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Silky mitts

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So basically I’m a registered nurse. But lately I been feeling it’s not for me. I been looking a lot into hvac and I just want to get some perspective from any possible workers here. How’s the pay? Job security? Hours? Etc

 

right now I make between 85-95 k depending on overtime etc. 

 

Also I want be my own boss one day so that’s another big reason I’m thinking of this career switch.

 

 

cheers 

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Did it for a few years, just be prepared to hurt yourself. The duct can cut you very easily. The self-tapping screws aren't great, and can slip on you easily. I was ultimately only an apprentice, but I definitely have my fair share of scars. Although the company I worked for was strictly commercial, I've thought more than a few times about getting back into it and trying to get with a company that does more residential. With commerical, there can be alot of working with heights (more so than residential from what I understand) and like all trades there is heavy lifting along the way. Small areas, installing rooftop duct in the winter, working at the top of a scissor lift, on higher ladders, exc. There is easy stuff, running duct in suites, running duct through regular rooms, exc, but prepared for for a wide range of tasks when you start. (against, strictly from my experience in commercial, in residential it might be different) 


You make alot more than I did, but I'm a younger guy and was just starting out/learning when I did it. It takes a few years and a certain amount of hours to get your journeyman but once you do you can definitely look towards creating your own company if you can get some connections. 

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13 minutes ago, Silky mitts said:

So basically I’m a registered nurse. But lately I been feeling it’s not for me. I been looking a lot into hvac and I just want to get some perspective from any possible workers here. How’s the pay? Job security? Hours? Etc

 

right now I make between 85-95 k depending on overtime etc. 

 

Also I want be my own boss one day so that’s another big reason I’m thinking of this career switch.

 

 

cheers 

you're making at least 85 k why on earth would you quit. You will never get the same pay for HVAC

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8 minutes ago, luckylager said:

You're making 85k as an RN?

 

That's a lot of overtime dude

 

One of my buddies is HVAC and he makes $35/hr

It’s not too much overtime tbh, my sister in law however does A LOT she clears Six  figures easily .  

 

How does you buddy like it?

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4 minutes ago, Smashian Kassian said:

Did it for a few years, just be prepared to hurt yourself. The duct can cut you very easily. The self-tapping screws aren't great, and can slip on you easily. I was ultimately only an apprentice, but I definitely have my fair share of scars. Although the company I worked for was strictly commercial, I've thought more than a few times about getting back into it and trying to get with a company that does more residential. With commerical, there can be alot of working with heights (more so than residential from what I understand) and like all trades there is heavy lifting along the way. Small areas, installing rooftop duct in the winter, working at the top of a scissor lift, on higher ladders, exc. There is easy stuff, running duct in suites, running duct through regular rooms, exc, but prepared for for a wide range of tasks when you start. (against, strictly from my experience in commercial, in residential it might be different) 


You make alot more than I did, but I'm a younger guy and was just starting out/learning when I did it. It takes a few years and a certain amount of hours to get your journeyman but once you do you can definitely look towards creating your own company if you can get some connections. 

I heard the big money is in commercial is this true?

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1 minute ago, Silky mitts said:

It’s not too much overtime tbh, my sister in law however does A LOT she clears Six  figures easily .  

 

How does you buddy like it?

He hates it, but it pays the bills. He couldn't wrap his head around electrical and went to HVAC. So the story goes.

 

It's dirty, awkward, confined and not all that awesome for degenerating 40 somethings...

 

I'm a purchasing agent, so I really couldn't say first hand. Only relay the gripes I hear.

 

Almost everyone has a $&!#ty job unless they get to work their hobbies, and those jobs don't pay well.

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7 minutes ago, Silky mitts said:

I heard the big money is in commercial is this true?

I'd say yes although you'll have to start out working for (and being sponsered by, for schooling) a bigger company. If your a good worker and committed you should pass other people but the pay wont be as good as what you are leaving. I'd say bigger money is there in commercial but the big buck won't come overnight and be prepared to get dirty. The insulating in commercial sucks for beginners. 

 

 

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I don't have any experience only basic knowledge as I'm a plumbing apprentice, Tin bashers in my company make good money 35-40 an hour, overtime after 8, working 10 hour days, 5-6 day weeks rack in pretty good money.

Have you ever worked in the construction industry before?

Dangers: cuts, confined space, heights, heavy lifting, outdoor conditions

If you like hands on work, working with tools, change of pace every day, problem solving, working with others, working with shapes and numbers then it could be a good trade for you.

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8 minutes ago, Smashian Kassian said:

I'd say yes although you'll have to start out working for (and being sponsered by, for schooling) a bigger company. If your a good worker and committed you should other people in a hurry but the pay wont be as good as what you are leaving. I'd say bigger money is there in commercial but the big buck won't come overnight and be prepared to get dirty. The insulating in commercial sucks for beginners. 

