wanting to do install work

[motlot77]

hey all,

this is my first post on this board as i was just referred over here from handymanwire.com.

i've been doing plumbing work in my spare time for a couple years now. nothing too major--faucet changes, sinks, toilets, shower pans/drains, branched off plumbing to make a new bathroom, water heater install, etc.

i love plumbing and think i would really enjoy the install aspect of it. i'm not too interested in clearing toilets and sinks though. i'd be open to commercial or resedential, but my preference is resedential.

how do i break into this field? should i get into the union? is that the first place i should start? i'm in the san francisco bay area and with all the construction going on i figure it would be a great time.

thanks for the help!

[hj]

In the San Francisco area, as in Chicago, I assume you would almost have to be union if you were not self employed. But you cannot just show up and say, "I want to join your union". In most cases you would either have to enter an apprenticeship program and advance to the journeyman level, or transfer from a different area and "jump through the hoops" until you were accepted into the local "local". Doing what you have been doing is not really preparation for what you apparently would like to do, since the tasks are completely different.

[jdkimes]

I'm not a plumber, but someone that encourages people to pursue jobs/careers they enjoy.
I looked up the plumber's union in the bay area and here's their link.
Local 38 (http://www.ualocal38.org/) click on their Apprentice Program and you'll see what you need to do.
Good luck and go for it!
(I'd think about changing/starting a new career too if I didn't have wife, 2-kids, mortgage) Do it if you can!