Plumbing Books

Whether you are interested in simply doing your own home plumbing or learning the plumbing trade you wont get very far without the humble book. I hate to admit it but plumbing books are better than websites when it comes to learning, even these new kindle devices don’t float my boat and I am a big gadget lover. Nothing will ever compare to picking up a hunk of paper and flicking to the page you need.

Books For Plumbing Apprentices and Tradesmen

Plumbing is one of those careers that requires a lot of hands on practice, you will also need to read and remember study materials. A lot of the time you will may be learning from college books, if you really want to give yourself the bast chance of success it is recommended that you invest in your own reading materials. There are a lot of books out there, and i will be honest… a lot of them are crap. I have decided to compile a list of all the best plumbing books in one place, this is based on books i have read myself, books other plumbers and teachers have recommended and books with the best online reviews.

Guide to Home Plumbing Books

If you are attempting home plumbing you would also do well to have a handy guide to home plumbing in the form of a book or two. Again there are a lot of outdated books floating around so I have picked out the best.

Where to Get these Essential Plumbing Books

I have made the plumbing book store at Amazon UK because Amazon are cheap, reliable and are great with returns. I personally buy 99% of my books from them and have never had 1 problem. When you go to my Amazon store you will be sent to my page on the Amazon UK site, all payments and shipping is handled by them. Feel free to contact me to recommend any books and I may add them to the list.

Click To Visit The Amazon UK Plumbing Books Store

I’m just starting my second year on the 6129 level 2 Technical Certificate in Plumbing Studies and I will also be doing the NVQ level 2 at the same time. I’m 28 years old, so you really do still have time on your side.

The Technical Certificate is for anyone who has not been a plumber for approx 5+ years, they simply won’t just let you do an NVQ straight off. The tech cert gives you your core training as a Plumber, there is stuff in there that will take ages to digest if you truly want to be a good Plumber. I recommend the day release, it will be cheaper to take a day off a week that spend £6,000 on one of these courses.

Alot of employers will not take on plumbers who have done a crash course, they don’t recognise it and give it no respect. I certainly wouldn’t take a crash courser on.

The tech cert is done in college and takes about 72 days over two years. The NVQ is solely an onsite evaluation and I plan to complete mine within a 3 month period.

It is possible to work wherever you like whilst doing the tech cert but obviously helps your progression if you are in the plumbing industry as you will pick things up quicker.

I work for Watkins Plumbing in London, and although I still have a few exams to take, I have pretty much been on Plumbers wages since 6 months into the course because I take it seriously, work hard and take pride in my work. I would not have achieved that on a crash course.

My NVQ 2 and Tech cert tuition fees each year were £806 (total £1616) at Bexley College in kent. Thats for both Tech Cert and NVQ. There is a C&G registration fee of £145 also.

My advice, do a day release off your own back, find a big company to take you on at low pay until you prove yourself. Keep your head down and work hard to keep your place.

If you can get a taster of the work before you commit, then do it. I’m not fussed about being covered in crap but some people are.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do, just know it’s not easy at this time and you will have to work very hard.

But, I feel the work is as rewarding as the money; and I wouldn’t want to do anything else.

If you live in London, contact Watkins Plumbing, they seem to be gaining loads of work at this time and they took me on when I’d never held a spanner before. But then i have been extremely fortunate.

Welcome to the maze that is ‘Plumbing Related Qualifications’ lets dive straight in and look at some of the most popular recognised courses in plumbing. They are in the order that they need to be completed in. Most are available from local colleges or through fast track or privately funded organisations. Some can be done full time, on the job or as evening plumbing courses. I will also be bringing you some free plumbing courses in a later blog, so call back soon or check the Courses page.

First: Plumbing Technical Certificates (C&G 6126)

Starting from the beginning with no experience or training you will need to do test certificates. There are no formal qualifications required.

City & Guilds (6129) Technical Certificates Level 2 Basic Plumbing Studies and Level 3 Plumbing Studies.

If you have experience as a plumber you can skip this.

This qualification has the following structure:

• 6129-22 Level 2 Certificate in Basic Plumbing Studies (13 mandatory units, 1 optional)
• 6129-33 Level 3 Certificate in Plumbing Studies (9 mandatory units, 1 optional)
• 6129-44 Level 3 Modern Apprenticeship in Plumbing Studies – Direct Access (23 mandatory units)
• 6129-55 Level 3 Certificate in Plumbing Studies (9 mandatory units, 1 optional).

