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S1 EP7 | The Female Plumber with Erin
48 Plays2 months ago
Dan and Nick speak with a true grafter and barrier breaking Erin; finding out what it's like working in a male dominated industry, why and how Erin chose to become a plumber and the daily in and outs of building site life!
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Transcript
Podcast Introduction
00:00:00
Speaker
Welcome to the DIY Guys, the podcast where home renovations, power tools and mild panic go handin hand in hand. I'm Nick Morris. And I'm Dan Doher. And each week we'll be chatting with some property pros, some DIY diehards, and hopefully be able to help you with some tips and tricks along the way.
00:00:16
Speaker
Welcome
Introducing Guest: Erin, the Female Plumber
00:00:17
Speaker
back to the DIY Guys podcast. We are up to episode seven already, Nick. How has this happened? thought we weren't going to mention the episode every week, but we always do. Yeah, we always do. We've got a shoehorn in there somehow. But how are you doing? It's end of week four, right? End of week four. Got some exciting things to talk about. And then we're speaking with the female plumber in this episode as well. Yes, we've got Erin coming on after we catch up on what you've been up to.
00:00:44
Speaker
Yeah, so
Nick's Home Renovation Update
00:00:45
Speaker
I haven't done lots, but the most important thing is the builders have been on site and they've poured the foundations. Amazing, so no collapsing. No collapsing like I had in my house and apparently how Google Earth still shows my house is a massive foundation coll collapse in it.
00:01:01
Speaker
um So the building inspector has been there. I'll talk about it in more depth on our um chat between just the two of us in episode eight next week but um so building inspectors being there i'll talk about that as i'm such an ag over inspectors yeah um they've said that's all okay to pull the foundations and they pulled the foundations in little segments because there was just so much pipe work in different directions gas pipes yeah mains water um like the sewer pipe for like the toilet and the electrical cables coming in as well. So they couldn't actually just do like your typical U-shape of pouring concrete. It had to just be like little sections, and they're put lintels across those bits where they can't pour.
00:01:43
Speaker
Interesting. So that should be quite good to see, because I haven't had one like that in a while where they've had to use lintels, so it's bit different. I think I had it online because we had ah the lovely Thames water build over. So we had like one lintel going around. But yeah, it's pretty crazy. I remember looking at it, was like,
00:02:00
Speaker
that right yeah funny isn't it but it doesn't make sense somebody that guy that goes to the builder like have you done that correctly because yeah you probably would have just punched me in the face but yeah and i've had the dreaded 10 to alter stuff going on as well and i need pay more attention because we've spoken about before i trust these builders so i just sort of let them crack on and then 10 to alter said oh can you draw the lines for the crossover thing of where are things going i'm like oh god i just don't know where they so i just I was like, actually Dave, can you teach me this? Because it's a bit embarrassing, I'm doing a podcast. I don't know what everything is. I'm just saying this is that, this is that. But yeah, I'm just kind of winging it. Other than that, I plasterboarded the ceiling in the living room a little bit up to where I'm going to be taking the wall out next week.
00:02:45
Speaker
The builders are propped to the kitchen ceiling for me, so because that's a load-bearing wall I'm taking out next week. yeah So I'm going to take out that wall. next week definitely i'm going to look to start on the bathroom wall which shares with the kitchen as well so basically out of the four kitchen walls three of them are going in and i'm going to make a start on two of them next week as well so yeah haven't been up to too much i'll pull start pulling in cables as well with my electrics but i'll go into that next week as well because i've made a
00:03:16
Speaker
if you're an electrician listen next week because i made a f up and you'll find it very very very amusing because it's like something an apprentice would do basically and i'm ashamed but why not be transparent no exactly yeah it's better to be honest right yeah and it was funny i mean i was so annoyed with myself but anyway i'll get into it next week yeah we'll do that next week but Upcoming on this week's episode, we've got female plum plumber, Erin, like super energetic guest, right? Super
Erin's Journey in Plumbing Industry
00:03:44
Speaker
energetic. She's got one of those like great sort of personalities that she just loves to chat. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, she had loads of energy and we spoke with her in the evening as well. yeah And we were just like two old men, quite tired already, um especially as we've got young kids. And she was full of energy and beans and...
00:04:00
Speaker
We speak to about all sorts of things, don't we? Like just, well, A, the obvious one being a female and a male dominated industry and why she wanted to go into that. Yeah. And just lots of bits like that.
00:04:11
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. It's it's going to be a really nice conversation because, you know, guessing she does inspire like quite a lot of people, right? Because... you know, like you say, is so male dominated and and to be a female in that industry and be on site, like it's going be really interesting to hear our thoughts. Yeah, exactly. So um should we crack on with it? Yeah, let's go and speak to Erin.
