How to Choose a Plumber: 9 Checks

To choose a plumber you can trust, check that their reviews come from real jobs, get a written quote, and confirm they’re insured. If there’s any gas work involved, they must be Gas Safe registered. A few minutes of checking before anyone arrives can save you a lot of money and stress later.

Most plumbers are skilled and honest. These checks help you find them and avoid the few who aren’t.

1. Check that reviews come from real jobs

Reviews are usually the first thing people look at, and for good reason. The problem is that online reviews can be easy to fake, and a page full of five-star comments doesn’t always mean what it seems.

Look for:

Detail. Genuine reviews usually mention the job, the area and something specific, like “replaced our stopcock and explained how to use it”.

Spread over time. A steady flow of reviews over months or years is more reassuring than a burst in one week.

How they handle criticism. A calm, helpful reply to a less positive review tells you a lot.

This is why reviews on Trade Pilot work differently. Each review is linked to a real, invoiced job, so it comes from someone the plumber actually worked for. It won’t tell you everything, but it removes the biggest doubt with online reviews: whether the reviewer was ever a customer.

Recommendations from neighbours, friends and local groups are valuable too. Local plumbers recommended by people you know still deserve the same checks, as a plumber who was great for a tap repair may not be the right fit for a full bathroom.

2. Get a written quote

Before any work starts, ask for a written quote, even if it’s a short email or message. It should cover:

what work will be done

whether it’s a fixed price, a day rate or an hourly rate

whether parts, VAT and any call-out fee are included

roughly when the work will happen and how long it should take

A written quote gives you something to compare and to point to if the bill changes.

For tips on comparing like with like, see our guide on plumber costs, hourly rates and call-out fees.

3. Confirm they’re insured

Ask whether the plumber has public liability insurance. It covers damage to your property or injury caused by their work. A leak from a badly made joint can cause thousands of pounds of damage, so this matters.

A reputable plumber won’t mind you asking, and many will send a copy of their certificate.

4. If there’s gas involved, check Gas Safe registration

Any work on gas appliances or gas pipework, including boilers, gas hobs and gas fires, must by law be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Not every plumber is registered, and plumbing and gas are separate skills.

To check:

Ask to see their Gas Safe ID card. It has a photo, a licence number and, on the back, the types of gas work they’re qualified to do.

Check the licence number on the Gas Safe Register website or by phone.

Make sure they’re qualified for the specific job, such as boilers or cookers.

Never let anyone who isn’t Gas Safe registered work on gas, and never try gas work yourself. If you smell gas, leave the property and call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999.

5. Look for WaterSafe or an approved contractor scheme

WaterSafe is the national register of approved plumbing businesses, backed by the UK water supply industry. Businesses on it employ plumbers trained in the water fittings regulations and carry the required insurance.

Using an approved plumber has a practical benefit: for certain jobs, they can issue a certificate confirming the work meets the water regulations. That can help if your water company ever questions an installation. You can search the WaterSafe website by postcode.

Not every good plumber is on WaterSafe, so treat it as a strong plus rather than an absolute must for small repairs. For new installations, such as a new bathroom or a water softener, it’s worth asking about.

6. Ask about guarantees

Ask what guarantee comes with the work:

Workmanship guarantee. How long will the plumber put right problems with their own work? Many offer 6 to 12 months on repairs and longer on installations, but this varies.

Parts warranty. Manufacturers’ warranties on taps, valves, boilers and cylinders may depend on the item being fitted by a competent installer and, for boilers, registered.

Get the guarantee in writing. Under consumer law, a trader must carry out a service with reasonable care and skill, so you have rights even without a written guarantee, but a clear one makes things simpler.

7. Agree payment terms upfront

Clear payment terms protect both of you.

Small jobs are usually paid on completion.

Larger jobs may involve a deposit, often to cover materials. A modest deposit is normal; being asked for most of the money before work starts is not.

Staged payments for big projects should be tied to clear milestones.

Paying by card can give extra protection. Paying by credit card for amounts over £100 may give you rights under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 if something goes wrong.

Always get an invoice with the business name, address and a breakdown of the work.

8. Check they’re a real, contactable business

Before you let anyone in, make sure you know who they are:

a business name and a physical address, not just a mobile number

a working landline or a consistent contact number

if they’re a limited company, a quick check on Companies House

If the work is agreed in your home, you’ll usually have cancellation rights, and the trader should give you written information about them. Ask if you’re unsure.

9. Watch for red flags

Walk away if you see any of these:

Cold callers who knock on your door saying they’ve “spotted a problem”.

Pressure to decide now, or a price that’s “only valid today”.

Cash only, with no invoice or receipt.

Large upfront payments before any work or materials arrive.

Vague quotes, or a refusal to put anything in writing.

No fixed address or unwillingness to share insurance details.

Offers to do gas work without showing a Gas Safe ID card.

Our guide to rogue trader warning signs covers these in more detail.

Questions to ask a plumber

Keep these to hand when you call a plumber:

Have you done this type of job before, and can you show examples?

Is your quote fixed, or based on time?

Does the price include parts, VAT and any call-out fee?

Are you insured, and can you send proof?

Are you Gas Safe registered (if gas is involved) or WaterSafe approved?

What guarantee do you give on your work?

When can you start, and how long will it take?

How and when do you want to be paid?

What happens if you find something unexpected?

In Reading, it’s also worth asking about limescale. The town has very hard water, around 290 ppm by commonly quoted measures, and a plumber with local experience will know how it affects taps, showers and heating systems.

Getting quotes

When you contact plumbers, a clear brief helps you get accurate, comparable quotes:

Describe the job and where it is in the house.

Send photos of the problem, the pipework and the area around it.

Say whether you’ll supply parts or want the plumber to.

Give your postcode and when you’d like the work done.

Get three quotes where you can. Three give you a feel for the fair local price and show you how each plumber approaches the job. The cheapest isn’t always the best value. Look for the quote that explains what’s included and what might change, from a plumber who answers your questions clearly.

When you’re ready, you can find vetted plumbers in Reading and compare quotes in one place.

FAQs

How do I choose a good plumber?

Check that their reviews come from real jobs, get a written quote, confirm they have public liability insurance, and make sure they’re Gas Safe registered for any gas work. Agree payment terms and guarantees before work starts.

How can I find recommended plumbers near me?

Ask neighbours and friends, check local community groups, and use platforms where reviews are tied to real jobs. Then run the same checks on any recommendation, including insurance, a written quote and relevant registrations.

Are local plumbers recommended by friends always the safest choice?

A personal recommendation is a great start, but it only tells you about one job, so still run the checks above.

What questions should I ask a plumber before hiring?

Ask whether the price is fixed or time-based, what it includes, whether they’re insured, what guarantee they give, how they want to be paid, and what happens if they find something unexpected.

Does a plumber need to be registered?

There’s no single legal registration for general plumbing, but anyone working on gas must be Gas Safe registered by law. WaterSafe approval shows a plumbing business is trained in the water regulations and properly insured.

Get up to 3 quotes from vetted local plumbers. Tell us about the job and your postcode, and we’ll match you with trades whose reviews come from real, invoiced jobs.