The best plumbers in Canberra

Blueline Plumbing and Gas! ??????
They’ve installed a laundry sink and appliances, a dishwasher, a vanity/sink in the bathroom, fixed my shower taps from being really tight and squeaky, replaced and insulted some pipes around my hot water system, neatened up a bunch of outdoor taps and installed an automatic dog bowl for me. I will use them anytime I need work done and recommend very highly!

Around Town Plumbing
I’ve used Rob and the crew a few times now. Nothing is ever a problem. Great service with a smile ???

Spencer and Sons Plumbing are our Go-To! Experienced, Organised, Friendly.

Spencer & Sons Plumbing 100%

Spencer and Sons Plumbing by far the best. Highly recommended

Definitely Spencer & Sons Plumbing. Always reliable and punctual. Great service and great tradesmen

Spencer & sons plumbing without a doubt

Jml plumbing and gas pty ltd

Spencer & Sons Plumbing, family owned and operated.

Every time we use JML Plumbing & Gas we get blown away with the level of service. I’d give 6/5 stars if I could.

JML Plumbing & Gas Pty Ltd. Best and friendliest plumbers in Canberra.

Blueline Plumbing and Gas is another great business, we had had nothing but positive experiences when working with them. I am always recommending them to family and friends. I just wish all trades matched their excellent communication, friendliness and quality work because they are just exceptional!

You have written good post and list of plumber as well but you Missed the Oxy plumbing .Oxy plumbing is a professional and affordable plumber company in Canberra. We provide quality plumbing services to residential and commercial customers https://www.oxyplumbing.com.au/

We called Ben from Rydeau Plumbing regarding a water issue in our yard. He was so helpful over the phone and someone turned up that day to assess the issue. They provided quote on the spot and came back to fix the issue within a few days. Their service was prompt, quality of work exceptional and reasonably priced. Wouldn’t hesitate to recommend.

Anthony and James from Blueline Plumbing and Gas repaired a leaking water supply pipe outside of my property. Their client service was impeccable, providing timely and sound advise and describing the tasks required even before they inspected the leak. They even suggested simple things I could do to reduce their work, and hence the final bill. They were very professional, did proper follow-up, and provided all details needed in their invoices, including photos and suggestions for maintenance. I was very happy with their work and highly recommend them.

I do not recommend The Plumbing and Electrical Doctor. I called on the Monday requesting a look at my hot water service, which I suspected needed a new element. Was told someone would be around within 2 hours. On Tuesday morning a plumber arrived and declared that my whole system was on the way out and gave me 3 quotes. I decided to get a further opinion, and the plumber I contacted today told me it was the element/heater, arrived with the parts, and had the hot water running again in less than 2 hours. I saved $1600 by not listening to The Plumbing and Electrical Doctor. The call out fee was very reasonable, however, at $49.

I have used Definitive plumbing before, the guy that owns it was who came out. He was very nice and professional and much cheaper than other people who quoted me off this website

Thanks to the review on this site I found Andrew McReynolds Plumbing. I had a blocked drain and Andrew was able to assist me in a timely and professional manner. Andrew has great customer skills, is willing to assist and his rates are very reasonable. I can highly recommend him.

I am rapt that I found Andrew McReynolds Plumbing. I had tree roots in a pipe and read the reviews here but couldn’t tell which ones were legit. Believe me when I say that Andrew was a godsend. He was skilled and good natured and very reasonably priced for what was a murky and time consuming job. I highly recommend him. And that’s legit.

Avoid at all costs the following, they are all the basically same company:
Canberra Blocked Drain Services
Canberra Emergency Hot Water Solutions
Canberra Hot Water Systems and Repairs
Canberra Solar Hot Water Solutions
P1 Plumbing and Electrical Services
Priority One Plumbing and Electrical Services
North Canberra Plumbing
Roof Plumbing Canberra
Sam’s Local Plumbing
Tuggeranong Plumbing
Your Local Plumber ACT

Smart website, call centre, and charged me over $13k for work which they said would take over a week, and ended up taking barely three days with downtime. Manager got threatening and aggressive when I questioned the bill. Awful.

Hi Diane … I also have plumbing issues and am wondering how you went with that second plumber? And would you mind sharing his name / contact please?

+1 for Running Plumbing. Damien is excellent – professional, trustworthy, reasonable and quick. Definitely should be in the best plumber lists 🙂

Absolutely appalled by Priority One. We lost hot water, called them out, and were quoted $1100 for a fix that may not last long in their words, or $4500 to replace the whole system. Time for another quote, Spencer and Sons came out, replaced the thermostat for $200, job done. Priority One are charlatans, stay clear.

We Just used Duncan’s Plumbing to repair a disconnected sewage pipe. They were prompt, communicative, efficient, friendly and did a beautiful job. Their invoice was the most comprehensive I’ve ever seen, describing and itemising the work in detail. I’ll be employing them again within a month for more work that we need doing. Fantastic job

Check out the guys from “Emergency Plumbers Canberra” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoymXMf8n-k
They answered promptly arrived quickly and took a reasonable price.

Running Plumbing (Damian Peacock) is the plumber with the mostest. He responded quickly,
and was very honest and reliable. The price was right, and he made sure the problem was fixed before we paid. Can’t recommend him highly enough.

I would not recommend priority one plumbing. The plumber was 1 hour late (told us to come between 10am – 2pm, came at 3pm), and he did fix the problem (leaky tap). The pricing system though, is very “confusing” or should I say tricky, my impression is they still charge the same whether you used the “coupon” or not. They tell you higher price if you asked to use the coupon anyways. Conclusion: they can probably fix problems but customers are definitely note their priority and they try to trick you and charge more. I read this article and went with priority one, but regretting it. I would stick with my local plumber from next time.

I would not recommend priority one plumbing for clearing roots from drains. I had them in and they were unsuccessful ($420 for nothing) and suggested replacing everything. I instead called capital city plumbing who had no trouble clearing drain and for less than half the price. ($187)

Damian Peacock from Running Plumbing is great. We have used him twice now over five years. He is easily contactable by phone or email, returns our calls and emails, attends and fixes our problems very promptly, and goes to some trouble rescheduling other jobs to sort our problems out. We are very impressed with him. Next time we need a plumber, he’s it!