00:04:34
Speaker
Right, guys. So we have the female plumber here. Erin, how are you doing today? I'm feeling very great. Thank you. How are you guys doing today? We're good, thank you. Thank you for meeting us at a late hour. realise you do lots of grafting, judging by your Instagram, so I appreciate how don't fall asleep during the podcast.
00:04:51
Speaker
Maybe, possibly, we'll see how we go. It's really interesting having you on because it sounds really like old manish to say, but when I went to college, there were two girls in the whole college doing bricklaying. No one in the electrical side, no one in the plumbing side.
00:05:07
Speaker
So did you always want to be a plumber? Was that what you wanted to always do? Um, I think for me, because obviously it's the same with like my, when I go in to do all like all my gas and everything, it's the same for me. There's like literally no girls in there. So, um, it's a bit daunting, but yeah, I always like, I sort of came out of school. Do you know what I mean? I've, I've always been a bit, there's a screw loose in my head. so I was like, what fits me perfectly than a trade? Because let's be real. None of us are academic. But I just sort of like went into college, looked around,
Erin's Background and Early Experiences
00:05:42
Speaker
like seen all the trades. you know, I've done a bit of carpentry before, bored me to death. I thought I'm not, I'm not playing with wood, not in that way. But you know what I mean? I'm not doing that for the rest of my life. Looked at bricklaying again, boring. And then, yeah, sort of just seen plumbing. I thought I could be well good at this. And I somewhat am at the moment. So, yeah, it's going all right. Yeah. It's funny, we had a get a guest on the other week and he ended up becoming sparky and he gravitated towards being a chicky as well and he the carpenters, i all respect, but for me, I just find it so boring. I'm like, oh, you can stick to the roofs and everything in the doorways, that ain't for me.
00:06:29
Speaker
ah So what attracted you to plumbing then? Is it something that looked exciting? Did you try it and you're like, oh, actually, I'm quite good at this? Oh! Well, I'm not being funny. lot I used to help my dad out with like a lot of jobs when I was little. like I was always like, Dad, what are you doing? And he he just, you know what I mean? he We're not in a family where we have a lot of men, do you know what I mean? So was like, what are you doing, Dad? And he sort side-eyed me and was like, all right, just tag along, just, you know what mean? So, yeah, I sort of looked at it and just thought it looks interesting and obviously it's a trade you can get money for it I thought I'll have it I'll go for it you know if I suck at it I suck at it but at least I tried so I mean obviously it's still quite common now there are a lot more women getting in which is yay fantastic but when I you know was leaving like school you know how you know you had like the opening evenings and stuff like that there was it was like unheard like unheard of there like girls didn't sort of like go into it there was nothing really don't know how to explain it like there was no advertising for it you know I just got binned off like oh you've got no brain cells go and do hair and beauty which isn't true but you know what I mean like everyone went go and do that and I thought all right then but um yeah I've sort of just looked at plumbing and I thought maybe I can
00:07:54
Speaker
be good at it maybe I can't but I'll just go for it fuck it do you know what I mean oh nice so zi up so you say your dad was like dead not dabbling in it was that is he a plumber or is he just like a DIY guy or No, mean know what it's actually really weird. No one in my family is in the trade. So I'm basically just the like degenerate of our family. you not on the one with no brain cells, basically. So it is really weird. like And it sucks because I didn't really have anyone there to sort of do work experience with. if I had to go out and find it on my own. Fair play.
00:08:33
Speaker
Yeah, it's a bit depressing. And I suppose it's nice, like, especially now you're doing the social side things, that do you get a lot of girls message you and be like, oh, I never even thought about going into a trade. And like, how do you get into it and stuff like that?
00:08:48
Speaker
I mean, I've had, it's actually shocked me how unbelievably uneducated all these girls and boys are about the trade. You know, sort of a lot of lads get told, you're really thick if you want to do a trade. And a lot of women just get binned off to go and do lots of things that I'd like the stereotypes for women, like for women.
00:09:09
Speaker
But I suppose it's, it's, it's quite hard to say. lot I get a lot more questions like, can a girl even go into the trade than I do asking me about it, which kind of makes me a bit sad in a way because I think, yeah, like you can go into it. Like what are teaching these kids in school? Do you know what i mean? Like, whoa.
00:09:31
Speaker
It's true. It's funny as well. you Were you, like, daunted when you first went on the site? Because you like, oh God, I am the only woman here. But then I'm sure as you start, like, showing, it's all about, like, how good you are at your job, right?
00:09:42
Speaker
Or how willing you are to learn. So I'm sure as soon as you're in there, like, oh, this girl's actually good. It doesn't really matter what you look like. Yeah. I mean, there's ah there's a lot of, like, because I could talk for England. I do like a waffle. Not a blue one. Not a blue waffle, but i do like a waffle. But, like...
