Guides
Hiring a plumber, explained
What the trade actually does, what things should cost, what a quote ought to contain, and how to check somebody is who they say they are.
Plumber or heating engineer: what each one does
A plumber moves water. A heating engineer works on the boiler and the system that heats it. Gas work needs Gas Safe registration, and that is the line that matters.
How to check a plumber on the Gas Safe register
Gas Safe registration is the only legal qualification for gas work in the UK. It takes a minute to check, it is free, and the card lists which appliances the engineer is signed off for.
Plumber hourly rates and call-out charges
A plumber charges £40 to £100 an hour depending on region and on the work, with a first hour or call-out charge on top for emergencies. Out of hours roughly doubles it.
How long common plumbing jobs take
A tap change is an hour. A boiler swap is a day. A bathroom is two weeks. Knowing which of those you are booking changes how you plan around it.
Combi, system or regular: which boiler suits your house
The answer is decided by your mains water flow rate and how many bathrooms run at once, not by the size of the house or the price of the boiler.
Questions to ask a plumber before you hire
Six questions that separate a plumber who has thought about your job from one who has quoted for a job like it. None of them are difficult, and all of them are answerable on the phone.
Plumbing qualifications and accreditation in the UK
One credential is a legal requirement and the rest are voluntary. Knowing which is which tells you what a badge on a van is actually worth.
What a plumbing quote should include
A quote you can compare names the parts, the labour, the exclusions and the paperwork. A number in a text message is a price, not a quote.
How to find a good plumber
The reliable signals are a checkable registration, a plumber who asks questions before quoting, and a local address. The unreliable one is who appears first in a search.