Plumber $780.00: Jeff $00.

Now open wide! This is going to sting a little but soon you will be numb. Now let me put an additonal painkiller back here so you won't hurt! I'll be back in about 8 minutes after giving this painkiller a chance to work? He came back in a few minutes and stuck something in my mouth and said "Can you feel that? No. Good, so now we can drill!"

Wait a minute! I was talking about my dentist! The plumber did not give my anything, only the bill for $780.00 for about 3 hours work and a new hot water heater and replacing a main tub trap in the basement ceiling. They need to give the plumber something to give you so you don't give a s*** when he puts in less than $300.00 worth of equipment and charges $480.00 labor? But what else do we do, that is, without the plumber? He is literally free to charge you anything he chooses?

My dentist went to medical and dental school and has several sheepskins hanging on the wall qualifying him to charge you that $750.00 for a crown or root canal, or $1,500 if you need both. The plumber has some shop training and can cut and sweat pipe and solders like a champ. He charges you twice what the appliance cost him, a 2% markup. Then he can charge $50.00 to $75.00 an hour for his time. Nice racket, and he is legal.

Oh, I don't blame him for charging what he does as that is what the market will bear or pay. I have talked to several others since this water heater was installed and most of their estimates were more than what I was charged. I just wish now I had taken plumber's training rather than spending tens of thousands of dollars for college. I am trying hard to rationalize how this craftman can charge more than what I make? The wonders of our capitalistic system is "The market dictates, always!"

Now let me take that hot shower and get ready for work. I have already had "one bath" this week! I am just glad I had the money to pay for this!...Jeff