Sydney Plumber: 3 Questions to Ask Before You Book Anyone
Every plumber’s website says licensed, reliable and affordable. This page is different: it tells you how to check those things in three minutes before anyone comes to your door, what a fair Sydney callout actually includes, and the seven tip-offs that you are about to hire a cowboy. Use it on us as well. We wrote it because we would rather you check than guess.
Need a plumber today: 1300 301 354 or book online. You get an arrival window on the phone and a fixed price before any work starts. $0 call-out fee.
The 3 questions to ask any plumber before they start
- “What is your NSW licence number?” Then check it on the NSW Fair Trading licence check. It takes 30 seconds. Ours is 339748C.
- “What is the total price, fixed, in writing, before you start?”
- “Is there a call-out fee, and what does it cover?”
The answer that means walk away: “We’ll work it out when we get there.” A plumber who does this every day can price the common jobs on the phone from your description, or at worst give you a range and a fixed price on arrival before starting. Anyone who cannot, or will not, is planning to price you once you have no choice.
How to spot a cowboy plumber in 30 seconds: 7 tip-offs
- No licence number on the website, the van or the quote.
- A different business name on the van, the invoice and the website.
- Cash only, or a big discount for cash.
- A price that changes once they are inside.
- “Urgent” extra problems found within minutes of arriving, with no evidence shown to you.
- No written warranty.
- Reviews that are all five stars, all recent, all in the same voice.
What “licensed” really means in NSW
In NSW, anyone doing plumbing, draining or gasfitting work must hold the right licence, and the business contracting with you must hold a contractor licence. A licence means the person passed the trade qualifications, is registered, and can be held to account by NSW Fair Trading if the work is wrong. It also means the work can be certified, which matters for insurance, for selling the house and for strata. “Fully qualified” and “experienced” are not the same as licensed. Ask for the number.
Read the reviews first, properly
Ignore the star count and read the three-star and one-star reviews. What you want to see is how the business handled a problem, and whether the same complaint keeps appearing (usually price changing on the day). Then look at the dates: fifty reviews in one month and none since is a bought batch. Then look at the owner’s replies: a defensive rant tells you what you will get if something goes wrong at your place.
The callout fee trap, explained
A callout fee is a fee to turn up. Some Sydney plumbers charge $80 to $150 to attend, then price the job separately once they are standing in your bathroom. The fee is not the problem; the surprise is. Our callout fee, revealed: $0. We attend, look at the job and give you a fixed price in writing before any work starts. Say no and you owe nothing.
Why cheap plumbers cost more
A cheap hourly rate with no estimate, a temporary fix that fails, a part replaced without finding out why it failed, or an unlicensed job that has to be redone before you can sell or claim. The cheapest number on the phone is rarely the cheapest number after 12 months. A fixed price, a licence and a warranty are what make a plumber cheap.
Sydney plumber price check: what a fair job includes
- A fixed price before work starts, including parts, labour and GST.
- The plumber’s licence number on the quote and the invoice.
- The failed part shown to you and, if you want it, left with you.
- A written warranty on the work.
- An arrival window, and a phone call if it changes.
- The site left clean.
7 signs it can’t wait till 9am
Water still running with the meter off, sewage coming up a drain, a gas smell, water through a ceiling or light fitting, your only toilet out of action, a hot water tank leaking from the body, or a burst inside a wall. Any of those, ring the 24-hour number. Everything else can usually wait for the day rate, and we will tell you which one you have when you call.
Same-day plumber in your suburb
We are based in Seven Hills and cover Sydney, with most work in Western Sydney, the Hills District, the Inner West, the North Shore and the Northern Beaches. Blocked drains, hot water, gas, leaks, taps and toilets, and emergency work 24 hours a day. Ring with your suburb and we will give you an honest arrival window.
Book a licensed Sydney plumber: 1300 301 354 or book online. You get an arrival window on the phone and a fixed price before any work starts. $0 call-out fee.
Who you are dealing with
All Day Plumbing & Maintenance Pty Ltd is a Sydney plumbing company based in Seven Hills, run by a licensed plumber with 20 years on the tools. NSW Contractor Licence 339748C. Fully insured. Every job comes with an upfront price before we start, a $0 call-out fee and a warranty on the work. You can check any NSW plumbing licence, ours included, on the NSW Fair Trading licence check (search “verify licence NSW”).