Operations & Finance

Plumber Job Description

A Plumber installs and repairs the pipework that carries water into a building and waste out of it, along with the fixtures, cylinders and heating components connected to that pipework. Much of the work is diagnostic rather than constructive: finding where a leak actually originates, working out why a drain keeps blocking, or tracing why one outlet has no pressure when the rest of the building is fine. Jointing method matters as much as layout, because a joint that weeps behind a wall becomes an expensive repair long after the invoice is paid. Approvals for water regulation compliance, and separately for any gas or heating appliance work, are set locally and vary widely, so confirm what your jurisdiction requires. Hire for careful jointing, honest diagnosis and clean work in occupied buildings.

Key skills

Installing hot and cold water services, waste and soil pipeworkJointing across methods including soldering, press fit, compression, push fit and solvent weldDiagnosing leaks, low pressure and recurring blockagesInstalling and servicing cylinders, tanks, pumps and sanitarywarePressure testing, flushing and commissioning a system before handoverClearing drains and waste runs, including the use of rods and jetting equipmentReading plumbing layouts and setting out pipe runs and falls correctlyIsolating supplies safely and protecting occupied spaces from water damage

Responsibilities

  • • Install water, waste and soil pipework to layout and specification with correct falls and support
  • • Fit sanitaryware, cylinders, tanks, pumps and associated valves and controls
  • • Diagnose and repair leaks, blockages, pressure problems and failed components
  • • Pressure test, flush and commission installations before handing them over
  • • Clear blocked drains and waste runs and identify the underlying cause rather than the symptom
  • • Isolate supplies safely and protect floors, ceilings and contents when working in occupied buildings
  • • Advise on compliance with the water regulations that apply locally and flag non compliant existing work
  • • Order materials accurately, account for them, and leave the site clean and functional at the end of each day

Requirements

  • • Recognised plumbing qualification and any registration or approval the jurisdiction requires, confirmed as current locally
  • • Practical experience installing and repairing water, waste and heating pipework
  • • Competence across the jointing methods the role's pipework materials require
  • • Ability to diagnose leaks and blockages methodically rather than by replacing components
  • • Availability for the callout or on call pattern the role includes, if any
  • • Driving licence where the role involves travelling between properties with tools and materials

Nice to have

  • • Separate certification for gas or heating appliance work where the jurisdiction requires it
  • • Experience with unvented hot water systems where local approval applies
  • • Commercial or industrial pipework experience alongside domestic work
  • • Drainage survey, camera inspection or jetting experience
  • • Experience with bathroom or wet room installation from first fix to finish

Separate general plumbing from work that needs its own approval

Plumbing, gas or heating appliance work, and unvented hot water systems are often regulated separately, and the split differs by country and sometimes by state. Decide exactly which categories of work your role covers before advertising, then state the approval required for each and verify it with the relevant register. A plumber who is fully qualified for water and waste may not be permitted to touch a gas appliance in your jurisdiction, and assuming otherwise creates both legal and insurance exposure. Confirm the current local position rather than repeating a previous employer's wording.

Ask about a leak they could not find at first

The most useful interview question for a plumber is about a diagnosis that went wrong before it went right. Listen for how they narrowed it down: isolating sections, checking above the visible damage rather than at it, pressure testing, and ruling out condensation or a failed seal before opening a wall. Candidates who describe replacing parts until the symptom stopped will do the same in a customer's house at your cost. Diagnosis quality, not installation speed, is what separates plumbers in practice.

Assess jointing and finish with a bench test

Where you can, set a short practical task: a small run with two or three joints in the materials you actually work with, then pressure test it. You learn whether the candidate prepares and cleans properly, whether the pipework is supported and set out sensibly, and whether the joints hold. It also shows how tidy they are, which matters more than it sounds when the work happens in someone's kitchen. Keep it short, pay for the time, and explain how you will assess it.

Screen the callout expectation before the interview

Emergency plumbing work is unpredictable by nature, and an on call rota is a materially different job from a scheduled day. State plainly whether the role includes callouts, how often the rota comes round, how it is paid, and what response time is expected. Candidates who accept that openly stay; those who discover it in week three do not. If the role has no callout element, say so, because many applicants assume it does and screen themselves out.

How an ATS suits trade hiring against won work

Plumbing firms usually hire in response to contracts landing rather than on a steady schedule, so speed from decision to first day matters. Pitch N Hire's applicant tracking system keeps every past applicant searchable with their qualification category, approvals and availability, so a new contract starts from a warm list instead of a fresh advert. Structured application questions capture registration and expiry dates so ineligible applicants are filtered before screening, and interviews can be booked in batches. Office staff and working supervisors can both see the same pipeline, which matters when the person making the decision is on site all day.

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FAQ

Hiring a Plumber — FAQs

What does a Plumber do? +
A Plumber installs and repairs the pipework carrying water into a building and waste out of it, along with connected fixtures, cylinders, tanks, pumps and valves. The work includes diagnosing leaks, blockages and pressure problems, jointing pipework correctly for the material in use, pressure testing and commissioning systems before handover, clearing drains, and protecting occupied spaces while supplies are isolated.
What certification does a Plumber need? +
It depends on the jurisdiction and on the categories of work involved. General plumbing, gas or heating appliance work, and unvented hot water systems are frequently regulated separately, with different qualifications, registers and approvals, and the requirements change over time. Define which categories your role covers, describe the approval required for each in the job description, and verify each candidate's current status with the relevant register before making an offer.
What is the difference between a Plumber and an HVAC technician? +
A Plumber works on water services, waste and drainage, and on the pipework and components of heating and hot water systems. An HVAC technician works on heating, ventilation and air conditioning plant, which centres on refrigeration circuits, air handling and controls rather than water and waste pipework, and usually requires separate refrigerant handling certification. The two overlap on wet heating systems in some markets, so define which work your role actually covers.
How do you assess a Plumber during hiring? +
Verify qualification and any separate approvals with the relevant register first. Then ask about a leak or recurring blockage they struggled to diagnose, and follow the reasoning rather than the result, since methodical diagnosis is the difference between a fast repair and repeated visits. Where practical, set a short paid bench task with a few joints in your usual materials and pressure test the result, which also shows how tidy their work is.
What should a Plumber job description include? +
Be specific about the categories of work, since domestic maintenance, new build first fix, commercial pipework and heating appliance work require different skills and approvals. State the qualification and registration needed in your jurisdiction and note that it will be verified. Set out callout or on call arrangements, travel and van provision, tool expectations, and whether the role works alone in customer properties, because that affects the checks required.

Related recruiting questions

How do I reduce time to fill?How do I hire faster without lowering quality?How do I post a job to multiple job boards?How do I improve candidate experience?
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