In this next case study, ‘Liz’ from Mitcham, VIC was having a cup of tea with her neighbour ‘Barbara’, when she told her that she was looking for a plumber to install a new toilet suite. Barbara recommended that Liz call ‘Lawrie’ (our owner at O’Shea Plumbing) at our office (based in Mount Waverley, VIC).   Luckily for us, positive word-of-mouth is so powerful and the value of a stellar reputation equals repeat business. Liz did indeed go ahead in speaking with Lawrie, explaining that she planned to have family stay over for Christmas and really would like her toilet fixed.   With only one working day left before Christmas, it was important to act quickly. So, ‘Andrew’ (one of our trusty plumbers) was promptly dispatched to Liz’s home to get the ball rolling.   After measuring the set out of the inlet pipes, outlet pipes and similar (and following discussions with Liz as to the brand and model of toilet she wanted), several phone calls were made to plumbing suppliers in the local area (along with ‘The Plumbing Supplies Coop’ in Mitcham, VIC).   The imperative was to check if they had the ‘Caroma Luna’ back-to-wall toilet suite (as desired by Liz). Unfortunately, due to the time constraints of the season, it was impossible to get this particular item at such short notice.   The outcome was that Liz decided that she would order the new toilet suite herself, and get O’Shea Plumbing back to install it first thing after Christmas. Of course, we are more than happy to be of assistance as Liz’s preferred local plumbing provider, now and into the future!

Here’s another awesome result for the O’Shea Plumbing team in our Mount Waverley, VIC office. In this recent scenario, ‘Ping’ (a local Real Estate Agent) phoned and reached our friendly office administrator ‘Kelly-Anne’. She told Kelly-Anne that she required assistance with storm water and sewerage drains on a property in Glen Iris, VIC.   ‘Richard’ and ‘Grant’ (two of our plumbers) got to work in attempting to clear the drains. They employed a customised approach in a combination of tools, machinery, and equipment (all proudly owned by O’Shea Plumbing). They set about investigating the plumbing issues with a ‘Ridgid’ cable machine, a ‘Ridgid’ drain camera and ‘Ridgid’ Navitrack’ equipment (this tracks the drain camera). Plus, they also worked with a ‘Spartan’ trailer mount water jet machine.   Our superhero plumbing duo discovered that sections of drain needed to be replaced. Quotes for this work were submitted and accepted by our client Ping. Consent for the works (and a copy of the sewer plan) was sourced from ‘Yarra Valley Water’ in Mitcham, VIC. Only after this crucial stage did we go ahead with the task in earnest. We then found our most suitable tradespeople: ‘Keith’ (OShea Plumbing’s trusted excavator contractor from Eltham North, VIC); alongside ‘Claude’ (our reliable concrete cutter) were booked for the job.   The team at O’Shea Plumbing then arranged all the finer aspects of the task ahead. Bins were sourced from ‘Metropolitan Bib Hire’ in Keysborough, VIC (to facilitate the removal of rubbish and excess soi)l. Of course, inspections were booked with the ‘Victorian Building Authority’. In due course, a new ‘Caroma’ toilet suite was installed (all material was supplied by the ‘Plumbing Supplies Coop’ in Mitcham, VIC). As due diligence dictates, a ‘Certificate of Compliance’ was issued for all work undertaken.   We were pleased with the completed work, and Ping even moreso! Additionally, the property owners were delighted with the finished product of our plumbing services, and for the fact that the site was left in a spotlessly clean and tidy state. So, that’s yet another job well done for our crew at O’Shea Plumbing!

In this next case study, we have the story of when ‘Richard’ (our plumber here at O’Shea Plumbing) visited a residence in Brighton, Vic to attend to a blocked sewer drain. He met with ‘Astrid’ who was experiencing several inconveniences due to the state of her property’s plumbing.   Richard was on hand to provide fixed prices on the work involved in clearing sections of the drain. When it comes to sewer drain clearing, our ‘capped-price-guarantee’ is what really sets us apart as a plumbing service. This means no hidden costs, awkward surprises or apprehension about your final bill! Plus, we also issue a 12-month warranty should the blockage ever reoccur in the same section of drain in the future.   When it came to the task at hand, Richard used a ‘Ridgid 1500’ drain clearing machine (supplied and serviced by ‘Dieset Manning’ in Blackburn, VIC). As he always does, Richard then attempted to clear the drain completely with a 100mm attachment. The drain was found to be in poor condition, so Richard gave the recommendation that the drain should be replaced.   We are so thrilled to report that Astrid was very pleased with the work and the service provided by Richard and the team at O’Shea Plumbing. In fact, she was so relieved and happy that she took time out of her day to directly call and speak to our friendly owner/operator ‘Lawrie’ to give a glowing verbal testimonial.   Also, Astrid left a review on ‘Product Review’ to say that Richard was very polite and friendly, that he had left everything clean and tidy and that she would definitely recommend the entire team to both her personal circle and the greater community. That’s certainly what we like to hear here at O’Shea Plumbing!

