What Does a Plumber Do? A Guide to Working in Plumbing

Mention becoming a plumber and there's a decent chance someone immediately makes a joke about blocked toilets.

And yes, plumbers occasionally have to deal with some pretty ordinary situations.

But plumbing is a much bigger trade than unclogging drains.

Plumbers install, maintain and repair the systems that supply water, remove waste and keep homes, businesses and major buildings operating.

Depending on your qualifications and the type of work you choose, you could find yourself building plumbing systems for new houses, working on major commercial projects, installing drainage, maintaining industrial facilities or running your own service business.

So what does a plumber actually do all day?

What Does a Plumber Actually Do?

Plumbers work with systems involving water, drainage and other services within buildings and infrastructure.

Depending on the type of plumbing and relevant licensing, their work can include:

• Installing water pipes
• Installing drainage systems
• Connecting toilets, sinks and showers
• Installing hot water systems
• Repairing leaks
• Clearing blocked drains
• Installing roof drainage
• Working with gas systems
• Testing plumbing installations
• Reading plans
• Diagnosing faults
• Maintaining existing systems

Some plumbers specialise heavily in one area.

Others perform a broad range of work.

A plumber working on new apartment developments can have a completely different working day from someone doing emergency residential maintenance.

What Does a Typical Day Look Like?

There's no universal day in plumbing.

A residential maintenance plumber might start with a leaking tap, move onto a blocked drain and finish the day replacing a hot water system.

A construction plumber might spend weeks installing pipework throughout the same building.

A drainage plumber could spend the day working outside installing underground services.

A commercial plumber might be one of dozens of plumbers working on a major project.

That's one of the advantages of the trade.

There are plenty of different directions you can take it.

Residential Plumbing

Residential plumbers work in houses, townhouses and apartments.

Their work can include both new construction and existing homes.

Common residential plumbing jobs include:

• Installing toilets
• Installing showers
• Installing sinks
• Installing taps
• Connecting water services
• Installing drainage
• Hot water systems
• Renovations
• Repairs
• Maintenance

Residential plumbers can work for construction companies, plumbing contractors or directly for homeowners.

It's also a popular area for plumbers who eventually want to start their own businesses.

New Construction Plumbing

Plumbers are involved throughout the construction of a new home or building.

Before the shiny taps and toilets are installed, there's a huge amount of plumbing hidden behind walls, underneath floors and underground.

Construction plumbers may install:

• Water supply pipework
• Sewer drainage
• Stormwater systems
• Hot water pipework
• Fixture connections
• Gas services where appropriately qualified

You'll need to work from plans and coordinate with builders and other trades.

A lot of the best plumbing work is never seen once the building is finished.

Which is generally a good thing.

Maintenance Plumbing

Maintenance plumbers repair existing plumbing systems.

This is probably the type of plumber most homeowners are familiar with.

Jobs can include:

• Leaking taps
• Burst pipes
• Running toilets
• Blocked drains
• Hot water problems
• Water leaks
• Broken fixtures
• General plumbing repairs

Maintenance work requires strong fault-finding skills.

The customer usually knows something is wrong.

Your job is figuring out exactly what has failed and how to fix it.

Emergency Plumbing

Some plumbing businesses provide emergency services outside normal working hours.

A customer with a burst pipe at midnight probably isn't particularly interested in waiting until Monday morning.

Emergency plumbers can respond to problems such as:

• Burst water pipes
• Major leaks
• Blocked sewer systems
• Failed hot water systems
• Overflowing fixtures

After-hours plumbing can provide opportunities for higher earnings.

The obvious trade-off is that you're working after hours.

Being paid well at 2am doesn't make it 2pm.

Commercial Plumbing

Commercial plumbers work on larger buildings and construction projects.

These can include:

• Offices
• Hospitals
• Schools
• Hotels
• Shopping centres
• Apartment developments
• Industrial facilities

Commercial plumbing systems can be much larger and more complicated than those found in a typical house.

Projects also involve bigger construction teams and more coordination between different trades.

Commercial work can provide pathways into major projects, supervision and project management.

Drainage Plumbing

Drainage plumbers work on systems that move wastewater and stormwater away from buildings.

