It seems like there’s a ‘world day’ for just about everything at the moment… Having said that, as a plumber I was pretty excited to hear that it was World Plumbing Day on 11th March this year. Apparently the day was initiated by The World Plumbing Council, whose aim is to unite the world plumbing industry. Their mission is to safeguard and protect the environment and the health of all nations.
As a plumber, one of my biggest concerns is safeguarding and protecting people against ‘Bad builders’. Bad builders are non-registered and likely untrained people who pose as professional plumbers. They often carry out extremely dangerous plumbing work, resulting in bodge jobs and therefore compromising the safety of you and your household. It is essential for householders to be aware of these illegal ‘plumbers’ and ensure that they always follow these 5 steps when hiring a plumber:
1) Shop around for quotes
If you skip this stage, you end up paying over the odds. On the other hand, if you find someone so cheap that it seems too good to be true – it probably is! Most reputable plumbing businesses will charge relatively the same rate so you’ll be looking for somewhere in the middle of these two extremes.
2) Do your research
Never decide on a quote alone, use the web to find reviews and other information about the company. It’s not just negative reviews that you should look out for, a company that has no reviews could also be a no go.
3) Get a trusted recommendation
Online reviews are all very well, but the best way to be certain of a plumber’s credibility is a recommendation from a friend or family member who has used a plumber before.
4) Check that they are Gas Safe Registered
This is the most important stage of all! The Gas Safe register is there to protect you from cowboy plumbers. You can find out whether a company is Gas Safe Registered online but you should also double check that they have the right documentation and identification to back this up when they visit.
(Want to know more about staying Gas Safe? You can read all about it here)
5) Get that kettle on!
Coming in at close second for importance, always have a cup of tea ready and waiting for your plumber. A plumber’s worth can be measured by the number of cups of tea they consume on the job…
If you follow all of these steps you shouldn’t need to worry. However if you have any concerns or are looking for a trusted plumber then please don’t hesitate to get in touch!