consulting fees?

byeckley

Hello all, I have been working for a small small family run HVAC company for over 40 years. Looking to retire at the end of the year. We have a handful of customers with boilers. While I have been training the "replacements", they are not up to speed on the many subtleties of hydronics. They would like for me to be available for consulting on occasion. My question is how would be the best way to be compensated for this. Classes and training sessions have been mentioned. Not sure that i want to get bogged down with the time it would take to prep for this. Any of you Old Timers have any suggestions?

EdTheHeaterMan

I was asked to teach a one day seminar on oil heat by the Eastern Heating Cooling Council over 25 years ago. I was good at oil burners and I Agreed even though I was operating a 5 mechanic HVAC business at the time. They had some powerpoint presentations that were not as up to date as they should be, so as I would teach each class (about 4 a year) I update the presentation to adapt to my style.

Then they asked me about teaching the basic electric for HVAC ,when one of the other instructors could not make it. Then I took over the Hydronics class completely after my boss saw me teach the class as he observed. I showed him some stuff he didn't fully understand. I basically reinvented that class to follow what I learned in a Dan Holohan seminar I took years before.  I was up to about 10 classes per year at one point. Three oil heat, and one or two Electric and/or Gas heat, but my most asked for class was the Hydronics class.

If you are interested, I could hand you what I made so you have a template to start with. The class is dated to about 10 years ago, so the only thing you will need to do is add ECM pumps to the equation and perhaps some alternatives to primary secondary that have become more popular like that Hydraulic Separator thingy with the air vent on top of it and the sediment trap on the bottom.

Who knows. between the two of us, we may be able to make some AI videos that we can post on YouTube.

Mr. Ed

EBEBRATT-Ed

The preparation work can be more work than the actual teaching, but it is more of a one-time expense with occasional updates.

EdTheHeaterMan

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1801606#Comment_1801606

Since my forced retirement, (due to health) I find myself with lots of time to help HVAC folks that can be dispatched from a wheelchair.  I don't get paid for this knowledge, but I do it because I am good at it, and I like to help people.  So if ever I can help anyone with prepping to do anything HVAC related, If I have the knowledge, I'm glad to help.

Mad Dog_2

You've got to get as much as the top mechanic in your area. You will now be paid for telling others WHERE to put the X. Of course, you can be flexible. DM me anytime or call me and I'd be glad to share more with you. Mad Dog

PC7060

@EdTheHeaterMan @Mad Dog_2 - U2 rock!
Your generosity in sharing your experience is an amazing! That goes for the majority of the people on this site, what a great group.

EdTheHeaterMan

@PC7060 said: "U2 Rock"

But I still haven't found what I'm looking for, with or without you. Because I'm looking where the streets have no name, and that is even better than the real thing in many cases. When you are in a city of blinding lights, on a Beautiful Day just Walk On with Pride (in the name of love). Mysterious ways, can be a revelation that, sometimes you can make it on your own, until the end of the world.

hot_rod

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/197088/consulting-fees

It depends on the type of consulting. If you do designs to be submitted for permits, you may need to be a licensed PE, or at least for some E&O insurance.

I think some of us just do free "opinions" and plan checks?

I agree teaching is a good option, plenty of curriculum already available out there. Assemble them into your own PPT and show up with a computer and projector :)

Timmie is giving away an entire lifetime of training material. Good on him!