or previous schooling when I started. 13years later I topped out at 40/hr with a large company before I went on my own. It’s what you make of it! The learning process in this field is endless! The more you learn the more you earn! I found in this trade you create your own ceiling..
Good points. I remember one job interview I went on. One of the questions I was asked is why should we hire you? I asked him, Can I be straight with you? He said yes. I told him if you don't hire me I'll go and work for your competition and blow your ass out of the water.
Needless to say I was hired. Ended up working for them for fifteen years.
haha thats a great story! Cant say I'd recommend people say that in the interview, but it sure seems to have worked out for you! Thanks for watching!
you are an example of not all heroes wear capes
@@AKHVAC hey man good videos mam. By any chance was that you on a quik trip ad i seen?
Some one buy ole man a beer 🍻
Epic answer lmao
I'm glad to be getting into this trade, and thankful of my dad for passing his 20+ years of HVAC knowledge to me.
Same here bro 😎
My father owns a HVAC company with about 50 techs. The shortage of good trained help is ridiculous.
I wanted to go into law and get my degree, when I decided to do service calls as a helper for the summer I think I’m changing my mind lol. I like the ability to fix things and make people feel relieved that I exist 😂
Same thing here, my father owned an AC business and he still involved with it but I'm running it now. He got cancer and he's better now but he had to slow down and he's 62 anyway and I've been training to take it over and I've been working here for 15 years. It is getting to the point where it's impossible to get competent help. All of the good people already work for a company that will do anything to keep them. We try and hire people fresh out of the schools and train them, but more than half the time they quit once they're on their own because they don't like being in the heat and doing this kind of work and it sucks because we invest money and pay them to train them and then they quit on us and leave us high and dry when we get busy. If it's not for you, then I wouldn't do it because it can be a stressful job and make your life miserable if you don't have a passion for it but if it is something that you enjoy it's a very fulfilling thing to do and not to mention you'll make the big bucks. Me and my brother were going to take the company over but he's where you're at and he wasn't happy doing it and now he's in firefighter school.
I live in Washington state and I got my AA degree in HVAC, I put in the time and effort and I started in the industry at 15 p/hr, within a yr I had changed employers and was at 20 an hr, a year after graduation I changed to employer three and started at $27.64 and will top out at $44 p/hr plus benefits and I'm in a union position with a commercial industrial aerospace company
treedawgin. Where in WA do you live?
About an hr north of seattle
Ronald Jacamo about an hr north of seattle
treedawgin That's pretty good pay. I guess every company is different. I get paid $24 an hour & have been in the trade as a service tech for 4yrs. I have friends that make $28 to $34 same time as me but different company's
Ronald Jacamo I graduated in April 2017 and 9 months with one company and 8 with another before coming where I am which is commercial aerospace manufacturing and I do facilities HVAC, started at 28 plus full benefits costing 122 a month for whole family
I turn 20 tomorrow. My life’s been a journey man, a lot of my friends didn’t make it past 18 so I’m grateful to still be here. I don’t take life for granted. My pops and I had a talk and I’m more than ready to start this new part of my life. So here’s to my next ten years of greatness, thank you for all the game you put out man. ✊🏾 much appreciated
i nean no disrespect but were there issues with like drugs or gang violence or what ? just a combination of all of it or is there something else ?
bbSeal stfu
@@AscendWell1 thx babe
bbSeal your welcome, little bitch
@@AscendWell1 :(
Good call on doubling up on the licenses. Got my HVAC journeyman's 3 years ago, now in my 3rd year of electrical apprenticeship.
You must be a dedicated person. Was it hard and are you still with HVAC?
I would disagree with this route personally but it doesn’t mean that you’re necessarily wrong. I think trying to get an electrical license as a licensed HVAC tech could be great if you plan on going out on your own but it is largely a distraction and detractor to your core trade otherwise. There are more relevant licenses to acquire if you plan on sticking to commercial work such as a fitting and plumbing licenses that are more directly related to your trade and will expand your day to day capabilities. I’ve spent years of my life trying to do it all and I’ve found that your much better off focusing fiercely on one or two things to become very good at or you just end up being mediocre at a bunch of things.
What kind of job titles are there in the union. I’m applying to local 250
Dude you hit the nail on the head. I've been involved in this work for 19 years. Residential, commercial, building maintenance, controls installation/programming/commissioning. About 16 months ago, I took all that knowledge and went into business for myself.
How has that worked out for you. I'm starting an HVAC Tech course in a couple weeks with the hopes of creating my own business as well.
Excellent, (I am a retired HVAC contractor, and Mech Engr, worked projects in 40 states, incl large scale systems) ...its the best advice anyone in the trade can get.
Hey phil scott, thank you for sharing this! 👍👍 And thanks for watching!!🍻
And not only in the USA is there a shortage in qualified technical personal it's the same in Europe and probably all over the world. Why is this ??? Everyone wants his kid to be the architect and not the bricklayer...but they forget bricklayers build houses without architects...architects can't build houses without the bricklayers....and yet we technicians don't get the respect and pay we deserve, strange....?
Same in Brazil...I have a HVAC spare parts store , rarely we find good technicians
Believe me it's true
And the architects get it wrong most of the time, have to basically redesign the on sight
Guys, good specialists are in deficit ALWAYS in all areas. There are tons of engineers, but we see Boeing 737 being designed so poorly that all countries are forbidding those planes. Hey! This is Boeing. They have an enormous amount of money. Their guys are very well payed. And still non of them noticed bugs in the airplane? Bugs in programming code? So if such a company can't find good specialists, why do you expect lots of good HVAC techicians considering that it's a really hard work and requieres a very good brain with knowledge in it. You even need to understand thermodynamics to be a good one. But you have to carry weight, you have to suffer extreme heat, all the oil and stinky gas when welding lol... so... no surprises haha
It's because the idea of college has been pushed towards kids since they were in elementary. Not many parents seem to realize that you can make a decent living going after a trade
After almost 20 years as a service tech I felt like I maxed out my pay for my area and had no further upward growth opportunities....made the jump to Building Automation HVAC Tech and now I'm back at the bottom of skills ladder but pay went up so I'm excited to be climbing skillwise again!
