"Pet @ www.gymratz.co.uk" wrote in message
.uk...
AndyHingston wrote:

Duncan's trade, but I myself have served a 4 year Mechanical
Engineering Apprenticeship and am probably far more capable of making a
decent joint for a water/gas system than many so called "Professionals"

I am 100% in agreement with you Andy.
Being an ex Time served Agricultural engineer. With the advice of a
plumber friend I ripped out a Gravity fed single pipe Parkray back
boiler C/H system and replaced with fully pumped gas Back boiler with
"living flame" fire front.
Just got a friendly corgi chap to come in and connect gas meter to my
pipework.

I know by experience that if I was to employ a so called "Professional"
to install a system, then it is likely that he will do a shabby job and
I will regret.

Ohhh tell me about it. Current project had a "qualified" plumber do
plumbing that has subsequently been ripped out and done "professionally"
by yours truly and advice taken from this friendly bunch.

As I say this is "my experience" of employing people to do jobs around
the house, whether it is fencing, double glazing or I am sure plumbing.

There seems to be a far higher percentage of qualified persons that
bodge or do a "make do" job because "time is money" whereas the DIY'er
isn't working on a £150+ / day rate and would rather take time to do a
job to his/her accepted quality of workmanship.

Pete

Most DIY jobs I have seen do fall short of professional that is for sure.
You may do a pro equiv job, I don't know. Having been involved in an
engineering discipline does not make your craft skills adequate. You may
think it is wonderful, but a good pro may not think so. Being in
engineering should make you think about matters and at least understand and
work something out...."with advice", in 99% of cases.

There are some poor pipe fitters out there for sure, and some are
incompetent in design and calculations too. But I know many pros who will
always do a first class job.

I always push DIYers towards a one box solution, for obvious reasons.
Pushing a DIYer towards a complex solution that offers no more, and probably
a lot less and takes a hell of long time for him, than a simple one is
irresponsible.