When a pipe bursts at 2am or the boiler dies on a freezing morning, you don’t want to be scrolling through search results wondering who to trust. But even for planned work — a new bathroom, a boiler service, a leak that needs tracking down — choosing the right plumber makes the difference between a job done well and a costly mess.

Here are seven checks to run before you book any plumber in Crawley.

1. Check their reviews — and where they come from

Online reviews are the fastest way to separate good plumbers from bad ones, but not all review platforms are equal. Google reviews are a solid starting point: look for a high average rating and a decent number of reviews, and actually read a few — do customers mention punctuality, tidiness and fair pricing?

Trade-specific platforms carry more weight because the reviews are tied to verified jobs. Checkatrade is the best-known in the UK, and a strong Checkatrade record — hundreds of reviews at a top score — is one of the most reliable signals there is. A plumber with 385 Checkatrade reviews at 10/10, like Plumb Buster’s 5.0 Google rating, has been vetted by hundreds of real customers across real jobs, not just a handful of friends leaving five stars.

Be wary of plumbers with no reviews anywhere, or whose only reviews are anonymous testimonials on their own website.

2. Ask about qualifications

Plumbing isn’t a protected trade in the UK — technically, anyone can call themselves a plumber. That makes qualifications one of the most important things to check.

Look for membership of the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (CIPHE) or equivalent recognised qualifications such as NVQ Level 2/3 in plumbing. For anything involving gas — boilers, gas fires, gas pipework — the engineer must be on the Gas Safe Register. Always ask to see the Gas Safe card and check the registration number on the Gas Safe website; unregistered gas work is illegal and dangerous.

For electrical work in bathrooms, the electrician needs to be qualified under Part P. A reputable firm will volunteer this information without being asked.

3. Confirm they’re insured

A proper plumber carries public liability insurance — typically £1 million to £5 million of cover. This protects you if something goes wrong: a burst pipe during the work, water damage to your floors, or an accident in your home.

Ask what cover they hold and don’t feel awkward about it. Legitimate tradespeople expect the question and answer it immediately. No insurance — or vague answers about it — is a dealbreaker.

4. Demand transparent pricing and written quotes

Nobody likes pricing surprises. For planned work, get a written quote before the job starts, ideally from two or three plumbers so you can compare like for like. A proper quote breaks down labour and materials separately and states what’s included — and what’s not.

For emergency work, you can’t always get three quotes at 2am, but you should still get a clear price before work begins. Ask:

  • What’s the call-out charge, and does it include the first hour?
  • Is there an out-of-hours surcharge, and how much?
  • Are parts charged at cost, and will I see the breakdown?

Be cautious of plumbers who won’t discuss price until after the work is done, or whose “quote” is a vague verbal figure. Written, itemised and agreed in advance is the standard you should hold every plumber to.

5. Look for guarantees on the work

A confident plumber stands behind their work. Ask how long they guarantee labour for — 12 months is a reasonable minimum on installation work. Parts should carry the manufacturer’s warranty on top of that.

Get the guarantee in writing on the invoice. If a plumber won’t put their guarantee in writing, ask yourself why.

6. Choose local — and check response time

A genuinely local plumber has real advantages. They can get to you quickly in an emergency — crucial when water is pouring through your ceiling. They know the area’s housing stock: the Victorian terraces near Crawley town centre, the 70s estates in Broadfield and Bewbush, the newer builds around Maidenbower all have their quirks, and a local engineer has seen them all.

Check that the plumber actually operates where you are. A mobile number and a Crawley address is a good sign; a plumber “covering the South East” from two counties away may take hours to reach you when it matters. And for emergencies, 24-hour availability matters — a burst pipe doesn’t wait for office hours.

7. Watch for red flags

Some warning signs should stop you booking immediately:

  • Cash only, no invoice. Legitimate businesses take bank transfer and card, and always provide an invoice.
  • No fixed address. A plumber with no business address and only a mobile number is hard to find if something goes wrong.
  • Pressure to decide now. “This price is only good if you agree today” is a sales tactic, not a sign of demand.
  • No ID, no branding. Unmarked van, no uniform, no business cards — small things, but they add up to a picture of how the business is run.
  • Asking for large deposits upfront. A modest deposit for materials on a big job is normal; demanding half or more before any work starts is not.
  • Dodging the insurance question. See check 3.

Trust your instincts. If something feels off during the first conversation, it usually is.

How Plumb Buster measures up

We hold ourselves to exactly the standards above, because they’re the standards we’d want from anyone working in our own homes:

  • Reviews: 5.0 rating on Google, plus 385 Checkatrade reviews at 10/10 from real customers.
  • Local and fast: based in Crawley, covering Crawley, Horsham, Horley and East Grinstead, with rapid emergency response.
  • Always open: we’re open 24 hours a day, every day — emergencies don’t keep office hours, so neither do we.
  • Transparent pricing: clear pricing agreed before work starts, written quotes for planned work, and proper invoices for every job.

Whether it’s a planned bathroom plumbing installation or a middle-of-the-night emergency plumbing callout, you can check our track record before we ever pick up a spanner.

Book a plumber you can trust in Crawley

Choosing the right plumber doesn’t have to be a gamble. Run the seven checks, trust the evidence, and you’ll end up with someone who does the job properly the first time.

Plumb Buster is Crawley’s emergency plumber, open 24 hours across Crawley, Horsham, Horley and East Grinstead. Call 07908 948654 any time — for emergencies or planned work — or visit our contact page to get in touch. See our full services and learn more about us.