This is taught in a classroom setting. You are assessed with multiple choice tests and practical activities. Doing at weekends may take 40 weeks. Intensive courses will get you through it in around 7 weeks. Costs for intensive courses range from £3500 – £4500. The level 3 is around £2000. This will enable you to continue to other courses in plumbing.

Second: Plumbing NVQ 2 & 3 (C&G 6089)

If you have previous experience this will be your first course. If you have no skills or experience in plumbing you will have to successfully complete C&G 6126 as above. The qualifications are offered at levels 2 and 3. Level 2 has one option level 3 has three options.

• Level 2 NVQ in Mechanical Engineering Services – Plumbing (Domestic) – 6 mandatory units

[You can Stop after level 2 and ‘work as a wet only plumber’ this work involves fitting bathrooms, fixing radiators, basically anything that does not involve gas.] Now lets look as some further courses in plumbing.

• Level 3 NVQ in Mechanical Engineering Services – Plumbing (Domestic) – Gas option
• Level 3 NVQ in Mechanical Engineering Services – Plumbing (Domestic) – 7 mandatory units
• Level 3 NVQ in Mechanical Engineering Services – Plumbing (Domestic) – Oil option – 4 mandatory units.

Learners will need to be in a role related to plumbing before registration. Learning is done on the job. You are assessed by compiling a portfolio of evidence that will demonstrate you are competent enough to meet the requirements. When you have successfully completed level 2 you can then move onto one of the options in level 3. Level 2 can be achieved in approx 6 months and can cost around £2500.

At the time of writing I can find no organisations offering NVQ level 3 other than local colleges, if any readers know why this is please drop me a line. The costs I found for the Level 3 from colleges were around £500. If you do go on to take the level 3 NVQ you will need to be working with a gas safe plumber. There are a also couple of other less common NVQ/SVQ’s about and I will cover them in a later blog.

Third: Sort Courses

• Unvented Domestic Hot Water Storage Systems
• Water Regulations Certification
• PART L Energy Efficiency (City & Guilds 6084)
• PART P Electrical competence Scheme
• Disinfection of Water Systems
• Solar Domestic Hot Water Heating

Prices for the short courses are around £150 at the time of writing and most last a day. You don’t have to do them all, only the ones you need/want.

Part L building regulations means that any plumber installing boilers has to have a City and Guilds 6048 – Energy Efficiency for Domestic Heating.

Part P says particular  types of household electrical work has to be approved by a previously certified contractor or building inspector. If you want the ability ti certify your own work you must do Part P – Electrical competence Scheme.

YOU ARE NEARLY THERE! (but not quite) …In my next blog post we will look at the last major part and the last courses in plumbing you will need, the Nationally Accredited Certification Scheme for Gas Fitting Operatives (or ACE Certification), what it involves and how to attain it.

Becoming a Plumber

Welcome to part 2 of the guide, if you missed part 1where we covered Apprenticeships and Adult Trainees [click here]

Those Working as Unqualified Plumbers

If you are already some way into your plumbing career but want to get qualified you can skip the certificates mentioned in the previous post and get straight on the City and Guilds Plumbing (6089) NVQ Level 2 and 3. These courses can usually be completed part time or fast track plumbing courses. Its definitely worth thinking about as from 2010 any tradesman working on a building site will have to have a CSCS card to prove they have an NVQ (or SNVQ for scotland) in their trade, valuable info for those wanting to become a plumber.

Fast Track Plumbing Courses

Fast track courses offer you the option to get qualified quickly and some even offer home study. The qualification won’t be industry recognised unless it is City and Guilds accredited; it must also lead to Technical cert 6129 or the NVQ 6089, more on these soon. You can achieve this in 6 months.

The thing the worries me about fast track courses is their fast track nature, is seems almost gimmicky to me. Learning to be a good plumber will take time, would you want an airline pilot flying you across the Atlantic when he has only a fraction of the real world experience of other pilots? I feel that people may be cheating themselves by taking these courses; it’s all very well getting the qualification but is it a recognised qualification? Have you really learned what the claim to teach? Can you absorb information that quickly? Are they worth the hefty price tag? You should ask yourself all these questions.

It is worth noting that opinions are quite polarised on this subject. Some people swear by fast track courses for becoming a plumber, I have heard people say they are ideal for people looking to go the self employed route. They give you the skills you need to get out there earning money as quickly as possible. The availability of this type of course is also much greater that college placements.

None of these courses are very affordable, if you can only afford cheap plumbing courses you will need to compete to enrol at a local college.