Anthony from Blueline plumbing and Gas. Extremely high attention to details, is clean and reliable and very transparent as to what he does and your options (including the costs associated with each and his recommendations). Would recommend every time. Website is http://www.bluelineplumbers.com.au

Thank you RiotACT for saving the day with this good list.

I wish I had checked out the list a bit earlier.

The tap connected to the hose was a bit shaky and I was probably waiting for a disater to happen.

The disaster never happened as i got David to the resuse, Nice guy, did a good job and was econimical

I would surely recommend him to be added to the list as well.

http://dlplumbing.com.au/ – Thank you google !

My 2 cents.

Mark at Tap Doctor reliable, reasonably priced, tidy and on time. Forget ” Your Local Plumber” unless you want to take out a second mortgage.

An old thread, but wanted to add my +1 for Flow Plumbing. They came out this morning, promptly and when they said they would, cleared up an ugly sewer blockage quickly and efficiently, and charged a reasonable price to do it. Nice blokes. too. While I hope never to need their services again, if I do they’ll the be first ones I call.

Based on my recent experience I’d recommend Watertight Plumbing. These guys are excellent: superb communication and customer service – in a class of their own for tradies in Canberra. http://www.watertightcanberra.com.au/

We had a major leak on a Saturday. Couldn’t get our usual plumber on the phone. After trawling through these comments, I rang Raiders Plumbing’s emergency line. A woman answered and told me she would get the plumber to ring back shortly. He did. To cut a long story short, we had excellent service from Raiders Plumbing and I would certainly recommend them. (Thanks RiotACT!)

Our usual plumber – Rodney Apps – is also very good.

Might be a bit late for you Mikonos, however if anyone else is stuck please have a read of a blog post I wrote on leaking showers.
Definitely the most important thing is that your plumber will provide you with a detailed report at the end of his testing so that you can be sure they have not missed any of the 9 main causes of shower leaks. You may also end up using this report for insurance claims, etc.

http://watertightcanberra.com.au/leaking-shower-canberra/

Hi Spindain

I’m a plumber here in Canberra, and I can’t tell you how often I hear of cases like this. Below are a few tips you may like try before booking in your next tradesman. The whole process shouldn’t take more than 5 minutes.

Business Check –
Make sure the business you are employing are at the very least a registered business. Use the below link. Legally all businesses should have their Australian Business Number on their website, however if they don’t then you can search using their business name as well.
http://abr.business.gov.au/

License Check –
Certain trades require a licensed tradesman and the work cannot be done by just any old handy man.
The reason for this is pretty obvious. Water is the number one cause of damage to buildings and property. Poor quality drainage creates major health risks from sewage and sewage gases. A build-up of unburnt gas or damaged gas appliance due to incorrect pressure can cause explosions and poor electrical work can kill. Legally the license number should be written on all forms of advertising including their website, vehicle sign writing, etc.
These trades include
• Plumbing and Drainage
• Gas fitting
• Electrical work
• Asbestos Removal
For licensed trades in Canberra use the below website to check that their license is current
http://www.planning.act.gov.au/topics/hiring_licensing/employ-a-professional

For licensed trades in NSW use the below website to check that there license is current
http://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/

Next Step –
Existing Customer Feedback – Google the company name… This will take you all of 2 minutes and can dig up any unhappy customers pretty quickly. Not only that, it will most likely bring up a few customer reviews that you can check out yourself.
http://www.google.com.au

And lastly

See their website or ask them whilst booking in for
• Proof of insurances
• Methods of payments and payment terms

Hopefully this guide helps you out next time you’re booking in a tradesman.

As mentioned at the start, I am a Plumber. My name is Tom Martin and I own Water Tight Canberra, Canberra’s reliable plumbing, drainage and gasfitting service. I am extremely proud of the way I have built my business by providing high quality customer service. All of my staff have regular customer service training and we will always try our best to go that extra step to ensure customer satisfaction. If you book in a job online you can save 10% off the service call fee.
See http://www.watertightcanberra.com.au or call us on 02 61959991

Second for Ross at Flow Plumbing. Had him over a couple of times, he’s always been reliable and always gives you the straight talk on what’s going on.

Ezy said :

Give Ross at Flow Plumbing a call. I have had him work on my stuff and recommended him to a lot of others who have been more than happy with his work and his friendly nature.

0450 590 030
http://www.flowplumb.com.au

Most tradesman will have their licence numbers on their communication pieces (Letterheads, business cards, even work vans) if they don’t, you should start asking questions.

I second Ross from Flow Plumbing – I got tired of the minimal effort quick fixes from the bigger companies. Ross is professional and genuinely helpful.

Would Fair Trading be of any use to the OP at this point?

I recommend Elissa Pirotta (plumber).
She was prompt and professional, no dramas at all. 0402 120 442.

Remember that in the ACT, employed plumbers attract penalty wages at 3 times normal rates outside normal hours.
This doesn’t mean they work three times as hard.

Memo to everyone: When you call a tradie to do critical work; plumbing, electrical, structural or asbestos work ask to see their ACT licence. If they can’t display it, pass.

Note that trade licenses issued in NSW or any other jurisdiction are NOT valid in the ACT, the bod must hold an ACT construction practitioners licence relevant to his calling.

You can check the validity of a tradies licence by going onto Planning Authority’s website, all ACT licensed tradies and consultants are listed there.

In the case of an unlicensed situation as experienced by Spindain your best recourse is to threaten the bod with Small Claims Court action, if that doesn’t move him you should proceed with Small Claims.

Give Ross at Flow Plumbing a call. I have had him work on my stuff and recommended him to a lot of others who have been more than happy with his work and his friendly nature.

0450 590 030
http://www.flowplumb.com.au

Most tradesman will have their licence numbers on their communication pieces (Letterheads, business cards, even work vans) if they don’t, you should start asking questions.

ps, I forgot to add that after Flow charged a premium I still had to remove the toilet seat from the lugs, reposition the lugs and re-attach the seat, since the plumber had loosened and moved the seat, and not re-aligned or re-affixed it.

