Their licence is around $94 and they do CPD every two years - refresher for first aid and fault finding.  It takes about 16 hours maximum.  Our sparkies charge (trade price) $45 - $50 plus GST.   What can I say to you but shift out of Auckland mate.

Plumber, wait until the builders start too (when they have the same shit to deal with as us). You think housing is expensive now!

The only legitimate business left will be those with conntacts and in with the click, taking the lion share of the work and intimidating the rest.....every one else working under the radar and not helping this country with the missed tax and shoddy work......the only people who will be able to afford the legal work will be those with money......mark my words mate.

We need to apply pressure on the people who should be doing something!

The NZ Law Commission states that any industry Board's should be free of any interest or industry groups, fact.

CPD is not based in law and the disciplinary fee looks dodgy too.....

The Auditor General's office  report being referred to by Kern Uren as "one man's opinion, every one is entitled to an opinion"....is just not on mate....who do these Muppet's think they are.......the countries top lawyers and the Auditor General tell them they are wrong and they just say thanks for your opinion and carry on with the same shit......

I truly believe we should put out a national advert in the countries best selling news paper and call them all out, list anything that we know is true..... but very controversial and stuff most people won't because of the threat of slander suits.....but if it is true then the fault lies with the people who carry out the corruption....not the people who bring it to light....it needs to be put under public scrutiny...... and the public would be sooooo very pissed off when we can show why they can't afford a tradesman anymore.......then the politicians would have to put it right......exposure and truth is  the only way, bit of openness and transparency is required....

Either that or a debate (my favorite choice) lets have the Master Plumber's, the Board and the Federation on question time in public,,,,, man that would be beautiful......

Which I think then would have to lead to a public enquiry, as to why for a whole decade it has been so badly run, with over tones of nepotism and corruption......there are so so many people who have Board horror stories....these people will come forward as soon as they feel safe to....and as soon as it starts to crumble all the dodgy bully's will all turn on each other..... because when you fill your ranks with arse kissers, bully's and dodgy bastards.... they do to each other what they did to everyone else when put on the spot.....if they had any sense they would get out now and distance themselves from the really really dodgy ones.....

Basically public exposure and scrutiny, with common sense and natural justice.......which has not happened for 10 long shit years.........

  I had work done on my van $65+ for mostly the apprentice. A grand for an hour at a dentist and i took the cheapest option. I  wont talk about the law dog........ it still hurts.

Crikey! and they call plumbers robbers in overalls... Im putting my rate up at the end of this financial year.

On a happier note one of my mates got his certifying exam results back and passed 64% well done i say.

From colleagues I have in Auckland I heard around the $90 incl GST mark - so you are there or thereabouts.  It's not easy to say without knowing what the costs are.  I imagine having a workshop anywhere in Auckland would be expensive, as well as the travel costs and dead time caught on motorways etc.  I have often wondered how a bigger plumbing firm would operate in such a vast area and whether in fact you would start your guys from home and leave them working in one geographic area.  That or the plumbers up there stick to a defined area simply to keep costs in hand.  My experiences in Auckland traffic have not been good and a lot of time can be wasted sittingin a gridlock at peak times. 

Hi all.

Who cares what others are charging. Charge what you need to charge to recover your costs and to make a profit. If your providing a good service you will get the work.

I was told a long time ago not to let the customers dictate the price because they all want it as low as possible so if they had their way we would be doing the work for free.  We are not a division of the Salvation Army so why give everything away.

The Board may think they are a Registered Charity but we don't have to be charities.  The Old saying "Charity begins at home" is quite appropriate as you need the home first and then you can help others once you are secure yourself.

If tradersmen get into price wars the only people to win are the customers.

If you are fair you will get business.

OK, have now registered to get my "related trade" electrical license. Isn't cheap but if successful then should have my return on investment in a few months  you might find this interesting >>

http://www.ewrb.govt.nz/content/board-rules/12th_July_Teaching_Guidelines_for_Associated_Tradesperson_-__15_.pdf