00:10:01
Speaker
there's There's so many answers to their questions. But to start off with your main point, I feel like when I first went on to start, and to start, to cite, see what mean about brain cells? When I first went on to cite, I was so scared.
00:10:17
Speaker
Like, I actually had skid marks in my pants. I was actually so scared. Like, I come on site. So I actually was a labourer for two weeks to try and sneak my way into the trades, if that makes sense. That's true. So I went on as a labourer and I literally remember recording a video of me in my car, in my 4K, literally sitting there like, oh mate, I'm pranging out right now. doing like It's like six in the morning. in these god-awful jorts. you know what I mean? oh I look in absolute state and I'm thinking...
00:10:50
Speaker
get me out of here. I don't get nervous, but I'm starting to get a little bit shaky. Do you know what I mean? lot It was a terrifying experience, but I feel like as you get going, you sort of like, that thought goes away and you're like, fuck it, ah I'm here for a reason, I can do it. But there's definitely...
00:11:08
Speaker
I feel like for a girl, there's a sense of wanting to like prove yourself, like prove that you're strong, prove that you can do it. Especially for me, I'm so like clumsy. i was just falling over my own feet and like rolling ankles on like rocks and stuff. So I was like, oh no, people are going to think I'm an absolute waste man. you know what i'm mean? Like...
00:11:28
Speaker
So it's definitely one of those things. But to answer your other question as well, I think there definitely is like a thing about the trades where you've got to look a certain way. And for me, like still being feminine, know what mean? So I'll go in with... my eyelashes on and maybe not so much tan because I do look like a such cheat I'd puff at the moment but you know what I mean I go in with my makeup on and sort of a lot I get a lot of questions like oh why do you even bother wearing makeup and I'm like because I don't like feeling like an absolute skit at work I don't care if I get you know dirt or mud on that's my decision but obviously there is a type of feeling where you're like oh if I wear makeup do people think that I'm just some
00:12:11
Speaker
you know what mean like some absolute like cretin on site just not actually wanting to do work but yeah yeah that's that's how I felt in a rundown what would you recommend like for a girl or guy wanting to start becoming a plumber and you know going on site what should they be doing should they be looking at college courses should they be looking at like sites near them Oh, do you know what? I've actually
Challenges in Plumbing Apprenticeships
00:12:38
Speaker
had this conversation before and I feel like it's so hard for especially young people to get into the trades now because of the way like the apprenticeship systems are set up, it's it's genuinely if you get an apprenticeship, you might as well go and buy a lottery ticket. That's how rare they are. wow and so
00:12:58
Speaker
it's quite hard to say because obviously you get told I'll go on like LinkedIn, go on Indeed, look on Facebook. I've done all of them. lot i was calling up companies like 100 day. emailing them um i was on all of all form like platforms to get jobs i was applying for stuff like fort if driver i ah didn't have any qualifications right i can drive at ford ka that's you know that's like a similarity i suppose yes Exactly. similar um
00:13:29
Speaker
But yeah, I was I was doing all that and I still had nothing. But I always say to people, like, just try it, because if you can't, if the opportunities aren't there for you, you've got to create them. And that's something that I found. I didn't have anyone in my family that I could rely on, like. I'd have to go out and find all these companies. um I mean, I suppose it somewhat worked because I did get a couple like bathroom companies, you know, loft conversion companies that I worked for free for, you know, a couple days in an odd, like, do you know what i mean? In an odd month, like I'd work like two days a month or something. But um I suppose it did work, but you've got to try your luck. I would definitely always say go down the route of being a labourer. It gets you on site for a start. It gets you into a routine and it gives you decent pages. what and Decent page? What am I saying? Decent wage as well. um
00:14:21
Speaker
So it's, yeah, I'd definitely say that way is probably the best way and the way that obviously works for me. But it is just pure luck. You think there'd be like a website where these companies are like, I want an apprentice and I'll pay you for like your college and stuff like that. And you can just apply. it But it sounds like there's thousands of people doing that. anyone's doing really hard.
00:14:42
Speaker
Yeah, 100%. It is. It's ridiculous. I mean, the way that, obviously, don't mean to bore you with my statistics. I've looked up about two, do you know what I mean? But it is quite sad because they're absolutely crying out for all these young tradies and everything. But if you look at van insurance, I mean, I think I looked at a van the other day and my insurance came out to something like four grand. Oh, it's joke. Yeah, like £450 a month, which when you're an apprentice wage is shocking. Like, it's bad. All my tradesmen say to me, get a van. And I'm like, why would I get a van? I've literally, no one knows I've got the stuff in the back of my car. And I'd have to pay like four times the price, everything. And you get the fear these days of it getting bloody broken into or something. Yeah. It's so difficult with starting out, especially I assume you're doing college as well at the same time. Have you done that?
