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re: Any HVAC techs in here?
Posted on 6/21/25 at 10:31 am to Lsutigerturner
Posted on 6/21/25 at 10:31 am to Lsutigerturner
I would also look into electrical if you are wanting to go to HVAC do both
0
Posted on 6/21/25 at 10:32 am to Bronson2017
All these young kids getting into it. I’d go plumbing.
Posted on 6/21/25 at 10:34 am to Lsutigerturner
quote:
If I have a plan for a small business I think plumbing is the ticket
I know a few guys in the plumbing business and they make bank. Now, they do have a lot of money tied up in tools and specialty equipment to make their jobs easier and there is a need for a good size work van to carry all those tools, so it's not cheap by a long shot to get into that trade.
All these guys worked their way up to owning the business by taking jobs with plumbing companies to learn the trade, then there was the testing and licensing to become a Licensed Master Plumber and of course owning a business in today's world requires insurances out the arse to keep yourself safe if something happens on a job.
One guy I know well who owns his business and has two part time helpers charges $200 an hr. when he and 1 helper are on the job-----and he's backed up with work.
Posted on 6/21/25 at 10:39 am to Bronson2017
Go into commercial, preferably controls, it's cleaner and you can expect not to show up on one of the YouTube osha parody videos. I won't be around for your body to thank me. Residential is a young body's game. It chews up the guys that stay on that side too long. If you get on with one of the controls outfits, Siemens, Johnson, Schneider, etc they have benefits the smaller outfits rarely match.
Posted on 6/21/25 at 10:40 am to gumbo2176
My buddy owns a HVAC/plumbing company. It absolutely prints money.
Posted on 6/21/25 at 10:43 am to Gee Grenouille
quote:
All these young kids getting into it.
Youtube has glamorized hvac a lot. Like you say, a bunch of kids are getting into it. Rezi is a meat grinder for sure. At 31, thats right at the max to be able to get in and learn enough to become an owner who stays out of attics.
Posted on 6/21/25 at 10:52 am to Bronson2017
I’m in tech, and I get being burned out, but if I had to guess, after a few months of sweating your arse off at the bottom of the payscale, the thought of a spreadsheet would give you a boner.
Posted on 6/21/25 at 10:53 am to BHM
quote:
Coworker is 64. Same height (5'10") but weighs 205. Hits the gym and bike rides everyday. Very lean.
Posted on 6/21/25 at 10:57 am to Bronson2017
My brother owns a large HVAC company. He’s been training off the street newbies since he opened his doors due to staffing shortages. As an installer, which would be your first step, you could expect 21-23/hr. Service tech makes more hourly as well as bonuses or commissions on upsells. As a service tech that makes bonus/commissions you could expect 50k-65k. He does have a couple of very good techs that make north of 75k.
Posted on 6/21/25 at 11:01 am to Bronson2017
I’m 25 years into to accounting/finance life and burnt out also but too late for me for that type of change.
Working for PE backed HVAC/Plumbing over past two years. Most of the companies used to keep all of their good techs year round but the PE has put a stop to that. Huge pressure on earnings.
Also mostly variable comp structure which encourages up selling and convincing homeowners that it’s time for a new system. Along with being able to offer flexible financing on the spot with their iPads. This is the part I don’t think I’d want to do. Especially to fixed income retired people.
Working for PE backed HVAC/Plumbing over past two years. Most of the companies used to keep all of their good techs year round but the PE has put a stop to that. Huge pressure on earnings.
Also mostly variable comp structure which encourages up selling and convincing homeowners that it’s time for a new system. Along with being able to offer flexible financing on the spot with their iPads. This is the part I don’t think I’d want to do. Especially to fixed income retired people.
Posted on 6/21/25 at 11:09 am to Bronson2017
Learn Locksmithing.
Posted on 6/21/25 at 11:24 am to Bronson2017
maybe consider commercial refrigeration. lots of ice machines, walk in coolers and freezers, soft serve machines, etc out there that need service.
Posted on 6/21/25 at 11:26 am to Bronson2017
You're better off becoming an electrician. Easier work physically other than standing a lot and sometimes crouching.
Way less attic work.
Way less attic work.
This post was edited on 6/21/25 at 11:27 am
Posted on 6/21/25 at 11:30 am to Lsutigerturner
I have a friend went to Trade School and learned refrigeration.He only did fridges/ freezers for grocery stores and restaurants.He did very well.
Posted on 6/21/25 at 11:31 am to Bronson2017
Congrats on not having back problems yet. Go crawl around the floor joists in your attic and try to limbo around the ducting before you quit your day job.
Posted on 6/21/25 at 11:37 am to litenin
quote:
Working for PE backed HVAC/Plumbing over past two years. Most of the companies used to keep all of their good techs year round but the PE has put a stop to that. Huge pressure on earnings.
I keep hearing that private equity is buying out owners of a lot of service companies all over the country. They then get rid of senior guys with the higher pay scale and tell the young guys to upsell upsell upsell if they want to make money. Shitty all the way around. At some point things will correct but who knows when. Thats why I tell people to stay away from the 30 trucks companies and get quotes from the the 3-7 man outfits if looking for a new ac system.
That also leads me to my conspiracy theory of why social media is pushing trades so hard. The theory is that PE is funding it to try and get as many bodies into it as possible. Would love to know how much Mike Row is getting paid to continue to tell lies to american kids. /rant
Posted on 6/21/25 at 11:45 am to LSUA 75
quote:
He only did fridges/ freezers for grocery stores and restaurants.He did very well.
great money in commercial refrigeration. Also longest learning curve of the hcavr community. Very demanding if working in grocery. If a rack goes down at walmart and $100,000 of frozen good are starting to thaw, you better bring a 6-pack of redbulls. Many of those guys are working on their 3rd divorce too.
Posted on 6/21/25 at 11:49 am to Bronson2017
My ac guy is always busy.
Oh and he’s a white American and so is his younger helper.
That’s for the who will pick our crops crowd.
Oh and he’s a white American and so is his younger helper.
That’s for the who will pick our crops crowd.
Posted on 6/21/25 at 11:55 am to stout
Louisiana doesn't require a state contractor license for technicians, the only requirement is EPA.
The Pay just starting out with no experience in Louisiana isn't great. As an apprentice or helper you're looking from $18-20 an hour. If you go the residential route the work dies off in October through April. Heavy Commercial and industrial pay more and the work is more steady, also the pay can be much more. Chiller technicians make up to $65 an hour. Then you can do residential side work and make your own pay rate.
The Pay just starting out with no experience in Louisiana isn't great. As an apprentice or helper you're looking from $18-20 an hour. If you go the residential route the work dies off in October through April. Heavy Commercial and industrial pay more and the work is more steady, also the pay can be much more. Chiller technicians make up to $65 an hour. Then you can do residential side work and make your own pay rate.
Posted on 6/21/25 at 11:57 am to Bronson2017
Don’t do that shite. Find something different in your field. Try sales or something, but AC work is for the birds. When I started buying real estate, I didn’t have enough money to contract any work out as I was trying to grow. I taught myself HVAC work (not hard coming from controls/ tech world) and it’s painful. You’ll be working a shitty schedule in shitty places, making probably quite a bit less money than you do now.
The grass isn’t always greener.
The grass isn’t always greener.
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