Guys getting into the trades all ask what makes the most. The reality is plumbers, electrians, hvac techs all make about the same. Plumbers live in the same neighborhoods as hvac techs. So pick one and stick with it. Learn as much as you can about your trade, and you'll always have a job and rewarding career. Once you have the skills the money will follow.
No matter what you’ll be making some good coin compared to others that you live around. Especially if you’re a young person leaving highschool. Depending on the area too, here in Vancouver Canada, electricians make less than us plumbers do. I think HVAC might take the cake for most but that’s normally only if you’re a technician who knows everything. If I ever go back to school for another trade, it would be HVAC or Refrigeration specifically
Yeah man, I've done the three (never got my jman license in HVAC though. I would if I could) and employers are offering roughly the same for all of them (obviously some specialized places will pay more. Right now I'm sticking with electrical and instrumentation because I'm doing maintenance at a gas plant - but they don't hire plumbers or HVAC techs directly, it gets contracted. So there's that) but depending if you go self employed and are willing to work ALL the time, the sky's the limit. But as an employee, you nailed it. It's all roughly the same pay - with changes regionally one way or the other
I’ve been in the HVAC/R field since 1996, I’m now 43. Also a proud member of the UA. As a manager/estimating manager. I out sell the HVAC guys. It’s so hard to fill the job. A lot of Fitters I know tell there kids to go HVAC/R. If your pulling you weight you can get well over rate, plus weeks of PTO. Well over 150k plus fringes.
I have a couple of friends that got into HVAC. Once started in his mid 40's and wanted a change from a desk job and his regret was that he did not start sooner, the other one started in his mid 30's and 10 years later starting his own business.
Spent 40 years as a UA member all with the same company doing commercial HVAC. Worked on every type of equipment out there. (chillers,boilers,air handlers, package equipment, pumps, cooling towers...) Transitioned into building automation the last 20 years in the trade. Working for a company that is willing to spend their money to train you and your willingness to spend the time to learn is the key to a long, successful and enjoyable career. Enjoying retirement now with a nice pension.
I also work in BAS. It really is a niche part of the HVAC community that not many people know about or understand. The work can be less physically demanding compared to being a hvac service tech/installer, and it is very rewarding.
When getting into the trades, I really recommend that you go into the trade you like as opposed to the one that pays the most. They all pay well with maybe a two or three dollar per hour difference (I live in NYC and am a Union Civil service carpenter). The key is liking what you do and trying to improve. I like carpentry but when I started my career, I tried to get into electrical at first. Didn't like it as much as carpentry so I changed careers. I still love carpentry after 35 years. I am getting very close to retirement now, have a great pension coming as well as a great 401k nest egg to fall back on. I plan on traveling the world until I get sick of it.
This model turns the hvac and plumber technicians into salesmen, no longer techs. Which makes sense business wise, but the homeowner gets screwed. The model pushes replace not repair.
Been doing HVAC install/sheet metal mechanic and service for almost 40 years and all for the same company.i am like you,I’m here to give you the best install or service and not here to be a salesman. To me when you give techs money for up sells and advising to get a new system they don’t want to troubleshoot and fix.not fair to the homeowners.i never thought my trade would end up like a car salesman.
I did the 4 year college thing, graduated and went into the normal office job. Everytime I change a job, I think about looking into a trade. Everytime I do any kind of manual labor, I feel more fulfilled, sleep better at night with a smile on my face, and just seem to wake up excited at the prospect of doing it again. With that said, I never know what trade to consider. How can I decide what trade to consider and look at for trying to either go to trade school or pursue further?
As a guy who worked for both residential and commercial HVAC companies. I can tell you it ain’t what they tell you. Especially if you’re a young man with no experience at all. I’ve worked with people who refuse to teach me or even discourage me to continue learning. They treat you like you’re dumb. The last company I worked for just hired me for the summer season later let me go. Even tho I put in all my hard work.I decided to quit the trade since i couldn’t find a job.
