can anyone explain how plumbers make so much more than the other trades here ?

[malcorub16]

Originally Posted by moved

This is true.

I know other trades are affected by the proximity to the border but plumbing sure doesn't seem to be one of them.

[silverkris]

Originally Posted by Des-Lab

Why does this bother you in the first place? Plenty of valid reasons have been given that justifies their pay. Also not mentioned is that plumbing can never be outsourced to India or China.

Are you one of those ones that had "college degree" drilled into your head since birth, got one, and only making $50k a year and it gets under your skin and makes you go bananas that some of these workers didn't and they make more than you?

It's a valuable trade. That's the beginning and end of it.

Interestingly, we have a local plumber who has a PhD in engineering from a local university. He explains the repairs like an academic. He probably makes a lot more than a tenured professor, too!

[dg628]

Originally Posted by moved

it would help if the OP decided where he wanted to live first, though.

I don’t want to leave San Diego. I’ve never once b****** about the quality life here. Just the job market. I know it’s probably hard for you to understand most likely being old money but let me tell you how screwed my generation is for housing.

The American dream only exists in the Midwest now and in the neighborhoods of Chicago that aren’t crime infested even that’s changing.

I’ll probably never be able to afford a home. Rent here will probably eat 50% of my take home income for awhile until I get close to journeyman status assuming I can find a dump of a studio for 1500$ or so and rent doesn’t go up 500$ every year.

I’m trying to go to where I can survive on the west coast and where there’s jobs , if the job market is a lot better in another city of course I’ll look into it but if you can make a life for yourself here San Diego can’t be beat.

I know you’re gonna say “ not my problem” because you bought a house when wages where good relative to the col and home prices weren’t astronomical thanks to zoning and the Chinese buying up a big amount of the property.

I’ve never had a job give me a raise either or let me enroll into the health plan I was entitled to. I’ve literally been lied to about enrollment because a company knew the only thing keeping me was my insurance. It didn’t matter how hard I worked , what new responsibilities I took or how much I broke my back.


Unless you make upwards of 30$/hr 99% of the US is pretty unliveable nowadays and I’m talking the minimum.

You got yours though. Good for you

[Tulemutt]

Originally Posted by dg628

I don’t want to leave San Diego. I’ve never once b****** about the quality life here. Just the job market. I know it’s probably hard for you to understand most likely being old money but let me tell you how screwed my generation is for housing.

The American dream only exists in the Midwest now and in the neighborhoods of Chicago that aren’t crime infested even that’s changing.

I’ll probably never be able to afford a home. Rent here will probably eat 50% of my take home income for awhile until I get close to journeyman status assuming I can find a dump of a studio for 1500$ or so and rent doesn’t go up 500$ every year.

I’m trying to go to where I can survive on the west coast and where there’s jobs , if the job market is a lot better in another city of course I’ll look into it but if you can make a life for yourself here San Diego can’t be beat.

I know you’re gonna say “ not my problem” because you bought a house when wages where good relative to the col and home prices weren’t astronomical thanks to zoning and the Chinese buying up a big amount of the property.

I’ve never had a job give me a raise either or let me enroll into the health plan I was entitled to. I’ve literally been lied to about enrollment because a company knew the only thing keeping me was my insurance. It didn’t matter how hard I worked , what new responsibilities I took or how much I broke my back.


Unless you make upwards of 30$/hr 99% of the US is pretty unliveable nowadays and I’m talking the minimum.

You got yours though. Good for you

Maybe it’s time to think about the worth of the lifestyles you are chasing? Maybe the old American dream is mostly a load of unsustainable, perpetually enslaving crap.

[NYSD1995]

Have you ever considered the gulf coast, southeast coast, mid atlantic? all of those areas are either on par or better than San Diego for jobs. Pay is lower but cost of living is way lower. If you want to be in CA and have a blue collar job and make enough money to live, I think you should be looking at Riverside county or somewhere else closer in to LA where there are bigger jobs and more demand than San Diego. There is still a lot of building happening there. Sacramento also seems to be doing a lot of building.

