What is the scope of works for DIY Plumbing

[davidajelliott]

With two isles (minimum) of plumbing fittings and fixtures at most hardware stores could anyone tell me please what is the Scope of plumbing works that the public can legal do , I appreciate it is a licensed trade. I see people buying replacement hot water units , floor wastes and toilet suits that the hardware giants happily sell but technically should these items be installed by a plumber. I imagine it's a don't mess with fixed plumbing scenario ?

[wonderplumb]

When it comes down to it, and at the risk of starting a s**tstorm as these posts often do, there's nothing you can do yourself on anything that's connected to a reticulated water supply and / or a Board's or council's sewer main.
This is where commonsense (which isn't that common at all) prevails. If you have the slightest doubt, don't touch it.

[plum]

As in Monty Python; " Is this the queue for an argument".

[Black Cat]

I have always been under the impression that anything from the wall out is OK. Anything inside the wall, involving connecting one thing to another (and certainly to a storm water or sewer line) is something for a professional Though my own plumber has told me to do it myself in some in instances where I thought it was his job. (but my plumber does seem to have a fairly high opinion of my capabilities - which I try to discourage as I would rather he did the work, lol).

[Master Splinter]

Here's the scope of unregulated work in Queensland, which I think is the most 'permissive' state for plumbing:




Unregulated work

Unregulated work is plumbing and drainage work that does not require council approval or notification. No licence is required to perform this work.

Sanitary plumbing and sanitary drainage:

cleaning or maintaining ground level grates to traps on sanitary drains
replacing caps to ground level inspection openings on sanitary drains
maintaining an above or below ground irrigation system for the disposal of effluent from an on-site sewerage facility.

Water plumbing:

installing or maintaining an irrigation or lawn watering system downstream from an isolating valve, tap or backflow prevention device on the supply pipe for the irrigation or lawn watering system
replacing a jumper valve or washer in a tap
changing a shower head
replacing, in a water closet cistern, a drop valve washer, float valve washer or suction cup rubber.

Work on stormwater drainage is considered unregulated work.


.....so for everwhere else, I think you are supposed to call a plumber...

[Danny]

With two isles (minimum) of plumbing fittings and fixtures at most hardware stores

And not all will be compliant if fitted and some are even govt rebate eligible! The States also differ with regulations in some areas.

O.P., it states that you are an electrician. Is it still illegal in Victoria for someone to change a light globe? What about the other States?

[manofaus]

does that mean that its ok to work on a tank water and pump system? what does reticulated mean? A system in a house or joined to a network or system from a local water supply?

[Juz86]

You can work on your tank and pump system as long as it in no way connects to mains water lines either direct or indirectly

[Danny]

You can work on your tank and pump system as long as it in no way connects to mains water lines either direct or indirectly

Your heading shows that you are from Doreen and the only Doreen with a post code is in Victoria. In Victoria, you are, as per the plumbing regulations, NOT ALLOWED to alter the downpipes. Not much point in allowing homeowners to work on their tanks and pumps if they are not allowed to divert their downpipes to put water in the tank. Some States however do allow it.

This highlights the absurdity of some regulations as plumbers are not trained in rainwater harvesting and having to use a plumber does not guarantee compliance or a good system. About 40% of the installations l see are not compliant and over 90% are sub standard. Apart from ending up with unnecessarily expensive installs and sub standard systems, the public also effectively pays for a fraudulent compliance certificate for the privledge of been 'protected'. They also pay long term with early pump failures, blocked pipes, water that stagnates, broken pipework, underutilisation of the captured resource etc. etc. etc.

Just about all of the rainwater tanks l see installed on new homes are not compliant, either with the install and/or for the building's compliance to attain the old 5 star and new 6 star standard. The plumbers are oblivious as they are not trained.

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