I guess my advice would be do your own research and make up your own mind! Personally I am undecided on fast track plumbing courses.

Plumbing Sponsorship and Grants

At the time of writing there seems to be little about in the way of plumbing grants. It’s worth checking with local companies in your area as well as some larger companies. Certain banks may offer start-up loans for plumbers but deals change all the time so it would be pointless to list any. Depending on where you live there may be government grants that cover a percentage of the course fees. Some courses allow you to pay by instalments but watch out for obscene interest charges, banks are always looking to scam people, especially those wanting to become a plumber.

Google and the yellow pages are your best friends for this task. Good luck!

want to become a plumber? read this!

How to Become a Plumber

There are a few different routes to becoming a qualified plumber depending on your age and experience. It normally takes years to become qualified but there are fast track courses.  You don’t necessarily need qualifications to do some plumbing jobs but if you want to work for a company you will definitely need some formal qualifications. From 2010 anyone working on a building site will need an NVQ in their trade. There are also a number of useful plumbing books out there but I will cover them in a later post. The best way to gain skills and experience is through training and working with an experienced plumber.  If you want to know how to become a plumber, keep reading and we will go through the different approaches you can take:

Plumbing Apprenticeships

A Plumber apprenticeship is the traditional way to become a plumber . They normally last 4 years and your time will be spent between your local training college and out on the job working with an experienced plumber. You will also get to know a lot of other tradesmen in this time so it is a great opportunity to build up a network. During the course of the plumbing apprenticeship you will normally get paid a basic wage of around £90 although often it will be more than this. At the end you will have an NVQ/SNVQ level 3.

There are no formal entry requirements to get on an apprenticeship but often you will have to sit an aptitude test and some require 4 GCSE’s. If you are over 25 years of age you will probably find it hard to get on a scheme. The places are limited and the competition is intense. Plumbing Apprenticeships in London have even more competition.

For further advise you can call the Apprenticeships helpline on and advice on how to become a plumber 08000 150 600.

Courses for the Inexperienced Adult – How To Become a Plumber from Scratch.

To become ‘fully qualified’ you will need to do the Technical certificates and then NVQ 2 & 3. If you are not currently working in plumbing you will need to gain the following:

• City & Guilds (6129) Technical Certificates Level 2 Basic Plumbing Studies and Level 3 Plumbing Studies.
• City & Guilds (6089) NVQ Level 2 and 3 in Mechanical Engineering Services – Plumbing (Domestic).

The NVQ 3 Includes

• Water Regulations
• Unvented Hot Water Systems
• ACS gas safety for Gas Safe Register (formerly CORGI Registration) approval.

The ACS assessments that you do to get on the gas safe register for commercial and domestic gas are different so keep that in mind if you plan to work in either or both areas!

This guide on how to become a plumber will continue in part 2 covering those working as unqualified plumbers, fast track courses and sponsorship and grants. Click here for part 2

For qualified plumbers working abroad is an option. NVQ/SVQ levels 2 and 3 with a technical certificate are recognised in most European Countries, Australia, Canada and the America. Immigration issues aside (which could fit into a whole other blog) If you wanted to work as a plumber in Australia you would normally need to secure work before you go to the country which can be very difficult. Another option would be to get a 1 year working holiday visa then travel to the country with savings to support you until you find work. This makes it easier to gain citizenship.  Working in Spain, France, Germany as a Plumber is easier as you can work without having to get a visa but on the flip side there is a big language barrier. Dedicated people will attend night classes to get a grasp of the language, depending on your learning ability and how dedicated you are, it normally takes from 1-2 years to become proficient in another language. One of the best ways to learn is to throw yourself in the deep end and live in the country as you learn.

I like the idea of working as a plumber in Australia! How about you?

There are going to be two main options which have a big bearing on your plumbing career and hence your lifestyle. Self employed or employee… that is the question!

