Plumbers for emergency / 24-7 in Wellington page 2 of 2

How to choose a plumber in Wellington

Sanitary plumbing in New Zealand is restricted work under the Plumbers, Gasfitters, and Drainlayers Act 2006. The person doing it must be registered with the PGDB and hold a current practising licence, or be working under the supervision of someone who does. Licence holders carry a PGDB photo card showing their licence class and expiry date, and you can check any name on the PGDB public register. Check the PGDB register.

1. Check the PGDB public register for the person who will do the work, not only the business owner, and confirm their licence is current.
2. Ask whether the price is a fixed quote or an estimate, and whether it includes GST (15%), call-out, travel and materials.
3. For any work that needs a building consent, such as a new bathroom or moving drains, ask who applies for it and who books the inspections.
4. For hot water cylinders, ask for the brand, capacity and warranty in writing, and whether the price covers disposal of the old cylinder and any compliance upgrades such as seismic restraints or valves.
5. For gas work, ask for the gas certificate when the job is done, and keep it with your house records.

Get at least two written quotes for the same job, and read recent Google reviews rather than relying on the star rating alone. A listing here is not a recommendation: “Listed” businesses have not yet been checked by LocalsBest.

Our full guide to choosing a plumber.