bathroom instillations?

lorny80

Hi, we are just about to have a bathroom refitted and ive had a few quotes, one of the guys we 'like' has said he has

I am NVQ2 city and guilds qualified, B-pec approved, my insurance company is XXXX who are based in xxx

i know NOTHING of what quals would be normal for a bathroom fitter to have, so is what he is saying ok?

also, showers, we have a combi boiler, and a shower over the bath, when someone turns on another tap in the hosue the water goes mental if you are in the shower. someone told me to get a shower with Thermostatic Control and that having this should make having a shower less of a jumpy experiance, is that right?

cheers.

andyhop

NVQ LVL 2 is one of the technical certs, Level 2 is a basic introduction to plumbing and does not make him a plumber, More off a skilled labourer. You need to find a time served skilled tradesman rather than someone who has done a 12 week course!

Thermostatic mixer will help but we need details of your combi, Most wont run two outlets at the same time due to low DHW flow rates

lorny80

thanks, another tradesman has said he has
City and Guilds Level 2 and 3 National Vocational Qualifications- In plumbing, he is also Gas Safe.
is that any better?

i have a pretty old Worcester boiler (24 cdi?), what details would you need to be able to try and help me out?

thanks.

southcoastrgi

any plumber that quotes you any kind of city & guides or nvq i'd keep well away from, as andy has said it sounds like a 12 weeks lets make lots of money but really haven't got a clue collage course, after all you don't go into your job & say i've got 5 "O" levels in maths & woodwork, how can you become a plumber after 3 months they are a joke, try & get someone who is recommended to you, yes with a combi ALWAYS go for a thermostatic shower valve.

lorny80

thanks keith, but what quals should i be on the look out for?
ive tried to get reccomended people, but were new to the area, and its bloody hard getting anywhere!

Canucklehead

Hi: unfortunately, plumbing is not a regulated profession and anyone with a B&Q tool set could call him/herself a plumber. You could try the CIPHE 'Find an Installer' facility if you can't get any personal recommendations from sources you trust.

Good luck with your search...there are still a few time served plumbers on the tools.;)

Canucklehead

lorny80

if someone is gas safe would they have to have had some training?

Canucklehead

lorny80 wrote: »

if someone is gas safe would they have to have had some training?

Hi: Yes. But that doesn't make a RGI a plumber or vice versa. Some RGIs are qualified time served plumbers.

Canucklehead

southcoastrgi

lorny80 wrote: »

if someone is gas safe would they have to have had some training?

being gas safe reg only means that they are safe to work with gas it means diddy squat when it comes to bathroom fitting, to be a bathroom fitter you need to be able to do plumbing, tiling, poss some electrics & poss some woodwork, yes they could get other trades in to work with them & just do part of it themselves.

As CH has said there are still a few of us time served guys about which means 4 years not 4 weeks, ask for details of their work & contact their previous customers if they are good tradesmen they shouldn't have a prob with this (they may ask their customers if it is ok to pass on their details but this is normal practice as i wouldn't give out my customers details without their permission), talking a good job is totally diff to doing a good job. best of luck.