Sounds like the exact situation I’m in now. I mean exactly and I got laid off after summer. I don’t mind the trade but I can’t learn from the people I work with.
That’s crazy… I’m 28 with no experience and looking to switch into this field. I am currently working on my AS in HVAC and my EPA certification. I really pray that I can find a mentor that will teach me.
I'm 34 years old and been in trucking for 8 years.. For the past year I've been thinking of making a switch to possibly HVAC.. My friend runs his own plumbing company and would bring me on but I'm in PA and he's in NC. He started as an apprentice at 15/hr and he worked for companies for 7 years. His last payroll. Job was paying him 65/hr. He has now been running his own company for 4 years and has 6 guys working for him... I've been going back and forth between the two (or possibly an electrician)... But I've honestly been looking at getting into HVAC since I've started working on my furnace. I just want a change of scenery and I honestly want to be in a field that allows me to possibly start my own company with minimal overhead or at the bare minimum work side jobs - I can't do that in trucking! Not to mention, in my opinion - given the fact trucking is the backbone of America, we 1000% are not paid enough! I don't even know what an 8 hr day looks like anymore so putting in long hours is nothing to me.. I just have to find a decent company to take me on. In this economy, I'm also kind of nervous taking a pay cut. I would imagine thrift the apprentice you go up in pay though, right? Idk... Maybe somebody can help me out and give me a push. I've been wanting to do it but I just haven't pulled the trigger. Also, are these top figures y'all are throwing out from people that own their own business or payroll employees?
I’ve been doing property maintenance for 9 years. I make around 34 hour, but I’m by myself 90% of the time. Thinking about going into plumbing or hvac.
Starting my apprenticeship at 25, I think one thing people should be aware of is although plumbing hires a lot, it might NOT be easy to find a company that wants to teach you. I applied to more than 50 companies before one of these called me back.
That’s the main problem is finding a company wanting to spend the money or time hiring someone green and teaching them the right way to do things….which is unfortunate
Saying a salesperson is "in the trades" is exaggerating. They are in a trades industry, but not in the trades. A receptionist or an accountant for a plumbing company could do the same job at any company. If you have a pharmaceutical rep, ie "salesperson", you don't say they went into medicine or the medical field. They are in the sales profession and happen to be selling for a company that makes drugs.
I many locales, the plumbing companies have absorbed HVAC under their roofs. You want a furnace, you call a plumbing company. And, of course, A/C is along for the ride. It's only the bigger municipalities where HVAC can stand on their own. Reputation has a lot to do with it as well. Smith & Sons Heating and Plumbing, for example. "Serving the area with pride since 1978." That kind of thing. And I'm sorry. But a lot of stand alone HVAC companies have reputaions as shysters and rip-off artists. On par with water treatment dealers and used car salesmen. And let's be honest here. HVAC is just the natural evolution from plumbing. Just another set of appliances to be installed, maintained, and repaired. You have to look at not just from the perspective of helper/apprentice/journeyman/master....but from the perspective of plumbing contractor/plumbing company. Business is business.
Getting EPA certified to work with refrigerant is not exactly easy but at same time to compare that to what real state licensed plumbers test for is vastly different.
@@-slurmdaddy-8147 I have it. It definitely wasn’t the hardest of any exams I’ve taken in my life by a long shot. It isn’t even a hell of a long exam either. If someone wants it an puts in some time to know it. It isn’t that bad
When he says top earners he isn’t referring to the best at the family owned and operated companies. He is referring to the companies that rose to the top by providing the best possible service and customer experience in a large city. There’s opportunity in large cities with high median income for a company to dominate the market and become well known for having the best talent, customer satisfaction, and overall quality of work in any trade. So when you hear 500k salesman it’s a large well known company that is dominating the market selling multiple systems a day. He touches on recruiting briefly when he says listen to who is advertising! That’s not just to get customers it’s to draw the best talent to the doors, what do you think when you hear an ad multiple times a day and your looking for a place to land, probably benefits and growth opportunity.
Go apply to be a parts runner at a union mechanical contractor. It's a foot in the door and you get to see the trade without having to commit to anything long term.
