Calling an Emergency Plumber in Sydney for the First Time? Here's What to Expect

You have a plumbing problem and you don’t know how to handle it. You are stressed, it is late and you don’t know what to expect. Let every stage of the phone call be fixed and no unpleasant surprises come up.

Most people won’t give a thought to hiring an emergency plumber until they do! When that time comes, the time when the floor is wet, panic sets in, and it’s 2 in the morning, the last thing you want is to have a question about the process. Are they going to come at this time? What will it cost? Are they going to try and sell me up on products I don’t need? Do I have to pay cash?

You’re about to embark on the journey of creating a new home that can be made much less stressful, so here is what to expect when you call us for your helpful hand, step-by-step.

The Phone Call

You call. No voicemail, no call center overseas, no automated message asking you to press 7 buttons before talking to someone, it’s a real person. Emergency calls are answered straight away as the person calling them does not wish to wait a menu tree for help.

We are going to ask you a few quick questions: What’s happening? Where are you? What have you done so far (turned off the water, etc.)? What is the property, house or apartment, on which floor and are there any access problems? It only takes about 2 minutes and it is what the plumber will bring and who will fly out!

We will let you know if it’s something you can safely handle until morning and sometimes it is. No, we are not going to send out a plumber at midnight because you are having a leaky tap. If that’s not for you, then that is taking your money.

Arrival

We are looking to arrive for a two hour window in Sydney. We’re often there an hour or less because in the inner east and Eastern Suburbs, we’re at work all of the time. The plumber can call or text to let you know how close they are, as you don’t want to stand on the doorstep wondering.

They come equipped in a van, and bring most of the common parts and tools, for apartment buildings, shoe covers and drop sheets. No-one has ever been without flexi hoses, valves, fittings, pipe repair clamp, jetting equipment or a CCTV camera. Most common emergencies are covered in the van.

Assessment and Quote

First, the plumber will check the situation. They assess the failure, determine the cause, inspect for any associated damages and resolve what needs to be done. This will take 5 minutes or 15 minutes to complete, depending on the complexity.

Then they tell you what they’ve discovered as well as just a flat sum to fix it. Not an estimate. Not “roughly.” A defined amount you agree to in advance prior to any job being carried out. If it’s not satisfactory, there is no charge, and the plumber walks away. No call-out fee. Hassington: No charge for the assessment.

The price quoted is per job, NOT per hour. That is, if it takes longer than they are hoping, to take it apart (and sometimes it does, a corroded fitting that should come off in two minutes will take twenty), the price doesn’t go up. What you agreed to is what you pay.

The Repair

Once you have given the plumber the OK, work begins. What repairs are involved, depends on the emergency: replacing a ruptured flexi hose, soldering a broken copper joint, jetting a clogged drainage pipe, tracking down a leaky gas line, replacing a worn out element in a hot water heater. In the majority of common emergency repairs, the length of time required will be approximately thirty minutes to two hours.

The plumber will explain their procedure and reasoning, during the repair. If an unforeseen problem is detected, such as another problem behind the wall, or a pipe in worse shape than they thought, then they will stop, explain, and requote. No surprises.

Testing and Confirmation

The plumber then tests the system afterward. In the case of a pipe repair, it involves reopening the water tap, raising the pressure and inspecting all pipe joint connections for leaks. When dealing with a gas repair it’s a complete pressure testing and detection sweep. When it’s a drain cleaning, it’s a second camera run to make sure that the line is flowing.

They will also scrutinize the associated fittings and connections. If they’ve had one flexi hose burst under their kitchen sink they’ll check the other flexi hoses around their home, since if one has given round the bend because of its age, the others installed at the same time are poised to do the same. They will highlight any issues that may arise to you, allowing you to act on it rather than waiting for the next emergency to come up.

Cleanup and Documentation

Clean up the work area prior to the plumber’s departure. Drop sheets are not used. All materials after repairs are removed. The area is left in as close to its original condition as can be, as long as there are no plumbing issues!

A written report is issued to you detailing any findings, actions taken and recommendations for further action. It’s a report that is vital to insurance claims, strata records, or communicating with landlords. It’s part of the service, NOT an extra fee.

Payment

Card payment is accepted in real-time (tap and go, chip and PIN or manual entry). Bank transfer is also available, if you prefer. Immediately after the transaction a tax invoice is sent via e-mail.

The note or invoice will have the owners’ corporation name and/or strata manager’s name with a purchase order number invoiced. For rentals we can produce a report for the landlord or property manager to run reimbursement with the rental contract.

After We Leave

If there is a water incident, we will recommend what can be done for drying to be performed, ventilation, dehumidifiers, checking and drying out down the road that may have been caused by the water loss. We do not perform restoration (floor replacement, mould remediation or plaster repair), but we can identify experts to undertake this when and if necessary.

If, however, the repairs showed another problem, hot water system approaching its end of service, or Aged pipes or any structural drainage issues, we will, of course, discuss this separately with you, and quote any subsequent job at normal working hours. The emergency situation is adequately addressed. Anything else can wait for your speed.

An emergency plumber is not an opportunity to make a sale, it is merely a means of solving an issue. How long it takes to repair it, we repair it, if we can. Where we can provide advice that will save you a call-out we’ll provide the advice. Best of Luck in Your Emergency, (or If you have one, best of all is knowing every step along the way)!