A Race To The Bottom

What happens when a plumber gives an AI agent access to his business and tells it to get to work?Eric has spent two weeks using Muse, Meta's new AI agent — and this isn't a chatbot. It has its own computer, connects to his tools, and does real tasks in the background. In this episode he walks Andy through what it's actually done so far: read three years of Housecall Pro invoices and tagged his customers for marketing (117 tags in about 20 minutes — a job Eric says would have taken him days), compared supplier pricing between Goodin and Johnstone, flagged invoices with early-pay discounts, audited recurring subscriptions, built a weekly digest of his social media content, and replied to time-sensitive emails while he was in the middle of a boiler change-out.They also get honest about the other side: neither of them is a fan of Meta or the tech giants, the guardrails on this stuff are thin, and data centers cut both ways for the trades. But the time coming off Eric's plate is real — including the side chat that now preps his YouTube info and sends it to Victor for thumbnails.Are you using AI in your business? Tell us what it's doing for you — or tell Eric how much you hate that he did this. He can take it.Chapters:00:00 It tagged 3 years of customers in 20 minutes00:46 Not a chatbot — an agent (talking about Muse)03:41 What an AI agent can actually do04:40 Supplier price check: Goodin vs. Johnstone05:33 The Housecall Pro tagging job11:28 Andy's 11,000-invoice problem12:49 Early-pay discounts and bill paying13:40 The $54-a-month subscription Andy forgot14:39 Eric's rule: nothing sends without his say15:44 Replying to critical emails from a boiler job17:16 Side chats, podcast help, and Victor's thumbnails19:11 "I don't think I want to be without it"20:03 The honest part: Meta, guardrails, data centers26:11 Codex is building our analytics dashboard29:22 Your turn — what are you using it for?Make Trades Great Again is Eric Aune and Andy Mickelson — two trades guys talking casually about the industry, their businesses, and how they run them. New episodes weekly.Subscribe for more, and find the audio version of the show wherever you get podcasts.Text the guys your ideas & feedback! Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channels!Eric Aune @mechanicalhub Andy Mickelson @mick_plumbNewsletter sign up: https://bit.ly/MH_email

The estimate doesn't start at the kitchen table. It starts on the first phone call — with the questions.Eric and Andy lay out the qualifying questions they ask every potential customer: Have we done work for you before? How soon do you need it — and is it our emergency or yours? Are you doing this project yourself, or is a builder running it? And the one Eric's leaning on hardest lately: what's your budget — do you understand what this costs?With material costs at all-time highs, Eric's done spending hours on estimates that die of sticker shock, so he's started giving the ballpark right on the call, even to existing customers. Andy tells the story of a contractor who swapped a water heater without ever saying the $2,700 price out loud — the job went fine, the bill detonated, and the review threats followed. The lesson both guys land on: say the price first, get it signed, and don't order a single part before then.Also in this one: the customer who Googled a $3,000 boiler and couldn't get to a $20,000 job, why the customer who trashes the last contractor is a red flag worth probing, the $150,000 rolling toolbox that shows up to do the work, retail-store math vs. real-world installs, and a tile setter who genuinely planned to tile around a vanity's legs. It never costs less to do it a second time.Running a one- or two-person shop? This one's for you. Send the guys your own qualifying questions and horror stories — links in the show notes.New episodes of Make Trades Great Again every week — Eric Aune and Andy Mickelson talking shop about the trades, their businesses, and everything around them.Text the guys your ideas & feedback! Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channels!Eric Aune @mechanicalhub Andy Mickelson @mick_plumbNewsletter sign up: https://bit.ly/MH_email

