Looking for a Birmingham Plumber?
FREEPHONE 0800 073 0208
- 25 Years Family Business
- Cover whole of Birmingham
- 24 hour / 7 day Emergency Call Out
- Leaks, Taps, Toilets, Sinks
- Ball Valves Cylinders Tanks
- All Blockages Cleared
- All Work Guaranteed
- OAP Rates
Fully qualified in all areas of plumbing and drainage, T Barnes has delivered a first class service in the Birmingham area for over 25 years.
24 hours a day, 7 days a week – you can be sure of a professional job, at the right price. All our work is fully guaranteed, offering you piece of mind we’ll get the problem fixed quickly and efficiently.
Call us now for a free, no obligation quote on 0800 073 0208, or email tbarnesplumbing@hotmail.co.uk
Finding a plumber in an area as large as Birmingham can present its own challenges.
T Barnes is a plumber based in the B1 postcode area of Birmingham and can provide the very best plumbing services available in the area.
A family business now over 25 years old you can be assured of the quality and reliability of service that T Barnes Plumbing and Drainage Birmingham will provide.
Covering the whole of the Birmingham area and providing 24-hour seven-day week emergency callout for everything from boiler emergency is too simple leaks.
All blockages cleared, all were guaranteed.
OAP rates available.
Pipe and Plumbing Care Over Winter
With winter approaching, many of us will be looking at our plumbing systems and wondering if they can cope with the cold weather. Hopefully by now your boiler systems have been checked, but the really cold weather is yet to come and this is what will test your pipework, particularly outside your property.
It is a good time of year to lag any external plumbing you may have. If this is your first year in a new property make sure you are aware of your external pipework system and particularly where your stopcock is in case of emergencies. You’d be surprised how many people are caught out by not knowing simple information like this should a frozen pipe results in a leak.
Plumber In Birmingham Looks Forward
It’s fair to say that is being very hard for business in the last four years, and being a plumber in Birmingham I have had my fair share of hard times since the recession started.
However, like all Birmingham plumbers I am looking for the silver lining to this particular cloud. Although the building industry is in decline, there are many people now looking to renovate or add extra features to their existing properties.
One common theme seems to be adding a granny flat or annexed to an existing house or property. I think the normal course of events is that an elderly parent to sell their house and the money goes towards the alterations extensions or improvements of their children’s properties to allow them to live a comfortable life there. This invariably means that plumbers in Birmingham are brought in to do the alterations for them. I probably quote for two or three coming extensions every week, and luckily I managed to land one or two of these jobs keeping me quite busy.
In the past I was used to working on new build housing developments, but it is quite a different experience as a Birmingham plumber to work in an existing property. The main difference being that you often working around a family that are in residence as you get your work done.
I don’t know whether all plumbers are the same, but sometimes when I am working on a new construction site there will be plenty of banter and often loud music, I’ve learned to tone down and just occasionally whistle to myself as I get on with the job.
I currently work a little bit quicker these days, being in a house and generally a fair bit warmer helps, it keeps my fingers nimble and aren’t able to work that little bit faster. I’m also conscious that the family on working for will often need their water turned back on at teatime or whenever.
You’ve probably heard that plumbers in Birmingham are amongst the best trained in the United Kingdom, and I like to think that’s true. Although times are hard and I’m probably not earning what I was five years ago, by changing my tact and moving to a slightly different market I still enjoy my work and keeping my head above water. I advise any other Birmingham plumbers to do the same.
Birmingham University Increases Plumbing Courses.
The University of Birmingham has decided to increase the number of courses in places available to students wishing to study plumbing in Birmingham from 2012. As these stipulations requirements for qualified plumbing in the UK are some of the most stringent in the world, it has become apparent that the shortfall of qualified plumbers in Birmingham needs to be addressed.
Kevin Harris, head of practical studies at the University was keen to point out the advantages to the local community for plumbers in Birmingham to actually have been trained and experienced in their local area.
“Having a centre of practical excellence in the West Midlands is to everyone’s benefit, there is a national shortfall of plumbers at the moment and very few colleges and universities are going out of their way to address the situation. Here in Birmingham we understand the plumbing along with other essential skills in the practical area need to be taught to a greater number of students”
This sentiment is in line with government policy as the new coalition government looks to increase the number of homes in the UK by up to 5,000,000 by the year 2020.
It is believed that this is a very optimistic target and unlikely to be met in full, but Birmingham plumbers along with the other building trades will be required for the ramp up in home building that is expected to start around 2013. With the average time taken to train a plumber and get the necessary experience at between 3 to 5 years, it is a challenging target for a local universities to hit.
We can expect the university prospectuses to be out late in 2011 and hopefully we will be an increase in the number of trained plumbers in Birmingham a few years later.
Plumber in Birmingham? Look no Further
Available 24 hours a day, finding a reliable plumber or heating engineer in Birmingham has never been easier.
In the past looking for a plumber or heating engineer in the Birmingham area has been hard work. Not so much because there were relatively few plumbers, but it was more a case of trying to sort out the wood from the trees.