00:15:35
Speaker
Yeah, so I've completed all my like level one, level two, all of that. so ah Because obviously I didn't get my apprenticeship. To get onto the level three, you have to have an apprenticeship. And I had that little gap of where I couldn't get anything. um so it was literally just trial and error. And once I did get it, I was put on the gas course, which is split into three phases. So I'm on, no, it's four phases, yeah. So I'm on phase three now.
00:16:01
Speaker
um and it's it is really long I mean you can go down the route of doing like a year if that makes sense like with a company you pay specifically for just your gas and then that's you've got your gas qualification but some of these companies I mean they rip you off like bad um but yeah again it's in trial and error finding out you know what works best Matt, isn't it? feel like the you see incentives just aren't there for people. but especially I feel like particularly women should almost have like a little bit more of an advantage because there must be so many women like homos and homeowners and stuff who would rather a woman comes in and like does a plumage or whatever. It seems like a massive gap in the market. I find it bizarre that it's that big.
00:16:43
Speaker
Yeah, 100%. And this is the thing, like, I have a bit of, like, yin and yang mindset. you know what mean? Like, 50%, it's great for me. Pass me all the jobs. Give me money. Do you know what mean? I want a fast Ferrari. i probably crash it. I am the definition of a woman driver. Do you know what I mean? I do donuts in a Ford Ka. you know what mean? It's a front-wheel drive. But, um yeah, there's it's definitely, like, wish there were more women who would realise that there is so much out there for them and that they can create something themselves. But again, that's where schools lack the intelligence to actually tell these kids there's a difference between being academic and creative.
00:17:27
Speaker
and But yeah, I also think 50% of me, I feel quite bad for a lot of men's businesses now because all these cowboys that are like coming over and everything and just absolutely ruining some people's businesses you know what i mean so it is a bit 50 50 I feel bad but I also feel great pass me the jobs yeah exactly so are you currently working on site is that what you're up to at the moment unfortunately yes is site works great but yeah I am working on site yeah
00:18:01
Speaker
You might be saying that in December when the cold comes because I know what like on those sides. I'm um' cold already. and it's doing like Yeah, I'm not even being funny. I've seen someone walking around in shorts and I was like, you're off your rocker, mate. We all know you're cold. Yeah, he's trying to prove a point.
00:18:15
Speaker
Yeah, get out, get in a bin, mate. And so what about your social media then? I
Social Media and Career Growth
00:18:21
Speaker
found it like fascinating watching because it started off, you're like, oh I'm quite like reserved and stuff. And oh this is my but first light speaking video.
00:18:28
Speaker
And then yeah now every video you seem to start with, hello, slags. I'm like, she's she's growing a couple of years. But no, honestly, and also since we like spoke to book you in for this um and not actually doing it tonight, now that's where you've had like 7,000 more followers or something. it It must be crazy for you.
00:18:45
Speaker
Yeah, it is really like, i suppose it's like social media, you know, doing it and starting off with not knowing a lot, not really having a lot of followers was fine. But I feel like with social media, it's great. There are some amazing perks to it. But there's also a lot of negatives to it. and So I feel like you do have to be quite careful. you know, you can't really have a one of them mindsets of where you're offended or you're sensitive to everything, people will tell you the brutal truth and that's that's that. Like they won't care, you know what mean? um But yeah, I actually started doing social media to a afford a van and to also like afford tools and whatnot. But also because I wanted to get myself out there and get head start ah because...
00:19:33
Speaker
Obviously, it's is just business. like You know how it works. Both of you know how it works. If you get your name out there, then you can start getting all the jobs and that's more money for you um But yeah, I started doing it and I didn't really take it as serious as I should have. And I went to install a show and I actually spoke Bia Plummelet, he said. ah but my it absolutely the but and youre on the podcast am ah but and But yeah, and I also spoke to an emplumber as well. And he basically just said to me, like, you've got something really good here, like you've got a niche, like use it to your advantage almost. So I came back from Installer Show and sort of went, all right, let's try it. So I queued up loads of videos. I edited all of them and everything. And then I i basically I fucked off to a camping trip and then had no 4G because I was in the middle of nowhere.
00:20:31
Speaker
And yeah, it just basically started blowing up. And I thought, God damn, like, I'm in the world. I'm just going to have to go somewhere. And then, yeah, I started realising, do you know what, my videos are just boring. Like, keep putting frigging, do you mean, like music over them, know, like Gypsy Woman or something like that too. I thought it was boring. So I thought...
00:20:55
Speaker
What a way to grab people's intention, like then using slag and satin, which is probably been the most Essex terms ever. I'll have it. So yeah, I just went with that. And apparently people actually like it. don't know why, but people like it. So yeah. Even like one of them, you started off and you were like doing the funny like pout thing. And then I was like, oh, she's quite serious. And then one second later, like a pipe just went and smashed her inside the head. I was like, it's funny. It's entertaining. People watch stuff like that.
