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- over 450,000 plumbing related posts
The very popular general plumbing, toilets, sinks, faucets, pump problems, questions and answers discussion Forum
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Author:
SMSPlumbing (PA)
Hey guys, I recently went out on my own. The company I worked for had nice Ridgid snakes. The K-400, the K-40 sink machine, and then for a camera the SeeSnake Compact. Now these are very pricey. I want to get them eventually, but for now, what are some that can get me by on a tight budget but still can get the job done? What are your opinions?
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Author:
Shoemaker2 (MA)
Buy good quality second hand units.
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Author:
Nayman's Drain Services (Non-US)
I do most of my work with a General T-3
I also have a 1 1/4 inch General machine, which uses 10foot sectionals.
I have a General video on order.
I also do lots of pressure jetting, 1 1/2 to 6 inch.
I use a beefed up 13HP Honda powered pressure washer, 300 feet of 1/4 & 3/8 hose rated for 4000psi, and several different tips.
Urinal& w/c augers are a must.
Need more info?, mail me at
service@ naymans.com
I'd be glad to help you out, anyway I can.
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Author:
NICK (CA)
I have all general. kind of started by accident after finding a great price on a super vee drain gun at a pawn shop and then found a 3/4x100 sewer rooter also at a very good price. I also have their 1/2 by 100 t-3 i think it is and still have my first machine which is a 3/8 x100 with no power feed. I've never had any problems with these and they get the job done. Even my toilet augers are general. There might be better out there but i'm happy. I guess gorlitz is the way to go from what i hear. They are based out near me in california and a lot of the big time plumbers won't use anything else.
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Author:
Nayman's Drain Services (Non-US)
heck, Nick, visit the factory.
See how it's made.
If I ever get back to PA, I'm going to McKees Rocks.
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Author:
hj
I do not, and have no desire to, own a SeeSnake or any other video device. IF I need that service, and it is very rare, I contract with a company that has one, and let them pay for the depreciation, maintenance and repair of it. Even with my markup, it still costs the customer about what I would have charged for using my own device, and I do not have ammortize its cost. As for your options, there are many manufactureres out there. I have never owned a Ridgid sewer machhine, other than my cordless K-39, and many of theirs are copies of other brands, so check prices and features.
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Author:
hj
Is that how you decide if something is good or not? And here I have bought dozens of new cars and have NEVER visited Detroit or Flint Michigan. But, I have been to Kellogg's in Battle Creek, so maybe that is why I eat Corn Flakes.
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Author:
Nayman's Drain Services (Non-US)
lol, HJ.
I HAVE been to Detroit, AND been in the factories there.
The only reason I would visit is to see how they put them together.
SMS, the offer still stands. Mail me,
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Author:
NICK (CA)
I would love to visit any factory, I love that kind of stuff but I dont even have time to go to a movie anymore. The closest I'll get is the tv show "how things are made" it's a great program. I'm with h.j., I don't own any video equip except for my micro seesnake which comes in handy for looking in walls and stuff.
Edited 1 times.
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Author:
Nayman's Drain Services (Non-US)
I have the same thing, Nick.
Yesterday tho, one of my major clients sure could have used my having a real seeing-eye.
Instead, I had to farm it out, and pay 350 for a video of a 4 inch.
Guy comes, inserts camera 4 inches to where I think the problem is.
Inserts DVD.
Makes a hard copy for my client.
Closer inspection using DVD player confirms my suspicion.
Guy packs up, hands me the invoice.
Total time onsite?
20 minutes.
Extrapolated into hourly rate? $1150
I'm thinking of getting a cam
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Author:
hj
I don't pay $350.00, but that is what I charge the customer for the service. UNLESS you use it a lot, you will not be able to amortize its cost, AND its maintenance to pay for it. But then you may be altrusitic, and don't mind losing money to make your customers happy.
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Author:
Nayman's Drain Services (Non-US)
I have to use this contractor at least 3 times a month.