Based on recommendations in this thread I contacted “Flow” plumbing to fix my leaking toilet.
From my experience I cannot say that I too would recommend this business. My wife was home when the plumber completed the job and she paid for the job without an itemised invoice, but the plumber did specify that the job included 2 hours labour after my wife asked for this detail. The total cost of their work was $465, and after 2 requests by me for an itemised invoice or receipt and none being forthcoming I can only guess at what the charges were for.

Call Out Fee: $120
2 Hours Labour @ $120 / hr : $240
Materials: $115

I am being very generous here since the materials were only a rubber o-ring kind of seal and a pvc right angle and I really can’t see them being worth $115. But if the materials were worth less than this then I feel the cost of labour and the call out fee would be exorbitant. I don’t know if most plumbers absorb the call out fee into their first hours work but to arrive at the amount we were charged Flow plumbing definitely do not. I think Flow plumbing’s costs were definitely on the very high side. I would recommend when dealing with this business getting an itemised invoice before paying the bill. I guess we were partly to blame in this respect.

Last night burst water pipe – water everywhere. Managed to jerry-rig a solution but needed a professional to get it fixed properly. With so many recommendations on this page for Duncans I thought I would give them a try. “Sorry, can’t get anyone to you til Monday.” Half expected that given they are a company in demand but it still bothers me. I guess what I would like to see is that companies with good reputations will want to keep them by ensuring that they have sufficient staff to meet the needs of potential customers – and in the case of plumbing that of course can mean urgent need 24/7 – noting that such needs can justify appropriately high pricing for the service.

I’m picking on Duncans I know because it is far from the first case of this – it has happened with others in different service fields over the years. But at some point you’ve got to say “Hey look Company X will do a great job but you will have Buckleys actually getting them when you want them”. And that kind of market position breeds a certain casualness which I think is the beginning of the loss of reputation for companies. In this latest case, for example, (again typically for companies in commanding market positions), I wasn’t asked by the receptionist just what the problem was – for all she knew I was up to my neck in water about to go under. Fortunately, I wasn’t but it was still a serious risk and so it was “Sorry no thanks I’ll try elsewhere”.

Now for the good news. I rang Raiders Plumbing and the woman on the phone immediately asks me about the problem. She said she would talk to a plumber about it and their availability. I thought she was going to ring me back and I said I’ll wait for your call but she said could I hold on the line while she spoke to plumbers in the area. “We can be there in the next 1-2 hours”. “Great perfect. Visa card?” “Yes no worries.” Because the problem doesn’t relate to the shower after hanging up I get in the shower and as I’m getting out several minutes later my phone is ringing. “Hi this is Alex from Raiders Plumbing I’m at the door of your house, is there anyone at home at the moment so we can fix your problem.”

It is the first time in half century of waiting for tradespeople that I can remember that happening. It was like not having to wait in a doctors surgery – unbelievable. He then did a quick no-nonsense and thorough job on fixing the problem and was gone in half an hour with a charge which was on the modest side given the level of service.

I have absolutely no connection with the company and indeed this was the first time I had used them.

I contacted Ross from Flow plumbing, he was over in half an hour- on a Saturday afternoon! Fixed my leaking tap and also fixed my toilet as well while he was here. Polite, prompt and professional. I will definitely use his services again

Whenever I need a local handyman I go to Jim’s Building Maintenance
(http://www.jimsbuildingmaintenance.com.au/handyman-services.html). They offer a full
range of handyman services at competitive prices. I like the quality workmanship and
their customer service is the best. They use experienced professional tradespeople and
their handymen can handle all of the different aspects of your repair and maintenance
needs including all structural work, electrical, plumbing and even finishing work to
make sure that your property looks its best at the end of the project. Highly
recommended!

I would highly recommend Running Plumbing 0433 820693. We have issues with our sewage (the earthen ware pipes need replacing), Damien came around within the hour, decided the job was too big for himself – but sent an electric eel down to alleviate issues he then recommended 2 plumbers he would use. I have contacted both of them, they have been around in prompt fashion and supplied quotes vastly cheaper than the other quotes i have received, potentially saving us over $2000!

Call Pat from PFM Plumbing. I had a problem with the plumbing in my bathroom, he came out on the day, on TIME, and fixed the problem seamlessly and left no trace that he was ever there. He was reasonably priced and really friendly. I live in Calwell and have also recommend him to people who have used him in Belconnen.

Highly recommend him!

http://www.pfmplumbingcanberra.com

+1 Six Star Hot Water & Plumbing

I had to find a plumber quickly for my irritable dad who doesn’t trust tradesmen in general (previous bad experiences with loutish behaviour, leaving marks on walls, spending more time doing the job than necessary = more money charged).

The first company, Duncan’s, I messaged through their website, no reply ever. I couldn’t wait longer than a day, so at 5.10pm the next day I called Six Star. Didn’t expect them to pick up, as most businesses don’t pick up once its close to 5pm. The business owner answered and after asking him a few questions I felt assured he knew what he was talking about. He seemed straight talking and gave me options on how to deal with the problem we had with our hot water heater.

He was able to book a plumber to arrive at our place the next day. In fact, he arrived early. And was considerate enough to take off his shoes without asking after he came into our house. My dad said it was fine, as the plumber needed to do his job, and my dad already put rugs over the carpet.

The plumber conducted his task efficiently, orderly and carefully. He was able to identify very accurately where the location of our undetected leak was. He only removed 3 tiles in the bathroom to repair the copper pipe where the leak was. In terms of workmanship it was extremely tidy. In a short amount of time he completed the job, carefully as well.

After I came home my dad said ‘that man was excellent’. My dad said the plumber was direct, honest good man. And he did the job extremely accurately. Not many like him these days.

I had to email Six Star as I needed more information on the invoice to be able to make an insurance claim. The write up they sent back quickly was very detailed. I would describe this company as a ‘doer’ rather than one that just talks the talk.

In terms of prices, even for my stingy dad, he was very pleased, and thought the costs were extremely reasonable.

Used James from Weber plumbing(0423682816) today to get a leaking shower fixed. Price was competitive and he arrived before time. Would definitely recommend him.

