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Hi guys
I am building my own home currently and am now thinking about the plumbing. Do I need to have a craftsman plumber do the work or can I just get a regular plumber? Confused on the difference :-\
I know with electrical work you can get wiring installed by a apprentice but then get it signed off by a 3rd party electrical inspector. Are there such things as plumbing inspectors in the plumbing world??
Cheers
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There are plumbing inspectors in the plumbing world and when you lift a consent a plumbing inspector will inspect the work as part of the council sign off. Only a craftsman - now called "Certifying" plumber has their licence number on the consent. You can check the status of the person you employ to do the work two ways - one ask to see their licence card and check the date on it to make sure it is current, or go to www.pgdb.co.nz and go to the section "public register" and put in their last and first names and it will tell you if they are licenced (LP = licensed plumber) or CP + Certifying Plumber. If you get a licensed plumber then they must still be working under the direction of a certifying plumber - i.e. a certifying plumber will instruct them and do final testing. Ensure you get a properly licensed person as your house insurance could be void if you do not. A good way to check who you can trust is to ask friends and colleagues who have used plumbers who they might recommend. If you are looking at doing gasfitting then you want a plumber/gasfitter if you can - it will save getting to different people the same thing applies (LG = licensed gasfitter and CG = certifying gasfitter).
If you use a Master Plumber then you will also get a Master Plumber Guarantee. A certifying plumber is someone who has completed an apprenticeship, passed their registration examination, passed their certifying (previously called craftsman) examinations and served at least two years since they were registered. A licensed plumber has served an apprenticeship, passed their registration examination and got licensed. They may have worked in the industry for many years, but they have not passed their certifying examinations. (If you know about sparky's then certifying is just like advanced trade certificate). You can read more by going to www.pgdb.co.nz which is the regulators website and it talks about employing tradespeople.
Good luck!
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hey jaxcat just wondering what is the ( Master Plumber Guarantee )...is it the standard 10 year gurrantee like every new building works have?..just intrested to know...cheers
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It gives the homeowner some assurance against faulty workmanship performed by a Master Plumber, or should the Master Plumber go bankrupt. You can see it by visiting www.masterplumber.org.nz (then you can read it verbatim rather than me trying to explain it badly).
It is not like 10year guarantee and it has a cap on it.
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There are plumbing inspectors in the plumbing world and when you lift a consent a plumbing inspector will inspect the work as part of the council sign off. Only a craftsman - now called "Certifying" plumber has their licence number on the consent. You can check the status of the person you employ to do the work two ways - one ask to see their licence card and check the date on it to make sure it is current, or go to www.pgdb.co.nz and go to the section "public register" and put in their last and first names and it will tell you if they are licenced (LP = licensed plumber) or CP + Certifying Plumber. If you get a licensed plumber then they must still be working under the direction of a certifying plumber - i.e. a certifying plumber will instruct them and do final testing. Ensure you get a properly licensed person as your house insurance could be void if you do not. A good way to check who you can trust is to ask friends and colleagues who have used plumbers who they might recommend. If you are looking at doing gasfitting then you want a plumber/gasfitter if you can - it will save getting to different people the same thing applies (LG = licensed gasfitter and CG = certifying gasfitter).
If you use a Master Plumber then you will also get a Master Plumber Guarantee. A certifying plumber is someone who has completed an apprenticeship, passed their registration examination, passed their certifying (previously called craftsman) examinations and served at least two years since they were registered. A licensed plumber has served an apprenticeship, passed their registration examination and got licensed. They may have worked in the industry for many years, but they have not passed their certifying examinations. (If you know about sparky's then certifying is just like advanced trade certificate). You can read more by going to www.pgdb.co.nz which is the regulators website and it talks about employing tradespeople.
Good luck!
Thanks Jax - that's helpful.
So if I happen to know a guy that is licenced but comes from Hamilton, Can I find a CP in Auckland that will come round have a look and be like "sweet as mate - that job is done real well and I concur"?? ;)
I doubt there would be many CP's who would want to do that for obvious reasons, but like the electrical trades I wonder if there are CP inspectors who regularly inspect other licenced peoples work and sign it off.
Does that make sense?
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In principle that is the very thing the trade is trying to stop - our regulator can have the Certifying Plumber from Auckland who does not know the Licensed plumber in Hamilton's balls on a plate for signing off work he has not supervised or directed. In practice I believe there are some people who might do this - but they are taking a big risk - and mate to be honest, your reason for wanting this done like this is obviously around $$$ - and for any Certifying Plumber to take the risk of being prosecuted over not following the supervision policy, or worse still signing off something that could come and bite him in the backside years from now (because when he signs off your job he is accepting years of responsibility ahead of him) - then he would want some huge bucks which kind of defeats your purpose.
Your best bet is to talk to your mate the licensed plumber in Hamilton and see who his supervisor is and if they will sign it off. They may need to be present for final inspection - but that would keep everyone's noses clean. Cutting corners sometimes ends up costing you more than its worth - just think of your house insurance and something happening 10 years from now - what was cheap might not seem so cheap when the insurance company won't pay out.
The system ain't perfect, but it's what we all have to live with and work within.
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hi guys, in a nutshell Jax, `False Economy`cheers
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In principle that is the very thing the trade is trying to stop - our regulator can have the Certifying Plumber from Auckland who does not know the Licensed plumber in Hamilton's balls on a plate for signing off work he has not supervised or directed. In practice I believe there are some people who might do this - but they are taking a big risk - and mate to be honest, your reason for wanting this done like this is obviously around $$$ - and for any Certifying Plumber to take the risk of being prosecuted over not following the supervision policy, or worse still signing off something that could come and bite him in the backside years from now (because when he signs off your job he is accepting years of responsibility ahead of him) - then he would want some huge bucks which kind of defeats your purpose.
Your best bet is to talk to your mate the licensed plumber in Hamilton and see who his supervisor is and if they will sign it off. They may need to be present for final inspection - but that would keep everyone's noses clean. Cutting corners sometimes ends up costing you more than its worth - just think of your house insurance and something happening 10 years from now - what was cheap might not seem so cheap when the insurance company won't pay out.
The system ain't perfect, but it's what we all have to live with and work within.
Thanks Jaxcat.
Yep, it's all about $$. And I can totally understand where you are coming from - that's why I asked specifically about 3rd party type inspectors, as I too would not want to sign off my name on any of the waterproofing I do without a decent monetary incentive ;D.
Good to know.
Thanks