How to find a good local plumber

When it comes to fixing leaks, upgrading a boiler, or installing a new bathroom or heating system, you want to use a plumber you can rely on. In this guide, we look at how to find a good local plumber in your area.

There are thousands of plumbers out there, but you want to make sure the one you hire is experienced and charges a fair price for the work they do.

Finding a good plumber shouldn’t be a lottery, we’ll make sure it isn’t. Keep reading to find out how to find a reliable plumber near you.

Where can I find a good plumber?

Gone are the days of having to use a big yellow book to find reliable plumbers. You now have a number of options to help you find a good local plumber.

Here are some of the most popular:

Use online directories and review sites

If you haven’t been able to find a good plumber in your area through recommendations, try online directories and tradesperson review sites. When searching for a plumber that hasn’t been personally recommended, make sure you read their reviews and ratings to gauge the quality of service that they provide. To avoid cowboys, make sure reviews have been verified and aren’t anonymous.

Did you know, we make sure finding a tradesperson isn’t a lottery – you can search for tradespeople who are recommended by your neighbours!

Contact plumbing trade associations

Most reputable plumbers will be a member of a trade association, such as the Association of Plumbing & Heating Contractors (APHC) and the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (CIPHE). Belonging to an association like these is typically a sign of a good quality plumber with a professional attitude and a dedication to their work.

Always make sure to check the tradespeople on Checkatrade and see if they’re recommended by your neighbours, and us!

Ask other tradespeople

If you already know or have worked with other professional tradespeople (such as electricians, carpenters or plasterers), chances are they’ll know of good local plumbers that they can recommend.

Reliable tradespeople like to work with other reliable tradespeople, so speak to the good tradespeople who’ve done a good job for you in the past and make use of their networks to find a good local plumber.

Always make sure to check the tradespeople on Checkatrade and see if they’re recommended by your neighbours, and us!

Ask for recommendations on local community groups

These days, many local communities have active Facebook group pages where people in your local area tend to ask for and share recommendations. And that goes for finding a good local plumber. Upload a post asking for recommendations and see who your neighbours recommend.

You’ll often find that some plumbers will be recommended by multiple people, so they’re likely to be the good ones.

But if you do this, ALWAYS make sure to check the trade first. Remember, you could easily see if any neighbours recommend them on Checkatrade.

How do I choose a plumber?

No matter how you find local plumbers, you’ll want to make sure the person you’re hiring is suitable for the job and can deliver the service you need.

4 top tips for how to find a good plumber in your area

Here are our top tips for how to find a reliable plumber in your area:

1. Hire a plumber with experience and qualifications

Choosing the right plumber means hiring a tradesperson with relevant experience, qualifications and/or accreditations.

You want to make sure that the plumber you hire has the skills and know-how to do the work efficiently and to a professional standard.

2. Always read their reviews

Reviews and ratings for reputable plumbers should be easy to find online, whether it’s Facebook reviews, Google Business pages, independent review sites like TrustPilot, or our very own reviews here on Checkatrade.

Take time to read through the reviews to see what previous customers are saying about the individual plumber, their attitude, and level of service they provide. If you see the odd negative review, that’s OK, just as long as the majority aren’t mentioning issues – that would be a red flag.

3. Ask for quotes to compare

No matter what plumbing job you need doing, make sure you get a quote upfront before hiring a plumber. We always recommend getting at least three quotes from local plumbers, so that you can shop around to make sure you’re paying a fair and competitive price for the work.

Looking to get quotes now? We’ve put together a handy tool that makes finding multiple quotes from plumbers your neighbours recommend super easy. Our request a quote feature is perfect for getting quotes: you post details about the work you need doing and we’ll send it out to local tradespeople in your area. Try it out – it’s quick and easy!

4. Check their previous work

When looking for a reliable plumber, it’s always helpful to see examples of recent jobs they’ve done that are similar to what you need to do in your home. Ask for references from previous customers and follow up on them to have a chat about how they found working with the plumber in question.

How to find a reliable plumber – good questions to ask

Here are some useful questions you should be asking to find a good local plumber:

• How long have you been in the business for?
• What qualifications and/or accreditations do you have?
• Have you done similar projects to this in the past?
• Can you provide references and/or examples of similar work?
• Do you have Public Liability Insurance?
• Do you offer any sort of service quality guarantee?
• Do you charge a fixed price or per hour/day?
• Can you provide a detailed quote with a breakdown of all the costs?

How much does a plumber cost?

The average cost of a plumber is around £50 per hour, or £350 per day, depending on the complexity of the plumbing work involved, the individual plumber, and their experience.

You may also have to pay a callout fee, particularly if it’s for out of hours work – which may cost an extra £100-£120.

To find out more about prices, check out our guide to plumber costs.

FAQs

What should I look for when hiring a plumber?

When hiring a local plumber, you want to look out for the following:

• Relevant plumbing qualifications and accreditations
• Experience of similar plumbing work
• References from previous customers, as recent as possible
• Fair and competitive rates
• Responsiveness to texts, emails or phone calls
• Valid insurance
• A positive personal attitude

How do you talk to a plumber?

Plumbers are humans just like you, so the first thing to remember is always to be friendly. One of the most useful things you can do when talking to a plumber you’re considering hiring is to let them know what you need and when you need it – that way they can assess if and/or when they can help.

If you’re dealing with an emergency plumbing situation it’s easy to get caught up in the stress, but don’t take that out on the plumber you want to hire – try and stay calm and explain what you need their help with.

When should you pay a plumber?

The timing of when you should pay a plumber will depend on the individual plumber and the job they’re doing for you. Payment is definitely something you should confirm before hiring them, so that both parties are clear on the payment terms of how much is due and when.