00:21:24
Speaker
Yeah, no, honestly, I'm pretty sure my supervisor wanted to take my whole face and my eyes out at that point, but that was pretty intense by me. That actually hurt a lot more than it looked. and But yeah, just thought like, there's no point being serious. And especially like, because obviously I did get the apprentices that watched my channel and whatnot. I feel like it is important to like,
00:21:47
Speaker
note that not everything that you do is going to be perfect there's always going to be mess up so I thought you know fuck it I'll just leave it in there like hopefully someone will find it funny but yeah it works why not exactly yeah and it's great because you can kind of see your personality come through over the channel and like you say there's there's an honesty to it whereas you watch other people's instagrams or whatever and they're just oh this is perfect and you know like you say it doesn't all end like that does it No, not at all. There's been countless times I've gone into jobs and think, oh, fucking hell, I got this, know mean? Like walking in there. Yeah, I didn't leave for like a week until like 11 o'clock at night. had water coming out everywhere, like actual fecal matter flying about the gas. But you know what I mean? No one cuts that in, but it does happen. You're not perfect. And especially with these, I've been plumbing for 40 years. You know what I mean? Let's be real. 99% of that has been fuck ups. So yeah. Yeah, it's good to show it as well, because plumbing's always changing as I always think it's a really difficult trade.
00:22:51
Speaker
I'm actually an electrician by trade, and I always think, and I said this to Aspark, I know, sorry, sorry. I said to Aspark here we spoke to recently that think plumbing's harder, and he was not pleased with plumbing. He wasn't really happy. But I generally think it's harder, and everything you shift around is like radiators and toilets and baths and stuff. I've just got to put a little socket over it.
00:23:12
Speaker
You must find it hard grafted. yeah um I mean, yeah, definitely. Because obviously there's that physical aspect of, you know, I'm like, what, 5'3", 52, 53 kg. You know, I'm not butch. I'm not, do you know what I mean, wide. I'm not an absolute, you know what I mean, unit. So for me, I think it's like a lot people look at me in one way where they're like, oh, can she even do that? But then also, again, referencing the apprentice side, I get a lot of young girls who do message me and they're like, it's actually quite nice to see a girl who isn't sort of the typical. And I hate saying typical because that's not fair. But you know what I mean? The typical stereotype of a woman that goes into a trade, if you know what I mean,
00:24:01
Speaker
they say that it is quite nice to see that because a lot of these girls who do come in let's be real, when you're a teenager or when you're a young girl, you don't start off like, you I mean, you could do, but i don't want to get myself into trouble here. Like, I know for me, I've never been, you know what i mean? Like,
00:24:20
Speaker
butch so yeah it's definitely one of them things but i manage and i get by obviously when you get k3 rads which are like insanely heavy like and g you know you do need other people to help and there are obviously then people on instagram that are like oh she can't even lift a rad yeah and that's i but it's an absolutely fucked so But weird.
00:24:48
Speaker
So what would you say is like the worst job you have to do? What is it when they're like, oh, can you do this? You're like, no. No, thanks. Can't say no to your pregnancy. No, that's true. yeah The whole of plumbing. don't know. Maybe sweeping up. That's like, no. That's like when um if you ever a play like Call of Duty and like someone throws one of them like grenades and it just stunts you. That's what it's like when you go in and you're like,
00:25:15
Speaker
adding But no, i think the worst, like one of the worst things that I hate dealing with toilets, and I know that's such a cliched thing to say because everyone's like, oh yeah, plumbers deal with shit. It's not the shit that bothers me. I feel like it's just imagining someone's sweaty gooch, like sweaty arse has just been lathered on that. I think that's what really makes me think, hmm.
00:25:37
Speaker
So, yeah. When I was renovating my house, we needed like a temporary toilet and culpitor was like, oh, found one outside, like down your road that someone's thrown away. don't we put that in here? And was like, absolutely not. It would just feel like temporary. I'm not having someone to use toilet.
00:25:55
Speaker
No, honestly, that is literally, i always like compare them to when you're on site and you want to go to the toilet and they have them crap portaloos. The ground worker has just been in there. You do not go in there. It's like snowball all over again. it's the worst.
00:26:15
Speaker
Just steering it back to sort of like DIY. I don't know how much sort of like housework you've sort of seen in terms of like DIY people like touching plumbing. But have you just seen any any just like bodges where there's like the most common bodge that seem you seem to find in houses? I swear people like to tinker with some things and just do such a bad job.
00:26:33
Speaker
Yeah. I mean, obviously, because I am on site, but I do sometimes do my own private jobs. And the way that I want to go is into renewables and obviously the gaff side and more of the domestic side as well to get ah like the best of both worlds. um But when I was doing one job, which was, I think I was changing out base in ways, changing the tap and everything. and I'd noticed all they used is plastic. Now, obviously, it's a bit of a controversial thing for me to say because on site we use poly and het.
