Everyone thinks they can be a bit of a DIY expert from time to time. Remember that one time you painted the fence without calling for help? What about when you replaced the washer on the tap and only went through a few wet towels to get it right? You don’t need a plumber; you can do the work yourself.

Wrong.

For anything plumbing, gas, or drainage-related, it’s crucial to call in a plumber. But not just any plumber, a Master Plumber.

What is a Master Plumber?

A Master Plumber is a plumbing business or individual plumber that has a connection with the Master Plumbers membership organisation. The organisation represents excellence in plumbing, drainlaying, and gasfitting.

The goal of Master Plumbers is to ensure that a plumber’s health and safety systems, terms and conditions of trade, and even their employment contracts are up to scratch. All of these processes ensure that customers benefit from quality service and workmanship.

A Master Plumber who abides by all standards related to Master Plumbers organisation can also offer a 12-month residential Master Plumbers Guarantee – something that standard plumbers can’t provide.

In essence, it’s essential to choose a Master Plumber if you want to benefit from a quality, professional, and innovative plumber backed by an organisation who prides itself on high plumbing industry standards.

A Master Plumber is Authorised to Carry Out Work

Did you know that there are so many risks associated with plumbing, drainlaying and gasfitting, that in most cases involving sanitary plumbing, it’s illegal to do it yourself? Even if you think you can do the job of a plumber, you run the risk of voiding your insurance, any product warranties and making mistakes that cost a fortune.

A Master Plumber is authorised and legally able to carry out plumbing work. They also have the highest qualification, so that you can rest assured the job will be carried out properly.

Assured Quality

Many people hear of tradespeople nightmare stories surrounding shoddy workmanship and you wonder how that ever happened. In many cases, someone chose a cowboy plumber with no qualifications or licenses to speak of but were lured in by the too-good-to-be-true price tag. With a Master Plumber, you don’t have to worry about those risks.

You can ask to see their Master Plumber card, and you also get the peace of mind of knowing that each Master Plumber undergoes Quality Assurance reviews of their business practices. They must also comply with a code of conduct and good practice.

They Can Do A Full Range of Plumbing Tasks

One way to know you’re dealing with a Master Plumber, aside from them flashing their MP card, is by seeing the full range of services they can offer. A real Master Plumber will fix a leaky tap, install drainage, update your home heating, and so much more. If there’s something they can’t do, it’s not worth doing!

You Get a Guarantee

Guarantee is not a word companies or corporations throw around lightly. No one wants to guarantee anything that’s not 100 percent certain. However, that’s precisely what’s on offer with a Master Plumber.

When you hire a Master Plumber for any work, you get a guarantee that all your needs relating to time, care, price, skill, and the workmanship being fit for purpose are met. If not, there is a process in place to rectify the situation.

What Happens if You Don’t Use a Master Plumber?

So much can happen if you choose any old cowboy plumber off the street to carry out your plumbing tasks. The first and most important thing to understand is that if you hire someone to complete work who doesn’t have a New Zealand Practising Licence, they can void your insurance policy.

Not only would you have someone unqualified working with your pipes, fittings, gas, electricity, and other complex networks within your home, but you are putting your family’s health and safety at risk. Then, if something goes wrong, your insurance may not cover the damage because the plumber you hired was not qualified to do the job.

What Can a Master Plumber Do?

A Master Plumber can do it all. Unlike a standard plumber who can’t carry out any restricted sanitary plumbing, there are no limits in place for a registered Master Plumber. They can help with trap, waste, and soil pipes, water supply pipes, overflows, and more. Anything that must comply with building codes and requires consent is something your local Master Plumber can do.

A plumber without the backing of Master Plumbers can only undertake basic work such as dishwasher and washing machine installation, tap washer replacement, ball valves, plugs, and tap repairs.

Conclusion

When it comes to choosing a plumber, it’s crucial to rely on the adage of “if it’s too good to be true, it probably is”. Any plumber who offers a service that’s priced far below the average rate is one you may need to find more information on. Ask them to provide you with their Master Plumbers card and get prior references too. For all your plumbing tasks, only ever use a Master Plumber.