Had Ross from Flow Plumbing out last week on Ezy’s recommendation in this thread and he looked after a long list of outstanding plumbing jobs for me (tap installs / replacements / fixes etc.).

Was great to deal with and easily the most professional tradie I have had at my place in a long while.

Very happy with the work / price.

I have mentioned it before – but try and give Ross at Flow Plumbing and Gasfitting a call. Super friendly – attentive. I know a few Rioters have used him based on my recommendation and haven’t been let down.

/www.flowplumb.com.au

The Antichrist said :

Jester said :

I thought I was on to a good thing based on this post, but I now think the OP’s write up is a stitch up. Called John, and left a message for him to call me back about a potential bathroom reno. That was over a day ago. Narda heard from since. Obviously the guy doesn’t want the work. Pretty poor outcome.

Over a whole day ago and he hasn’t dropped everything and attended to your phone call immediately ?? Won’t somebody think of the children OMFG !!

Fair dinkum, do you really think he is sitting patiently at his desk waiting, nay, PRAYING for your phone call so he can drop everything else and make sure your needs are attended to ?

Pretty obviously your post is a stitch-up from a competitor who doesn’t want to see old mate getting great reviews. Even if its not – who cares. If I was John and saw your post I wouldn’t want to do a job for you anyway.

Wow, and you my slightly distraught friend must be a mate of the guy by those comments. No, I’m not a competitor, just someone looking to get some work done. And what are you really, his apologist? I read the OP’s post in some belief that the guy would be attentive to new customers. So he wasn’t, that’s fine, I’ll go somewhere else. Most tradespeople I’ve dealt with in the past would return messages at the end of the day if they are busy and on the job. It was certainly the case with others that I rang for this job that they either picked up or returned my call that day.

And I’ve incurred capitals! I’ve followed RA long enough to recognise that as a sign of a deluded if not demented RA contributor. I also know that there is a cadre of cretins who rummage around the site looking to insult occasional posters. I think you might fit that category as well. Yes?

It’s my prerogative to share my experience, and so it was with the OP. Clearly you have nothing useful to add other than your narcissism.

Anyway, you seem to have got yourself in a bit of a lather about my critique. Maybe take a Bex and lay down for a while. And if you were John I wouldn’t want a nasty piece of work like you anywhere near my place to begin with.

Comic_and_Gamer_Nerd said :

He could be sick, he could be on holiday, he could be incredibly busy, he could be trying to catch up from end of financial year etc etc. or maybe, just maybe there was user error on your end. Some voice mails require you to press hash or maybe yours or his signal dropped out during sending of voicemail.

It is a day. Don’t be so ridiculous.

So glad I do not have to deal with self entitled assholes anymore since I left the construction industry and got a office job.

Or he could not be bothered…… so be it. The result is I go somewhere else. And get someone who is able to answer a simple enquiry, and not sick, or on holidays or whatever other lame excuse you conjured up for him. I do feel so self-entitled in looking to get some work done. And yes, I am totally incapable of leaving a phone message you goose. With an attitude like yours I can see why you’ve locked yourself in an office to save you from arseholes like me. And I’m truly glad in that case to hear you’re not an esteemed member of the construction industry I’ll every have to rely on for anything other than a good chuckle at your expense.

He could be sick, he could be on holiday, he could be incredibly busy, he could be trying to catch up from end of financial year etc etc. or maybe, just maybe there was user error on your end. Some voice mails require you to press hash or maybe yours or his signal dropped out during sending of voicemail.

It is a day. Don’t be so ridiculous.

So glad I do not have to deal with self entitled assholes anymore since I left the construction industry and got a office job.

Jester said :

I thought I was on to a good thing based on this post, but I now think the OP’s write up is a stitch up. Called John, and left a message for him to call me back about a potential bathroom reno. That was over a day ago. Narda heard from since. Obviously the guy doesn’t want the work. Pretty poor outcome.

Over a whole day ago and he hasn’t dropped everything and attended to your phone call immediately ?? Won’t somebody think of the children OMFG !!

Fair dinkum, do you really think he is sitting patiently at his desk waiting, nay, PRAYING for your phone call so he can drop everything else and make sure your needs are attended to ?

Pretty obviously your post is a stitch-up from a competitor who doesn’t want to see old mate getting great reviews. Even if its not – who cares. If I was John and saw your post I wouldn’t want to do a job for you anyway.

I thought I was on to a good thing based on this post, but I now think the OP’s write up is a stitch up. Called John, and left a message for him to call me back about a potential bathroom reno. That was over a day ago. Narda heard from since. Obviously the guy doesn’t want the work. Pretty poor outcome.

Chop71 said :

razzie said :

I highly recommend Tim from Turek’s Plumbing and Gas. I rang Tim yesterday when the plumber didn’t turn up as arranged. I got Tim’s details from Riot ACT.

Tim is very professional and he texted and rang me to advise he was running late. Excellent customer service and he knows his stuff. Got us out of a jam.

He is good with reliability but charges like he was punched in the head for every day of his apprenticeship ….. Sorry Tim, but I will be looking at someone else for my plumbing needs from now on.

Chop71, we did not experience Tim overcharging us at all. I also believe that ‘you get what you pay for’ and reliability in a tradesperson is worth it’s wait in gold.

If you want to pay peanuts, you get monkeys!

Chop71 said :

razzie said :

I highly recommend Tim from Turek’s Plumbing and Gas. I rang Tim yesterday when the plumber didn’t turn up as arranged. I got Tim’s details from Riot ACT.

Tim is very professional and he texted and rang me to advise he was running late. Excellent customer service and he knows his stuff. Got us out of a jam.

He is good with reliability but charges like he was punched in the head for every day of his apprenticeship ….. Sorry Tim, but I will be looking at someone else for my plumbing needs from now on.

Chop71 may I ask what work I did for you that you thought was too expensive just so I can review my pricing so I do not loose anymore customers?

Raiders Plumbing – top blokes, good service, well priced…

http://www.raidersplumbing.com.au/

And FTR, im a Wests Tigers Supporter!!!!

razzie said :

I highly recommend Tim from Turek’s Plumbing and Gas. I rang Tim yesterday when the plumber didn’t turn up as arranged. I got Tim’s details from Riot ACT.