The harder you work in hvac, the longer your days will be. The past 7 years coworkers will quit and the ones that don’t will half ass every single thing causing you to go behind them after your jobs are completed. Don’t forget all those hard earned hours will be eaten up by taxes also.
$300-$500k for your salesperson and 150k/$72hr for installers....... I guarantee, you are ripping people off. I'd also guarantee the duct leakage and delivered efficiency of those newly installed systems is horrible.... if you even installed new ducts.
I’m a journeyman carpenter looking to get a service plumbing job in the evening since I end work at 3:30pm everyday. Would companies want to hire for someone like that Roger?
But you know the real people raking in the moola are nuclear engineers. I love nuclear physics, it's really interesting once you understand it! Honestly, neurosurgeons make more though.
In my area HVAC always made more money then the turd tossers. Those two trades & eletrcians always busy with a ton of overtime or moon lightning obertunities.
I’m a truck driver. I’m looking to get out of the truck and into something where im home everyday and can make at least $50k/yr and have 2 consecutive days off every week. Does such a trade exist?? Any help would be very much appreciated.
Any sales guy making 300-500k a year is doing that by being unethical. These two clowns have that greedy look in their eyes when they’re just talking about. Like they wish so hard they had a couple of them on the team.
I’m fine with you calling me a clown…I’ve heard worse, but for you to call this hard worker , Jon Wren, over at Rescue Air a clown and unethical worker towards his customers is just wrong. You need to do research over the company he works for and see just all the great work they do….someone being successful in their job doesn’t make them unethical…
@@RogerWakefield The look on y’all’s faces are glowing just talking about a sales guy that takes home 500k. Don’t pretend you don’t know that those type of guys are out there lying, scamming and exaggerating to make thise type of numbers. If you’ve been in the industry long enough you know exactly what I’m talking about. Never said he or you directly is the unethical ones, yall has his henchmen do the dirty work.
I don't know dude, sounds like you're the jealous one. Quit hating on others' success. Just cause you're not hitting those kinds of numbers doesn't mean you've got to skirt morality to do so.
Guys getting into the trades all ask what makes the most. The reality is plumbers, electrians, hvac techs all make about the same. Plumbers live in the same neighborhoods as hvac techs. So pick one and stick with it. Learn as much as you can about your trade, and you'll always have a job and rewarding career. Once you have the skills the money will follow.
It also depends on where you are in the country. There can be big differences in pay scale.
No matter what you’ll be making some good coin compared to others that you live around. Especially if you’re a young person leaving highschool.
Depending on the area too, here in Vancouver Canada, electricians make less than us plumbers do. I think HVAC might take the cake for most but that’s normally only if you’re a technician who knows everything. If I ever go back to school for another trade, it would be HVAC or Refrigeration specifically
Yeah man, I've done the three (never got my jman license in HVAC though. I would if I could) and employers are offering roughly the same for all of them (obviously some specialized places will pay more. Right now I'm sticking with electrical and instrumentation because I'm doing maintenance at a gas plant - but they don't hire plumbers or HVAC techs directly, it gets contracted. So there's that) but depending if you go self employed and are willing to work ALL the time, the sky's the limit.
But as an employee, you nailed it. It's all roughly the same pay - with changes regionally one way or the other
it depends on region. HVAC make a fortunate in texas. When its a 110, people will sneak the hvac a tip for priority service
Absoflogginglutely!
I’ve been in the HVAC/R field since 1996, I’m now 43. Also a proud member of the UA. As a manager/estimating manager. I out sell the HVAC guys. It’s so hard to fill the job. A lot of Fitters I know tell there kids to go HVAC/R. If your pulling you weight you can get well over rate, plus weeks of PTO.
Well over 150k plus fringes.
I have a couple of friends that got into HVAC. Once started in his mid 40's and wanted a change from a desk job and his regret was that he did not start sooner, the other one started in his mid 30's and 10 years later starting his own business.
Really inspiring stuff there. Awesome.
