DIY is in your DNA, and you want to do your plumbing yourself and save a bit of money? Well, it’s not quite that straightforward and you could open yourself up to more issues than you bargained for.
It’s a legal matter
Traditionally, Kiwi homeowners have always loved a bit of DIY. However, for important health and safety reasons, plumbing is restricted work and can only be done by those authorised to do so.
New Zealand’s plumbing trade is protected by Ministry of Health guidelines. Failure to have an authorised plumber carry out certain plumbing work may well affect your insurance policy. You can even be fined up to $50,000 for attempting your own sanitary plumbing work.
Under the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Act 2006 (the Act) sanitary plumbing covers the installation of toilets, sinks, showers and the pipes and fittings that supply water to those sanitary fixtures and appliances. Sanitary plumbing also includes the associated traps, waste or soil pipes, ventilation pipes and overflow pipes connected with those fixtures. This is restricted plumbing work and only an authorised plumber can carry it out. Call FlowFix Plumbing on 027 265 4949 for a no-obligation quote.
Why can’t I install plumbing myself?
It is a matter of public health. Because your property is connected to the neighbourhood water supply, plumbing work can actually affect the wider community. The primary concern is cross-contamination. For example, incorrectly installed plumbing could result in untreated sewage leaking into homes. Or it could lead to wastewater running directly into public waterways through the cross-contamination of stormwater networks.
Only a licensed plumber can install anything connected to the waste system. This is to ensure it gets to where it belongs.
On another note, DIY plumbing may also cause expensive problems later on. If something goes wrong, the damage to your property probably won’t be cheap to fix. Also, if you decide to sell your property, and you have done some dodgy or illegal plumbing, it could result in legal action against you and / or your real estate agent if you do not disclose it
Don’t risk it – always use a qualified plumber
Considering the public safety hazards, insurance implications, fines, and the expense if things go horribly wrong, most DIY plumbing is simply not worth the risk. So, why not choose a qualified, certified tradesperson backed a 7-point satisfaction guarantee?
Can I install a bathroom vanity?
Bathroom vanities have waste pipes, so only a licensed plumber can install them. There are no ifs, buts or maybes about it. Rules around the installation of bathrooms basins, sinks and vanities exist to prevent wastewater getting into local waterways.
Call FlowFix Plumbing for
- Vanity installations
- Vanity replacements
- Shower replacements
- Toilet replacements
- Hand basin replacements
We know that you would expect nothing less than the perfect, safe installation of your plumbing, so that’s what you’ll get.
What plumbing can I do?
There are a few plumbing jobs that you can carry out yourself. However, there is still a risk of things going wrong, so make sure you know what you’re doing first.
Appliances
You can install household appliances such as dishwashers or washing machines. However, only a licensed plumber can fit a water filter. Exceptions are filters with a push-on connection fitted to the outlet of a kitchen tap or the stand-alone tank or bottle filter.
Taps
Repairing or replacing taps, tap washers or plugs can be a DYI plumbing job.
Shower heads
Just like with the taps, it is OK to fix a leaking shower head yourself.
Ball valves
You can repair or replace ball valves, float valves and ball cocks in toilet cisterns.
Irrigation
Homeowners can also work on a water reticulation system that has no sanitary fixtures or appliances attached. For example, you can work on a rainwater collection tank that feeds gardens. But, if the pipe work from the rainwater collection tank also supplies a toilet, an authorised plumber would need to run all the pipework and subsequent fittings, including the irrigation system.
Need some plumbing advice?
Maybe are wanting to carry out a DIY plumbing job but aren’t sure if it is legal. If that’s the case, please contact us. We can advise on whether the job is safe and legal to do yourself or if you need to call one of our plumbers.
Need an Authorised Plumber?
The plumbing team at FlowFix are authorised plumbers. We are trained to the highest standards and are experienced in residential and commercial plumbing. NZ licensed plumbers protect our community by ensuring we have safe, clean water that is free of contamination, and by making sure our sewage waste is safely piped away without endangering anybody’s health.
It’s our job to make sure your plumbing is safe, works well and that you have a cost-effective solution.
Our plumbing services
Our customers choose us because we take the hassle out of getting plumbing work done. We do this by being reliable, and professional, and delivering excellent, quality workmanship. No plumbing job is too small or too big for us and if we’ve said we’ll turn up, we will. We won’t let you down and you won’t have to wait endlessly for a plumber to come to your house or business.
During a free consultation, we will explain all your available options and our pricing is transparent. We always discuss all costs upfront and where possible, we offer good, money-saving solutions.