Yesterday was the shortest time ever. And no, I don't like losing money, but I think that within 2 years, I should have it paid back in full.
I service a large area, chock full of oil companies drilling, and lots of compressor stations and gas plants as well. Scoping the inside of their boilers could net me some good cash, and I think, worth the risk.
As well, some of my major clients keep me busy sending my sub to do video work already.
I hear where you're coming from re: amortization.
3 times a month comes to $1150.
X12= $13,800
I think I can get a fair decent camera for 25grand.
The only drawback I can see about it is:
Oil companies here are notorious for paying 180, not 30 days.
The upside is,(and everybody does it), you can tack your interest on right at time of invoicing. It's one way to keep the price of gas so high.
$25K is a lot of coin in anyone's books, I understand maintaining cost are fairly high as well, but properly thought out, and with oil companies on board, how can I not afford to buy a unit?
I'd like to hear from others as well.
Thanx
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Author:
hj
It all depends on frequency of use. Unfortunately, some contractors, when they do get a unit, suddenly decide EVERY job needs to be scoped, with the attendant increase in cost to the customer.
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Author:
SMSPlumbing (PA)
After snaking any main we would inspect with a camera to make sure the line was fully open. You would be amazed as to what you find after you snaked it. We used the SeeSnake compact. Was about $3500 for it. It had a black and white monitor and a 100' cable. This camera also had a transmitter on the head near the camera, that when activated we would use the locator wand to follow mains to the area where a break or roots or wherever we needed to be.
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Author:
hj
Was that service "free", or was it added into the cost of the sewer cleaning? In other words, would the cleaning have cost the same even if you had not scoped the line afterwards? The only reason I scope a line is to find out WHY it is having continual problems, or why I cannot get through it. Once it is clear, I am not concerned about WHY it happened, (unless it is has been happening frequently), because the cause may have been removed by the snaking.
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Author:
SMSPlumbing (PA)
like they say, nothing in this life is free. I know I had to charge $650 to do 3" and 4". And for the smaller drains it was $344 with no camera inspection.
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Author:
hj
quote; like they say, nothing in this life is free. I know I had to charge $650 to do 3" and 4".
EXACTLY. So it they did NOT need a camera and you did it anyway, you were in effect overcharging them.
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Author:
dlh (TX)
it is not actually "over charging" it is ripping them off by doing something that is not necessary and charging for it
----------------------------
PLUMBERS "Protecting The Health Of The Nation"
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Author:
hj
I was being "politically correct" and did not want to upset him, but yes you are correct. But that is the theory behind EVERY, "Come to my seminar and I will show you how to DOUBLE, or more, your annual income", sales pitch.
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Author:
SMSPlumbing (PA)
"EXACTLY. So it they did NOT need a camera and you did it anyway, you were in effect overcharging them."
Yes I agree he was ripping people off. We did not do many jobs, go figure. His prices kept going up, and then he bought a franchise company, and the prices went higher. That is when I called it quits and started out on my own. I was able to see his new flat rate book, and his price went to $975 without a camera inspection. He thinks this franchise is the next greatest thing since sliced bread.
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Author:
hj
That is one of the "seminars" I was referring to.
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Author:
NICK (CA)
show up on time, be clean, be upfront and genuine with people and you will never be without work. That's always worked with me. I'm complete customer reference, never had to advertise. These people or companies that go in trying to squeeze every dollar they can out of someone are usually hurting themselves in the long run.
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Author:
HotPlumberMagic (NV)
Absolutely right. They play the numbers game instead of trying to build a reputation of honest work and referrals. Many charge exhorbitant fees and move on. Forgetting they have gowged someone for 10 times the cost. A reasonable plumber is a real man.
To a friend's house the road is short
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Author:
HotPlumberMagic (NV)
The pawn shops are full of nearly new units.
To a friend's house the road is short
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