[rosebud49]

Originally Posted by Des-Lab

Why does this bother you in the first place? Plenty of valid reasons have been given that justifies their pay. Also not mentioned is that plumbing can never be outsourced to India or China.

Are you one of those ones that had "college degree" drilled into your head since birth, got one, and only making $50k a year and it gets under your skin and makes you go bananas that some of these workers didn't and they make more than you?

It's a valuable trade. That's the beginning and end of it.

I agree

[dg628]

Originally Posted by Sassberto

Have you ever considered the gulf coast, southeast coast, mid atlantic? all of those areas are either on par or better than San Diego for jobs. Pay is lower but cost of living is way lower. If you want to be in CA and have a blue collar job and make enough money to live, I think you should be looking at Riverside county or somewhere else closer in to LA where there are bigger jobs and more demand than San Diego. There is still a lot of building happening there. Sacramento also seems to be doing a lot of building.

Yes. I looked into the Tampa area And the eastern part of south Florida. Terrible terrible wages. I looked to Florida because my dad has a big hard on from when he lived there and I thought California was unrealistic before I moved out here.

Most of soflo is just as expensive as San Diego. Homes in the suburbs ? No but rent ? Yeah.

I looked into Tennessee and Georgia because I low key like these southern states and once again terrible pay to where the jobs are.

I’m from the mid Atlantic , VB is insanely expensive as is OBX for what you get and it’s boring af if you’re my age. Glad I left the Hampton roads area. Absolute S***hole.


Almost everyone my age Living in a major city is paying 50% + of their pay on rent or living at home because the COL is terribly high. Texas is one of the only states left where it doesn’t seam so bad. Arizona maybe depending on where you live and yes even Seattle , while western wa is beautiful I’d be so miserable in Seattle. I wouldn’t trade San Diego for anywhere else.

I had someone I’m acquainted with say Both OC and SD are underwhelming after visiting. Good. We like it that way , relaxed chill costal cities. I love it. Just the right amount of nightlife and amenities.

Drive through LA , don’t even stay and tell me if you’d want to live there. Stop for gas to get the full expierence and see all the Hispanic gangs on the corner and aggressive hobos shooting up in the middle of streets threatening you or becoming violent.

Yeah didn’t think so. It’s a complete wasteland.

[1AngryTaxPayer]

Originally Posted by dg628

Yes. I looked into the Tampa area And the eastern part of south Florida. Terrible terrible wages. I looked to Florida because my dad has a big hard on from when he lived there and I thought California was unrealistic before I moved out here.

Most of soflo is just as expensive as San Diego. Homes in the suburbs ? No but rent ? Yeah.

I looked into Tennessee and Georgia because I low key like these southern states and once again terrible pay to where the jobs are.

I’m from the mid Atlantic , VB is insanely expensive as is OBX for what you get and it’s boring af if you’re my age. Glad I left the Hampton roads area. Absolute S***hole.


Almost everyone my age Living in a major city is paying 50% + of their pay on rent or living at home because the COL is terribly high. Texas is one of the only states left where it doesn’t seam so bad. Arizona maybe depending on where you live and yes even Seattle , while western wa is beautiful I’d be so miserable in Seattle. I wouldn’t trade San Diego for anywhere else.

I had someone I’m acquainted with say Both OC and SD are underwhelming after visiting. Good. We like it that way , relaxed chill costal cities. I love it. Just the right amount of nightlife and amenities.

Drive through LA , don’t even stay and tell me if you’d want to live there. Stop for gas to get the full expierence and see all the Hispanic gangs on the corner and aggressive hobos shooting up in the middle of streets threatening you or becoming violent.

Yeah didn’t think so. It’s a complete wasteland.

If you put it into perspective when I moved here in the 80s my pay was a third or even a quarter of what I make now. Don't forget that. Housing was cheaper, rents too but you'd flip out how little most people made. Min wage didn't buy you a then or rent at the beach.