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Guide
How to choose a plumber in Stellenbosch and the Winelands
Choose a plumber who is registered with the PIRB, will issue a plumbing certificate of compliance for the work, gives you a written estimate before starting, and answers the phone after hours. You can check the first two yourself on the PIRB’s website in a few minutes, and the rest with three questions on the phone.
- Since 2013
- PIRB registered · COCs issued
- 5.0 from 21 Google reviews
- 24-hour emergency call-outs
- Free written estimates
The checklist
Six things to check before you let anyone start, and how to check each one:
| Check | How to check it | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| PIRB registration | Ask for the registration number and search it on the PIRB’s Verify a Plumber page | The PIRB keeps the register of plumbers, and only a licensed plumber on it may issue a COC |
| A certificate of compliance | Ask before the job whether they will issue one, then look it up on the PIRB’s Verify a COC page | PIRB requires one for every geyser installed, repaired or replaced, whatever the job costs |
| A written estimate | Ask for it in writing before work starts, with the call-out fee | You can compare two plumbers on the same job, and you know what is not included |
| SANS 10254 for a geyser | Ask whether the drip tray, vacuum breakers and T&P pipe are in the estimate | Your insurer’s assessor checks the installation against this standard after a burst |
| Reviews for your kind of job | Read the reviews that describe work like yours, not only the stars | A rating says little about whether they do solar, geysers or drains well |
| After-hours cover | Ask who answers the phone at night and on weekends | A burst geyser or pipe does not wait for Monday |
Check the PIRB registration yourself
Ask the plumber for their PIRB registration number and look it up on the Verify a Plumber page at pirb.co.za, which searches the register by name or by registration number. The Plumbing Industry Registration Board (PIRB) keeps the register of plumbers in South Africa.
Registration has levels. PIRB’s rules say only a licensed plumber may buy and issue plumbing certificates of compliance. A qualified plumber who is not licensed may do plumbing work and supervise learners, but may not issue the certificate. If your job needs a COC, ask who will sign it.
Ask whether they will issue a certificate of compliance
A plumbing certificate of compliance (COC) is the licensed plumber’s statement that the work meets the national standards. PIRB requires one for:
- Installing, repairing or replacing an electric geyser, whatever the job costs
- Installing, repairing or replacing a solar or heat pump water heater
- Building, installing or altering a drain, whatever the job costs
- Most other plumbing work above a small value threshold that PIRB sets
The plumber must give the certificate to the owner within five working days of finishing, and you can check that it was logged with PIRB on its Verify a COC page. Whether you need a COC to sell a house depends on your municipality; our certificate of compliance page sets out the rule in each town.
Get the estimate in writing before work starts
A written estimate should say what will be done, which parts will be fitted, and what is not included. It lets you compare two plumbers on the same job, and it settles arguments later. Ask, too, what the call-out fee is and what it covers before anyone drives out.
An emergency is different: a burst geyser is made safe first, and the estimate for the repair or replacement follows. For planned work, like a new geyser, a solar installation or a bathroom, nothing should start until you have the estimate in writing.
For a geyser, ask what “installed to SANS 10254” includes
A geyser installed to SANS 10254 has a drip tray draining to the outside, vacuum breakers on the hot and cold pipes, a temperature and pressure (T&P) valve with a metal discharge pipe, and a pressure control valve rated no higher than the geyser. These are the parts a rushed job leaves out, and they are the first things an insurer’s assessor checks after a burst. Ask whether every one of them is in the estimate.
For solar and heat pumps, ask who does the plumbing
Solar water heaters are installed to SANS 10106 and their plumbing to SANS 10254, and PIRB requires a certificate of compliance for every solar or heat pump water heater installed. Some installers mount the panels and subcontract the plumbing. Ask who will connect the system to your geyser and pipes, and whether that person is a licensed plumber who will issue the COC.
Read the reviews for the job you need
A star rating says little on its own. Read the reviews that describe a job like yours, how quickly the plumber came, and what happened when something went wrong. Then check that the business’s name, phone number and address match on Google, on its website and on the estimate it sends you.
How ProSol answers these questions
ProSol is PIRB registered and issues plumbing certificates of compliance for the work we do. Every geyser we fit is installed to SANS 10254, and solar water heaters to SANS 10106. For planned work you get a written estimate, which you accept on your phone, before we start. Emergency call-outs run 24 hours a day on 081 559 2180, and our Google reviews are below.
Questions people ask
How do I check if a plumber is registered with PIRB?
Ask for their PIRB registration number and search it, or their name, on the Verify a Plumber page at pirb.co.za. The search shows whether they are on the register.
Can any registered plumber issue a certificate of compliance?
No. PIRB’s rules say only a licensed plumber may buy and issue plumbing certificates of compliance. A qualified plumber who is not licensed may do plumbing work, but may not issue the certificate.
Do I need a certificate of compliance for a new geyser?
Yes. PIRB requires one whenever an electric geyser is installed, repaired or replaced, whatever the job costs, and the plumber must give it to you within five working days of finishing.
What should a plumber’s estimate include?
What will be done, the parts and their brands, the labour, what is not included, and how long the estimate is valid. For a geyser, check that the drip tray, vacuum breakers and T&P discharge pipe are listed.
Related
- Plumbing certificate of complianceSelling a house in Somerset West, Paarl or Stellenbosch? Which municipalities require a plumbing COC on transfer, what is checked, and how ProSol issues it.
- Geyser repair and replacementBurst or failing geyser in Stellenbosch, Somerset West or Paarl? ProSol repairs and replaces geysers to SANS 10254, with the certificate your insurer asks for.
- Solar water heater installationSolar geysers installed, retrofitted and serviced in Stellenbosch, Paarl, Franschhoek and Somerset West since 2013. Thermosyphon and split systems.
- Burst geyser: what to doGeyser burst? Switch off the power and water, protect what you can, take photos, then call your insurer and a registered plumber. Step by step, with the claim.
Areas we serve
What customers say
“During the huge April 2024 storm in Stellenbosch, I phoned Malan at Prosol on Sunday morning. I had thought with so many houses damaged here, it would be nearly impossible to get help at short notice. By 10 am his two men were here.”
“Prosol plumbing is very proffesional, efficient and cares about their ckients. They are very reliable and the staff is very patient and pay attention to detail.”
“Malan & his Prosol team were commented as being very professional and efficient with the geyser install at Consol Shop Stellenbosch.”
Tell us what’s wrong. We’ll tell you what it takes.
Phone for anything urgent, at any hour. Otherwise send a photo and a few words on WhatsApp, and Malan comes back to you with what it needs. Planned work gets a free written estimate before we start.