Tim is very professional and he texted and rang me to advise he was running late. Excellent customer service and he knows his stuff. Got us out of a jam.

He is good with reliability but charges like he was punched in the head for every day of his apprenticeship ….. Sorry Tim, but I will be looking at someone else for my plumbing needs from now on.

I highly recommend Tim from Turek’s Plumbing and Gas. I rang Tim yesterday when the plumber didn’t turn up as arranged. I got Tim’s details from Riot ACT.

Tim is very professional and he texted and rang me to advise he was running late. Excellent customer service and he knows his stuff. Got us out of a jam.

Mikonos said :

Ok- I used Duncan’s as suggested by some. I am not quite sure I will recommed them to other people…

Care to elaborate…

Ok- I used Duncan’s as suggested by some. I am not quite sure I will recommed them to other people…

Thank you all for the advice, that’s really helpful. I would attempt it myself but they haven’t been changed for 10+ years so I’m thinking it might be a bigger job than just a quick replace, and also I don’t know where to turn the water off.

Evil_Kitten said :

How much would replacing the washers in an apartment cost, does anyone have a rough idea? Shower, basin, kitchen sink and laundry.

Should be able to knock that over in an hour if the taps are in good condition, with turn up fee maybe $150.00 to $180.00 for the lot. If the unit is older than a few years, corrosion and other problems can mean the job can blow out to more than the hour. You never know until you get in and have a look. I’m not a plumber but I’ve got a big shifter, a big pair of multigrips and a couple of screwdrivers, I do all my own washers for about $2.00 a tap.

For what it’s worth Mick from Dial a Plumber or Dan from Hydromatic have been excellent when I’ve needed work done.

In relation to changing the washers in your apartment, the cost of the washers is negligible. Most plumbers will charge in the vicinity of $80 to $90 for a callout, which will include the first 15 minutes work. After that it will be around $80 or $90 per hour, at least.

It will probably average out about 15 minutes per washer, taking into account turning the water off and back on, and checking that all the washers are seated and working correctly.

If you know how many washers you have it should be easy to get a rough estimate, allowing for 4 washers and hour, at around $80 or $90 per hour minimum.

Or pay a plumber to do it and relieve yourself of a week’s wages.

Evil_Kitten said :

How much would replacing the washers in an apartment cost, does anyone have a rough idea? Shower, basin, kitchen sink and laundry.

Buy a pack of ten at Bunnings, turn the water off at the main tap and do ’em yourself. A few bucks, tops.

How much would replacing the washers in an apartment cost, does anyone have a rough idea? Shower, basin, kitchen sink and laundry.

Give Rosco a call at Flow Plumbing. Good honest hardworking guy. He was also the ACT Apprentice of the year a few years ago. I have used him for a few jobs around the house and I haven’t had a problem with them. I recommended him to my boss who also was very happy with his work.

0450 590 030
http://www.flowplumb.com.au
http://www.facebook.com/flowplumb

JC said :

Duncans for me too.

Though do have one question, when people talk of a leaky shower they are normally referring to a break down in the waterproofing rather than the plumbing. This kind of leak is not normally fixed by a plumber. So we can help what exactly is your issue? Where is the ‘leak’?

We don’t know. The area leading from the ensuite shower to the bedroom is damp and the bedroom carpet is now damaged. So, something is leaking and I have no idea if it’s the plumbing or the seal. I assumed that a plumber would be my first port of call. Any advice will be appreciate as I am quite clueless.

Duncans for me too.

Though do have one question, when people talk of a leaky shower they are normally referring to a break down in the waterproofing rather than the plumbing. This kind of leak is not normally fixed by a plumber. So we can help what exactly is your issue? Where is the ‘leak’?

Duncans +2, very reliable, professional and honest. They take care of my home and investment property, and I am always very happy with the work that is done.

Duncans +1

Duncan’s are good, I’d recommend them.
(for the plumbing, not the stripping)

R. Slicker said :

Ah memories. I remember in the late 1980s calling a plumber to come around to fix a washer, a young dude. He did it in a couple of minutes and I thought I’d try my chances. I offered him an extra $50.00 to pose for some photos. I got him down to his jocks, he wouldn’t go any further although he had a boner.

A few years later I phoned the same plumber and an old guy turned up. I asked about the young guy and he said that that was his son who he gave an apprenticeship to. His son was now living on the Gold Coast, operating his own plumbing business and doing very nicely, thank you.

I was upset he didn’t become an underwear model 😉

Why do you only post when you have something smutty to discuss? Did you put the word on the old man tho?

R. Slicker said :

Ah memories. I remember in the late 1980s calling a plumber to come around to fix a washer, a young dude. He did it in a couple of minutes and I thought I’d try my chances. I offered him an extra $50.00 to pose for some photos. I got him down to his jocks, he wouldn’t go any further although he had a boner.

A few years later I phoned the same plumber and an old guy turned up. I asked about the young guy and he said that that was his son who he gave an apprenticeship to. His son was now living on the Gold Coast, operating his own plumbing business and doing very nicely, thank you.

I was upset he didn’t become an underwear model 😉

lol saw your name in the recent comments and had to check it out.

Ah memories. I remember in the late 1980s calling a plumber to come around to fix a washer, a young dude. He did it in a couple of minutes and I thought I’d try my chances. I offered him an extra $50.00 to pose for some photos. I got him down to his jocks, he wouldn’t go any further although he had a boner.

A few years later I phoned the same plumber and an old guy turned up. I asked about the young guy and he said that that was his son who he gave an apprenticeship to. His son was now living on the Gold Coast, operating his own plumbing business and doing very nicely, thank you.

I was upset he didn’t become an underwear model 😉

Plumbernats is over, mate.

I had great work done on emergency installation of a new hot water system by 6-Star plumbing. Probably not the cheapest, but excellent and friendly work in my experience. 61619417 or 0448 844 911

Try Running Plumbing – Damien Peacock: 0433 820 693

dungfungus said :

Don’t use a hollow “tap socket” – they are useless.
Use a pair of long handled multi grips and dontt worry about burring the thread; it is brass and is soft.
When you put in the new washer burr the thread on it slightly and this will eliminate water hammer.
Make sure you turn off the water at the mains first.