How to make more money than 75 percent of the people in any given field. Do what the other 75 percent of the people in that field won't do. It takes skill and hard work to make good money in any field. The trick is to master your given field to the best of your ability. You have to provide value to receive value. Be obsessed or be average. That's the name of this game we call capitalism. The absolute most fair game of value exchange ever invented by man.
The hard work part isnt true bc if ur good with people u can make 2x the money just from ur people skills and marketing
But I agree with everything else u said great comment on capitalism
Love this advice.
I am a HVAC instructor and getting my students to understand this as high schoolers is huge. I say the same things to all people I meet and teach! Great video! Keep up the good work! I would like to add for anyone considering this as a trade is keep educating yourself!
Thanks for watching yes please 👍👍!! Appreciate the support🍻
I considered 43,000 dollars an excellent sallary! I guess im just modest but i would consider myself rich with $43,000 a year. All i need is a roof over my head,food, and basic entertainment to be happy.
Guess it really also depends where you live. I live in New Jersey about 10 minutes from the beach. 43k a year is barely livable but like he said at the beginning of the video if your making 43 in Alabama you’re probably living very well
Be humble and thankfull for what you have and you will be happy anywhere.
Malcolm Xavier im with you bud im 22 and made about 25K before taxes at Home Depot (as of 2018) so if i was to make 43K i would be okay
Here in San Diego, CA a family of 2 is considered impoverished at $77k/yr. With that being said, $43k/yr might not even put a roof over your head.
Brandon Hensel lmao you work at Home Depot dude go get a trade
Watching these videos is really getting me excited about applying for the local hvac union. Currently 20 years old and not afraid of a little hard work
hey man how is it going? i’m about to turn 18 and going to get into the trade and i want to see how your first couple years were.
@@Jtpoles I got into an hvac union, first year out of 5 then ill be a journeyman. so far so good
@@ABRAXAS37 still at it?
Currently 19 in florida and trying to get in the trade fugured its better than trying to make a career out of ups
@KnipexMan hell ya bro wish u luck man
Bruh fiberglass and ductwork blows i hope your ready
I,need that money tho mane needa good career
Yea i figured i appericate yall helpin me im just tryna figure out what trade to get into
For real man it only gets worse especially if you live in a attic like me 🤣
I really like your philosophy bro. I think it applies across far more fields than just hvac. I started my career as an auto mechanic about 15 years ago. I feel like there is a similar mentality in all skilled trade jobs of not being paid enough or feelings of being under appreciated. I did exactly what you’re preaching, I never just settled and became complacent. I applied to oems and r&d facilities until someone gave me a chance. I’m now a test engineer and still working to improve myself
First off I love your channel! Secondly my 3rd year as a tech I made about 50k 5th year was about 80k last year i was in the 6 figures(pre tax). I do both residential and commercial, i just want to let everyone know it’s possible and it has to do with how much you know, if you get good at properly diagnosing systems, especially high end variable speed systems and communicating systems you will make more money than you can spend! Get your Nate certification to! That’s what turned me into a 25 an hour tech to a 35 an hour tech. My only regret is I didn’t get into the field earlier, I started at 24, if I could go back in time I would have started the day I got out of high school it really is an amazing experience to be in the hvac field!
Hvac owner for 35 years and about to retire. I really enjoyed your video and it's so true the sky is the limit. My youngest brother couldn't change a spark plug in a Luan mower and got into hvac . He's a engineer in the industry and make lots more than me .
Terry Moline what's the difference between HVAC and engineer
Terry Moline
I am certified, and only have a couple months experience which is a major major barrier. I live in Las Vegas but a lot of the employers want experienced hvac techs. How does one get a job in this business?
You hit every note and said it perfectly in my opinion. I have been in the trade over 35 years and I have never been without work through every economical up and down. What you have described again was very well laid out... now the problem is the upcoming work force of today has no desire to commit to this as a career and do not want to learn never mind master the trade. In the commercial world of HVAC and building automation we HVAC techs are really systems techs that have multiple trades to understand and be able to make them all work together that takes years of training and exposure and the learning never ends which is great. The shortage of techs is a huge problem nation wide and really needs more attention to help strengthen the work force.
Great video .. I would love to have you on my team 👍🏻
I agree about the up and coming bro, I'm a installations and mechanic but still have did a bit of it all, but being in the trade for about 7yrs from labout/helper to mechanic in 1yr, the guys now I try to give them the info I was blessed with but they dont seem to think this is worth it
I'm trying to move from apartment maintenance into HVAC at 33yr old. I can't take a pay cut to 15/hr. I know how to diagnose most things mechanical and electrical, but need experience on diagnosing clogged metering devices, stuff like that.
All the companies want 3+ years of experience or they start you as install helper. It wouldn't hurt my pride at all, but I got bills to pay.
Nice video! I’m 47 years old and I’m starting a technical school ( I hope is not too late) I don’t know about AIr and heat, I have been working on golf course maintenance for almost 30 years, this video motivates me a lot, thank you GOD bless you 🙏🙏
Great advice overall...I have been in the trade for 35 years. I worked for one company for about 14 years and have owned my business for 21+. We currently have about 45 employees and I can tell you keeping employees happy has never been more difficult. Quite honestly, I don't blame them. They know that they are needed everywhere and can "pick any crayon". For young people going into the trade, I would say that your people skills are as important as your mechanical talent. Being able to work with others and speak to the customers and explain what you have done and are planning to do is extremely critical, especially in the commercial side where we work. Our customers can see through the BS. My goal is, and always has been, to provide my employees with a good place to work with steady hours and comfortable pay. In current times, that isn't always enough. I'm still learning. Thank you for the video. I wish they would play it at High Schools.
