With so few opportunities to advance in this industry, is there any wonder that many launch their own shops or start handing out advice to DIY homeowners?

'You want how much for that melon?'

Bubba and Goober learn about the costs of doing business and making a profit.

The saga of two brothers, a monster truck, a field of watermelons and a dream of becoming rich.

Don't get turned into space dust; know what to do

to give yourself a cushy landing.

Similarities exist between certain contractors and Gold Rush miners.

My 20-year-old daughter is a fully trained emergency medical technician. We often share vegetating time by watching EMT reality shows featuring trauma care, sports disasters and other mayhem. Nearly every episode includes some mention of how lucky the principal character was to have survived a mishap or illness.

When a plunger doesn't get the throne room back into operation, homeowners usually turn to their plumber for relief. For some plumbers, these calls are a necessary evil that are more trouble than they're worth, but others find special opportunities in drain cleaning. In the course of customizing pricing books for contractors from coast to coast, I've noticed four major camps in the plumbing and drain cleaning business.

For most of my life, I've been on wheels of some sort. After the typical wheeled walkers and tricycles, I graduated to a real 20-inch Schwinn with a coaster brake.

Consumer financing plays an important role throughout the indoor comfort industry, but it is rare to find a plumbing service contractor who offers payment plans for major purchases.