The criteria most people expect from a good plumber include;
1 – A prompt response to emergency situations
2 – Fully qualified and experienced plumbers
3 – 24 hour call outs including emergency call outs.
4 – A friendly and professional manner in getting the job done
5 – Affordable rates – with discounts for OAP’s
I’m guessing these are your criteria as well. If so you have come to the right place. Click on the links above to get in touch with the very best plumbing and heating engineer in the Birmingham area.
Local Birmingham Plumber
Writing a plumber’s job description could be one of the hardest things prospective employer could do. It seems that these days plumber training extends to just about every aspect of the home and in the commercial world these engineers do everything from gas connections to digging holes for drainage.
Amazingly then, in my own plumber has “cross trained” as an electrician, as if plumber training in itself was not enough. But like many he works for himself and likes to augment your plumbing jobs that he gets with other work in associated fields.
Plumber qualifications are not the easiest to obtain, and require a great deal of skill at least a years academic training and then in most cases 3 to 5 years on-the-job experience before prospective employers will consider you for most positions.
It’s a hard job, and a plumber salary often reflects the nature of the work. Not only is it sometimes unpleasant in a very physical sense, it is often the case that you are on call 24 hours. Advertisements for your local services will often feature 24-hour boiler repairs, gas emergency repairs and other aspects of work, all of which could require that the trained Artisan be on call 24 hours a day and prepared to do anything from fixing a few pipes to getting “ down and dirty” with domestic or commercial waste systems.
So, when you hear people talking about plumber wages, bear in mind that it is one of the most physically demanding jobs there is in just about every sense of the word, and requires a great deal of skill and training before qualifications necessary to perform most functions legally can be obtained.
In short, support your local plumber.
Innovative Plumber Makes National Headlines
Keith Bradley is making a name for himself as one of the leading innovators for plumbers in the West Midlands. You may remember a story last year when Mr Bradley adapted the coolant system from an old jet engine to warm water pipes safely during the extremely cold weather in the winter just gone.
After seeking a patented for the device Keys has now moved on to his next endeavour. Homeowners wishing to install Fountains or water features in their garden had previously had to buy pipework pumps and valves in most cases. These new innovation is an all in one unit which is capable of using rainwater to replenish its levels.
“My idea is to keep things as simple as possible. Most of the plumbing innovations I use are adaptations of principles already in use in other areas. I don’t see the point in reinventing the wheel. The world is full of good ideas which can be adapted and used all over the place, is not a case of being clever, it’s just a case of looking”
The young Mr Bradley is hoping to qualify for a Prince’s trust award in 2012 to allow him to develop further innovations, this time concentrating on domestic heating. We look forward to seeing his new ideas.
Low Water Levels A Concern For Appliances
There have been increasing reports of drops in water pressure in the Birmingham area. As this very dry spring in 2011 continues the vowels and devices which attempt to maintain a consistent water pressure for both domestic and commercial use in the Birmingham area are becoming increasingly stressed.
While for most domestic applications this will simply mean a lower rate of water through your taps or when running a bath. There are some more serious side-effects. On the domestic level your washing machine, central heating boiler or dishwasher may require a minimum water pressure to operate efficiently. Lowering this may simply result in it not performing correctly or in the case of some appliances not working at all.
Most modern central heating systems are a sealed unit where water is added only when required. So these should be relatively safe from the current fluctuations. However it might be time to check your water pressure meter and make sure it is in the desired range for your appliance.
More seriously, in industry some cleaning applications require a very high pressure of water and some draw this directly from the main supply rather than a tank or reservoir. There have already been reports of industrial washing equipment underperforming and malfunctioning throughout the UK, and Birmingham seems to be one of the more affected areas.
While there is we can do about the weather, it is recommended that anybody who uses plumbing equipment that is sensitive to water pressure takes extra care over the coming weeks or months until the water levels in the area return to a more normal level.
Birmingham Plumber’s Busy After Cold Weather.
The recent spell of cold weather in the United Kingdom has inconvenienced many people. Although the media tended to focus on transport issues, it was perhaps the plumbers who are busiest of all dealing with literally hundreds of burst pipes.
Plumbers in Birmingham seem to be hit hardest. Throughout the whole of England the national weather often quoted that Birmingham and North Midlands was the coldest region. Burst pipes are a major hazard and can destroy a home and cause tens of thousands of pounds worth of damage within minutes.
A plumber in Birmingham said that many people mistakenly believe that should a pipe burst it is simply a matter of turning the water off. The problem here is that the stopcock is often frozen itself and it can take a long time to defrost. Of course there’s also the possibility that the leak occurs before the stopcock valve and the water needs to be turned off further up the supply chain which will require a visit from your local water engineer.
Here’s a quick video unfortunately from the US showing the problem is one homeowner had and then a quick idea of the solutions.
Taking sensible precautions can help to avoid unnecessary stress and cost. Birmingham City Council estimates that there are still some 700 homes in the West Midlands area that are being treated for damage due to domestic pipe burst caused during the cold weather prior to Christmas. Taking the precautions shown on this video and following the advice of your plumber in Birmingham you can reduce the chance of this happening to you.
