Today the mind set is creating a generation of assembly line "techs" as no one mechanic can do several aspects of PLUMBING correctly.

The new generation of BIG BUSINESS are training the mechanics to be a pricing serviceman without a license.

Plumbing/heating failures are at an all time high even with all this high tech knowledge.

Think of the lawsuits going around due to plastic failures and EVERYDAY another company springs up pushing this same stuff to the people of society.

Why wouldn't there be a "shortage" of skilled journeymen out there when the so called bosses have NO heating/drain cleaning licenses and their employees have limited training.

When the industry becomes dominated by employees with limited training refering to basic business books, then the quality workers are discouraged from joining the profession.

Why would a professional drain cleaner need to pay finders fees/commissions/franchise fees for the privilege of working in a sewer?

I started one of my apprentices with over $25 per HR and a decent "plumber" I paid over $45 per HR in the envelope and this was in the early 80's.

The money is here to be made BUT because of the lack of training the quality has gone down hill with the prices one can demand.

Think about this, a half way decent mechanic today can make over $1000 per day. I know what I gross a day on the average. I know for a fact a two man shop can make well over $7,000 per week.

The key is let the home centers and franchises and DIY go up against one another and hopefully every department store will offer installations and tool rentals for the DIY to do drain cleaning.

The more stores that rent out tools the better as the techs who only learned pricing will soon have to find another field to dabble in.

The average home owner can do a much better job than any 12 week wonder (6 week wonder for drain cleaning) and the average home owner can figure out what a flat rate (up front pricing) contractor is actually asking by just calling a home center and asking the price of the materials.

People are not stupid generally BUT they do let their guard down when it comes to common sense with licensing laws which are here to protect them not the contractor.

They price shop instead of seeking quality and this is why Quality craftsmen are at a premium.

Read some of the plumbing publications and READ the "very basic books being peddled" THEN look at the background of the authors and ask them WHAT higher education do they posses OR how many jobs have they worked before they found their NITCH in pushing this really basic advice?

A waitress doesn't make a chef and a cashier doesn't make a CPA but in plumbing today a drain maven without ANY FORMAL education is allowed to dabble with peoples lives.