Quick answer: Warning signs of a dodgy tradesman include no licence number, no insurance, no price before work starts, pressure to decide on the spot, cash only, big deposits and replacing whole systems when a part would do.
Most tradies are decent people. But plumbing emergencies are stressful, and a few operators take advantage of that. These are the warning signs I’d look for, from someone who often gets called in to fix the result.
- No licence number, or they won’t give it. Check it on the NSW Fair Trading website. It takes two minutes.
- No insurance. A proper business carries public liability insurance and won’t mind you asking.
- No price before they start. “We’ll see how it goes” is how bills blow out.
- Pressure to decide on the spot. Real emergencies need a quick fix, not a quick decision on a big replacement.
- Cash only, no invoice. No paperwork means no comeback if something goes wrong.
- Big deposit upfront for a small job.
- Vague diagnosis. If they can’t show or explain the problem, ask why. On drains, ask for the camera footage.
- Replacing everything when a part would do. A whole new hot water unit for a faulty thermostat, for example.
- No reviews, or only a handful of perfect ones from the same week.
- A huge call-out fee buried in the fine print, before any work is done.
- No certificate for gas or major plumbing work. In NSW, licensed work should come with the right compliance paperwork.
If a plumber ticks two or three of these, get a second opinion. If you want one from us, call me on 0451 001 503. We cover Ryde, Epping, Eastwood, the North Shore and North West Sydney.
Quick questions
Search the licence number on the NSW Fair Trading website.
Yes. A good plumber explains the job and the cost before work begins, and stops to talk if anything changes.