Don’t listen to this person.

Avoid Plumbing Doctor they will send you an “apprentice” with limited experience who will take a lot longer than a qualified plumber who knows what he/she is doing…

Rodney Apps Plumbing.

I used to call the Plumbing Doctor but they always send a “technician” instead of a plumber to unblock drains and a few years ago one of their “technicians” literally blew up my toilet while trying to unblock a drain. Yes he sent the water jet “eel” into the house instead of down the drain and once it got to the toilet it exploded it into lots of little pieces. Luckily no one was in the room at the time. They did replace it with another “standard” small toilet but it was not the best experience having foul sewerage water all over the inside of my house.

Going to try Dial a Plumber over the weekend to do some work. The contact was very friendly and interested when I called and that’s a nice change.

I have just read through all of this but the biggest thing to me is that you’re looking out for your neighbour. Good on you! We need more of this.

This is the answer I want to know for years. I used to live in Sydney and the plumber service was much cheaper, better and easy to get. It is probably because of stong competition. I have used more than 20 plumbers and none of them I I can recommend or get the same plumber back.
I do not have good experience with plumbers so far. I would like to pay fair price even higher price with good plumbing service, For the last two yearsI had two bathrooms renovated through 2 different companies. The first one was really cheap but rip off my new vanity when the plumber installed.

Recently I had a company sent two plumbers( one is L plate) and charged me full rate for the apprentice and even the supposed qualified plumber could not install my toilet paper rail and towel rail properly and even broke my new tile when he install the new taps. I tried to talk to the company, In the end I still had to pay.

It is disgusting and I wonder where should I complain. I think everyone should go to ACA or Today Tonignt to get the message crossed.

If you do not want to experience what I have gone through please do not use “Advantage” to get your
plumbing service.
The recent

The plumber probably hadn’t had any work all day and included a call out in that fee. It is hard work being a lone tradie with expensive overheads let alone paying for public liability insurance. Being a tradie myself I have no worries paying what other trade services charge me when they come around, sometimes we do a trade swap. You gotta ring around and respectfully find the best service you can get, cheapest isn’t always the best. Sometimes you can get someone to make you a mad deal where they throw a few more things in making it a sweet deal.

@Innovation, I might be able to help you out with the electrical side of your work. I do not charge callout and huge fees as I already work fulltime and just do it sometimes to keep my domestic skills up to date (I work for electricity distribution). snowcat375@hotmail.com

Thank you for your interesting replies. I guess the time component in travelling to a job needs to be taken into account.
I am particularly grateful for the info about Home Help. She has just returned from a stint in respite care and a community service organisation comes in everyday to help her bathe, so I presume they will also be able to refer her to Home Help. I will check it out.
Thanks everyone 🙂

I’ve always thought that the call out fee for services such as plumbing should be avoidable. For non urgent jobs, there seems to be an opportunity for businesses to advertise in advance (eg on a communal website) when they will be in particular suburbs and what their call out fee for other work in that suburb would be. This would allow these businesses to advertise their services and call out fee cost for that area and for customers to provide ratings feedback.

I have non urgent plumbing, gas and electrical work which I keep putting off partly because I don’t like paying the call out fee.

As KeenGolfer mentions the call out fee would have been the expensive part,

Most tradies you are looking at $70 + just to have them knock on your front door. Then x amount per hour billed in increments. So quite easy to see how it cost that much.

So I don’t think she got ripped off I think it is just unfortunate that she called a tradie for a job you would have done for her.

It is also worth noting that Home Help Service ACT do minor home maintenance work, as well as cleaning and other services at a subsidised rate.

Perhaps worth mentioning to her if she doesn’t already use them, or is unaware of the full range of services they offer.

I am not sure of all the rates, but I do know for household cleaning the subsidised rate is just over $8 an hour for to have them clean.

$121 is about right for a Large Plumbing Company to charge for a single tap washer.
The price breakdown may be approximately $40 CallOut Fee plus $80 per tap.
I wouldve charged $75 for the same job ($50 per tap plus $25 callout fee)
My business is Leaking Taps Fixed 0404 635 454 and I am on gumtree.com.au or google search 0404635454
I am servicing the Adelaide Metropolitain Area.

Sillis Plumbing. Wayne Sillis in Kambah. I have recommended him to a number of people…especially since he and his apprentice turned up the day before the Xmas break a few years ago to install out new rangehood…even though we’d said we were okay until after the hectic season….My only problem is that I can’t book a timely appt!

I recently used Duncans Plumbing who are in Page. Very prompt service and the guys were friendly and explained things to me. The price was pretty good too.

I think most plumbers would be the same, they all charge a base call out fee, hence why it was $121 to change a washer.

spinact said :

Ben from Tap Fix has done both our bathrooms and all the other plumbing during our renovations. He was cheaper than all other quotes and we’ve been very happy with the work.

+1 for Ben and Cameron at Tap Fix. Cameron (and sidekick) fixed a very tricky leaking hot water pipe in a double brick wall in a matter of hours. And their callout fee is $100 – cheaper than competitors.

Ben from Tap Fix has done both our bathrooms and all the other plumbing during our renovations. He was cheaper than all other quotes and we’ve been very happy with the work.

Use a plumber. Handymen – Jack of all trades, master of none.

Use a Plumber if you are uncertain.

you can get tube spanners the size of the spindle and your not likely to damage the pipe,

Mark

Hi mscheeky, my name is Tim and I am a Plumber. My business name is Tureks Plumbing and Gas, I would be able to help you out with your plumbing problem if you would like. You can contact me on 0406 471 717.

Or you can try Bits and Bobs, 0412 486754 who did a similar job for me recently, very happy with their service and work.

Don’t use a hollow “tap socket” – they are useless.
Use a pair of long handled multi grips and dontt worry about burring the thread; it is brass and is soft.
When you put in the new washer burr the thread on it slightly and this will eliminate water hammer.
Make sure you turn off the water at the mains first.

We used Mick from Dial a Plumber and found them very good. They have cars that look like the driver is sitting on the toilet.

