Trade Schools
To become a plumber requires more skills and training than most people realize.
You must attend a trade school or vocational tech to get into the right program.
After two years of training, you will need to work as an apprentice on average.
All of this results in more money that you will need, including funds to cover living expenses and the cost of training materials.
Find out how much it costs to become a plumber in the US.
How Much Does It Cost to Train as a Plumber?
Several factors go into the total cost of becoming a plumber.
First, you must train on how to do your job as a plumber, which is a process that can take years.
Start by attending a school where you can earn a certificate or diploma as a plumber.
Specific programs like online courses will take less money and time than in traditional school settings.
From there, calculate the cost of materials and tools needed to be a working plumber in the field.
Additional costs to consider for becoming a plumber are daily living expenses as you go to school and train.
You will be expected to pay for materials and have tools ready to use on demand.
As a result, you will need to have some capital to start a business as a professional plumber once you have successfully trained in this field.
Business licensing and bonding insurance will be necessary to cover your assets.
These financial requirements are necessary in any state when you begin to work for customers in their homes and commercial properties.
Cost of Schooling and Training to be a Plumber
Surprisingly, training and school to be a plumber is less expensive than most traditional training pathways.
For less than $1,000, you can complete an online program with a reputable school, such as Penn-Foster, and become a plumber.
Benefits of Online Plumber Schooling
Online training is less expensive than traditional school for several reasons.
Mainly, you can attend online courses at your leisure and pace when your schedule allows you to.
This can save you time and money on becoming a plumber since you do not have to schedule time off from work to go to school in a classroom.
As a result, you can train when you have free time, saving you money in the long run.
If you prefer traditional, on-campus training, the cost will increase substantially.
A two-year trade school course can cost up to $10,000, but financial aid is generally available.
Cost of Materials and Tools Necessary as a Plumber
A major consideration of a plumber is whether you can afford to run your own business.
The cost of materials and tools for plumbing work is the major expense you must maintain and counterbalance with timely billing.
Along with materials to complete plumbing jobs, you will need a set of common plumbing tools, including:
- Adjustable wrenches
- Basin wrenches
- Blow torches
- Pipe benders
- Pipe benders
- Pipe cutters
- Toilet plungers
- Power tools
- Spanners
- Water pump pliers
According to Forbes, plumbers charge customers anywhere from $45 to $200 an hour.
This is based on the cost of materials and tools and the time frame required to complete a repair, install, or service.
As for the materials, standard PVC plastic pipes cost nearly $1 a foot, compared to highly prized copper piping, which is $3 per foot.
To recoup the costs of materials and tools, plumbers typically pay these for each job.
For example, a plumber will multiply the total cost of materials by 25 to 50 percent and charge this additional fee to the customer.
Spare parts can cost 100 percent of the total, allowing the plumber to recoup the expense completely.
Upselling materials can be tricky, but you must compete with other plumbers in your area.
You may be without customers if you overcharge what the competitors are charging.
Total Timeline to Become a Professional Plumber
Living expenses while training as a plumber must be accounted for in the cost of becoming a plumbing professional.
You will need to take a year to train and study to be a plumber.
This is time taken out of your work week, which means you will not be able to earn as much money while going to plumbing school.
Therefore, you want to account for how much you pay for rent, food, and transportation before you begin a plumber training course.
Plan on cutting costs until you get through the school program.
Key Takeaways
You can become a plumber in a relatively short amount of time.
Most courses are less than one year in length.
Once you train as a professional plumber, you can begin work immediately if you have the right materials.
The cost of materials and tools to do plumbing jobs will be your biggest expense as a plumber.
The actual cost of school for plumbers is not that expensive, with programs ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 in tuition and fees.
