Choosing the right plumber

Redoing a bathroom or kitchen is an exciting prospect, but the excitement disappears when you hear about plumbing experiences that have gone horribly wrong. Before undergoing any plumbing maintenance and repairs there are a few key pointers you can use to ensure that you are safeguarded as a customer and that your dream kitchen and bathroom materialize.

Tips for hiring a plumber

The best way to try and eliminate any plumbing issues is to make sure that you chose a reputable plumber

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Reputable plumbers will be registered with the Plumbing Industries Regulation Board (PIRB).  This will allow the plumber to issue a Certificate of Compliance for work completed – which provides you, the customer, with recourse if things go wrong. The plumber needs to show his/her PIRB card as proof. There is a website and an app on the PIRB website to check the number for integrity purposes. https://pirb.co.za/pirb-member-search/ you can contact the PIRB on 0861 PIRB Plumber (0861 747 2758).

Additionally, reputable plumbers will also register with the Institute of Plumbing (IOPSA). While this is voluntary, it gives consumers additional peace of mind as this ensures that work completed is inspected by the PIRB inspectorate. Non-compliant work that is not corrected leads to deregistration of the respective installer. There are various contacts available per region which can be found on the following website:  https://www.iopsa.org.za/

Ask if the plumber has insurance. This is to ensure that in the event of possible incidents the plumber will be liable and the consumer protected. Types of insurance should include public liability, defective workmanship as well as product liability.

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Ask any friends or family who have recently had work done if they can recommend anyone – then investigate the plumber’s compliance and other points noted here.   You can also take your search online to ask for recommendations on social media platforms.

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If you are still not comfortable you can continue your search of a plumber by making use of the IOPSA and PIRB websites.

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