Employee Plumber

If you work for someone like British gas, apart from being called a ‘Technical engineer’ (a very vague title if you ask me) you will reap many benefits such as steady work, security, earning over 30k, new van bought for you, paid leave, sick pay, tools, pension, a support team (the list goes on) …Pretty sweet, right? This type of work is suited to most people but as you can imagine there is a lot of competition to work for larger companies. As a fully qualified employee most of your time will be spent in the field fixing, fitting and maintaining domestic heating systems. You will usually need more qualifications to be an employee, especially if working with gas. Working for smaller businesses may be more achievable but there are less perks the further down you go…

Self-Employed Plumbers

…And when you get to the bottom of the list for perks you get to the self employed! No sick pay, no pension, no van, no paid holidays, no guaranteed wages to pay the bills, sorting your own tax out… Basically you are out in the mean old world with nothing but your body and your brain.  Not an easy way to start your plumbing career, but if you work hard you can build a successful business that pays you enough to get by ok… and unlike your contemporaries working for British gas and the like, you decide when you work.  As a self-employed person the bulk of your work is likely to be repairing leaks, blockages, fitting bathrooms and changing taps. Fitting bathrooms requires tiling and joinery skills but it is widely recommended that you employ another tradesman for these tasks until you become more skilled in those areas. This also allows you to get to know your fellow trades-people and it may even bring more work by way of recommendation. Fewer qualifications are required for the likes of fitting bathrooms or kitchens but if you intend to work with gas you will need the same education and registration as a British Gas employee would.

General Working Conditions for Plumbers

In either scenario you will sometimes need to work in confined spaces in awkward positions for long periods of time. Physical fitness and strength are good bonuses. The plumbing career choice can be lonely at times and stressfully busy and frantic at others. I have heard people say it is not a job for big people but I know some rather portly plumbers who dispel that myth.

Plumbing is a male dominated trade but more women are working as or training to become plumbers. Women in plumbing a required to have all the same qualities as male counterparts, dedication, hard work, determination to learn and improve.

Often people will be surprised to see a female plumber knocking at their door but on the whole people are positive about it. Sometimes women may meet people who don’t think plumbing is a job for a lady (ask them why – I bet it will be funny watching them stutter trying to think of a good reason). Thankfully these outdated notions are quickly dying out and the more women that work in plumbing the more they dispel the myth that it is only a job for the boys. Female plumbers wages are very much in line with males.

Before I go into figures I will say that there is a LOT of variation in pay and the figures stated are only approximations based on research. What plumbers get paid depends on experience, education and where you live. Ask yourself: Is there a demand in your area?  Or are plumbers adverts all over the classifieds page begging for work? More demand means more work and more pay! Are you qualified to fit and maintain gas or oil boilers? Etc…

The average wage for a plumber is £26000 per annum. This is a very distorted figure and it takes into account long established self employed London plumbers some of whom can earn around £50000 according to one source. At the other end of the scale you can work for £0, yes £0! People are so keen to gain experience they will work for free. I am sure I will have to do the same. There was a young lad on the local radio looking for an unpaid position only a couple of weeks ago. And with employment being like it is employers have the upper hand and at the same time are keen to reduce costs by reducing expenditure on wages.

In comparison with other trades, plumber’s wages are now very much in line.

In summary:

• Trainee Plumbers desperate for experience sometimes work on a voluntary basis.
• Newly qualified plumbers with an NVQ3 can start on £15000-£21000.
• Experienced plumbers can earn £21000-£35000.
• Experienced Plumbers in supervisory positions can earn £35000 or more.
• Self employed city plumbers putting in the hours can earn around £50000 but more
• Self employed plumbers earnings normally range from £30-40k full time.

To train to be a plumber you don’t normally need any experience or qualifications. Some courses plumbing require school leavers to have 4 GCSEs or above as do some plumbing apprenticeships. Apprenticeships are normally only for the under 25’s but sometimes older people do take this route.  Mature people who want to learn plumbing may require experience to get on certain courses. There are specific City and Guilds qualifications that can be taken by those with no experience. You can expect a lot of competition to get on courses and you will probably face an aptitude test. I will cover the different courses and tests in detail in a later post and put a link in the menu. Plumbing requires a lifelong commitment to learning because the technology of this field changes at such a rapid pace.

You will need to be of reasonable physical fitness, crouching under sinks, lifting heavy objects and working in dusty confined dark spaces will be routine. I have never met a disabled plumber but I am sure there are some of you out there! If so perhaps you could drop me a line and tell me about the challenges faced by disabled plumbers? If you are colour blind that may rule you out of certain aspects of plumbing. Another common question is: Am i to old to become a plumber? The answer is: probably not… I hear stories of people becoming plumbers in their late fifties and you are only as old as you feel, age is just a number.

You will need to be a good team worker and also able to work alone, a methodical and analytical approach to problem solving is needed. You will also need the ability to get along with customers which can be very challenging.

Working as an employee, plumbers will certainly require some form of qualification depending on the particular job. There are self employed plumbers out there with no formal qualifications.