Straight answers
Questions we get asked
The things people ring and ask about most. If yours isn't here, ring and ask.
Do I need a plumber or a gasfitter?
If it carries gas, you need a registered gasfitter, and we don't hold a gasfitting licence. If it carries water, that's us. Plenty of plumbers hold both tickets, so it's worth asking before you book rather than after.
Do you do gas?
No. We don't hold a gasfitting licence, so anything carrying gas needs a registered gasfitter. We'd rather tell you that up front than turn up and waste your time.
Is my hot water problem a repair or a replacement?
If the cylinder is leaking from the body, it's a replacement. If it's an element, a thermostat or a valve, it's usually a repair and a lot cheaper. Ring and describe what's happening and we can usually tell you which before coming out.
Why does my drain keep blocking?
Usually tree roots in old earthenware pipe. Fat and wipes are the other two common causes. If it blocks again within a few months the problem is the pipe rather than the blockage, and clearing it repeatedly is money down the same drain.
What does a CCTV drain inspection involve?
We put a camera down the drain and look at what's actually happening inside it. It shows where a blockage is, what's causing it, and whether the pipe itself has failed. You get the footage, which matters if you're deciding whether to repair or replace.
Are you Master Plumbers members?
Yes, for more than 10 years. On residential work that means the 12-month Master Plumbers Guarantee of up to $20,000 including GST, covering substandard workmanship and loss of an advance payment if a contractor goes under. Conditions apply and the full terms are published by Master Plumbers.
What areas do you cover?
We work across Napier, Hastings, Havelock North and the surrounding areas. That takes in Taradale, Ahuriri, Bay View, Flaxmere, Clive, Haumoana and out as far as Eskdale, Puketapu, Maraekakaho and Te Awanga. If you're not sure whether you're in range, ring and ask.
What do you charge?
Our initial Service Call to site for minor plumbing maintenance is $224.25 including GST. That covers the first hour, local travel and minor sundries. After the first hour it's $120.75 an hour, charged in half-hour blocks. Any materials used are additional. After hours, at weekends and on public holidays it's $454.25 for the first hour and $241.50 an hour after that. Blocked drain and camera work is charged at its own rate. Rates current as of October 2026.
What's the difference between solar hot water and solar power?
Solar power panels make electricity and that's an electrician's job. Solar hot water panels heat water, which is plumbing, and that's ours. If someone quoted you for one and you wanted the other, that's usually where the confusion started.
What is Dux Qest and should I worry?
Dux Qest is a plumbing pipe used in New Zealand homes from the late 1970s into the 1990s, with a known history of failure. It can usually be identified from the fittings, the pipe markings and the age of the house. Worth knowing before you buy rather than after.
Do you work on septic systems?
Yes. Installation, repairs and maintenance on septic and on-site wastewater, including Advanced Enviro-Septic, which is a passive system with no pumps or blowers to fail. We work on both powered and non-powered systems.
Can you price a job from plans?
Yes, and we'd encourage it for renovations, new builds and commercial work. Send the plans through and we'll come back to you. It's usually faster than arranging a site visit and it lets you compare properly at the design stage.
Do you quote every job before starting?
No. Normal maintenance and service work goes ahead at our published rate, which keeps small jobs simple. Larger jobs and projects get a site assessment and a quote before anything starts.
What does it cost to clear a blocked drain?
High pressure jetting is $345 including GST and that includes the first hour on site, with additional time at $241.50 an hour. A blocked drain call is charged at that rate whatever we find when we get there, so it is not the same as our maintenance Service Call. A simple sink, basin or shower waste blockage that clears without jetting is different work and runs $245 to $345. After hours a blocked drain is treated as an emergency, at $690 for the first hour and $345 an hour after that.
How much does it cost to fix or replace a tap?
Servicing one dripping conventional tap including the washer is usually $245 to $285 including GST. Replacing a standard mixer cartridge is $295 to $395. Supplying and replacing a standard basin mixer is $395 to $495, and a kitchen mixer is $445 to $595. Those totals already include the Service Call, the labour and standard parts for one straightforward job in normal hours. Rates current as of October 2026.
How much does it cost to fix a running toilet?
Replacing a standard flush seal is usually $255 to $315 including GST. A standard cistern inlet valve is $295 to $365, and doing the inlet and flush mechanisms together is $395 to $495. Supplying and replacing a whole standard toilet suite in the same position, including taking the old one away, is $995 to $1,295. Those totals already include the Service Call, labour and standard parts for one straightforward job in normal hours.