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Residential plumber vs plumber

The differences between residential plumbers and plumbers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a residential plumber and a plumber. Additionally, a plumber has an average salary of $55,337, which is higher than the $54,486 average annual salary of a residential plumber.

The top three skills for a residential plumber include plumbing, water heaters and hand tools. The most important skills for a plumber are plumbing, hand tools, and plumbers.

Residential plumber vs plumber overview

Residential PlumberPlumber
Yearly salary$54,486$55,337
Hourly rate$26.20$26.60
Growth rate2%2%
Number of jobs18,52012,307
Job satisfaction-4.4
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 54%High School Diploma, 53%
Average age4242
Years of experience44

What does a residential plumber do?

A residential plumber installs, repairs, fits, and maintains pipes in a drainage system for residential buildings. They also do fixtures associated with water heating and cooling, water distribution, and sanitation services. Their duties and responsibilities include interpreting blueprints and building specifications to draw a map layout, documenting problems, and inspecting drainage systems.

What does a plumber do?

Plumbers specialize in assembling, detecting issues, maintaining, and repairing pipes and systems that can either involve water or gas distribution in a home or establishment, ensuring that they function efficiently. Additionally, Plumbers can also install various materials such as kitchen or bathroom sinks, toilets, appliances, and more. Among the tasks may revolve around training other plumbers or coordinating with other workers involved on a project, clearing obstructions and handling waste disposal, informing clients about the costs and process of repairs, and building rapport with them.

Residential plumber vs plumber salary

Residential plumbers and plumbers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Residential PlumberPlumber
Average salary$54,486$55,337
Salary rangeBetween $36,000 And $82,000Between $36,000 And $84,000
Highest paying CityFramingham, MASeattle, WA
Highest paying stateHawaiiOregon
Best paying companyHorizon ServicesKern Community College District
Best paying industryProfessionalFinance

Differences between residential plumber and plumber education

There are a few differences between a residential plumber and a plumber in terms of educational background:

Residential PlumberPlumber
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 54%High School Diploma, 53%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common college--

Residential plumber vs plumber demographics

Here are the differences between residential plumbers' and plumbers' demographics:

Residential PlumberPlumber
Average age4242
Gender ratioMale, 94.6% Female, 5.4%Male, 96.5% Female, 3.5%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 8.9% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.2% Asian, 1.9% White, 64.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 20.2% Asian, 1.9% White, 63.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
LGBT Percentage2%2%

Differences between residential plumber and plumber duties and responsibilities

Residential plumber example responsibilities.

  • Train and manage less experience plumbers and achieve significant improvements in their productivity.
  • Install copper and PEX water supply.
  • Assist with HVAC, run water lines, install washer boxes etc
  • Learned skills such as welding, soldering, brazing, blueprint reading, schematic drawings, rigging, and crane signaling.
  • Assemble pipe sections, tubing, or fittings, using clamps, screws, or soldering, brazing or welding equipment.
  • Contract work-Sears-replacing dishwashers and water heaters.
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Plumber example responsibilities.

  • Train and manage less experience plumbers and achieve significant improvements in their productivity.
  • Replace old copper and cast iron plumbing, install PEX water lines, CPVC lines and PVC lines.
  • Learned how to read blueprints, use plumbing math and read sub/spec data.
  • Assemble pipe sections, tubing, or fittings, using various techniques, including caulking, soldering, and brazing.
  • Install, repair and maintain plumbing systems and components including toilets, urinals, faucets, hose bibs drains, etc.
  • Dig trenches for new pipeline.
  • Show more

Residential plumber vs plumber skills

Common residential plumber skills
  • Plumbing, 32%
  • Water Heaters, 14%
  • Hand Tools, 7%
  • Troubleshoot, 5%
  • PVC, 4%
  • Caulking, 4%
Common plumber skills
  • Plumbing, 23%
  • Hand Tools, 7%
  • Plumbers, 6%
  • Customer Service, 6%
  • Cast Iron, 4%
  • Pipe Systems, 4%

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