Here’s another case story from the team at O’Shea Plumbing. Our office received a call from ‘Matt’ from Wantirna South, VIC who was renovating his house before moving in. He required plumbing services as a result of the overhaul. Following this, ‘Jarett’ (our Service Manager here at OShea Plumbing) arrived promptly to site, providing quotes that were accepted by Matt.   The planned work included installation of a reflux valve on the sewerage drain (located near the property boundary). This particular valve proved to be a necessary component, largely due to the fact that the cheaper option of an Overflow Relief Gully was not an appropriate option in meeting AS/NZS 3500 regulations.   Before any works were carried out in actual practice, consent was first obtained from ‘South East Water’. Also, drainage inspections were booked, trench shields erected and an excavator arranged. Naturally, during the course of the work, a gas pressure testing was carried out. This detected conclusive evidence of a gas leak.   To remedy this situation, the existing gas pipes were replaced in heavy duty copper pipes and fittings. The new gas installation was pressure tested once again, to prove that it was safe and sound. This level of due diligence provides ultimate assurance, both for our company and our client/s.   A pressure reduction valve was then fitted (at the water meter) and a tempering valve attached (at the hot water plumbing) to prevent scalding water coming from the taps in the bathrooms. All the materials were proudly supplied by ‘The Plumbers Supplies Coop’ (in Mitcham). A Victorian Building Authority Certificate of Compliance was supplied for this work, in order to seal the deal. We are happy to report this with all work completed, Matt was soon able to move into his newly renovated house, with all plumbing in fully and safe operational order. That’s another job well done from the crew at O’Shea Plumbing!

What follows is another great result for the O’Shea Plumbing group. In this case, ‘Keiran’ from Hawthorn East, VIC rang our office and spoke to our friendly company owner himself, who we all know as ‘Lawrie’. Kieran’s gas company had already issued a quote to relocate his gas meter, but now he needed an additional quote to relocate the gas pipes on his property.   He turned to our business as a top service provider in the local community. Our plumber ‘Grant’ was dispatched to site without delay. As Grant discovered, due to the fact that the existing pipes were composed of old galvanised metals, they would require a much more suitable and safe replacement in heavy duty copper pipes and fittings.   In addition, a new ‘Rinnai Infinity 26’ hot water system from ‘The Plumbers Supplies’ (in Mitcham, VIC) and a new ‘Brivis’ ducted heater from ‘Metalflex’ (in Boronia, VIC) were fitted.   All the pipes were secured with extra strong metal clips and stainless steel screws. The entire gas installation was completed and pressure tested to comply with gas regulation AS/NZS3500.   The work was completed with a thorough clean up of site, with all rubbish removed. We are pleased to say that Kieran is feeling reassured in the knowledge that he now has a first- class, safe and sound gas installation, alongside a highly-efficient hot water system and ducted heater. That’s definitely something to feel relieved about, especially when it comes to having peace-of-mind in your own home!

Here’s another fantastic outcome for the team at O’Shea Plumbing. When Wendy of Burwood East VIC rang O’Shea Plumbing it was in response to some bad news from her gas company. They had recently informed her she had water in her gas pipes. ‘Jarett’ (our Service Manager) promptly dispatched ‘Richard’ (our plumber) to investigate the situation.   Richard pressure-tested the gas pipes on site, with the results affirming that there were indeed leaking and in a very poor condition overall. Quotes were issued to replace the old galvanised iron pipes with heavy duty copper alternatives, alongside press fittings (sourced from the Plumbers Supplies Co-op, Mitcham VIC).   The pipes were ‘dug in’ underground. Where they were visible above the ground in a location that ran along a wall, they were securely clipped in place using strong metal clips and stainless steel screws (at a maximum interval of one metre).   The new gas pipes were separately pressure-tested to a higher level. The pipes were connected with the appliances in Wendy’s home and were pressure-tested for a final time (as per AS/NZS5601 regulations).   We are very pleased to find out that Wendy is back to enjoying cooking with her now safe-to-operate gas stove. She was also able to once again take hot showers thanks to her gas heating working 100 percent efficiently. It was obvious that Wendy felt relieved to have the peace-of-mind that comes from effective plumbing solutions, which is exactly the kind of result is what we like to see here at O’Shea Plumbing.