This can involve:

• Sewer lines
• Stormwater systems
• Underground drainage
• Drain repairs
• New installations
• Blockage removal

Drainage work can involve excavation and plenty of time outdoors.

Gravity is extremely important.

If the pipes don't have the correct fall, the contents aren't going where they're supposed to.

And nobody wants to be the person responsible for that.

Roof Plumbing

Roof plumbers work on systems that manage rainwater and weatherproof buildings.

Depending on the work and relevant requirements, this can include:

• Gutters
• Downpipes
• Flashings
• Roof drainage
• Metal roofing

Roof plumbing involves working at heights and spending plenty of time outdoors.

Australian summer probably won't care that you'd prefer a cooler day to install a metal roof.

Gas Fitting

Plumbers can also develop qualifications and licensing to perform gas work.

Gas fitting can involve installing and servicing gas systems and appliances.

Because incorrect gas work can have serious consequences, the work is regulated and specific licensing requirements apply.

Requirements vary between Australian states and territories.

Mechanical Services Plumbing

Mechanical services plumbers can work with systems associated with heating, cooling and ventilation.

This can include pipework and equipment used in larger buildings.

Mechanical services work is commonly found in commercial construction and large facilities.

It's another example of plumbing extending far beyond the bathroom.

Fire Protection Plumbing

Some plumbing-related careers involve fire protection systems.

This can include installing and maintaining systems such as:

• Fire sprinklers
• Hydrants
• Hose reels
• Associated pipework

Specific training and licensing requirements can apply depending on the work and jurisdiction.

Fire protection can provide opportunities across commercial buildings, industrial facilities and major construction projects.

Is Plumbing Mostly Fixing Toilets?

No.

Some plumbers could spend weeks or months without touching a blocked toilet.

Others working in residential maintenance will encounter them regularly.

It all depends on what part of the industry you enter.

If dealing with existing sewer systems doesn't appeal to you, construction, commercial, roof plumbing or other specialised areas may be more attractive.

You aren't automatically signing a lifetime contract with blocked toilets when you start a plumbing apprenticeship.

Is Plumbing Dirty?

Sometimes.

Maintenance and drainage plumbing can expose you to wastewater and unpleasant environments.

That's simply part of certain jobs.

But plenty of plumbing work is relatively clean.

Installing completely new plumbing systems in a building under construction is very different from clearing a blocked sewer line.

Proper personal protective equipment and hygiene practices are important when working around potentially hazardous materials.

Is Plumbing Physically Hard?

Plumbing can be physically demanding.

Depending on your work, you may spend time:

• Digging
• Carrying pipe
• Lifting equipment
• Crawling underneath houses
• Working in roof spaces
• Climbing ladders
• Kneeling
• Bending
• Working at heights

The physical demands vary between plumbing specialisations.

An experienced supervisor running a commercial project will obviously have a different day from a first-year apprentice digging drainage trenches.

Do Plumbers Work Outside?

Some plumbers spend plenty of time outside.

Drainage, roof plumbing and new construction can involve significant outdoor work.

Maintenance plumbers often move between indoor and outdoor environments throughout the day.

Commercial plumbers may spend much more time inside as a building progresses.

If you work in construction, you'll eventually become very familiar with checking the weather forecast.

And then watching the weather completely ignore it.

Do Plumbers Need Maths?

Yes, but we're talking practical trade maths rather than sitting around solving university equations.

Plumbers use maths for:

• Measurements
• Pipe lengths
• Gradients
• Levels
• Angles
• Volumes
• Material quantities

Drainage systems need appropriate gradients.

Measurements need to be accurate.

Fixtures need to end up where the plans say they're supposed to be.

You'll learn the relevant calculations during your apprenticeship.

Do Plumbers Read Plans?

Yes.

Construction plumbers need to understand drawings and specifications showing where plumbing services need to be installed.

Plans can show things such as:

• Fixture locations
• Pipe routes
• Drainage
• Water services
• Equipment
• Building layouts

Being able to translate a drawing into an actual working plumbing system is an important skill.

It becomes easier with experience.

What Tools Do Plumbers Use?

The exact toolkit depends on the work.

Common plumbing tools and equipment can include:

• Wrenches
• Pliers
• Pipe cutters
• Levels
• Tape measures
• Drills
• Press tools
• Hand tools
• Drain cleaning equipment
• Inspection equipment
• Testing equipment

Some specialised plumbing equipment can cost thousands of dollars.

