Regular Guest
Have any of you worked for both a Trane office (now called Building Services branches) which are Trane Co. owned & a Trane franchise (used to be called Factory Authorized Service offices) not sure if franchise is still the legal word for it? If so which one did you like better?
Professional Member*
I hired on at a Trane franchise which later became a Trane owned office. Went from being 1 of 7 techs, and less than 50 employees, to becoming 1 of many faceless techs, and almost countless employees. There is absolutely no question I liked it better when it was a franchise office. Why do you ask? Do you work at a franchise that is about to be company owned, or looking at hiring on? It was still a good place to work, just not as good.
Regular Guest
I work @ a small shop in Chicago. I was a Service Journeyman in another Local, but I agreed to a lower classification since I couldn't find work as a Journeyman. Not too bad as it was still a higher wage.
I was looking @ Miami as a relocation option, but people tend to joke about getting "paid in sunshine" as to the low Service Journeyman starting wage. Miami high $20s/hr, Chicago mid $40/hr.
Professional Member
consider the cost of living when looking, not just hourly wage. a home in a decent neighb in miami may be a lot less than in chicago. most others costs would be similiar. since your home is typically your biggest monthly bill, having a much lower cold in fact make living there at a lower wage better, especially if you are flush with equity in your current situation.
Professional Member*
I'm sure others on here can give you better advice than I can on making such a move. My pay after 25 years was low to mid $30/hr, and I was satisfied with it and how I believed it compared to others in this area. We were non-union. The union has some presence here, but not like up north. And I have never heard of any animosity between union and non union people in the trade around here. At all. I have good friends in both categories. Good luck, whichever you decide.
Professional Member*
Flange is correct, but I'm not sure Miami can be considered to be in the same category as other large southern cities like Atlanta or Nashville. I believe Miami is somewhat apart culturally and probably economically. My dad retired from ATT after twenty something years of being located in Miami, and he lived in a relatively small house there. Of course, he may have been aggressively saving for his retirement when he built a nicer home back here in Alabama
Regular Guest
Actually I found a 2 Br condo in a high-rise along the Chicago River for $2000/mo. No it's not the Trump Plaza or anything like that! Anyways I couldn't find anything similar to that in Miami for less than that. Only thing I could save on in Miami is probably the gas bill!Originally Posted by flange
Professional Member
Prounionelp, I live in Fort Lauderdale and work for the Trane office in Miami. I am actually considering a move to Chicago. You don't have your PM's enabled or an email address listed. Could you email me I would like to talk to you more about this.
theflyingturkey@yahoo.com
Professional Member*
Trane Authorized group was fun back during the building boom in NYC in 87'went thru the American Standard aquisition into the new electronics..UCP and stuff.then trane came in to take over..California crowd cane in and was carried out feet first shipped back to the west coast in a box...LIC merged with North Jersey as one group that is the current trend to merge the closer groups.so not to have doubles of everybody then IR came in like UT into Carrier and JCI into York,,thank god for union shops...
"when in doubt...jump it out" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1qEZHhJubY
Professional Member*
Two grand a month will get you 2500 square feet of late-model brick home in North Texas. I'm in 2600 square feet brick on an acre, built in the 60's, (in town with all utilities), that's five minutes from anything you'd want in the way of retail. My 20-year mortgage, including taxes and insurance is $1597 per month.
A top-notch tech with commercial qualifications runs around $25 per hour.
That's why so many price-comparing threads are meaningless. One of my best friend's son graduated from college in Texas, and took a position in Batavia IL, (near Chicago) for $40k per year, and thought he had struck it big.....Two years later, he was back, and broke.
Technical incompetence is NOT a sales tool....
Regular Guest
Yes, I understand the cost-of-living difference. There's much difference from Dallas to Chicago.
$40K is less than half of an HVACR (MES or BT-R) Journeyman in Chicago, that's not factoring in OT, DT, or On-Call Pay.
Regular Guest
Hey, I'm contemplating a move to Chicago. I looked into the Trane office (all I really know for sure is that they're non-union). Does anyone have any real info on Trane-Chicago?
Professional Member
If you are thinking chicago
You should also think kansas city!!
Frank
Professional Member
Enable your PM's. I have good info on Trane Chicago. Or email me.
Professional Member
It's all about taxes and Cost of Living. I pay Fed Inc Tax. No State Inc tax. No Local Inc Tax. 6.25% State sales tax; 2% Local Sales; 1000 a year property taxes. Compare that to New York, Chicago, or California. My 1800 sq ft house note is 825 with PMI. You may get 40 in these places, but it is only due to the cost of Big Govt.
Professional Member*
Where's the "Like" button?
Technical incompetence is NOT a sales tool....
Professional Member
Tampa FL is a nice area to live in relevantly cheaper then Miami, thats for sure
Professional Member
I second this. You can get "north of Florida" wages here if you have the right skills and you're with the right company. The Tampa area has a relatively strong economy, is generally is one of the best paying areas in the state, and has less urban stress and a lower cost of living than Miami.
Don't pick the fly crap out of the pepper.
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