00:27:08
Speaker
But we don't get a choice in that. You know, a lot of and this is what makes me laugh is a lot of these, I've been doing plumbing for 40 years. Piss off, mate. Give it up. You know, they always sit there and go, well, you have a choice. Why are you using this? No, we don't, mate. we don't. It wouldn't be that. But um by choice, a lot of the time I do see a lot of plastic being used because it's quick, it's cheap and it's easy. Obviously, if the customer has said, let's go for the cheaper option, then fair dues, what can you really say? But I just don't like it. I don't like it in domestic houses, especially houses that aren't new builds. um
00:27:48
Speaker
it's It doesn't look good. I mean, i think one time, I think someone had compressioned on... plastic which you can actually do I think but it just looked awful and it was leaking by the end of it as well so it's one of those things feels like we're going backwards isn't it like all the old houses were like copper copper copper and now we're just running plastic and it was like what was wrong with copper it seems it's worked for like yeah years it's like scary Yeah, it is. Sorry, James Jock. No, that's all right. You continue. You go ahead, about you. And also, my partner said when I was doing my house that actually it's as expensive almost because all those little like speed fit things are just a really expensive as well. So I was going to just go proper.
00:28:31
Speaker
Yeah, yeah. No, I completely agree with you. I mean, plastic isn't, you know, something that's like 2p per fitting. It actually is, like you just said, quite expensive. I mean, we always get shouted, well, I always get shouted out because somehow or it's always my fault that when I, like, sweep up the plot and there's, like, one gross, gronky-looking fitting lying in the title, someone goes, oh, we could use that. How much money you've just wasted? And I'm like, can it, mate? Like, it it's the whole set. Like, game's gone, just leave it be um But, yeah, definitely, ah like like you said, we are going sort of, like...
00:29:13
Speaker
backwards from copper but i do get it on site and in new builds because a lot of the new builds now are all heat pumps and everything and um especially with obviously the sites like barrett's mulberry taylor wimpy all of them they want plots done within a certain time frame for i think they're called um i mean, we call them like projects. They're like schemes that they have.
00:29:35
Speaker
um So it's basically, we have to get them done in two days. And if you're trying to do a whole house, say it's like a three-story house and with like en suites and stuff, you're not going to be in there for two days doing that all in copper. And it's going to be well expensive. yeah, it's definitely a difference.
00:29:53
Speaker
Yeah. So come on, everyone wants to know, what's the something a job that you've messed up the most? Yeah.
00:30:02
Speaker
I hope you don't list off two minutes. No, that's it. I would probably say, now half of this, I can't even say this. I'm going to say half this was your phone. i would probably say now half of this all calling say this this is is i help this was vote yeah but It wasn't my fault, okay? It was. But basically, I'd gone into this... I'm not going to say who at all, but...
00:30:32
Speaker
and I'd gone into this house and i was supposed to be doing this toilet again, thought, let's have it, I can do this. It was an old toilet. It hadn't been serviced, maintenance, whatever word you come up with, it hadn't been touched a few in a few... So as I started, I'm thinking, great, I know the problems. I've done the call out. This is going my way. And then as I come to obviously thinking, well, I've got to take, I've drained it all down now. I've got to take it all off.
00:31:05
Speaker
There's a rusted bolt on there. And I'm thinking, hmm, if you know how rust is formed from the toilets, it's not always to do with water. It's also to be with...
00:31:17
Speaker
men not using the literal aim assist that they have. so yeah, I went into the job and just didn't prepare for it and was there with a hacksaw for, like, not even joking, you hours on it end trying to hacksaw this off. And then on top of that, I thought, oh, my gosh, I've just cracked the bait. Basically, I've just cracked the pan. so now i start panicking and I'm thinking, shit me. like This is getting worse. This ain't progressing. This is going downhill very quickly. It was literally like pussy like pushing shit up a hill.
00:31:56
Speaker
I think it was meant to be water, but anyway, we passed that. um So, yeah, so I'm doing this job. It's getting worse. You know, I'm still here with the most thinnest hacksaw blade that's now bent. It's going awful, cracked that cracked it. Do you know what I mean? So now I'm thinking, I don't really know what to do. Like, I actually don't, like, know where to go from here. Still hacksawing it. You know, I'm going like this. It's got, like, ACDC in the background. I'm feeling like, yeah, let's do this. so I said to the i said to the um the the owners, I said, going to come back tomorrow.
00:32:29
Speaker
just Just let me, going to go home, going to eat something and I'm going come back tomorrow. And they were like, sounds great. Anyway, little did I know, the owner then starts to have a go at it.