Here’s another ‘feel good story’ from the team at O’Shea Plumbing. Our office received a phone call late on a Saturday from the owner of a childcare centre in Doncaster VIC. This was from one of our highly valued, long-term clients (and owner of a series of childcare centres with locations in Mitcham and Springvale VIC).   The client had been performing some renovations – replacing the benchtop in the kitchen. He had stumbled upon a gas leak coming from the cooktop. He called O’Shea Plumbing in a bit of a panic, so we instructed him to ‘stay calm and turn the gas supply off at the gas meter’. We also let him know we would be on site in due course to work on the issue.   Even though the very next morning was a Sunday, we were more than happy to have one of our emergency plumbers ‘Richard’ – attend on premises at the early hour of 8am. Our plumber found there was a leak on the gas fitting line – he fixed this leak and was able to get the gas turned back on. This meant that the childcare centre could once again have hot water and heating, which was a massive relief for our client!   During the works, Richard found that gas cooktop was old and potentially dangerous, so from here the team at O’Shea researched a number of new cooktops available on the market to find one that would fit the ‘cut-out’ of the new bench top.   We ordered a new cooktop from the ‘Good Guys’ (Nunawading store) – they were extremely helpful! Within the space of a few days we have the new cooktop arrive, collected and installed in the childcare centre and the kitchen fully operational again.   It was the case that not only were the owners happy but the kitchen staff were thrilled to have things back to normal again. Most importantly, the kids enrolled at the childcare centre were warm, had hot water and cooked meals.   Due to the public aspect of the job, we lodged a complex gas fitting notice via the Online Gas Installation Acceptance System ‘Gas Trac’ at Energy Safe Victoria. ‘Jarett’, the Service Manager here at O’Shea Plumbing then met with the Energy Safe Victoria inspector on site to review the works – the inspector was very happy with everything.

In the following case study, we feature one of our long-term, loyal clients ‘Jay’. O’Shea Plumbing has an extended history of a successful completion of work for Jay, including replacing taps/toilets, fixing pressure control and solving water leaks in his house in Mt Waverley VIC. Jay called our office recently for some more assistance from the team he turns to for all his plumbing needs.   This story has a bit of a backstory: Jay had recently taken the leap into purchasing a property in Ferntree Gully VIC. Unfortunately, after he had already ‘signed on the dotted line’, it was revealed that his new acquisition was equipped with poor water pressure, rusty-colored  water coming out of the taps and also a large amount of groundwater running under the house (as confirmed by a building inspector).   ‘Jarett’ our Service Manager here at O’Shea Plumbing made the visit out to Ferntree Gully the very next day. After meeting with Jay, it was discovered that the house was fitted with old galvanised iron water pipes that needed replacing. Also, the agricultural drain (AG pipe) at the front of the house had been installed improperly and was allowing water to flow under the house. Jarett provided quotes to replace old galvanised iron water pipes with copper alternatives, alongside a proposal to install a new AG drain. Jay happily accepted the quotes, and Jarett facilitated a meeting with our plumber ‘Richard’ on site in order to get ‘works underway’. Heavy duty copper pipes and fittings were installed, and backed by a 25-year warranty. Pressure control testing was undertaken to provide ultimate peace-of-mind on the replacement of the water pipes.   As always, excavated material and rubbish was thoroughly removed from site at the completion of the job. A Victorian Building Authority Certificate of Compliance was issued for this work to certify that it complied with AS/NZS 3500 standards. With the entire process taking no longer than a week, Jay was incredibly relieved to have the plumbing problems solved and to be able to move into his new house in a much shorter time span than he expected. And, that’s another positive result for the team at O’Shea Plumbing! We also thank Jay very much for leaving us a 5 star review on Product Review  