Currently in the middle of senior year in high school leaning on going and learn HVAC then starting an LLC got any input?
@@ballershub9837 My best advice is to not rush going out on your own. Find a solid business with a good reputation and go to work for them and be patient. Learn everything you can and work on your customer service skills as well. Going out on your own is scary as hell because everything is on you, but it can be rewarding too.....just don't be in too much of a hurry. It takes time. It's a great field to go into!
@@jlaw5462 do you work for a company or do you have your own LLC
You overestimate your customers judgment. If people can see through BS, then why are there so many cheaters out there getting away with their player cheating games??? In churches, corporations, at the gym and law enforcement.
I just recently turned 25, been working in the skilled trades for the last 6 years. Due to COVID-19 I am now on long term furlough, possibly permanently. Quite honestly I'm tired of the shop life in the manufacturing industry and learned you won't always have good job security. Now I have the opportunity to attend an HVAC school, granted that I am nervous and excited for a new beginning but who isn't? Part of me wishes I would've started sooner, and part of me feels more or less that my skill sets I acquired in the last six years will now help me get through school a little easier then without them. The last few videos I watched on your channel about becoming an HVAC technician has giving me hope for my future and have been very informative! Knowing that becoming an HVAC technician you'll have great job security, able to see yourself stepping up on the later, and following a path to owning your own business.
Just turned 32 yesterday. I was making 50k yr as a logistics manager until our company was shut down for good due to Covid. I got an opportunity to work for a guy as a helper for $16.50/hr....Had to move back home with the parents (believe me it's not ideal but I'm blessed to have that option as many people do not). After watching your videos and the comments from everyone it's made me realize that I can do this. My plan is to work and do night school to get certified on the side. It'll be a grind but you gotta embrace the suck sometimes. Thanks all!
Good luck
Amen brother
How’s it going
At 32 you’re making $16?
I'm 39 been a painter for the past 8 years and I've been looking at HVAC courses
Hey AK, about to start my second semester in HVAC school. Love it so far. I am a ex auto mechanic so this learning curve isn’t bad as far as the mechanical aspect goes. Just took my epa 608 test and passed for universal so that’s awesome. Can’t wait to get started in this field. Love your videos man. Take care man.
Although much time had passed, congrats on the Universal, sir.
Man can I get a update, gonna take my EPA also in a few months and In my first year right now!
I feel like I was slightly over-paid when I first started(no prior HVAC experience or training); but stepped-up and learned quickly enough to be worth that amount after my first year, i've gotten a dollar an hour raise both years since then - currently going into my third year in the trade. It's nice to work directly for my owner/boss and being able to go to him with any issue I have rather than working for a larger company - my work is appreciated where I am, so that's worth more to me than a few bucks and hour more working for a huge company and a supervisor or manager that deems me replaceable.
In two years I can go to work for myself if I get my contractor's license OR go work for a larger company that will provide benefits and health insurance. Right now I make enough to get by while still learning as much as I can and gaining experience.
Started in the trade when I was 35 and recently laid-off from the Oilfield here in Texas...probably gonna stick with HVAC.
You always hit the nail on the head! Great video!!
That’s an awesome story Mike! Money isn’t always the driver for our goals, like you said, sometimes it’s better to focus on learning in the beginning with a great company. That will be worth more money on the back end. Thanks for watching homie🤘!
Your worth is getting recognised by Bosses in family business. I started and ended my career with small family owned companies. Stick with them as long as pay matches performance, when it doesn't move on if you want to grow in trade.Ole timer~~Retired 2009
Michael Lee good point Mike Lee! When I’m back in Dallas again we will have to grab a beer🍺🍺
Great attitude, keep with it. It's a really awesome trade.
You hit in right in the nail( when you mention "don't let noone tell you, you can't make it" my previous boss used to tell me "if you go somewhere else you won't make it 🤨🤨🤨
Carlos probably because he liked your cheap labor
Did you go? Lol
Sometimes bosses are stupid and need a bitchslap
That’s exactly why he’s your boss and not running his own company. He listened to the last guy and never left.
They tell you that so you won't leave. My old boss use to say the same thing.
As a tech myself, I’d say this is a solid video with superb advice. I just changed a contactor out of pocket for a former customer and he paid me 500 dollars just because he trusts me and loves my personality. THAT is where the money is. Not under the boot of a company
Richmond, va here, I make about 75-80k a year now finally. Been in the trade 19 years. I also do it all. Install, service, fabrication, sales, design.
I started this week in brand new installations. Just having that experience alone will help me go places.
Real speak! Your video should be shown at every HVAC trade school as part of their curriculum. I've been in the industry for 31 yrs myself and I have been so fortunate to have crossed paths with excellent opportunities. Your video touches on every single aspect of what a young tech or even a novice will eventually encounter. At 53, I'm entering "the pasture" and things are winding down. I came off the road about 3 yrs ago and took a pay cut and gave up a company vehicle and now work for the federal government at a large VA hospital. My weekends with my wife are more important to me than chasing the big money but occasionally, I still miss being in that van alone racking up the miles and logging the overtime hours. Again, a great video man.
If you have trouble finding HVAC techs, call the Hall. Oh, your shop isn't Union? Call the Hall!
There is power in a Union!