00:32:40
Speaker
Oh. Because she was an amazing woman. She was like, I love having a go at these things. And I'm thinking, please don't know is the things don't notice the crap. So she's she's had a go at it and whatnot. She was telling me all about how she was getting on with it and how she couldn't get it off. And I'm thinking, yeah, that's why I'm now here. But, um yeah, eventually ended up getting it off.
00:33:02
Speaker
Luckily, no one noticed. and thought It wasn't like, do you know what I mean? Like I'd cracked it to the point where it was bad. But, um yeah, I think that's the worst, the worst time I've ever messed something up in a customer's house. And then obviously the odd few leaks.
00:33:18
Speaker
Leaks are just everywhere. Leaks scare the hell out me. wolf so I can't believe you're a plumber. Walter scares the hell out in general. He's not a fish. He's not. He's not a cat. No, I'm only joking.
00:33:31
Speaker
I don't know. see i would say the same thing for electrics because I just know i would just touch something live and then blow myself up. like I would be the only cause of my death. But I feel like with water, it's not so bad. I've had a lot of times where I've been caught in other people's situations. Like...
00:33:47
Speaker
I was trying to lag this cylinder and obviously I'm quite light and the cylinders can actually take your like take weight. So I was on top of the cylinder and someone hadn't tightened the hot pipe that goes into the cylinder. Someone hadn't done it up properly. story short, my knee smashed against it and it flew off like twisted off and water went everywhere. It was like a dual flush, but for your and yeah basically and it was like 70 degrees so i'm gonna let you know now it was a sauna and it was a jet wash and then and it was on a friday yeah straight to the pubs many nights nice So what's like, don't know if you have sort of a grand plan, but obviously your socials have really taken off, but do you like want to start your own company one day or try and work for one of the big boys or is it just too early in your career to plan that far ahead?
00:34:48
Speaker
I think, to be honest, i have I have thought about these questions, but I feel like at the same time, you can never sort of plan too much. Look at
Future Aspirations and Inspiring Others
00:34:57
Speaker
me being all motivational like David. Get me on Pinterest. I call you a great poster. But and I think I have thought about I would absolutely love to have my own business. You know what mean? Like no one wants to just spend their life working for someone else. um So I would definitely want my own business, whether I would just want females or whether I would want females and males, because like I said, I just feel bad for both males and females at this point, because there's just no chance of getting apprenticeships, apparently.
00:35:30
Speaker
and But there was definitely another thing I'd like to do is go into schools and sort of tell all the like the kids that you can you can do this. You're not a degenerate for wanting to do it.
00:35:42
Speaker
You can earn money. And for girls, it is completely fine for you to get into it. It's like it's not beyond your capabilities. And it shouldn't be seen as just this male thing to do that it's been for ages. um So, yeah, i definitely like to do that. But for now, I think maybe keep it to post on our socials. Maybe a clothing brand. Why not? Why not? So you're aiming big. Do you know what I mean? Love it.
00:36:12
Speaker
But you are kind of inadvertently doing that, to be fair. I know you just say go about going to school, but you actually, by putting your stuff out there, and I saw you in another post with the female carpenter as well, it's like, by putting yourself out there, you actually are showing that this is a thing that can be done.
00:36:27
Speaker
Yeah, 100%. I mean, so for the female carpenter, she's an absolute legend. But she's, you know, she's exactly like me. She'll go into work with her hair extensions and her makeup on and she posts the same. And we do not mean like we absolutely love it. We love going to trade shows. and We love sort of making like skits and everything. And that's the thing. It shouldn't be about like there's a lot of things that I see and it's like all ruining other people's businesses or taking other people's credit.
00:36:56
Speaker
it's the trade community is supposed be supportive you know it's supposed to be great and I want other people to the trade community is this like supportive place that especially it has been to me so yeah 100% love her she's an absolute little sort and a legend is Amazing. So, well, basically, thank you so much for coming on. We really appreciate such a late hour as I know you've been grafting like 6 a.m. m to 5 p.m. every day. But for our final question is kind of always the same. It's just literally your best and worst thing about being a plumber.
00:37:33
Speaker
and You've probably said a little bit about the worst thing already being like the toilets, which surely most people would have guessed anyway. But if that audio is your worst, then what is your best thing about being a plumber, basically?
00:37:48
Speaker
I think the best bit about being a plumber is probably like... Being in such a like a respectable, rewarding, you know, environment and having a job that I can like earn all my money and know that I actually grafted for it, if that makes sense. I feel like that's one of the best feelings is like you see all these people now, they're all, you know, like work two days a week doing 4X and stuff. Great. That's for you. But for me, it's like I can come out of like, you know, solid week in January can't feel your toes can't feel your fingers at that point like I i don't have a penis but it would probably invert you know what I mean so like it's rewarding to be able to know you grafted for it you worked hard for it you got your money but also it's like meeting other people as well as a plumber like being able to tell people about what happened and being able to you know solve problems for like your close family and friends or your friends. And I think that's ah knowing you can do it yourself and getting the respect for that is probably the best feeling as a plumber. And also we're the king of all trades. Controversial. I think this applies to any trade as well. It's pretty cool just starting the day seeing you know nothing on a wall whatever. And then by the end of the day, you've like got a pipe there or fitting there or you first fixed or second. I always think that's quite rewarding. then obviously, well, usually the customers are pleased as well. So it's quite it can be quite rewarding if you're willing to grow.