At O’Shea Plumbing we are always happy to step in to investigate and solve plumbing problems, no matter their scope. We recently received a call from ‘Krin’ from Blackburn North (who had previously contacted her gas company about a smell emanating from her property on a site located near her gas meter). In this case, the gas company representative had confirmed that a gas leak was coming from the pipes.   After conducting a quick Google search, Krin had located O’Shea Plumbing as a top business listing in her local area and made the wise move to contact us. After a reassuring chat with ‘Kelly-Anne’ in our front office, Kris was relieved to have help at hand – in the form of our reputable plumber ‘Grant’.   Grant was promptly dispatched to investigate the leak further and provided quotes and solutions to repair and/or replace the gas pipes at Krin’s property. Krin chose to go ahead with the option to replace all of the gas pipes with heavy-duty copper tube and fittings. This seemed to be the most logical solution – given the revelation that the existing hot water system and the ducted heater were never installed correctly and were in incredibly bad repair. Krin also went ahead with the recommendation to replace these at the same time as the gas pipes.   When the new installation was complete, all gas pipes and appliances were thoroughly pressure-tested for gas leaks. The tests proved the entire installation was structurally sound – the pipes were secured with strong metal clips and stainless steel screws. A new ‘Rinnai Infinity 26’ hot water system and a ‘Brivis’ ducted heated were commissioned to ensure operation to meet the manufacturer’s specifications.    The job was completed without a hitch. O’Shea Plumbing then issued a ‘Victorian Building Authority Certificate of Compliance’ (that certifies that the work was done to comply with AS/NZS 3500 and AS/NZS5601 regulations) and this way promptly emailed to Krin to ratify all work.   Our friendly business owner ‘Lawrie’ himself contacted Krin to check that she was satisfied with the solutions that the team had provided. She attested that all was ‘very well-done’. O’Shea Plumbing is looking forward to receiving another very positive review on Google!

O’Shea Plumbing delivers another great outcome in this next case study. Early one morning, ‘Kelly-Anne’ (our Customer Service Representative) received a call from ‘Nicky’ (our new customer hailing from Wheelers Hill, VIC). Nicky was calling to request assistance with a blocked drain in her kitchen sink. Her attempts to clear the drain with the household product ‘Draino’ had been to no avail.   Kelly-Anne promptly arranged for ‘Grant’, our experienced plumber to visit on-site later that morning. Grant provided some upfront quotes and suggestions to clear the blocked drain. However, upon further investigation, it was discovered that the drain under the house would require a higher degree of attention. Not only was it in very poor overall condition, but it also did not have anywhere near the correct gradient and was improperly connected to the main underground system!   Grant outlined replacing the existing 65mm suspended drain under the house with a 100mm drain. Nicky happily accepted the associated quotes. The work involved installing the new drain with the correct gradient, installing expansion joints, clips, wall sleeves (to allow for pipe expansion through the brick walls) and venting (as specified in the regulation/standard AS/NZS3500).   To go further into detail, a’ Ridgid Drain Camera’ and a ‘Ridgid Navitrack’ were used to locate the existing underground sewer drain. A new junction was cut into this drain to provide a proper connection between the suspended drain and the underground drain. In terms of site work, excavators were arranged, along with a bin to removed excess soil. Topsoil was provided to complete the ‘clean up of site’.     In accordance with current regulation, a ‘Victorian Building Authority Certificate of Compliance’ was issued to authenticate the work in its entirety. This effectively ‘wrapped things up’, but the job did not stop there! Feedback is so important to us at O’Shea Plumbing. So, we ensured that ‘Joanne’ (from our Accounts Department) contacted Nicky to make sure she was happy with our work.   Nicky said she ‘was very satisfied’ and that both ‘Grant and Marco were very professional’. Overall, she was surprised that none of her previous plumbers had brought these issues to her attention and, all-in-all was so relieved to put all the inconvenience with her kitchen drain behind her!  

