Finding work in RI area?

Timco

So we are making the move to RI. Out here in UT is just look at the supply houses on the wall for job openings in my area. Any thoughts on how to find openings from here? The unemployment site seems to just list hospital openings and odd industrial jobs when I search for boiler.

Thanks!

Steamhead

Go to Find a Contractor and call all the Wall members in the area. I'd bet at least one of them would be glad to have you. For example, Ryan @New England SteamWorks is in Providence. I don't know if he's hiring but it can't hurt to ask.

EBEBRATT-Ed

Don't know how well Utah is regulated as far as licenses and contractors but I suspect moving east you will find some eastern states much more regulated. I am licensed in MA, CT and VT

never worked in RI but I have herd it is really tough as far as licensing goes. We are very overregulated around here.

Why not try @TimMcElwain he is down their and could probably point you in the right direction

pecmsg

Timco said:

So we are making the move to RI. Out here in UT is just look at the supply houses on the wall for job openings in my area. Any thoughts on how to find openings from here? The unemployment site seems to just list hospital openings and odd industrial jobs when I search for boiler.

Thanks!

Residential / Commercial / Industrial
Oil / Gas / A/C / Refrigeration
NATE / RSES

you might want to be a little more specific!

Timco

Holy hell man. That’s a lot of licensure.

I have my RMGA card but even that is not required. (Rocky Mountain Gas Association) No apprenticeship or licensing. HVAC guys can install up to 400k with just a basic permit and over just requires a state inspection. I have my refrigerant handlers cert also but no specific licenses are required or offered here. This may be problematic.

Timco

Are these things I should be looking into now and talking about hours in that field and such? This is all state level?

pecmsg

Timco said:

Are these things I should be looking into now and talking about hours in that field and such? This is all state level?

With the shortage of techs today i would first find a company to work for. If your any good they will work with you on permits and licensing. They know the local officals as well.

Good Luck

EBEBRATT-Ed

Unfortunately I think you will find RI very tough. The east cost is like another world compared to out west.

As an example MA requires separate licenses for refrigeration, pipefitting, gas fitting, plumbing, electrical and sheet metal.

CT is different, they offer separate licenses but have some "contractor licenses" that cover multiple trades.

I looked into RI once but never followed through but it is similar to other eastern states.

Tim McElwain

In RI you will have to have a plumbing license, also a pipefitter license and a license for refrigeration. After that it depends on what the company you hook up with does for work. RI is not an easy state to work in as far as licensing required. Get in touch with me at 401-437-0557 and I can give you some companies to look to for work.

Timco

I’ll call tomorrow. Thanks! It’s a bit early but for the right job I’ll dive in.

Tim McElwain said:

In RI you will have to have a plumbing license, also a pipefitter license and a license for refrigeration. After that it depends on what the company you hook up with does for work. RI is not an easy state to work in as far as licensing required. Get in touch with me at 401-437-0557 and I can give you some companies to look to for work.

archibald tuttle

more importantly, let us know when you are in town and we can check out the plumbing on a draft system somewhere . . .

on the job side, I know folks who do full new systems and maintenance on both heating and cooling sides, although i'm sure Tim knows more . . . .

I agree, if you have some documentation of the jobs you've been doing in Utah and the knowledge to support the work in conversation with these guys, there is someone here who wants your help badly and can help manage the certs.

what is going to bring you to RI? We appreciate some of its attributes but as a place to work (and pay taxes) it is a PITA so you don't often get people looking to come here . . .

Timco

My wife’s son went to law school at Roger Williams and lived in Warren. We liked Warren so much we bought a duplex a block and a half from the river in the water front district. Super cool place and area. When the main floor tenant moved out we moved in and have a place right there in Warren now.

We have looked in Warwick but that and Barrington are the highest taxes so Jamestown seems more appealing tax wise. She wants to be on the water and I need enough land to build a shop / barn so now we’re just above what we want to spend on a house. I totally love it and don’t have any NFA type guns so all my guns are legal in RI, but Mass would never work. Our favorite areas are Buttonwoods and Touissett.