00:39:19
Speaker
Yeah, 100%. It's one of them things. And I feel like plumbing is so diverse. I feel it is the most diverse trade. You know, there's so many aspects of plumbing that you can actually go into that people don't even realise. So, yeah, in whatever you do, feel like it is really cool to see, like, you know, you start off with a teeny little combi boiler and then bang! Do you know what I mean? Like, it's all done. All the pipe work looks lovely and it's just great. And also the tools, do you know what I mean? Get my walls in. yeah, we didn't even touch on what your favourite tool is. There must be some good ones.
00:39:56
Speaker
ah Honestly, the only thing I can say, if it's not red it yeah red and black, you send it back. I can't believe it. I'm only joking. I'd probably say favourite tool, though, is...
00:40:17
Speaker
either like combi because let's be real like you can use it as an impact you can use it as you know for whole soils you can use it for what like whatever you're using it for but also say another one is probably um a deburra from Milwaukee and a lot of people don't know about it it's like for soils and waste pipes and stuff like that and it gets all clean and it's so sexual. You look at me. It's like Megan Fox in her prime.
00:40:44
Speaker
just always. Exactly. Amazing. Thanks for joining us. Can you please let everyone at home know where to follow you? I'm sure by the time that this goes out, you'll have like 100,000 followers judging by the way you're going. I'm excited. Where can everyone find her?
00:41:00
Speaker
um So I'm actually on TikTok and Instagram literally just as the female plumber. So it's... We have a few R's right at the end. pretty self-explanatory to see your pink icon with the female as a plumber. That's me. Amazing. Well, thanks for joining us, Erin. And we'll speak to you soon.
00:41:20
Speaker
Yeah, thanks a lot. he' Lovely me to speak to you all. See you later. Well, thanks so much, Erin. What great chat that was. um What do you think, Nick? Any shining stars from there? Anything you loved?
00:41:35
Speaker
Basically, her whole attitude I loved. Basically, yeah like just so enthusiastic, like talking about how hard it is to get an apprenticeship in the first place and yeah getting into the industry, let alone being female, as we know. it's like mostly I've never, ever worked with a female in in any form apart from painting and decorating, I've seen one.
00:41:54
Speaker
um which is mad, isn't it, to say out loud. really crazy, isn't it? Yeah. So just the enthusiasm just to get into that industry in the first place and persevere, just super impressive, right? Yeah. And the way she's kind of like...
00:42:07
Speaker
bringing it to the forefront of of the industry. and you know women are welcome. They are they are and allowed to do it. And yeah you know that is it's definitely more accepted now than it used to be, I suppose. And it was quite interesting about like some of the customers you had that like prefer having a ah woman's tradesman in to help out with bits and pieces, right? Yeah, definitely. it makes total sense for like a massive section of people that would much prefer a woman be way more comfortable with. than Yeah, it's just super fun and energetic as well. And her social media has literally blown up. So since we like had the interview, her social media is growing and growing and growing, isn't it? So she's just doing really well.
00:42:45
Speaker
Yeah, it's great. And it's great to see someone who's like so passionate about about the industry. Yeah. being successful and you know getting those followers yeah especially it's funny you sort of think stereotypically like as well a girl going into like plumbing would be one of the worst ones dealing with like toilets and bad smell stuff but she just takes it all in the chin and just had like a good sense of humor i was like a really fun one Yeah, definitely. So nice, wasn't it? Yeah.
00:43:11
Speaker
So thanks thanks again, Aaron. Really, really nice episode. and Next week, we'll be covering your week four off. Yeah. So we're talking in detail about everything that I've been up to and the builders have been up to, um which I spoke about briefly before. But yeah, there's lots to discuss, including a cock up from me. It's always fun. That's what we're all looking forward to. performance so yeah And then the week after that, we've got a couple called the Bramble Build who we'll be speaking with as well.
00:43:38
Speaker
So lots lined up. And then we also just please keep emailing in as well. So it's the DIY, hello at the DIYguyspodcast.com DM us any questions DIY. So we're going to answer a couple of questions next week as well, aren't we?
00:43:52
Speaker
Yeah, we are. Yeah, we've got a couple of questions coming through. So that'd be exciting as well. Yeah. Nice one. Thanks for tuning in, guys. Thanks for tuning in. Catch you all later.