Overseas Opportunities for Plumbers in Birmingham.
It seems that plumbers are taking advantage of fantastic life changing careers abroad after training in the UK. And who can blame them?
Despite the increase in college and university places for plumbers since 2005, there is still today a shortage of plumbers in the UK. A recent open letter to the Birmingham Post by Jeff Jones, the head of the area plumbing Association highlights a problem.
“We have one of the highest standards of plumbing education in the world” Jeff explained “ and after a couple of years experience in the UK environment most of the plumbers I know will become aware that fantastic job opportunities are available, not only in Europe but as far afield as Australia”
A simple comparison of the educational requirements for plumbers in the UK compared with most of the rest of the world draws a stark contrast. Whereas a fully qualified plumber in Birmingham may well need three years education and still be considered a novice, in other parts of the world the entire training course can be completed inside six months.
“Birmingham plumbers are some of the most sought-after as the West Midlands seems to be an area in the epicentre of most several major training and apprenticeships centres for this career”
Since the separation of certification between plumbing and gas fitting the position has become even more exacerbated as many former plumbers now concentrate solely on gas fitting and supply in domestic situations. It is thought this migration towards gas is due to it being a “ cleaner” sort of work.
Recently the BBC has run articles on their Breakfast show highlighting the situation with regards to UK plumbers in general and plumbers in Birmingham in particular.
Birmingham Plumber Makes Good
Like many people I decided rather than move house to make some improvements to my existing home. One of the first things I decided to do was to get a plumber from Birmingham to quote for the necessary pipework for an extra downstairs washroom. We currently have a little cupboard where we put our coats, but it is certainly big enough to turn into a downstairs WC.
Anyway, the plumber from Birmingham came exactly when he told us he would and spent a good 45 minutes measuring up. He took out various meters and gauges to work out where our current pipework went and what sort of gauge it was.
The Birmingham plumber asked if he could make a few small pencil marks on the wall to help him Judge where pipe should go, and he thoroughly measured things like wall thickness and counted the number of tiles may need to be removed or replaced. In fact he did far more than I had expected him to.
The plumber from Birmingham then sat down with us and asked us what sort of sweet we are after, did we have any idea what style of wash basin or WC would require and had we seen anything anywhere that we liked. We had some rough examples and a picture from a magazine that did not actually give the name of the products. The Birmingham plumber was good enough to go through his entire catalogues with us until we found something which approximated closely to the products we were looking for.
The plumber from Birmingham and then made a couple of phone calls to suppliers and got prices and expected delivery date is. He then got out a laptop and worked out when he could do the job and how much it would cost. We asked if this was an estimate but he assured us that it was a quote and that the job would come to no more than he had quoted. I was staggered, I had not expected such good service.
Although it’s fair to say that plumbers in Birmingham have a reputation for being some of the best in the United Kingdom, I was still not expecting such a good price and such a quick and thorough quote. We duly agreed to the quote and had the job done 10 days later. The plumber was on site for less than two days and did a very thorough job giving us a fantastic downstairs water closet and washroom which exceeded our expectations and cost far less than we imagined.
Birmingham Plumber Saves The Day
Perhaps its just me, but I was lucky enough to have service from the best plumber in Birmingham yesterday.
The pipes froze in my kitchen, I don’t tend to keep it warm overnight, and one of the pipes that connects hot water to my dishwasher cracked and what started as a steady leak became a real torrent of water flooding into my kitchen by the time I got up in the morning.
I rushed to the Yellow Pages, and decided to call a plumber out immediately. All I seem to get those peoples answer machines, and even some plumbers that no longer worked who referred me to agencies and suchlike.
To say I was getting a little disappointed and upset would be to underestimate the situation.
All I wanted was a plumber in Birmingham to get around to my house as quickly as possible, surely there must be somebody in the United Kingdom who can give me this service and come out and fix my leaks?
Eventually I stumbled upon a website which put me in contact with a plumber in Birmingham who managed to come around within 20 minutes.
What was even better, was that this plumber was able to leave me his card. I called on him a couple of weeks later to service my boiler and to check out my central heating. I used to use the local gas company to service my boiler and check my central heating, but this local plumber who was fully certified and registered did it for almost 30% less in terms of cost.
I’m thinking of having new radiators fitted soon, and even having a second bathroom done for next year. I’m really pleased I stumbled upon this plumber in Birmingham, and will certainly be using him as my first port of call when ever I have any issues with my central heating, radiators, or any of my water filled appliances.
I suppose it could be a message to any others not just in Birmingham. You need to get your message out there. Although the big companies will give you a service contract, it often count for nothing when you really need work doing. I felt quite bitter that I had paid almost £20 a month for several years to a big company only for them to let me down when I really needed it.
Independent plumbers in Birmingham and other areas fill this gap, and will be my first port of call when ever I need something doing to my central heating system, radiators, dishwasher or washing machine.