Any alternative to Pimlico Plumbers in London?!

Hi.

Bro is needing some plumbing work done in his flat in the Big Smoke. Since he can't find someone to recommend a plumber, he's gonna have to 'rely' on Pimlico Plumbers.

They seem to have a decent reputation, but they sure ain't cheap - it's an £80 call out chust to discuss the work wot needs doing.

Anyone know of an alternative?

Ta.

 

Hi P'bish. Thanks for the reply.

He needs a bath/shower deck mixer swapped (he's ordered a thermostatic Mira Excel for this) and almost certainly a Grundfos domestic booster fitted on the hot and cold supplies to compensate.

Although the Mira is theoretically rated for as low as 0.1bar, I expect it to be a poorer shower than his current manual, rubber-washer type mixer. I dount he mas more than 1m head.

He doesn't want thrumming pumps and 'power shower' performance, just a nice adequate wetting. So I personally suggested the Grundfos as it boosts by between 0.5 and 0.75 bar, enough to at least double what he has now, which would be great.

Thoughts?

Cheers.

 

Are you GasSafe? 'Cos he will also have to look at updating his ancient boiler next year.

 

I'd love an actual recommendation, tho'. Or my bro would.

I know PP is expensive, but I believe their reputation is pretty good?

 

That's the prob - he doesn't know anyone who's had plumb work done recently to ask.

Neighb's? This is London, man...

 

Many moons ago, when I lived in London myself, bro and I invited our mum down for a visit - from the Utter Hebrides. Of course, up there, everyone talks to everyone else.

So it was that in every shop my lovely mum went in to, she'd speak with every person she saw, and with the cashiers. You've never seen such a startled look on people's faces...

 

The cheap part - Notting Hill

(Top floor flat - six storeys up...)

 

Hi P'Bish - it's this fellow: http://www.prestigepumps.co.uk/uploads/files/Grundfos_1/UPA_15-90.PDF

Essentially a glorified circulating pump, but fitted with an auto-flow switch.

The reason for two separate pumps is that I don't think the cold water feed to the taps comes down through the airing cupboard where the hot cylinder is located, so the chances are that the 'cold' pump will need fitting elsewhere, hopefully up where the storage tank is on the roof (inside a purpose-made 'shed').

The other reasons for me suggesting these pumps as opposed to a 'proper' twin shower pump is to (a) avoid any noise (it would have to be fitted under the bath as that's the only place where both pipes are present side by side, just before they feed the bath), (b) he doesn't want a powerful 'whooooosh' - this is just an over-bath shower that would benefit form, say, a 'doubling' of flow, and (c) it would also be of benefit if the hot and cold supplies to all the taps and cisterns were slightly boosted, and not just the shower (the kitchen hot tap, in particular, is feed by a 15mm pipe going a torturous route to the sink unit).

I'm pretty sure it's straight-forward (and a job I'd do for him myself if I were in London); the airing cupboard has easy access to the hot pipes and a power supply, and the 'shed' on the roof will have easy access to the cold feed to the flat and there is also power up there in the section of that 'shed' which is where you exit on to the roof - it's been turned into a small 'office'.

Whether the hot cylinder also needs a 'home-counties' flange fitted, I ain't qualified to answer.

Thoughts?

 

No problem, P'Bish - many thanks for considering it.

He really wants it done before then as nephew's family with kids is coming to stay over just after Christmas, and he wants the shower working safely for them.

Another other companies comes to mind in the Big Smoke as an alternative to Pimlico?