I started HVAC in my early 30s after a decade sitting behind a desk. My only regret is that I didn’t start this when I was 16-18…
I started hvac in my early 80s and wish I would have done it before I got dementia.
What was I saying?
I love hearing this kind of stuff. I'm an older guy myself thinking of getting in to hvac
Spent 40 years as a UA member all with the same company doing commercial HVAC. Worked on every type of equipment out there. (chillers,boilers,air handlers, package equipment, pumps, cooling towers...) Transitioned into building automation the last 20 years in the trade. Working for a company that is willing to spend their money to train you and your willingness to spend the time to learn is the key to a long, successful and enjoyable career. Enjoying retirement now with a nice pension.
Thanks for the wisdom sir. A happy retirement to you.
I also work in BAS. It really is a niche part of the HVAC community that not many people know about or understand. The work can be less physically demanding compared to being a hvac service tech/installer, and it is very rewarding.
Thanks to u Roger I been a plumber apprentice for 6 months now.
When getting into the trades, I really recommend that you go into the trade you like as opposed to the one that pays the most. They all pay well with maybe a two or three dollar per hour difference (I live in NYC and am a Union Civil service carpenter). The key is liking what you do and trying to improve. I like carpentry but when I started my career, I tried to get into electrical at first. Didn't like it as much as carpentry so I changed careers. I still love carpentry after 35 years. I am getting very close to retirement now, have a great pension coming as well as a great 401k nest egg to fall back on. I plan on traveling the world until I get sick of it.
This model turns the hvac and plumber technicians into salesmen, no longer techs. Which makes sense business wise, but the homeowner gets screwed. The model pushes replace not repair.
Been doing HVAC install/sheet metal mechanic and service for almost 40 years and all for the same company.i am like you,I’m here to give you the best install or service and not here to be a salesman.
To me when you give techs money for up sells and advising to get a new system they don’t want to troubleshoot and fix.not fair to the homeowners.i never thought my trade would end up like a car salesman.
Exactly I would rather be honest and have the system repaired no one wants to be ripped off in these hard times
x3
Its called a business guys.
"Get in and prove yourself" -Roger Wakefield
Roger Wakefield 2024
UK plumber in the house. Find commercial gas can be a good spot to be in. Yet it leads to HVAC. Interesting discussion
I did the 4 year college thing, graduated and went into the normal office job. Everytime I change a job, I think about looking into a trade. Everytime I do any kind of manual labor, I feel more fulfilled, sleep better at night with a smile on my face, and just seem to wake up excited at the prospect of doing it again. With that said, I never know what trade to consider. How can I decide what trade to consider and look at for trying to either go to trade school or pursue further?
As a guy who worked for both residential and commercial HVAC companies. I can tell you it ain’t what they tell you. Especially if you’re a young man with no experience at all. I’ve worked with people who refuse to teach me or even discourage me to continue learning. They treat you like you’re dumb. The last company I worked for just hired me for the summer season later let me go. Even tho I put in all my hard work.I decided to quit the trade since i couldn’t find a job.
Sounds like the exact situation I’m in now. I mean exactly and I got laid off after summer. I don’t mind the trade but I can’t learn from the people I work with.
That’s crazy… I’m 28 with no experience and looking to switch into this field. I am currently working on my AS in HVAC and my EPA certification. I really pray that I can find a mentor that will teach me.
@@user-uo8cd6de8ddid you work towards getting certified or are you self taught
Stick with it done of the old heads are just bitter
I'm 34 years old and been in trucking for 8 years.. For the past year I've been thinking of making a switch to possibly HVAC.. My friend runs his own plumbing company and would bring me on but I'm in PA and he's in NC. He started as an apprentice at 15/hr and he worked for companies for 7 years. His last payroll. Job was paying him 65/hr. He has now been running his own company for 4 years and has 6 guys working for him... I've been going back and forth between the two (or possibly an electrician)... But I've honestly been looking at getting into HVAC since I've started working on my furnace. I just want a change of scenery and I honestly want to be in a field that allows me to possibly start my own company with minimal overhead or at the bare minimum work side jobs - I can't do that in trucking! Not to mention, in my opinion - given the fact trucking is the backbone of America, we 1000% are not paid enough! I don't even know what an 8 hr day looks like anymore so putting in long hours is nothing to me.. I just have to find a decent company to take me on. In this economy, I'm also kind of nervous taking a pay cut. I would imagine thrift the apprentice you go up in pay though, right? Idk... Maybe somebody can help me out and give me a push. I've been wanting to do it but I just haven't pulled the trigger.
