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There are a number of ways you can make sure you're hiring a quality plumber that you can trust in your home.

1. Read their customer reviews

Even if you get a plumber recommendation from family, friends, and neighbours, you must check their online customer reviews.

It should be easy to find reviews and ratings for any reputable local plumber online. That way, you can see what other customers in the Kirkwall area have to say about the plumber's service.

A great place to start is to check their profile here on Checkatrade. That way you can read their reviews, look at their photos and see all their credentials in one place.

2. Check their credentials

The best plumbers tend to be those with qualifications and/or accreditations from national trade associations, such as the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (CIPHE), Association of Plumbing & Heating Contractors (APHC), and Scottish and Northern Ireland Plumbing Employers’ Federation (SNIPEF).

3. Ask for quotes (and compare them)

For any plumbing you need to hire a local plumber for, make sure you get a quote from them before agreeing to hire them. You want to make sure that the plumber prices you’re being quoted are fair and competitive.

Want to get affordable plumbing quotes now? You’re in luck as we’ve created a handy request a quote tool that makes it quick and easy to find multiple quotes from reliable plumbers in your area. All you need to do is post details about the plumbing job and we’ll send it out to local plumbers in your area. Try it out – it's quick and easy!

4. Follow up on their references

A good plumber will happily give you references from previous customers that you can talk to if you want to verify the quality of their work before hiring them.

Having a brief chat with the plumber’s previous customers is a great way to find a plumber you can trust.

Plumbers are responsible for fitting and maintaining water systems in both domestic and commercial buildings. They’re typically responsible for working with pipework, heating systems, toilets, baths, showers, sinks, washing machines and dishwashers.

Depending on their individual experience and qualifications, local plumbers carry out a wide range of jobs, from fixing a leaking tap and unblocking toilet to installing boilers and new heating systems. In order to work with gas appliances, plumbers will need to be suitably qualified and ideally registered as a Gas Safe engineer in the UK.

The working day of a plumber will often include working on many of the following plumbing jobs:

• Fixing leaks and damaged water systems

• Unblocking or repairing drainage systems

• Installing, repairing or replacing pipework and fittings

• Installing central heating systems and domestic heating appliances

• Servicing water systems and fixing faults

• Responding to emergency call-outs such as floods or broken boilers

Common jobs for plumbers in Kirkwall

If you're a homeowner, or even renting a property, chances are you’re going to need a plumber at some stage. And in many cases, you won’t realise you need a plumbing company until the problem has become an emergency.

Here are the most common jobs that plumbers get hired for in Kirkwall:

• Blocked drains – Not the most pleasant of jobs, but it’s amazing how often drains get blocked and need professional attention from a plumber to fix the problem.

• Running toilet – A toilet that continuously runs after you flash it will be wasting a lot of water and needs to be fixed as soon as possible.

• Dripping taps – Drips can be one of those little annoying problems that you constantly put off fixing but should be dealt with quickly to avoid wasting water.

• Low water pressure – A weak shower can often be the symptom of a build up in the shower head or pipework, which leads to clogging and reduced water flow.

• Leaking pipes – This is particularly common in older properties where pipework might be old and worn, and leaks can quickly cause visible water damage. Leaks can often be a sign of a bigger problem so it’s best to call a local plumber as soon as possible.

• Appliance plumbing installation and maintenance – Washing machines and dishwashers are wonderful features to have in your home, as long as they’re installed properly and well-maintained.

Need to find a plumber in Kirkwall?

Use our search to find plumbers working in Kirkwall. Or, alternatively, use our handy request a quote feature to get multiple plumber quotes at a time – you simply post details about the plumbing job you want doing and we’ll send it out to plumbing companies that cover your area. Give it a try!

When it comes to getting the right plumber for the job, it’s important to have a chat with them about the problem you need fixing or the work you need them to do. And as part of this conversation, it’s often very useful to ask a bunch of questions so that you’re clear on what they can do, how much they charge and when they can get the job done.

Questions to ask a plumber

We’ve put together a list of questions that you might find it useful to ask when you’re speaking to local plumbers working in Kirkwall.

• How long have you been in the plumbing business for?

• What qualifications and/or accreditations do you have?

• Can you provide me with your license and/or ID details?

• Have you done similar plumbing installation jobs in Kirkwall before?

• 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?

• What are your hourly or daily rates?

• Do you charge a call out fee?

• Can you provide a detailed quote with a breakdown of all the costs?

• How long do you think the job will take?

• When can you come and do the work?

It’s important that you’re confident that you’re hiring a plumber who can do the job to the right standard. When speaking to them, you should be able to get a feel for their attitude and approach to their work.

Choosing the right plumber

If you speak to a plumber and they’re hesitant to answer your questions, or they give you answers that make you doubt their ability to do the work, move on and find another plumber who can fill you with confidence.

At the end of the day, you want to hire a plumber who is friendly to work with, skilled to do the work, and will achieve the result that you want.

When it comes to the wellbeing of your and your home, it’s important that you hire a plumber who will carry out their work safely and securely and to a professional standard. Being a licensed plumber and/or having the relevant plumber qualifications is a sign that they take their trade seriously and that they will work to certain standards, governed by their licensing body.