I got hired by a Mechanical company last year as a GL before i got my apprenticeship, and they one of the first jobs I had to do was insulate copper and duct. The copper super easy to make it look nice, the duct is a whole different story. Took me a couple weeks to really be able to actually do it, was a large industrial warehouse and office space so there was months of insulating to do there, and i was just thrown to the wolves to do it but now I'm pretty decent at it, but definitely not an expert. the fish cut for the 90 degree elbows is still the hardest for me.

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13 minutes ago, logic said:

I got hired by a Mechanical company last year as a GL before i got my apprenticeship, and they one of the first jobs I had to do was insulate copper and duct. The copper super easy to make it look nice, the duct is a whole different story. Took me a couple weeks to really be able to actually do it, was a large industrial warehouse and office space so there was months of insulating to do there, and i was just thrown to the wolves to do it but now I'm pretty decent at it, but definitely not an expert. the fish cut for the 90 degree elbows is still the hardest for me.

Yes its surprising. When I did it they described it to me as 'just like wrapping Xmas presents' but it wasn't quite that simple. The fish pattern was interesting, you do eventually catch onto it but its one of the more interesting ones. Over time you learn to make it look nice but at first I certainly wasn't great at it no matter which shape it was. Then you consider at times doing it on a 12-16 ft ladder. I had to insulate big duct over an elevator shaft one time, but I had torn a ligament in my foot a month and a half before so I did try but ultimately told my boss I didn't feel comfortable and he got someone else to do it. Your obviously tied off but the idea of dangling from an elevator shaft didn't sit well. I'm also a shorter guy so that's a natural disadvantage.

 

I certainly didn't mind when I would insulate the duct before the duct was hung, but then you'd have to go back and insulate the duct that was already hung. It was ver easy sometimes but it could also be a pain. Sometimes the height was fine and but even the space you have trying to tape it together made it difficult. Then when you have to duct seal it and insulate in a tight space; good luck not making a mess. But ultimately It is apart of the job and I accepted that. I'm sure my fish shapes for the elbows were never the greatest. Haha

 

 

 

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51 minutes ago, Silky mitts said:

So basically I’m a registered nurse. But lately I been feeling it’s not for me. I been looking a lot into hvac and I just want to get some perspective from any possible workers here. How’s the pay? Job security? Hours? Etc

 

right now I make between 85-95 k depending on overtime etc. 

 

Also I want be my own boss one day so that’s another big reason I’m thinking of this career switch.

 

 

cheers 

 

must be late

the headline threw me i guess

 

wondered why there was no tag

for the trade you were proposing :P

 

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Step-son's a 3rd year sheet metal apprentist

$32.00 an hr., small raise after his 4th year exam (January)

$38,00 after 1 year as a journey man in the union

Got his safety boot paid for/drills and extra's

Christmas party,,,,an extra day off with pay from his boss

works in Victoria

all day time hours! Which means you can have a life!

Good luck on your quest.....

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3 hours ago, Smashian Kassian said:

I'd say yes although you'll have to start out working for (and being sponsered by, for schooling) a bigger company. If your a good worker and committed you should pass other people but the pay wont be as good as what you are leaving. I'd say bigger money is there in commercial but the big buck won't come overnight and be prepared to get dirty. The insulating in commercial sucks for beginners. 

 

 

In slab insulating is just as fun.

 

Insulating is only fun when it gets covered up.

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its a good trade. Been doing it 6years and now am a foreman at 24... i make 35 in a dead economy..id probably make more if it was busy or if i moved around for work following indistury

its not for everyone lots of the newbies cant deal with the heavy lifting cuts and etc

in sask its slow right now but if your in BC i heard thats the place to be right now...the job aspect is good for sheetmetal..we all need heat and nobody does or knows about sheetmetal cause its not one of the well known trades....if your good youll make a career out of it easily no matter where

if you do it try and avoid the huge companies..simply for the fact youll just be a number and wont learn anything..the small shops where you do commercial,residential and shop work is where you will learn many aspects of the trade 

school is all math shop and theory mainly

any questions let me know

 

just saying sheet metal guys dont usually insulate unless its internally in duct (easy)or if its a small job...theres insulation companies for a reason they make less and know how to do it lol..insulating externally sucks

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Is it the medical field you don't like? Maybe work in a different line in medicine, like a cardiovascular technician or something? When they were doing the bubbles test for my heart, I was watching the two technicians with the ultrasound, it was wild seeing the bubbles in my own heart chambers moving around. Had me thinking what a cool job it would be. 

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