Really great video for someone who only has 3 months in the trade.. no school no license, no certification. Really motivated me today
i live in the upstate of SC and have been in the residential new construction side of the trade for about 10 years. I have made roughly low 80s the past two years in a row. I do not have any schooling just started at the bottom and worked my way up and now i make a very comfortable living.
Well said Clayton!
After or before tax ?
The bottom is schooling. ..lol
claton can i ask u a question
some of the best techs I know had no school but thousands of installs done that made them the best
Awesome video, subscribed immediately. I went to community College for a hvac cert got it in a year. Walked in a residential small company and told them I would work for free volunteering, I got hired and started at $10/hr. I worked for a year and was treated bad so I went on to the industrial side of things like buildings in downtown Detroit. Haven't even finished my second year and I'm already at $17, I'm super motivated, excited for the future and I love my job. Love and respect.
Hey Moe Awad, thank you for sharing this! 👍👍What a great story. And thanks for watching!!🍻
I just left a company after 25 years there. I was the one interviewing the companies to see what they would offer me. I’ve been doing AC work for 43 years. Started with a neighbor when I was 14. The ball was in my court. I got a great raise and outstanding benefits. Wish I was with this company for the last 25 years.
HVAC tech in Australia is strictly regulated and licensed.
Average wage - $ 65K/ year.
It’s a robust trade which can either be a career or an easy fall back job.
Great vid!
How does the trade do in Boise in the winter?
Side work! Do plenty of side work, open your own accounts, market yourself
Odie Baker don't you need to be journeyman to that?
Nope just have a cfc card to open accounts at supply houses
Odie ,I hope you realize that will get you fired.
No man can tell you how to make your money. If you work for someone you are there to contact work for them, and not solicit their customers. What you do outside of work is your business. Cant nobody tell you when or what or how to use your tools, skills, or mind... If they do youre a damn dummy
A BOSS can tell his employees what to do. As an employer my guys work for me, drive my truck and cultivate work for me or... YOU'RE FIRED! then you can buy your own truck and gear and deal with moonlighting staff robbing you blind.
Great video. I live in tampa fl.
I have been a state licenced AC contractor 18 months now.
Before I got my licence. I topped out at 30 per hour running service nights and weekends.
15 hour days 7 days a week. Majority of my work was cleaning drain lines at 1 am for new installs that were two days old..and replacing lots of txv valves that had the sensing bulb cooked during the install...I got paid all travel time , 60% of my day was traveling. Plus overtime and 5% of all service tickets..average 2k a week in pay...over 100k a year.
But I had to be willing to work every night, every weekend, every holiday, and most importantly..be accurate AF.
Good times.
Now a days I still work almost everyday of the week..but i schedule my first call at 2pm, and I can clear 1k a day with 3 to 5 light service calls...
Well put. Service in Florida I miss those days a little bit. Never knowing what you might find and run into. Replacing burnt txv will get old tho
Not bad my friend
I do HVAC in Kansas City, Mo looking to move to Orlando to work
Holy shit .. wow thanks for the input, I just got an offer to join a school here literally an hour ago that’s why I’m watching this video .. I’m currently in IT and make crumbs in comparison even when my knowledge is extensive .. This really makes me think
How's ur girl /wife feel about those hours damn man that's rough Id be willing to do it as well though
This guy really knows what he’s talking about thank you for the good info
I'm a HVAC technician from Melbourne Australia. What you said is exactly what the trade is like in Australia. Very interesting video, well done!
Union trade is the reason in wake up in the morning. Been union steamfitter running hvac service for almost 10 years and only being 29 years old clearing 100k in one year is more then accomplishing my five year goal. Takes time and dedication to develop a quality skill set but will help provide a life you can really be happy with
I am 22. Have over 4 years experience in landscaping, light plumbing, carpentry, machine mechanics, and painting. I cant wait to start my new HVAC APPRENTICE INSTALLER job in San Antonio. Never been paid only commission before. I love your videos!
How it go?
Hey just wanted to say thank you for telling people to never stop learning! I'm a 26 year old plumber with a grip of certs, but constantly learning is what has allowed me to grow my own business and grow as a person. #goodkarma pass it on.
May god bless u bro!
Great video. I'm currently doing HVAC as my AFSC in the Air Force, and looking around outside for continuing work post. This gave me some great ideas to chase down. Really appreciate the help!
taylortheweber howd everything go? I’m planning to go in the Air Force Reserve next year
How many of y’all feel you’re adequately compensated? If not, what are some things you’ve been doing to make your case for a raise bulletproof? 💰💰💵💵💵
I work for a commercial HVAC contractor in SE Michigan. 9 techs and 9 or so on the install crew. 4 of our techs have less than 2 years experience in the field. 3 techs that had more experience than that were fired since Nov 2015 when I hired in there. Skilled trades help is hard to find now.
Some guys feel you gotta sell water to fish to get ahead. I feel there is a way to look out for the customer and still sell upgrades. the Boss going to reward the one, who has low call backs and are making work when things get slow.
You can't get complacent when doing PMs . You can't think that your job ends at your last call. The a/c world is changing rapidly with the VRV units such as Mitsubishi , LG and Daikin. The Techs who keep up with the new technology are in the best position to advance . Let it be you .
I’ve bin dancing to get a pay raise. Shaking the azzz really pays off.
AK HVAC I decided I would get certified oem on startups and repairs on data centers. Niche market and will always be in demand. Especially with the certifications. Been kicking ass ever since
I feel I get paid enough I make 40 dollars less a week than a Foreman and I'm an apprentice.
Man thank you. I recently got my EPA 608 Universal Certification and love both Hvac and plumbing. Thank you for the wisdom
A marine says “that’s the good stuff” when the crayons appear SEMPER FI!
As AF what's up with the crayons. Legit seen 2 Marines eat crayons I'm like wtf
@@chrismorris424 lol fr?
