How to find a reliable plumber near you (without getting ripped off)

A burst pipe or blocked drain doesn't leave much time to shop around, which is exactly when it's easiest to get overcharged or hire someone unqualified. Here's what actually matters.

Check for Gas Safe registration if gas is involved

Any plumber working on a gas boiler or gas appliance in the UK must be Gas Safe registered by law. It's a criminal offence otherwise, and your home insurance may not cover damage from unregistered gas work. Ask for their Gas Safe ID card and check the registration number on the Gas Safe Register website.

Ask for proof of insurance

A reliable plumber carries public liability insurance, typically £1-2 million of cover. If a job goes wrong (a pipe they worked on leaks and damages a floor below), this is what protects you from the bill.

Get the price before the work starts, not after

Reputable plumbers give a clear quote before starting: either a fixed price for the job or a clear hourly rate plus estimated hours. If someone won't quote until they've "had a look," that's fine for diagnosis, but get a number before they start fixing anything. Callout-only pricing with vague "we'll see" estimates is the most common source of plumbing bill disputes.

Read recent reviews, not just the star rating

A 4.9 rating from 3 reviews tells you less than a 4.6 rating from 200. Look at the most recent reviews specifically: a plumber's quality can change if they've grown fast or taken on subcontractors.

What a fair price actually looks like

UK plumber rates vary by region and job type, but as a rough guide: a simple tap or drain job typically runs £60-120 including callout, a boiler repair £80-250 depending on the fault, and a full bathroom re-plumb runs into four figures. If a quote is dramatically below the market range, ask why: sometimes it's a genuinely good rate, sometimes it's a low quote followed by "found more work" once they're in your home.

On Fixies, every tradesperson is verified and insured before they can accept work, and you see an AI-estimated fair price range for your specific job before anyone quotes, so you're negotiating from information, not guesswork.