One of the things that keeps contractors up at night is worrying about where their next qualified hire is going to come from. The shortage of skilled workers in the trades is severe and getting worse. Seventy percent of construction companies nationwide are having trouble finding qualified workers, according to the Associated General Contractors of Read more
RIDGID
One of the things that keeps contractors up at night is worrying about where their next qualified hire is going to come from.
The shortage of skilled workers in the trades is severe and getting worse. Seventy percent of construction companies nationwide are having trouble finding qualified workers, according to the Associated General Contractors of America.
And if Congress ever does approve a much-needed infrastructure package, the need will be even greater.
We in the trades can hope parents will stop pushing the necessity of a four-year degree to every child, regardless of interest or qualifications, but there are more practical measures we can take in the meantime.
Last year, Viega LLC launched the Viega Trades Education Network (VTEN) to boost the ranks and skills of students studying the design, installation and function of plumbing and hydronic systems. Viega is partnering with trade schools, community colleges and the UA in the United States and Canada to subsidize and provide training on mechanical systems.
VTEN is about providing a better education for those already enrolled and supporting the schools and instructors that are training the next generation of workers. Like all educational institutions, these schools don’t have the budgets and resources to deliver everything they’d like to give their students.
As members of VTEN, schools get comprehensive curriculum modules that easily integrate into existing programs. The modules include Hydronics 101, Piping & Controls, Radiant Design, Trades Math, Blueprint Reading, CAD and BIM, and more. In addition, Viega provides functional demonstration units supported by lesson plans and projects and a complete tooling package.
Educators receive admission to an annual VTEN conference in Colorado or New Hampshire, including hotel, airfare, food and admission; Viega and direct vendor support of BlueVolt® eLearning platform; hands-on tool demonstrations and LoopCAD® license options and instructor training.
The LoopCAD package includes on-site orientation to the network and a Zoning Demonstration Board and Mixing Demonstration Board to give students hands-on experience in troubleshooting systems.
And, of course, VTEN offers credentialed classes for Viega products, including ProPress® and MegaPress®.
But the program doesn’t stop there. Schools also receive a RIDGID® RP-340 tool or Milwaukee M18® Force Logic Press Tool with a set of jaws for metal and PEX, as well as samples of various types of pipe and couplings for each student.
The first students in VTEN will graduate soon and we welcome them to the ranks of the trades. We invite other companies to follow suit and join us in building the workforce of the future.
Lino Santoro is Viega Trades Education Network (VTEN) Manager.
Myself and mechanical-hub.com ProStaff contractor Andy Mickelson @mick_plumb have each been using the newest RIDGID tool to join their already mega huge offering. RIDGID’s thermal imagers are definitely well thought out and made with very high-end components, that’s good considering they carry the Lifetime Warranty @ridgidtools is famous for among plumbing and mechanical contractors. There Read more
Myself and mechanical-hub.com ProStaff contractor Andy Mickelson @mick_plumb have each been using the newest RIDGID tool to join their already mega huge offering. RIDGID’s thermal imagers are definitely well thought out and made with very high-end components, that’s good considering they carry the Lifetime Warranty @ridgidtools is famous for among plumbing and mechanical contractors.
There are 4 imagers currently offered by RIDGID. All are point and shoot handheld models and range from high quality entry level (RT-3) to the fully featured RT-9X. 
Andy and I have the fully loaded RT-9X. Like the others it has a rechargeable 3.7 Li-ion battery, super resolution capability and a rugged housing. In addition to other features the RT-9X has WiFi connectivity to the RIDGID Thermal mobile app which allows for fast and simple image sharing and saving across multiple devices.
There are so many features built in to this imager I simply cannot list them all. The standard 320×240 infrared resolution is clear and perfect for job site diagnosis. Turn on the Super Resolution mode and turbo charge the thermal image capturing to 640×480 and it’s operating at levels typically only ever seen by much higher priced units.
This is prime-time infrared season for Andy and I as we take on more heating calls and installs. I can speak for both of us when I say this technology has not only opened doors for our businesses but made us faster and more efficient when troubleshooting and diagnosing problems inside and outside the building. It’s like having a super power. 
Drain cleaning is in full-swing and if you’ve been thinking about ways you can add services to your business – diagnostics, inspection and locating – may be the perfect addition. Not only can it add an additional revenue stream year-round, but it’s a particularly beneficial service this time of year when home buying tends to Read more
Drain cleaning is in full-swing and if you’ve been thinking about ways you can add services to your business – diagnostics, inspection and locating – may be the perfect addition. Not only can it add an additional revenue stream year-round, but it’s a particularly beneficial service this time of year when home buying tends to pick up across the country.
While most homebuyers opt to have a home inspection completed as part of the home buying process, sewer inspection is not typically included. Many don’t know to ask for it and realtors aren’t always suggesting it as a necessary inspection.
Drain Mob, a camera, jetting and drain cleaning company in San Diego regularly provides camera inspection and drain cleaning services for clients after they’ve purchased a home and are experiencing issues, something they and other professionals think could be avoided if homebuyers and their realtors took the time to inspect the lines as part of the home inspection.
“Every day we see a lot of clients that did not have a realtor that would actually camera their sewer lines, they would always go on the inspection report from the inspector,” said Billy Teeter, Drain Mob Owner in a recent Instagram video talking to realtors. “It’s two to three hundred dollars, it’s worth the money. Hire a professional and you’ll be a hero with your client. Protect your clients investment.”