We had them install our dishwasher (so as to not void the warranty) and they came back and unblocked our drains for us too. They did a very good job and even arranged for Actew to foot the bill.

We will use them again when we replace the toilet and vanity in a few months time.

They have an admin person who will answer when you call.

Is there any way to provide a temporary hot water service while people wait for gas to be put on?

Putting the gas on is a tortuous process, involving phone calls, faxes, diagrams of your house, and measuring your driveway. Then waiting….

Ours has been ‘underway’ for a couple of weeks. If our hot water had actually stopped working I’d have bought a new electric system the same day – you can’t go weeks without hot water.

With the greens going to ban the installation of new electric systems from next year I’m also considering replacing my very old 80 litre electric system before it dies completely. I don’t have any gas connected although it is available in the street, so I won’t get an exemption under the green’s rules. It seems like the only viable option for me is to make sure I get the old system replaced with a new electric storage system before the ban comes in!

molongloid said :

Excuse my randomness: The little compliance plate on my old hot water system says manufactured Feb 1969. Must have been re-cored or something. Can’t believe it’s hanging on this long.

They don’t make em like they used to. What brand is it by the way?

dtc said :

Some instant systems have a function under which the water in your pipes (between the system and the tap) can be directed back through the heater, to be warmed, before it comes out the tap. Its controlled by your control unit inside the house – or, at least, that is what the booklet for the system I have says can be done. I dont know how well it works or the additional cost involved (presumably some more plumbing) – my heater is 5ft away from the shower so I didn’t bother.

The preheat on an infinity needs a return pipe from the futherst tap, plus an extra box near the heater and of course the control pads to activate the heat function. To run it doesn’t cost anymore, because the moment the tap is turned on the water is being heated anyway, all the pre-heat does is direct the cold water back to the heater.

The main difference is you are not wasting water by having the tap running cold whilst the water is getting from the heater to the tap, so a saving in water cost. Mine takes about 15 seconds for my ensuite to get hot water, this is the futherest tap. The bathroom which is close is about 4 seconds, which is quite reasonable.

I looked at having it put on in my place, but not all that easy to do with a home where the pipes are in the slab. But on a pier style house it would be very easy.

Excuse my randomness: The little compliance plate on my old hot water system says manufactured Feb 1969. Must have been re-cored or something. Can’t believe it’s hanging on this long.

PsydFX said :

Also, some people have said that they do waste a little water, and whilst this can be true, as someone else said you can buy a unit to get around it. Basically you push a button on the control panel and the system cycles all the water in the pipes through he heater and brings it to the right temperatute, when you turn the tap on, it’s hot straight away. No more waste.

The water isn’t wasted. It flows into the river and is recycled. 2L water 1000 times a year is 2KL or $7.50. So how much does this system cost?

Drain King provide a great service – very professional and reasonable – and they do a good job too!

+2 Rinnai Infinity (bathroom control a must)

R J Gasfitting & Plumbing removed our 70s electric hot water and installed the Rinnai a couple of years ago. They also installed a new loo for us just yesterday – always on time and reasonably priced.

Plumb Perfect Solutions

I’m sure someone can recommend where to get a coffee
while you consider this basic purchase.

PsydFX said :

I have a Rinnia Infinity, and I highly recommend them. I also highly recommend getting a control panel for the kitchen and the bathroom, this way you can set the water to the exact temperature you want, which is much more efficient than setting the unit to max, and mixing it down with cold water – it also stops the water fluctuations.

Also, some people have said that they do waste a little water, and whilst this can be true, as someone else said you can buy a unit to get around it. Basically you push a button on the control panel and the system cycles all the water in the pipes through he heater and brings it to the right temperatute, when you turn the tap on, it’s hot straight away. No more waste.

+1.

Also nice and safe for the little ones.

I have a Rinnia Infinity, and I highly recommend them. I also highly recommend getting a control panel for the kitchen and the bathroom, this way you can set the water to the exact temperature you want, which is much more efficient than setting the unit to max, and mixing it down with cold water – it also stops the water fluctuations.

Also, some people have said that they do waste a little water, and whilst this can be true, as someone else said you can buy a unit to get around it. Basically you push a button on the control panel and the system cycles all the water in the pipes through he heater and brings it to the right temperatute, when you turn the tap on, it’s hot straight away. No more waste.

burkes08 said :

Yeah, I would probably just spend the money and upgrade to instantaneous gas. My hot water system broke down about 4 years ago and it was only going to cost about $300 more to upgrade it.

The instantaneous gas has been fantastic. No problems at all, cheap, and just runs and runs and runs.

+1

They don’t wast much water though.

We have an Endless Solar evacuated glass tubes system that is doing very nicely, and the tube approach is much more efficient in Canberra and frost resistent. We have a manual switch for an electronic boost as the gas boost costs a lot more (essentially the cost of a full instant gas system), and we hardly need it anyway.

Whatever you do, just avoid any storage system other than a solar or heat pump one. Remeber that heat pumps have what is basically an airconditioning compressor running outside your house – noise may impact you or your neighbours.

Instant gas will waste water – less of an issue if you have a grey water capture system so it can go to good use anyway.

As others have stated, instant hot water systems can be a bit touchy on water flow – if it’s not flowing fast enough, it doesn’t heat. It can make it tricky getting the temperature of the water right in the shower.

Seems to be the season for HWS to give up the ghost – I’m in exactly the same situation. Electric HWS from the late 70s/early 80s, rusted tank now leaking at an alarming rate.

Looked at solar heat pump – but told that they struggle in Canberra’s winters – and now considering Solahart option. This is the two-solar panels, with a tank sitting directly above, all whacked up on the roof. System has electric back-up (for deep winter) – from memory, annual running costs are about $180 (Solahart’s estimates, not mine).

Quote last week was $4400, installed (for a 300L-ish system) – and from this, the Govt will give you back $1600. There’s additional rebates through the RECs (renewable energy certificates) which come with the heater, but these are handled by Solahart, and their ‘discount’ is included in the upfront cost.

At this stage, I’m yet to make a decision between Solahart and a instantaneous system. Both have merits; both have cons. Keen for the solar option, but the upfront cost is the biggest issue (I certainly didn’t hear anything about interest free option).

