Services · Plumbing
Hire a plumber
Leaks, blocked drains, hot water and new fixtures. Describe the job once and verified local plumbers can answer it. You choose who does the work.
Plumbing is the trade where a small problem gets expensive quietly. A drip under a sink rots a cabinet, a slow drain becomes a blocked one, and a water heater that makes noises usually has a reason. Most plumbing jobs are not emergencies, and those are the ones a posted job suits best: you get to compare people instead of taking whoever answers the phone first.
If water is pouring through a ceiling or a pipe has burst, turn the water off at the main and call a plumber now. Our emergency plumber guide, on what to do before the plumber arrives, covers the first ten minutes.
What plumbers on Taskovery do
- Leaking taps, pipes, toilets and showers
- Blocked sinks, drains and toilets
- Water heaters and hot water cylinders: repairs, replacement and new installs
- New taps, sinks, toilets, showers and outdoor taps
- Burst and frozen pipes, once the water is off and safe
- Gas appliance connections, by a plumber licensed for gas work
What to put in your job post
- Where the problem is, and a photo or a short video of it
- How long it has been happening, and whether it is getting worse
- The brand, model and age of a water heater, from the label on its side
- Whether the water is turned off, and where your main shut-off valve is
- Access: stairs, a crawl space, a locked meter box, pets
License rules and checks, by country
Plumbing is licensed or registered almost everywhere Taskovery operates, and gas work is controlled everywhere.
- United States: Plumbers are licensed state by state, and some cities add their own license. Your state plumbing or contractor licensing board runs a free lookup.
- Canada: Plumbing is a regulated trade in each province and territory. Ask for the plumber’s certificate of qualification and check it with your provincial regulator.
- United Kingdom: There is no general license for plumbing, but anyone working on gas must be on the Gas Safe Register. WaterSafe lists plumbers approved for work covered by the water regulations.
- Ireland: Gas work must be done by a Registered Gas Installer.
- Australia: Plumbers are licensed in every state and territory, and the state or territory regulator runs the license search, for example the NSW license check.
- New Zealand: Plumbers, gasfitters and drainlayers must be registered with the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board, which keeps a public register.
Whatever the rules, look the number up yourself on the regulator’s own site rather than following a link the contractor sends. How to check a license and insurance walks through it.
How pricing works
Most plumbers charge a call-out fee that covers the first part of the visit, then an hourly rate, plus parts. Evenings, weekends and public holidays cost more almost everywhere. A defined job, such as replacing a tap or a toilet, can usually be priced as a fixed amount once the plumber has seen photos.
Ask what the call-out includes, how parts are charged, and what happens if the job turns out bigger than it looked. For a big job such as a new water heater, get two or three written quotes for the same thing and compare them line by line.
How it works on Taskovery
- Post the job for free. Say what needs doing, where, and when. Photos help more than anything else.
- Hear from verified contractors. Only contractors whose checks have passed can answer: a government photo ID, plus a business registration for a company or a proof of address for a sole trader. It is not a criminal background check and we do not check insurance, so ask for those yourself when the job calls for them.
- Choose who does it. Compare replies, profiles and past work, and pick the person you want.
- Pay them directly. You agree the price with the contractor and pay them, not us. Customers never pay Taskovery anything.
Guides that help with this job
Questions
Questions people ask about hiring a plumber
Is my plumbing problem an emergency?
It is if water is coming through a ceiling, a pipe has burst, sewage is backing up, or you smell gas. Turn the water off at the main, or leave the house and call your gas emergency line, and get help straight away. A dripping tap, a slow drain or a running toilet can wait for replies to a posted job.
Do I need a licensed plumber?
In the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, most plumbing work must be done by a licensed or registered plumber. In the United Kingdom there is no general plumbing license, but gas work must be done by someone on the Gas Safe Register, and in Ireland by a Registered Gas Installer.
What should I check before a plumber starts?
The license or registration where your country requires one, checked on the regulator’s own site, a written price or estimate for the work, what happens if they find more, and proof of insurance for any job that could damage your home.
Got a leak, a drip or a new fixture to fit?
Posting is free, and you decide who does the work.
Are you a plumber? Answering jobs is free, and there is no commission on the work you win. See how Taskovery works for contractors.