It's your money — make it work for you.Eric lets Andy in on the back-pocket tool Midwesterners already know: Menards' 11% rebate. Everything in the store qualifies, the money comes back as Menards credit, and the whole program runs on one bet — that most people will never send the rebate in. (The guys put redemption at maybe 20–30%. Don't be that 70%.)Eric still buys most of his materials from his supply houses, but his Menards is seven miles from the shop — ten miles closer than any supply house and right on his daily route — with a plumbing department good enough for the quick grabs: bag traps, Lexel, rags, spray foam. And the rebate math gets serious at scale: his brother-in-law built a house buying everything he could during 11% periods, rolling rebate checks into the next stage of the build until the rebates had paid for about $45–50,000 worth of cabinets.Also in this one: a moment of silence for Shop Pay points, Andy's Amazon faucet-trim habit, the Delta rapid-expedite trim program that saved a job when an order never made it from bid to order, the ethics of showroom shopping then buying online, glycol feeders at half price out of Canada, a QuickBooks category named "Menards," and the house rule both guys live by — never pay with debit when a rewards card exists.What's your version of this? Text or message the guys — links below.Text the guys your ideas & feedback! https://bit.ly/4eFnhC1Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channels!Eric Aune @mechanicalhubAndy Mickelson @mick_plumbNewsletter sign up: https://bit.ly/MH_emailText the guys your ideas & feedback! Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channels!Eric Aune @mechanicalhub Andy Mickelson @mick_plumbNewsletter sign up: https://bit.ly/MH_email

In this episode, Andy and Eric discuss the current state of the boiler industry, competition, market trends, and the impact of technology and pricing strategies on contractors and manufacturers.Text the guys your ideas & feedback! Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channels!Eric Aune @mechanicalhub Andy Mickelson @mick_plumbNewsletter sign up: https://bit.ly/MH_email

In this episode, Andy and Eric share insights on the realities of installing customer-supplied equipment, the pitfalls of advertising in traditional media like phone books, and the importance of clear warranties and business boundaries.Takeaways Installing customer-supplied equipment can pose significant risks if not managed properly.Traditional advertising like phone books has become largely ineffective and a poor investment.Clear communication and documentation about warranties are crucial to protect your business.Discounted equipment can be a good deal but also carries risks that need to be managed.Business owners should carefully consider the long-term implications of their service and marketing strategies.Text the guys your ideas & feedback! Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channels!Eric Aune @mechanicalhub Andy Mickelson @mick_plumbNewsletter sign up: https://bit.ly/MH_email

In this episode, Andy and Eric discuss the importance of service and maintenance in HVAC, plumbing, and equipment installation. They explore how proactive servicing can generate additional revenue, improve customer satisfaction, and ensure system longevity.Chapters00:00 Introduction and episode overview02:31 The revenue potential of servicing installed equipment04:01 Common maintenance intervals for boilers and systems07:01 Understanding system components like expansion tanks and gauges10:02 The importance of regular filter and coil maintenance12:58 Using remote diagnostics and connected systems17:01 Building trust and recurring business through service19:51 The value of proactive maintenance for customer satisfaction22:56 Cost implications of neglecting system maintenance25:55 Strategies for group servicing and scheduling28:00 Final thoughts on service as a business growth toolText the guys your ideas & feedback! Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channels!Eric Aune @mechanicalhub Andy Mickelson @mick_plumbNewsletter sign up: https://bit.ly/MH_email

Andy shares his experience with boiler maintenance, subcontracting, and the importance of professional startup for complex HVAC systems. We explore the value of expert involvement, detailed design, and the lessons learned from real-world projects.Text the guys your ideas & feedback! Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channels!Eric Aune @mechanicalhub Andy Mickelson @mick_plumbNewsletter sign up: https://bit.ly/MH_email

This episode explores the diverse paths young people take after high school, including college, trades, and entrepreneurship. We discuss the importance of financial literacy, the value of hard work, and how social media is changing perceptions of trades and career opportunities.Joined by our pod-partners John Mesenbrink & Tim Ward, hosts of the Appetite For Construction PodcastText the guys your ideas & feedback! Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channels!Eric Aune @mechanicalhub Andy Mickelson @mick_plumbNewsletter sign up: https://bit.ly/MH_email

In this episode, Andy and Eric explore the fascinating history and ongoing renovation of a 110-year-old bank building in Missoula. They discuss the building's unique architecture, outdated plumbing systems, and innovative solutions for modern upgrades.Text the guys your ideas & feedback! Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channels!Eric Aune @mechanicalhub Andy Mickelson @mick_plumbNewsletter sign up: https://bit.ly/MH_email

Milwaukee is expanding the lighting category again in 2026. A couple notable new lights shown this year at PIPELINE are the usb-c rechargeable clip light and flat flashlight. Hayley Stamerra, product manager at Milwaukee Tool talks all things lighting in this week's episode. Text the guys your ideas & feedback! Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channels!Eric Aune @mechanicalhub Andy Mickelson @mick_plumbNewsletter sign up: https://bit.ly/MH_email