Another option – Edwards solar system, which has panels on roof, tank on ground. However, this is only available via ACTEW Energy Shop, who I won’t go near after my previous experiences with ’em!

Hope that helps!

I have an instantaneous, and am mostly happy with it, though it did allow my teenage son to take inordinately long showers when he lived at home! Mine is the biggest Rinnai, and is supposed to service a big household, but struggles to provide for both showers to run at the same time.

I have a Rinnai 36 instant gas (installed 7 years ago) and couldn’t be happier. I located it between the two bathrooms in our house, so it takes a little longer for the hot water to reach the kitchen, but for showers it’s brilliant. I can have both showers running no problem at all.

(And the ensuite shower has 2 high flow shower heads!!)

Avoid DUX Solar Gas boosted HWS. Had nothing but problems with it. Also, good in theory, but in winter if you turn off the gas connection to it, you will only get 1 shower a day, due to the low sun and short days. Fantastic in summer though, runs and stores hot without the need for gas to be turned on. Like any bit of machinery, the more complex the system, the more problems you will encounter, and dont expect sympathy once warranty is up!

I have a Rinnai and had to remove the restrictor in the low flow shower head. According to the ACTWEW Shop, a reliable plumber and Rinnai themselves they do sometimes have issues with ‘flow’. If it is too low the system actually stops heating (thinking that the tap is only part on) and so you get the hots and colds in water temp.

Since we removed the restrictor and make sure the flow is good and strong no problem at all.

Some instant systems have a function under which the water in your pipes (between the system and the tap) can be directed back through the heater, to be warmed, before it comes out the tap. Its controlled by your control unit inside the house – or, at least, that is what the booklet for the system I have says can be done. I dont know how well it works or the additional cost involved (presumably some more plumbing) – my heater is 5ft away from the shower so I didn’t bother.

The greatest thing about instant – you set the exact temperature you want (and save the water you would otherwise waste fiddling with the taps to sort out the temp). Its wonderful for little kids – you figure out they like 39 deg (or whatever) and you give it to them every time, no whinging.

Taurus plumbing

+1

I have an instantaneous, and am mostly happy with it, though it did allow my teenage son to take inordinately long showers when he lived at home! Mine is the biggest Rinnai, and is supposed to service a big household, but struggles to provide for both showers to run at the same time.

Also, there is the problem of where the unit is sited. It takes quite a bit of water flow until I get hot water in the kitchen. I understand that the amount of water that can flow before it is hot is now regulated in the ACT. I’ve learned to work around it, and use that flow time to fill the kettle, dog bowl etc, but there is still some wastage that makes me wince when my garden is dying for lack of water.

I just had a quick look at choice.com.au, and they’ve got a good article on heat pumps and solar. If you are not a subscriber, I think you can buy it for about $13. May be worth it before you take any decisions. It does say that heat pumps generally are better for warmer and coastal regions, though some are manufactured for cold areas.

Chester’s Plumbing (0418 608 201) is the only group we go with. If they’re not available, we wait until they are. Terrific people.

http://www.yellowpages.com.au/bi/chesters-plumbing-ngunnawal-act-4777876.html

Reprobate said :

Interestingly, he effectively dismissed instantaneous systems on the basis of reliability and water usage/wastage; after seeing many positive comments here I’m wondering if that’s really the case.

Everyone I know who has an instant system raves about them – honestly, I haven’t heard a negative comment.

Solahart, not solarhart.

Since the time of writing and the post going up, I had one business come and quote – yes the tank is on it’s way out so a replacement will be needed. Bop-bom.

The guy was strongly pushing an electric heat pump arrangement – with Govt rebates a Dux 250 litre system will effectively cost me under $1500 installed. Does anyone have experience of these units in Canberra’s climate? Gas storage would probably be a bit more expensive due to the amount of gas line to go in and relocation away from the current covered pergola area. Interestingly, he effectively dismissed instantaneous systems on the basis of reliability and water usage/wastage; after seeing many positive comments here I’m wondering if that’s really the case.

darth_baul said :

Duncans Plumbing is a great local business that will do the right thing by you!

I disagree.

Solarhart website has good details; they reckon you’ll only be out of pocket around $1300.00 with both federal and state rebates, which seems really good. Also – Solarhart has a payment plan which is interest free – this would make solar highly affordable I think. Wish this had been available when we were looking (maybe it was and I just didn’t find it).

Duncans Plumbing is a great local business that will do the right thing by you!

Yeah instantaneous gas rocks the house.

But check out the $1600 solar hot water rebate doovey here.

We looked into this Lilywhite … and it was actually quite expensive for us.

Rebates available for converting to solar hot water. Probably end up costing you very little.

burkes08 said :

Yeah, I would probably just spend the money and upgrade to instantaneous gas. My hot water system broke down about 4 years ago and it was only going to cost about $300 more to upgrade it.

The instantaneous gas has been fantastic. No problems at all, cheap, and just runs and runs and runs.

Instal a Rheem! We just switched to instant hot water and our plumber reckoned the Rheem model is actually better than the popular Renai infinity (Renai was the first to produce)and was about $600.00 cheaper. It shouldn’t cost more than $1000.00 to buy and get installed – shop around. The only catch with instant is the time it takes for the water to get from the heater to your bathroom/kitchen; obviously the closer the heater is the quicker the hot water arrives. Apparently if the heater is a long way from your tap, then it can take a few seconds (during which time the water can be wasted if you don’t collect it in a bucket) for the hot water to arrive. We have almost no delay, our our house is fairly small. I would never go back to a huge, unsightly and inefficient tank …. love, love, love my Rheem!

Change to instantaneous instantly! We have one and it is great. Cheap to run, does not spend 24 hours a day heating water stored in a big tank and you always know the temperature of the water.

Taurus plumbing have been pretty good for us. 0437 747 545.

Yeah, I would probably just spend the money and upgrade to instantaneous gas. My hot water system broke down about 4 years ago and it was only going to cost about $300 more to upgrade it.

The instantaneous gas has been fantastic. No problems at all, cheap, and just runs and runs and runs.