@@Me-eb3wv they do to be funny or cool they all do it it's lame 😁
Crayola makes the best mres
Great insight on the trade, good video. People just don’t understand that this trade has TONS of directions that you can go, and plenty of facets to perfect themselves and become experts in. When you see how much there is out there, you realize how much there is to still learn.
Well said Tom!
This is a great point....when I was a residential service tech making the transition to large facility HVAC, it surprised me just how much I DIDNT know about the trade. So many different directions you can take with HVAC knowledge
Im ductman
your soooo right. these newbies just have to open their eyes to this very good field.
I agree, lots of companies hire their own HVAC technicians like Boeing in my area. Lots of flexibility in the trade
Before I got my 608 I worked for a mom and pop company out of a small town that was located between two larger cities and made decent money doing so. I was nothing more than a helper but we had all the over time that we could ask for I loved it
Got hired w JCI about 4 months ago. Paying my dues and cleaning a bunch of coils and brushing a bunch of tubes but still learning. Starting apprenticeship school in the fall and I can’t wait 💪🏼
Honeywell building services are good company to work for in HVAC also👍
I Agree with you 100%, I'm 63 as of 2018, I've been in the service business all my life,, guys or even Girls should be service people, Even start out in Preventive Maintenance level, check the cap for age, clean the unit with a hose & cleaner, check the pressures, PM,, not so hard. Even plumbers make a good living. better than all the collage in debt others.. Be Happy, Be Needed, Be debt free Life
Thanks AK for your pos. feedback, Best wishes to you & your Family future ! always love jelly beans, your Cool, lol
Thank you sir! I appreciate that and for you watching. And yes, jellybeans are good😁
Im wanting to start learning a trade in hvac, plumbing, or electical work. I'm a female and i want to be able to buy a home within the next couple years and take care of myself with no help. Tired of working multiple jobs in retail, and hotel housekeeping. Its sucks! Hoping to geta job that i recently interviewed at so i can start learning that stuff.
Thank You for your words of encouragement kind sir!
I talked to an owner of a HVAC company recently about this topic. I'm in the Reno NV area. He said one big thing he has trouble with is new hires, fresh from a trade school assume they should be starting out a lot higher than what is offered. He said exactly what you said. Put in time, gain the knowledge and you will make more money.
Fantastic and inspiring video, i'm 26 and in HVAC school looking forward to doing well in this trade. Thanks for the great content.
How you doing so far?
man I'm stoked that I came across your channel! brand new to hvac and just called around to different companies introducing myself and my interest in hvac asking if they needed any helpers. I'm gunna put in my all throughout my time in this trade and I'm gunna make sure I'm one of the best techs I can be one day. love your content man!
That’s perfect. Hit nail on head. Hvac is very open and can be very specific. Up too the tech where they head in what direction. I decided too go the data center route and it pays me very well. And who is the only one thumbs down on this video ?
Chicago HVAC Thank you for watching and the support! Lol and yeah, I have a secret hater I guess. Every video Ive done in the last 6 weeks has the same 1 thumbs down. Sometimes two. Whoever it is never leaves a comment though, but they continue to watch. Works for me! (Also, thumbs down help the RUclips algorithms just as much as the thumbs ups. They don't care if it's up or down, they consider it all "engagement".). So thumbs down away! Thanks again for watching Chicago!
Lol no prob. Will always be haters, keyboard cowboys. Keep the good vids coming.
I want to get into maintaining HVAC systems for data centers too.. Any advice on how to get into something like that
Mario Marquez start hounding your boss on getting certifications.
Chicago HVAC how did you start tho, like when u decided to do hvac what was the first step for employment
I'm going into HVAC school in the fall. Thanks for posting this.
Hey AK, I just wanted to tell you that you did a great job on this!
acservicetech I’ve been subscribed to you for a long time, means a lot to hear that from you! Thank you sir👍👍!!
Sincerely, my pleasure for sure!
AK HVAC Good Stuff! 💯
he really did a great job. so right theres more out there besides nate.and so many fields out there. im inspired
This was a great video man! @AK HVAC I am starting my career in HVAC by apprenticing with my older brother who has 20+ years in the trade. Glad there are channels out there like this.
Thanks for watching man👍👍!! Appreciate the support🍻
My first year working in the trade I made 45k a year this trade can take you far and really financially be beneficial
Thru apprenticeship?
Well said. Just bumped into this channel and subscribed. I’m from Nashville and been in the trade 16 years as my dad and I own a small company. Our main focus in the business is service, commercial install and custom duct fabrication. One of the ones that still cut by hand and bend in a break. It’s a dying art these days it seems. Pre fab and flex have become the norm with a vast majority of companies. We spend most of our time making things like fittings, closet boxes and hoods for units. A few companies in our area prefer using us rather than the prefab methods. We’ve also made big concession hoods for restaurants which were rather fun to build. Keep up the good content 🤘🏻
Hey, man. I just wanna say "Awesome video!". You've really helped to clear some things up for me and give me not just a different perspective, but multiple perspectives. I'm sure that this what I want to do now regardless of the pay or how long it takes me to work my way up. I'll be completely honest, I was lost for the longest time, unsure with what I want to do. I'm so tired of working dead end warehouse jobs. So, thank you.
Humbled. Hunter Campbell, I appreciate your words and for your support. Thank you for watching and best of luck to you in your journey!!!!
Starting school next week. Your videos have inspired me and made me more optimistic about the career change and choice. Gratitude.
Coming down the homestretch of my hvac tradeschool , had one interview so far but have been feelin down and in a funk , this information is definitely helpful and picked my energy up.