Fortunately, you don't need to buy an entire plumbing business worth of equipment during your first week as an apprentice.

Who Do Plumbers Work With?

On construction projects, plumbers regularly work alongside:

• Builders
• Carpenters
• Electricians
• HVAC technicians
• Concreters
• Tilers
• Waterproofers
• Engineers
• Site supervisors
• Other plumbers

Coordination matters.

A plumber needs access to particular areas before walls and floors are closed up.

Other trades may also need to work around plumbing services.

Good construction projects involve everyone working together.

Bad construction projects involve everyone blaming each other.

What Hours Do Plumbers Work?

Many construction plumbers start early.

A 6:30am or 7:00am start isn't unusual depending on the project and employer.

Maintenance plumbers may work more conventional daytime hours.

Emergency plumbers can work nights and weekends.

Major commercial projects may also involve overtime or weekend work.

The trade gives you plenty of options, but not all of them involve Monday to Friday from nine until five.

Do Plumbers Earn Good Money?

Qualified plumbers can earn strong incomes.

Earnings vary based on:

• Experience
• Location
• Type of plumbing
• Overtime
• Allowances
• Specialisation
• Employment arrangement
• Supervisory responsibilities

Commercial projects, remote work, specialist roles and overtime can increase earning potential.

Plumbing also has a strong pathway towards self-employment, where the potential ceiling can be considerably higher.

Can Plumbers Work for Themselves?

Yes.

Plumbing is well suited to small business because homes and businesses constantly need plumbing services.

A plumber can build a business around:

• Maintenance
• Renovations
• Drainage
• Hot water
• Emergency plumbing
• Gas
• Construction
• Commercial maintenance

Running the business means taking responsibility for far more than the plumbing itself.

You'll also need to quote, schedule, invoice, order materials and find customers.

But for plumbers with an entrepreneurial streak, it can be an attractive long-term option.

Can Plumbers Move Off the Tools?

Yes.

Experience can eventually lead into positions such as:

• Leading hand
• Foreman
• Plumbing supervisor
• Estimator
• Project manager
• Construction manager
• Facilities management
• Technical sales
• Business ownership

You can spend the first part of your career developing practical skills and later use that knowledge in roles that are less physically demanding.

That's worth considering when you're thinking about a career that might last 40 years.

What Skills Make a Good Plumber?

Good plumbers generally need a combination of practical and people skills.

Useful qualities include:

• Problem solving
• Attention to detail
• Reliability
• Practical ability
• Communication
• Basic maths
• Safety awareness
• Time management
• Customer service
• Ability to work independently

Customer service becomes particularly important in residential maintenance.

You might be brilliant at plumbing, but homeowners generally prefer you don't walk mud through their house and communicate entirely through grunts.

Is Plumbing a Good Career?

For the right person, yes.

Plumbing gives you a recognised trade with work across residential construction, maintenance, commercial buildings and specialised services.

There's strong earning potential once qualified, and experienced plumbers can move into supervision, project management or business ownership.

The work can be physical.

Some jobs can be dirty.

And occasionally you'll discover something in a drain that you'd rather forget.

But you're developing practical skills that people and businesses genuinely need.

As long as buildings have water going into them and waste coming out, someone needs to make sure it all works.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a plumber do every day?

Plumbers install, maintain and repair water, drainage and other plumbing systems. Daily work varies depending on whether they're working in construction, maintenance, drainage or another specialised area.

Do plumbers only fix toilets?

No. Plumbing covers water supply, drainage, hot water, construction, maintenance, roofing, gas and other specialised services depending on qualifications and licensing.

Is plumbing a dirty job?

Some maintenance and drainage work can be dirty, but many plumbers work on new construction and other plumbing systems that don't involve sewage.

Is plumbing physically demanding?

It can be. Plumbers may dig, carry materials, crawl under buildings, work in roof spaces and spend long periods on their feet.

Do plumbers need maths?

Yes. Plumbers use practical maths for measurements, gradients, levels, pipe lengths and material calculations.

Can plumbers work for themselves?

Yes. Experienced plumbers who meet the relevant licensing requirements can start their own plumbing businesses and provide services directly to customers.