I do all control and burner control wiring. 10+ years as a sparky commercial and resi. Then 15 years steam and hot water but all from time and reference manuals. There are no Boiler related classes here. Dan’s books have been priceless to me to get the whole thing down. I do sectionals to 1.5 mil and have piped up to 8”. Love my 60” Rigid. I also refurbish CI rads and swap / install them. I’m the lead guy, and no issues make it past me. In 3 years with my current company I’ve never been late once and am 30 min early every single day. Love top end condensing hot water installs. I design and pipe very well.

I’ll be out in December. Look forward to learning your ways up there like barometric dampers on all natural draft appliances and are those vac breakers I see on water heaters?

Tim
801-916-1905

archibald tuttle said:

more importantly, let us know when you are in town and we can check out the plumbing on a draft system somewhere . . .

on the job side, I know folks who do full new systems and maintenance on both heating and cooling sides, although i'm sure Tim knows more . . . .

I agree, if you have some documentation of the jobs you've been doing in Utah and the knowledge to support the work in conversation with these guys, there is someone here who wants your help badly and can help manage the certs.

what is going to bring you to RI? We appreciate some of its attributes but as a place to work (and pay taxes) it is a PITA so you don't often get people looking to come here . . .

EBEBRATT-Ed

@timco
Just a suggestion. Gather every bit of documentation you can before you leave. Any education, trade related or not, schools, seminars etc anything will help.

Most states have some type of "loophole" for those coming with experience in other states and the armed forces etc. who may not have state licenses

At some point you may have to (want to) go before the state board. Cry on their shoulder and tell them you have been forced by circumstances to move here, build your case, show them your experience etc

They can waive many requirements for licensing that could shorten the time an apprenticeship needed to be licensed

Take pictures of jobs you have done , get letters of recommendation from customers, suppliers, building inspectors, employers etcetcetc

I know the drill. I have had 13 licenses in various states (not RI), most by testing and a couple by reciprocity. I have since let 5 or so go because I am close to retirement

archibald tuttle

Timco said:

My wife’s son went to law school at Roger Williams and lived in Warren.

what years? I have been to various programs there with the federalist society. What state receive his lawyerly skills at the moment?

Timco said:

We have looked in Warwick but that and Barrington are the highest taxes so Jamestown seems more appealing tax wise. She wants to be on the water and I need enough land to build a shop / barn so now we’re just above what we want to spend on a house. I totally love it and don’t have any NFA type guns so all my guns are legal in RI, but Mass would never work. Our favorite areas are Buttonwoods and Touissett.

interesting fit. i can introduce you to plenty of folks in the 2nd amendment community here and you are thinking right about taxes rates. if you like music i suggest you look at westerly but that does really place you in south county - although if you are used to Utah distances still nowhere in RI wouldn't be accessible.

Timco said:

I do sectionals to 1.5 mil and have piped up to 8”. Love my 60” Rigid.

tell me its aluminum or i'm going to feel like a 40 lbs weakling with my aluminum 48".

Timco said:

Love top end condensing hot water installs. I design and pipe very well.

i'm on the margins here. the vast majority of our emitters do not take significant advantage of condensing capabilities and these units just do not seem to have the life of most cast iron boilers where 50 to 75 years is not unusual and are more cantakerous from a maintenance standpoint. I love the idea of the technology and a sweet installation with CPVC or PE venting but, i hate to say, where i have seen lightweight modest cost condensing HVAC equipment work out is on the scorched air side because the return temps are 70 degrees!

Timco said:

I’ll be out in December. Look forward to learning your ways up there like barometric dampers on all natural draft appliances and are those vac breakers I see on water heaters?

I'll text you and you can get in touch when you are on the glide path. I try my own version of heating help in person at local establishments occasionally, "eating and cooling" so i'll see if we can't get something together, although it would have to be early dec. what with the onrush of the holidays.

I wouldn't say barometric dampers are the rule up here for non-draft induced equipment (whether that draft is induced from the front or back end of boiler) but you are just augmenting what is already Tim town, cause Tim McElwain is more on top of the cases where this is appropriate than most in the trades, so that's a great resource we have close by, e.g. this thread. and he was a help along with many here when I was working on combustion in an old snowman steam boiler - which you'll see a few more of those i'll wager.

brian

Alan (California Radiant) Forbes

Viessmann's training center is in Warwick. Give them a call and see if they know of any opportunities.

(401)732-0667

Thomas Fullerton was one of my teachers back in March when I was there; good man.

Good luck on your move.