I’m 19 years old and I’m about to go to UDC in DC For HVAC and this really helped me think bout what I would like to do for some extra skills so thank u💯
Sir you really MOTIVATED me to have more of a drive i'm 23 i was just planning on getting my certificate because i wasnt focused on money but you made me realize the trade is growing daily and knowledge must increase. I also haven't been studying at home as i should but i seen your video about studying what you learn on job as a apprentice from that day and i started at trane as a helper monday and ive taken your advice and i started studying and watching videos this morning to help me learn faster. You know the old heads wont be here forever so its best to soak it up from them while we're still young and apply it because the book cant teach everything and we must want to master our craft! Great advice thanks Sir
Go for it bro. It's money everywhere. The game is changing. People want to be thier own boss to get freedom and boss pay. The bosses have ruined the game being arrogant.
Thanks bro I live in New York and I'm 35 years old and I'm just going back to school for this because I work doing security for about 12 years and it's good money but for right now I need to do better for myself and I picked this and I think it's the best way to go and thanks for all your info some part of my family thinks I'm crazy for doing this but in my personal life a lot is going on and I want to get back on track and do better for my kids and myself and you just pushed me to do even better because I have to go to school for 2 years so I'm ready for this God bless great video
Great content, good message. I’m a union pipefitter/welder/plumber and I feel like HVAC R service technician would be a good wrap for my career. Great job!
Man I love watching your videos. You make hvac look awesome. I’ve only been doing this 3 years and get pumped learning as much as I can. Thanks AK
Thanks for watching man👍👍!! Appreciate the support🍻
My dad has been doing plumbing appliance repair and hvac for over 30 years.. He loves it, yes it's hard work some times long hours but he makes dam good money doing that job and has everything he wants or needs... "Really jealous for his tool collection some day I hope to own that collection".😉
I'm like your dad. My son is going to be living the high life if I go before him. Years of accumulating.
Lucky my dad got killed when I was 4
That was a great video for me to see right now, thanks for that. I’ve been away from the trade for almost two years now, serving my family as a stay-at-home dad and also pondering how I’m going to step back in. You given me a bit of inspiration to expand my horizons. Well done!
Good vid , I’m trying to go HVAC in the Airforce I’m 26 so I don’t have a lot of time to get this right. That being said a lot of solid advice brother
18photonerd I’m 29 and started 2 months ago, no regrets over here. Get at it sooner then later bro 👊🏻
@@evanarcher7083 did you go thru trade school or straight working for a company. I'm in the same boat...retire in a year theres a co.pany hiring paying 3 months training and start @ $16/hr
mptemplin I went through trade school which is currently on hold cuz of this whole covid thing..... I didn’t do a pre apprenticeship though I went for my gas license, my school put me in a co-op placement and my co-op wound up hiring me.
I'm currently going through HVAC School here in Las Vegas, the information you provided was very informative and not disheartening . I'm in a position right now where I make less than $21,000 a year so even a $10,000 increase in pay just being a Apprentice would be such an improvement in my standard of living and what I would be able to do along the lines of self-improvement !
kevin bell what up bro in vegas also where you going to training at? And how much does it cost? Thanks
What school you going to ? Also in Vegas !
fabian Cordeo Quality Technical Training Center .
Your in a bad location. You need to move. The competitors, Your fellow technicians are willing to work for less so that drags your pay down. Consider moving , get better skills and move to the commercial side. I know because I to was in a low paying location for years. Wish I had the balls to move but did not, now I am way behind in pay.
Wasting your time and money, at school just get a job then get paid to learn.
I retired after 22 years as HVAC Tech. I have to say this. The salary really depends on if you're working for a unionized Company to a non union One. I've never worked for a union company. Up until 10 years or so ago, we had to do it all. I mean installation, gas piping, electrical, duct work, charging a unit, and repairs. Now most Counties say that you have to have an electrician for the wring, and a pipe fitter for the gas lines. The trade is all screwed up now, because you had to work around their schedule. As far as salary goes, again it really does depend on which state you live in. When I started, a 30 lbs tank of R22 was less than $30, and now it's closer to $850. It is a good trade, but it does come with a lot of BS too.
Thanks for sharing your take on the trade! Good to see multiple sides.
About to retire from the military soon. A company is offering 3 months paid training starting out $16/hr....no experience just get trained and start working. Am I better off going to school or union apprenticeship? Or if I can get picked up just start working? I'll be 40 when I retire from the military
@@mptemplin I know I’m late to your comment but the UA union has accelerated programs to get veterans into an apprenticeship. Great pay.
@@johnmoore1495 thanks! Yeah I decided to go a different path. Started school for Turfgrass Management @ Penn St. Already got offered an Golf Course Assistant Superintendent at a local country club. But my brother recently got out of the Marines and is in HVAC school now, he already has a job lined up making great 💲
Trade schools/apprenticeships need to be pushed to the younger kids. Great careers making damn good money & no college debt to worry about. Thanks again!
@@mptemplin I agree, wish I would’ve known of the potential, I would’ve became a helper right away out of high school and joined the UA. I’d be a journeyman by now.
Great video! Just subscribed and fixing to binge watch your videos lol. I'm starting my HVAC installation certificate in two months and this video really motivated me. I can't wait to learn the trade and start my own business one day.
Going OSU IT to further my career. I've gone to a technical school for 2 years already with a few months of apprenticeship under my belt. Looking forward to walking into this career.
I have my own HVAC company in the midwest. I was doing residential installs in combination with commercial service. I was always having to haggle price on the residential end and in general hated dealing with residential installs. Once I made the decision to stop doing residential installs (I'll still do a quick service call for old residential clients if they need it) and went strictly to commercial service, it was immediately a perfect fit. Focusing on commercial service has allowed me to streamline my business, focus on what I enjoy, and know that my commercial customers know the rates and are perfectly happy with them and know what to expect. This info was simply to point out what you said about finding what you like. It is absolutely great to be well rounded in residential, commercial, industrial etc... but finding your niche can be rewarding.
elBusDriverKC well said!👍
Very informative. Makes me feel good about having started my own HVAC biz. And took the time to do it right.... slowly with few screw ups.
