Plumbing emergencies — what to do first
For a burst pipe or major leak, turn off the water at the stopcock (usually under the kitchen sink or where the supply enters the property) before calling anyone — this limits water damage while you wait. For no hot water or heating, check the boiler pressure gauge first; a common cause is low pressure, which some homeowners can safely top up themselves via the filling loop.
Aftercare after plumbing work
After a boiler installation or bathroom refit, you should receive a benchmark/commissioning checklist (for a boiler) or a written summary of the work done, which you'll want if you make an insurance claim or sell the property later. Keep it with your household paperwork alongside any appliance warranties.
Common plumbing jobs
Plumbers handle everything from a dripping tap to a full bathroom re-pipe: fixing leaks, clearing blocked drains, replacing taps and valves, fitting new bathroom suites, repairing or replacing radiators, and connecting appliances like washing machines and dishwashers. Emergency work (burst pipes, no hot water) is usually handled separately from planned jobs like a bathroom refit.
When plumbing work needs a Gas Safe engineer instead
Plumbers can install and repair most water systems, but any work on a gas appliance or gas pipework — a boiler, a gas fire, a gas hob — is illegal for anyone who isn't on the Gas Safe Register, by law. If a job involves both plumbing and a gas connection (moving a boiler, for example), check whether your plumber is also Gas Safe registered before booking.
How many quotes should you get?
Three is a reasonable number for most plumbing jobs — enough to spot an outlier without asking too many people to visit for a straightforward repair. For a planned job like a bathroom refit, make sure each quote covers the same scope, since a lower price sometimes means less is included, not better value.
What a good plumbing quote should include
A proper quote should state the scope of work, whether parts are included in the price or charged separately, an estimate of how long the job will take, and what happens if the job turns out to be bigger than expected once work starts (a common scenario with older pipework).
Boiler pressure and heating faults
Most combi boilers run best between 1 and 1.5 bar of pressure — too low and the heating cuts out, too high and the pressure relief valve can discharge. A plumber checking a heating fault will usually look at pressure, check for trapped air in radiators (bleeding), and check the pump and diverter valve before assuming a full boiler fault.
When a drain camera survey is worth it
For a recurring blockage, tree root ingress, or before buying a property with an older drainage system, a CCTV drain survey shows the actual condition of the pipework rather than guessing from symptoms alone — worth the cost if a blockage keeps coming back despite repeated clearing.