How to Get Started
To begin offering services to this market, you don’t need to buy equipment all at once. Invest in equipment you’ll initially need most and then add-on as needed once you recoup your initial investment. For example, a RIDGID® SeeSnake® Compact2 Camera System paired with the CS6xPak Digital Recording Monitor is a good initial investment for residential jobs. All RIDGID digital monitors come standard with Wi-Fi allowing for easy capturing and sharing of images and video through the HQx Live App on your phone or tablet. This lets buyers and sellers quickly see any potential issues.
After your initial equipment purchase, marketing your new service becomes a priority. A few ideas as you get started are:
- National Association of Realtors – Connect with your local National Association of Realtors chapter. The association represents 1.3 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries and has over 1,200 local associations/boards and 54 state and territory associations.
- American Society of Home Inspectors – Reach out to local home inspectors about partnering to offer drain and sewer inspection as part of their services. The American Society of Home Inspectors, a professional organization for inspectors across the country, offers a searchable database of local inspectors on their website.
Additional Business Benefits
Incorporating diagnostic, inspection and locating services into your business provides additional benefits for a company. These include:
- Expanded Capabilities – Diagnostics is an investment that quickly pays for itself and continues to drive incremental income by letting contractors offer additional plumbing services. It also allows plumbers to take on more complex and difficult projects they previously would have had to decline.
- The Added Value of Certainty – Clearly seeing the problem means being able to offer the right fix, no more and no less. For customers, seeing the problem that backs the estimate increases their trust in a contractor and the necessity of work being completed.
- Find it. Clear it. – Contractors can serve more customers in less time with diagnostics, inspection and locating equipment because they can locate and repair problems faster. Many tools come standard with Wi-Fi capabilities, allowing for findings to be shared immediately with clients and co-workers, which leads to faster decisions and shorter projects.
In closing, regardless of whether you decide to target your diagnostic, inspection and locating services to homebuyers and realtors, these services and type of equipment can be a beneficial addition for your business and clients.
Article by Gina Hartman
Gina is Senior Global Marketing Manager of Underground Technologies, including inspection and diagnostic products, at RIDGID®. The company is a global manufacturer of more than 300 dependable and innovative tools, trusted by professional trades in over 100 countries. Learn more at RIDGID.com.
Nine of the most passionate RIDGID® fans recently experienced the trip of a lifetime to the RIDGID world headquarters as part of the 2nd Annual RIDGID Experience Contest. The all-expenses-paid VIP trip included a tour of the headquarters and the opportunity to build their very own iconic RIDGID custom pipe wrench, take part in a Read more
Nine of the most passionate RIDGID® fans recently experienced the trip of a lifetime to the RIDGID world headquarters as part of the 2nd Annual RIDGID Experience Contest. The all-expenses-paid VIP trip included a tour of the headquarters and the opportunity to build their very own iconic RIDGID custom pipe wrench, take part in a photoshoot for an upcoming brand campaign, go walleye fishing on Lake Erie and more.
As part of the headquarters visit, winners had the chance to tour the plant, get a sneak peek of the latest innovations that have yet to hit the market, meet some of the men and women who make the tools they use daily on the jobsite and provide insight for future product developments.
“I’ve been using these tools for 15 years and being here and seeing the machines and people who make the tools, it’s emotional,” said Bobby Scirica, contest winner and plumbing – service technician from Arizona. He describes the SeeSnake® Camera as one of his favorite RIDGID tools to use on the jobsite.
“Spending a few days with some of our biggest fans and celebrating their work in the trades is a thrill for all of us here at RIDGID,” said Becky Brotherton, manager, marketing communications, RIDGID. “Every tool we create is purpose-built with the contractor in mind, so to get to hear first-hand what they need in a tool only adds to the innovation we’re able to bring to each of our products.”
Details of the next RIDGID Experience Contest will be announced in early 2019. Stay tuned to the RIDGID Facebook page for details.
Just a couple days ago I returned from an event that has me so excited about working in the trades and what it means to be “Made in the USA”. The RIDGID Experience is only in it’s second year of existence but its clear to me that this will be an amazing annual event for Read more
Just a couple days ago I returned from an event that has me so excited about working in the trades and what it means to be “Made in the USA”. The RIDGID Experience is only in it’s second year of existence but its clear to me that this will be an amazing annual event for years to come. Here’s how it works: All across their social media channels RIDGID invites anyone who uses their tools, any and all of the RIDGID tools to show off their pride in the work they do with those tools. There’s an official entry process and some hashtagging involved but its super simple and fun. Once entered RIDGID picks the winners of the contest and those winners are treated to a total first-class experience with factory & hands-on training center tours, an inside look at new upcoming products and tools, meals, lodging, airfare, limo, professional photo shoots, a box suite at the Indians ball game and even a fishing trip on Lake Erie! Oh man, I gotta tell you it was a blast!
Of course factory tours are exciting, getting to see how our favorite tool is made and even meeting the people who make them daily leaves me with a higher level of respect for the brand and excitement for my work. That was definitely the case for me after the #RIDGIDExperience.
Unfortunately we don’t always get to take the camera’s along for every step of the tour but I’ve posted a few cool shots on our Facebook and Instagram along with some comments along the way. I’ve included a video of the final steps in the assembly of the iconic 300 below; its hard to believe that machine was ever so clean and shiny!
I’d like to thank the entire team at RIDGID and those involved who organized and pulled off a truly memorable experience for all of us “winners”. It’s clear the entire company knows and cares about who their customer is. Thank you, Eric Aune.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BlLwrqWhEO3/?taken-by=mechanicalhub