Also, are these top figures y'all are throwing out from people that own their own business or payroll employees?
I’ve been doing property maintenance for 9 years. I make around 34 hour, but I’m by myself 90% of the time. Thinking about going into plumbing or hvac.
I've been plumbing around 4 years in Ontario canada and still haven't been signed into the apprenticeship program. It's frustrating
Are you in the union?
Don’t forget The R in HVAC/R. Commercial work is extensive and the on call schedule can be hell.
Starting my apprenticeship at 25, I think one thing people should be aware of is although plumbing hires a lot, it might NOT be easy to find a company that wants to teach you. I applied to more than 50 companies before one of these called me back.
That’s the main problem is finding a company wanting to spend the money or time hiring someone green and teaching them the right way to do things….which is unfortunate
Saying a salesperson is "in the trades" is exaggerating. They are in a trades industry, but not in the trades. A receptionist or an accountant for a plumbing company could do the same job at any company.
If you have a pharmaceutical rep, ie "salesperson", you don't say they went into medicine or the medical field. They are in the sales profession and happen to be selling for a company that makes drugs.
I many locales, the plumbing companies have absorbed HVAC under their roofs. You want a furnace, you call a plumbing company. And, of course, A/C is along for the ride. It's only the bigger municipalities where HVAC can stand on their own. Reputation has a lot to do with it as well. Smith & Sons Heating and Plumbing, for example. "Serving the area with pride since 1978." That kind of thing.
And I'm sorry. But a lot of stand alone HVAC companies have reputaions as shysters and rip-off artists. On par with water treatment dealers and used car salesmen. And let's be honest here. HVAC is just the natural evolution from plumbing. Just another set of appliances to be installed, maintained, and repaired.
You have to look at not just from the perspective of helper/apprentice/journeyman/master....but from the perspective of plumbing contractor/plumbing company. Business is business.
Those high-end earners, are those business owners or like specialized plumbers/Hvac techs?
He was talking about highly experienced techs as well as salespeople.
Getting EPA certified to work with refrigerant is not exactly easy but at same time to compare that to what real state licensed plumbers test for is vastly different.
Not hard at all
@@AquaTech225 lol ok bud
@@-slurmdaddy-8147 I have it. It definitely wasn’t the hardest of any exams I’ve taken in my life by a long shot. It isn’t even a hell of a long exam either. If someone wants it an puts in some time to know it. It isn’t that bad
Hi Roger it’s been a while since I’ve watched a video of yours I hope you’re well and I hope you take care of yourself your videos are awesome.
Well said. Still making awesome vids.
Thanks for coming back Mr. Jacob, hope all is well with you too
When he says top earners he isn’t referring to the best at the family owned and operated companies. He is referring to the companies that rose to the top by providing the best possible service and customer experience in a large city. There’s opportunity in large cities with high median income for a company to dominate the market and become well known for having the best talent, customer satisfaction, and overall quality of work in any trade. So when you hear 500k salesman it’s a large well known company that is dominating the market selling multiple systems a day. He touches on recruiting briefly when he says listen to who is advertising! That’s not just to get customers it’s to draw the best talent to the doors, what do you think when you hear an ad multiple times a day and your looking for a place to land, probably benefits and growth opportunity.
My favorite plot line from Community
alot of plumber retiring and alot of people going to hvac so that should tells u who gonna be making more
I don’t care about the pay. I care if there is an ability for progression and if I’m learning
Hey I’m 17 and I’m interested in the hvac career I’m eager to learn i just need help getting started because I don’t know anything yet
Go apply to be a parts runner at a union mechanical contractor. It's a foot in the door and you get to see the trade without having to commit to anything long term.