In the UK, there are a number of licenses that a plumber can have, depending on the nature of the work. Two of the most important plumber licenses for you to check for are WaterSafe and the Gas Safe Register.

WaterSafe approved plumbers

WaterSafe is an online directory for competent and qualified plumbers in the UK. All WaterSafe approved plumbers are certified by their national accreditation body, which specifically focuses on training plumbers in the UK’s Water Fittings Regulations and Byelaws.

By hiring a WaterSafe approved plumber you can be confident that they will work to a high standard and do their best to conserve water and improve water systems in the best way possible.

You can check if a plumber is WaterSafe approved by using the Watersafe approved plumber search tool.

Registered Gas Safe engineers

The Gas Safe Register is the official list of tradespeople and businesses that are legally permitted to carry out gas work in the UK. All registered Gas Safe engineers are issued with a Gas Safe ID card, which details the type of gas work that they are permitted to do.

Many plumbers are also registered Gas Safe engineers, but not all engineers are qualified to do all types of gas work. Therefore, it’s important that you check the plumber’s ID card before they carry out any gas work in your home.

If you need to find a plumber with the appropriate plumber qualifications to carry out gas work, you can use the Gas Safe find an engineer search tool online.

Find a plumber with plumbing qualifications

All Checkatrade members have been checked by our team to verify any qualifications they hold, so that you can be confident that any information on their profile is valid and accurate. Search for plumbers now!

Plumbers only usually charge a call out fee if they are responding to an emergency or an out-of-hours call.

Average call out fees are around £100 to £120. A plumber’s hourly rate may also increase when responding to an emergency call out.

Not all plumbers charge a call out fee, but it is very common for most plumbers. Our plumber call out fee guide provides more information about the costs involved in calling out an emergency plumber.

Plumbing is a highly skilled trade. Whether you are fixing a leaky tap or installing a new bathroom, the work involved is specialist and should be undertaken by a trained professional.

Some experienced DIYers may wish to carry out home plumbing work themselves. For the inexperienced, however, it’s always best to hire a plumber.

If you experience any future problems, your plumbing work will be covered by their insurance for an average of 10 years or more.

If you do the work yourself and any problems arise, it’s up to you to fix the issue and you won’t be able to claim on your insurance.

• Fixing leaks and damaged water systems

• Unblocking or repairing drainage systems

• Installing, repairing or replacing pipework and fittings

• Installing central heating systems and domestic heating appliances

• Servicing water systems and fixing faults

• Responding to emergency call-outs such as floods or broken boilers

Here are the most common jobs that plumbers get hired for in Kirkwall:

• Blocked drains – Not the most pleasant of jobs, but it’s amazing how often drains get blocked and need professional attention from a plumber to fix the problem

• Running toilet – A toilet that continuously runs after you flash it will be wasting a lot of water and needs to be fixed as soon as possible

• Dripping taps – Drips can be one of those little annoying problems that you constantly put off fixing but should be dealt with quickly to avoid wasting water

• Low water pressure – A weak shower can often be the symptom of a build-up in the shower head or pipework, which leads to clogging and reduced water flow

• Leaking pipes – This is particularly common in older properties where pipework might be old and worn, and leaks can often be a sign of a bigger problem so it’s best to call a local plumber as soon as possible

• Appliance plumbing installation and maintenance – Washing machines and dishwashers are wonderful features to have in your home, as long as they’re installed properly and well-maintained

This will depend on the materials used in the plumbing system. Brass, iron, and steel water supply pipes have a life expectancy of around 50 – 70 years.

Copper pipes usually last between 70 – 80 years. While PVC pipes last around 50 years.

For domestic installations such as kitchens and bathrooms, kitchens usually last around 30 years. Bathrooms last around 40 years.

For home heating systems, they can last anywhere from 10 -30 years depending on the quality of the system, how well it is maintained, and the initial installation.

All plumbing systems will have a shorter average life in areas with high levels of limescale (hard water) in the water.

If you’re facing a plumbing emergency, first of all, stay calm. Then follow these steps:

1. Turn off the water supply at the shutoff valve and turn off your hot water system

2. Call an experienced local plumber and give them as much information as possible about the plumbing issue – if it’s outside of standard working hours you’ll need to find an emergency plumber

3. Soak up any excess water as soon as you can to minimise water damage

4. Avoid trying to fix the problem yourself and wait for a trained plumber to arrive

When speaking to a local plumber, ask them what they recommend you should do before they arrive.

They will be able to provide the right immediate action to take to minimise damage to your property.

Some of the most common qualifications to look out for include:

• City & Guilds NVQ certifications (as a minimum):

• Level 1 is appropriate for simple jobs like tap changes and small leaks

• Level 2 shows that the plumber has experience and can work on standard re-plumbing for most hot and cold water pipework

• Level 3 is a sign that the plumber has more training and can work on all plumbing and heating systems

• Gas Safe registration is required by law for anyone working on gas appliances and they must be fully trained and competent with an Accredited Certification Scheme (ACS) in gas that must be renewed every five years

• WRAS certification shows that the plumber is compliant with current water regulations and is accepted by all water suppliers in the UK

Always ask local plumbers for evidence of their training, qualifications, and accreditations before hiring them.

Take a look at our top tips for hiring a good local plumber.