Thanks for watching MB4LUNCH 👍👍!! Appreciate the support🍻 Best of luck with the business!
Inspiring videos, gives a lshine on the thing we love doing, HVAC. Big hello from a HVAC engineer im France. Service technicians are the best people to work with !
Great video Andrew. Keep em coming. I have been in the trade 25 years. I started off as a $7.50 warehouse/filter boy at 39 years old. My package is now $68 per hour. I don't work as hard as I did in construction the previous 20 years. I love what I do and I do what I love. So it's not like I have a job. I will be retiring in a year and a half with some great memories and some great friendships. I have two pensions and a 401K. I think that part of the plan is the willingness to be trained. Apprenticeships are great if you can couple them along with working in the trade. Also when you become the proverbial Journeyman training doesn't stop there. I even at 64 still go to classes. My old Journeyman who is now 76 still went to classes up until he retired and he was a Journeyman's Journeyman. I guess bottom line is. There are always going to be a need for workers in the HVAC trade. Don't be discouraged. Stay with it and you will have an enjoyable career. Great job with your daughter. What a cutie! Have a great week. See you on the next one. God bless.
If don't mind what area do you live in? Also how long ago were you only getting 7.50 a hour?
nate belden this was San Diego back in 1993. I was going through a divorce. I was working on my second unemployment allowed by President Clinton. At the time I needed a job. The company that I worked for allowed me to work 3 hours overtime every day. So I had 15 hours overtime including my 40 hours plus I went to school 2 nights a week for 4 hours. Man. That seems like another lifetime ago. Have a great week. God bless.
Great video brother. Liked and subscribed. I've been doing a/c my whole life. Learned to braze at 12 years old. Done residential change outs for years. Done a lot of different things in HVAC being an installer for different companies. I've been questioning my staying in HVAC recently because of how seasonal it is here in Florida. Your video confirmed my faith in HVAC. I love this trade and I take pride in my work. Thanks for posting this.
Thank you for the content, but even more for being a Great Human being that looks to contribute and help. So glad
Nor-Cal turned me on to this channel will tell fellow techs wanting to learn.
Gcanno humbled by this comment, thank you for the kind words. I am far from a great human being, but am thoroughly satisfied knowing these videos may help motivate and lift up people coming in. Thank you!
Thanks for your knowledge.I just lost my job at the company I worked sold. I've been there for the past 16 years doing Fertilizer applications. sales, as well as chemical applications. Was at a loss what to do with my life. I was really wanting a career from the chemicals and exposure. But had no avenue to get me there, besides long term school.
I just got the opportunity to get into a fast track HVAC course applied and recently approved to attend. That's paid for by a local foundation. Planning on taking it seriously and being the best Technician I can be. Hearing your wisdom has really brought me insights, I wasn't considering or even thinking of. Keep up the hard work, thanks for the content!
I’m a chiller mechanic and I love it.
What state?
After 17 years in the Collision repair business I have been considering a career change. Found your content to be enjoyable and very informative. Started taking classes at the local tech school in January.
Thanks for watching Turbo Mustang 👍👍!! Appreciate the support🍻 And best of luck in your new direction!!
Ak, you got my mind spinning with a million things I want to say. First off, I'M so impressed with your Knowledge , And how you handle yourself . Watched your interview on HVAC Shop Talk and was Flawed to find out that you are so young ( just 31, a kid compared to me at 52).So much Knowledge and poise. Young man I'm Big fan. Keep up the great work.
If you want to make max money in this field, you got to get your Nate certificate , or If your Union ,you need to get your U.A Star certificate. This has nothing to do with guys being better or worse than the guys with the Nate or U.A Star certificate. The owners wants it as a sales pitch. If you pass the U.A star exam ,. You get 30 College credits. U.A Star exam is good for 5 years and then you have to take a modified version of the U.A Star exam. ( 50 Questions opposed to 200} . If you want to make over scale( $ 41.50 is Journeyman scale for Local 638 B Metal Trades division of Steam Fitters Union in NYC.) You need the U.A Star .
In NYC it cost me ten to even bucks a day for lunch. A bottle of Water is $ !.50. A 20 once bottle of Diet Dr Pepper costs 2 Bucks. Every thing is Expensive in NYC. I haven't even mentioned Breakfast. An Egg Sandwich and a coffee can cost you $6.50.
Mike, solid advice and MAN thats expensive food!! Thank you so much for the praise, I enjoy making the content and will keep trying to do better. I am 31, but feel 60 sometimes.
Mike. Excellent advice. Anyone who is watching this I guarantee that you will like this trade. There are many of you that will be told to go to college and that's also good advice but if you want something that's challenging and sometimes a bit physical you can't go wrong with HVAC. I never did the STAR exam because I didn't think that I was that smart. I'm an old fart now getting ready to retire. This trade has been good to me for 25 years. Ladies! You can do this too. One of our welding instructors was 5'2" and if she weighed 100 lbs. I would be calling her fat. She demanded respect from us guys and she got it. She had no problem standing up to a guy twice her size and 4 times her weight. I was privileged to call her "Sister ". Best of success with your lives. Have a great week. God bless.
Being NATE certified has never helped me.
Nick Santos hi Nick. I always felt like Nate Certification was mainly a vendors desire that one would have. Training is always good even if it's repeated sometimes. It's like band practice. The more you do it. The better you play. I have a brother in the trade no matter what he passes he likes to put the patches on his work jacket. Bottom line is no matter how many patches you have. It's how you perform that makes you a good mechanic. We're all one service call from asking,"Would you like fries with that?" Best of success in all that you do and never give up. Have a great week. God bless.