The harder you work in hvac, the longer your days will be. The past 7 years coworkers will quit and the ones that don’t will half ass every single thing causing you to go behind them after your jobs are completed.
Don’t forget all those hard earned hours will be eaten up by taxes also.
Facts
$300-$500k for your salesperson and 150k/$72hr for installers....... I guarantee, you are ripping people off. I'd also guarantee the duct leakage and delivered efficiency of those newly installed systems is horrible.... if you even installed new ducts.
This was really dope to listen to, thanks guys.
Thanks for listening
I’m a journeyman carpenter looking to get a service plumbing job in the evening since I end work at 3:30pm everyday. Would companies want to hire for someone like that Roger?
So Roger is a master plumber and certified HVAC. 😮
But you know the real people raking in the moola are nuclear engineers. I love nuclear physics, it's really interesting once you understand it! Honestly, neurosurgeons make more though.
In my area HVAC always made more money then the turd tossers. Those two trades & eletrcians always busy with a ton of overtime or moon lightning obertunities.
without plumbing building cant run water/air hoses /hanger and house homes if your ac breaks off u can always lift a window up get natural air …
The biggest crook makes the most. Not saying all are crooks, but motors and capacitors get more of a premium than a drain cleaning
Very informative
Glad you liked it
I’m a truck driver. I’m looking to get out of the truck and into something where im home everyday and can make at least $50k/yr and have 2 consecutive days off every week. Does such a trade exist?? Any help would be very much appreciated.
two words...Residential service....
@@RogerWakefield
Thank you. Is that for plumbing, HVAC, or both?
both!
Rather be in an attic in 100° than touch doodoo water and pipes 🤢🤮
New construction is an option
Why wouldn't you use gloves,
Use gloves even if you do just don’t be stupid
Companies are hurting for journeyman. Not apprentices
Gotta have apprentices before you get journeyman...
Try out pipe fitting it’s basically both
Ain't that mostly welding?
You could get into QA/QC on sites and never pick up a tool. Just do inspections and watch flange bolt ups. Client pays you to say it's done right lol
:54 Tv and radio?! What’s that?! That company’s not with the times if that’s how there advertising!
How would you advertise?
@@RogerWakefield wherever customers are looking
So a TV, or radio when commuting to work..😂
Plumbers are different than HVAC techs.
Commission based salary is pure trash.
Cool
Both.
Self contracted.
IResssss
ELECTRICIAN
THE
BEST
TRADE
😂😂😂😂
Sounds like electrician propaganda
Probably the trade with highest work related deaths. O no we lost another apprentice today he f d around and got they ol sparky ⚡️
Hvac is highly educated
Plumber's just need to know poop goes downhill.😅
Any sales guy making 300-500k a year is doing that by being unethical. These two clowns have that greedy look in their eyes when they’re just talking about. Like they wish so hard they had a couple of them on the team.
I’m fine with you calling me a clown…I’ve heard worse, but for you to call this hard worker , Jon Wren, over at Rescue Air a clown and unethical worker towards his customers is just wrong. You need to do research over the company he works for and see just all the great work they do….someone being successful in their job doesn’t make them unethical…
@@RogerWakefield The look on y’all’s faces are glowing just talking about a sales guy that takes home 500k. Don’t pretend you don’t know that those type of guys are out there lying, scamming and exaggerating to make thise type of numbers. If you’ve been in the industry long enough you know exactly what I’m talking about. Never said he or you directly is the unethical ones, yall has his henchmen do the dirty work.
Yes I know those people exist unfortunately...neither Jon or I, or anyone at the company he works at, are those type of people.
I don't know dude, sounds like you're the jealous one. Quit hating on others' success. Just cause you're not hitting those kinds of numbers doesn't mean you've got to skirt morality to do so.
It not hating. Just stating facts. If you worked in the industry you’d understand. You’re probably another desk jockey