How get a plumber to plumb my job?

[MetalGnu]

Hello,

We are in the middle of our bathroom refurb. We’ve decided we want a digital shower, but are having difficulty finding a plumber to plumb in a smart valve and larger capacity cold water storage tank. I phone them for quotes, leave a message, email them. They don’t get back to me. Post on trade sites, but get no interest. If I do manage to get one around, they tell me I should get an electric shower instead, measure up, tell me they’ll get me a quote, then ghost me.

How do I find a plumber to plumb the job I want plumbing? Or have I got to learn to do it myself instead?

David

 

[oldbutnotdead]

If you're halfway through a DIY job and have got stuck, very few professionals will be interested in working on what's there (since they will then be on the hook for any problems caused by poor design or workmanship earlier in the job).
So, best to learn how to do it yourself- long as you're not installing a pressurised cylinder it is all doable.
Bit more detail about what you have and what you want to achieve would be useful

 

[Nige F]

obnd is correct - don't trust those trade sites ! - also it's more for a Jobbing Plumber (+ electrician ) than a firm . But I'm sure you could be walked through it here

 

[ianmcd]

say what area you are in and someone on here might be able to suggest someone for you

 

[muggles]

Most decent firms are booked up 2-3 months ahead. I've personally got bookings all the way through to the end of June. If you're giving the impression that you want something doing next week then that might well be putting trades off, especially if it's a job you've started and given up on half way through.

 

[JP_]

My heating engineer recommended a power shower in the future. He said he doesn't do plumbing, but would install something like that. Gas safe heating engineers also have to be competent electricians, so worth a go.

If you're halfway through a DIY job and have got stuck, very few professionals will be interested in working on what's there

I had this with my bathroom. One person came round, quoted £3k labour, if I buy everything needed. DIY it is then!

 

[MetalGnu]

We’re closer to the start than the middle. Tiles have come of with some plaster board in places. We’re only stuck as we can’t get anyone to commit to the next step (smart valve installation and CWST upgrade). If I could get someone in to do it in 2 months that would be great! But I’ve been trying to get someone for about that length of time already. My concern is that in 2 to 3 months we’ll be in the same situation, and no closer to getting our bathroom back. We’re in Gloucester fwiw.

Is it worth buying the tank and shower in preparation?

 

[JP_]

If you have money full a full bathroom refurb, then probably easier to get somebody in to do the lot.
If not, you need to find a good plumber, tiler, plasterer, etc. and do as much as you can yourself.
I tried to find somebody to help finish my one but just doesn't make sense financially.

 

[yartin]

Have you looked plumbers in local papers?
Look in yell.com
Also look online for local builders, I use number of them:
https://www.mybuilder.com/
https://www.trustatrader.com/
https://www.ratedpeople.com/local-builders
https://www.myjobquote.co.uk/builder

Plus social media like nextdoor and FB

I am doing bathroom myself now, do what I can, called plasterer and will call plumber when needed, did the kitchen same way....

Good luck

 

[polesapart]

Better than websites are personal recommendations from friends, family or neighbours.

Another tack is to visit local plumbers merchants and ask if they know anyone who's good and possibly available.

Stay local.

 

[Schrayder]

Have you looked plumbers in local papers?
Look in yell.com
Also look online for local builders, I use number of them:
https://www.mybuilder.com/
https://www.trustatrader.com/
https://www.ratedpeople.com/local-builders
https://www.myjobquote.co.uk/builder

Guys chasing work on those "race to the bottom" sites are doing so for a reason.

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Guys chasing work on those "race to the bottom" sites are doing so for a reason.

I'd echo the above. You can get good and you can get bad, the sites apparently don't inspect work or check references so they are no better than a card on the wholesalers' notice board. See if your local authority trading standards bunch run a Trusted Trader scheme- they can be trusted. They won't be the cheapest but you will get a decent quality safe job done.

 

[dilalio]

One thing worth noting...

Us self-employed Plumbers do prioritise work.

If you have an emergency/urgent situation such as a leak, no hot water, no CH, blockage, etc, we do our best to get to you quickly and rearrange our diaries to reschedule non urgent work.

As self-employed, it is also in our interest to have worked "booked in" for as far into the future as possible.

This may lead to confusion for some, as to why they can get a plumber quickly for some jobs and not others.

I always inform customers on large projects that I may have to arrive later/dash off/leave earlier to deal with such emergencies and that one day in the future (or even in the past) it's them, whose aid I'll be rushing to.

 

[Notch7]

Also look online for local builders, I use number of them:
https://www.mybuilder.com/
https://www.trustatrader.com/
https://www.ratedpeople.com/local-builders
https://www.myjobquote.co.uk/builder

I would strongly advise against this route at all costs.

the most common distress thread posted on this forum is people being ripped off or failed by inept tradesmen and they always lead back to these sites.

try Joining your local Facebook group and asking on there.

if you have a local independent plumbing merchant gomand ask them for some leads.


And, if you see any extensions being built by a building firm in the streets near you - pop your head and ask to speak to the builder running the job or one of their tradesmen - these guys have contact details of good tradesmen in their phones.

Many really good tradesmen don’t advertise because they have too much work - and builders build their contacts via networking: either through seeing guys on site or in the pub.

 

[muggles]

Have to agree - the only trusted trader scheme worth the name is www.buywithconfidence.gov.uk which is run by Trading Standards and is truly impartial.