What I'm learning from this field is that if u know your job and good at what u do u always gonna have work and u not gonna go broke in the HVAC field unless u are doing something very wrong. It's so many types of jobs in this field if u wanna make more money u just gotta step your game and maybe your type of Hvac service u provide.
In the Chicago area union journeyman make I'd say an average or 80k. It's a really good living. There are a couple of different unions you can go into to specialize in different aspects. Obviously apprentices make significantly less. Non-union also make quite a deal less, so much so that I'm dumbfounded why anyone would go that route around here.
I also don't know why any able bodied man wouldn't go into a trade around here. I make way more money than the vast majority of my buddies who work office jobs. I think if you're not gonna go the full on "professional" route and be like a doctor or lawyer or engineer than you're a chump if you don't learn a skilled trade. HVAC is as good a trade as any and I'm happy I got into it.
Hey Jim , just wanted to know if you could give some insight on how to get into unions . All the people I seem to talk to or rumors i hear are that you have to know people to even be considered for a union . Just started in the trade about 2 years ago . Money is alright but nothing close to you at all . Thanks
It's best (in my experience) to approach the service company first. If they like you, they will make it happen on the back end. If you go to the union hall first, their process is much slower and you'll likely find yourself on a waiting list. I approached and applied at my company first, and they got me in 2 months later. Hope that helps!
I've heard things like that being perpetuated a lot myself. I think maybe people who have someone that could vouch for them could have an easier path but I know from experience that if you follow the track the union lays out for perspective members you eventually get in. I took classes at the union hall at my own expense and also began a separate HVAC program at a community college as a show of good faith and to demonstrate that I was serious in picking the field and willing to put in the time and effort it would take to develop the skill set necessary.
I would basically go to the hall of the union you're interested in and ask if their is a track for membership and ask about their training program. It also helps to be as active as possible and be persistent. If they direct you to a business agent who handles prospective members then make sure that person knows who you are. Check in with them regularly. The union's meetings will most likely only be open to active members but they may have other events that are more open such as rallies and fundraisers and political events for pro-union candidates for office.
I also know people who got into good graces with the union by participating in organizing efforts. If you go to them and say hey, I'm with a non-union shop and but I think I can help organize them, or I have built a skill set that I can use to move to another non-union employer you hope to organize then you will turn yourself into an asset to that union.
Also keep in mind that the wages here are reflective of cost of living. You might live in an area with lower wages but homes and other things are cheaper. In Chicago taxes are very high and in the city or close suburbs house prices are high as are the cost of things like gas and other daily necessities.
Jim O'Brien Union Is the Only way to go 130K a year great Benefits Retirement and comfortable living
Joining the union is very easy, typically you attend a trade orientation then you take an accuplacer/ apprentice test. After that you go out and apply at contractors. Its not as hard as it seems, i started in the union and it has been great, My advice is to go union, you’ll be better trained and youll get a journeymans card, that in itself is worth it
Hey man I watched your videos for a while! I even collected antique fans as a kid and running around my neighborhood looking at all the older neat condensers! This is my passion and I'm loving every second at my class and soon I'll be graduating my AC class in less than a month! I'm down in south Florida where its salty air and all the HVAC hackers run around with few and far skilled techs to come, I'd like to DM you for some advice and get some of your first year on the job walls and obstacles you have faced as a AC tech! Thank you man!
Sure dude, AK HVAC on IG or akhvac@yahoo.com👍
There's a good book to help people understand all the facets of one job or career. Multiple Streams of Income: How to Generate a Lifetime of Unlimited Wealth! No, I am not trying to sell this book, but I did buy it and read it.
What is that book?
I don't usually leave comments, but this video was GRREEEEAAAAT!!!!!! You gave great advice and presented it well!!!! GOOD JOB, BROTHA!!!!!!!
I'm a sheet metal worker, local 105 journeyman scale is 43.50 an hour
I was in that apprenticeship in oregon but my boss didnt pay full wages to journeymen. Maybe that's standard but I bounced when I became aware of that. Not union though.
appreciate you man. i’m 19 starting school for HVAC this october just signed the loan. hopping to get myself into a good career and become successful like you.
What trade school r u going to?
Dude, that charging cylinder light is awesome!
Chris C haha thanks!!
My thoughts exactly
Went from hvac commercial/residential doing install and PM into hvac controls doing programming and graphics in the NYC/NJ region and I'm loving it. The starting salary for me in 2008, directly out of technical school was very low and I had to put the work in to get to a much larger salary working in controls. As you said, the whole gamut of the hvac industry offers a ton of different options to find your niche, it's not worth giving up in the beginning just because your first job or role isn't what you had hoped for. Thanks for the great video!
Thanks for watching man👍👍!! Appreciate the support🍻
The crayon and jelly bean part really warmed my heart 😂
Thank you for this video, it helped me figured out what I'm getting myself into. I'm 29. "Jack of all trades, master of none." I'm trying to dedicate this year into just learning a skill and get started in a career instead of a job. As soon as I'm ready of course. long story short, my local college is providing free education and three different skills HVAC being one of them. I've been contemplating on which one I should choose. this video helps me get more clarity on what I should go for. Thanks again I'll definitely being a subscriber to your channel.
I made 100k my first year and a half in florida. No school just started as a install helper and became a lead in 9 months. You can make money on the right place and the right company
What company? I'm in Florida too and I'm looking to get into this?
Awesome video man. I'm moving down to Florida and will be doing HVAC . I love your ideas to get out there and be better to market yourself by picking up plumbing experience and other things so you can get to where you want in life. Great video.