This following case study involves a repair on an old oil heater. ‘Pam’ initially called our office to request a service to fix the fan on this piece of equipment (that had since been converted to gas) which has located at a property owned by her father in North Balwyn, Victoria.     Our friendly O’Shea Plumbing business operator/owner ‘Lawrie’ called on his extensive experience in the field to give the advice that “as this heater was very old, the wisest and safest option would be to replace it, in its entirety”.   Lawrie and trusty O’Shea Plumbing team member ‘Richard’ visit ed onsite to conduct investigations and deliver quotes with the aim to replace the old heater with a very safe, reputable and efficient ‘Rinnai Energysaver’ heater.   Pam was happy to accept this option and the works were confirmed, with the new heater ordered and a date and time suitable for installation booked in. We organised for our electrician ‘Leo’ to be available to assist on the day.   Before installation, Richard also pressured tested the entire gas system for any leaks. The gas testing proved the existing gas system to be sound. However, during the course of the job, a fault in the existing wiring was found. Leo brought this to our client’s attention – as a matter of full accountability in the interest of safety.   The fault was fixed in due course – in order to make the area safe and operable. However, our team didn’t stop there. When the heater was removed, it was noticed that the heater flue pipe was broken. Therefore it proved that removing this flue pipe and replacing the old heater with a new heater , was the best option   The old and broken pieces of equipment were removed, the roof repaired and the old heater and flue taken away for recycling. Of course, as due diligence demands – another gas pressure test was performed upon completion along with commissioning the new heater (to ensure it was operating correctly).   All in all, the new heater installation went without a hitch. A Certificate of Compliance was issued to Pam, to certify the work was done correctly. We are happy to report that the Pam’s Dad is now warm, safe and comfortable in his home – thanks to a job well done by the team at O’Shea Plumbing!

Here’s another success story for our team at O’Shea Plumbing. Even on a Saturday morning, there is no job too big or small – that we can’t, or won’t assist with! When Beverley from North Balwyn called our company owner she was ‘in a bit of a pickle’, and needing some on-the-spot help from a gas fitter, Melbourne. Lawrie was available to listen to her concerns, and provide some very solid solutions.   What had happened in this instance was that a representative of the gas company had knocked on Beverley’s door that morning. He was there to alert her that during the work of renewing the gas pipes in her street, they discovered that there was a leak on her gas pipes, he had cut the gas off the due to the gas leak, and that she should get a licenced gas fitting representative ‘over pronto’ to sort it out. This was certainly not the best start to the weekend for Beverley!   Beverley was a bit of loss as she did not know of a gas fitter that she could trust, especially at such short notice. She proceeded to get out the phone book, and when the page opened to an O’Shea Plumbing advertisement the gas company representative affirmed our excellent reputation. This is always so great to hear!   Lawrie quickly organised for our team member Grant to call around that same Saturday morning. As efficiently as ever, he thoroughly checked out the situation and provide a good amount of options and, of course, some fairly reasonable quotes. We are happy to report that these were accepted, with the gas pipes in copper tubes and fittings replacements scheduled.   Lawrie met Andrew on site at 8am on the following Monday. All work was completed by midday of the Tuesday. This included all aspect involved, such as pressure testing of the gas installation, servicing and carbon monoxide testing of the gas ducted heater.   A Certificate of Compliance was emailed to Beverley upon completion. Beverley was relieved and happy to have the issue sorted out in such a minimal time frame, far exceeding her expectations. She said that she would use O’Shea Plumbing for any future work required – which is certainly the feedback we love to receive!

This following case study involves Mrs Taylor of Thornbury, VIC. When Mrs Taylor first contacted us she divulged that on (previous occasions) she had encountered some bad experiences with tradespeople (from rival companies). We told her that we would send over one of our professional plumbers, by the name of Andrew. We reassured her that he would check out her tap problems thoroughly – providing her with an array of options and fair prices.   Andrew discussed and explained everything in depth with Mrs Taylor, to her great satisfaction. He only ‘made the call’ to proceed after she gave her explicit approval. We are very pleased to report that the tap repairs went exceedingly well. As a very efficient plumber, Andrew was soon on his way to his next job!   Not long after, Mrs Taylor rang the office of O’Shea Plumbing and spoke to Lawrie, our owner/operator. She said she was very happy, and made a point of being grateful for Andrew’s work. She also told Lawrie that she would be pleased to “spread the word” to anyone that she knows – advising them to use O’Shea Plumbing for all their plumbing needs!

At O’Shea Plumbing we want people to have a good experience with our tradespeople – and, a ‘job done right’ – for the best possible plumbing solutions overall. Obviously, a lot of times this involves a individual’s or family’s place of residence (where they live, eat and sleep) so, it’s really important to rectify any issues with plumbing quickly and efficiently – as ongoing problems can really affect ‘quality of life’.   In this case, we assisted a gentleman by the name of Bill. Bill had purchased a property about 10 years ago and organised a builder to construct his dream family home in Hughesdale, VIC. What transpired is that Bill and his family noticed a damp smell coming from under the house (becoming increasingly apparent over time), causing black mould on windows and staining walls.   Over the years, Bill had tried hiring a number of tradespeople to sort out the issue. He also fought a lengthy legal battle in order to get his builder to take responsibility, and fix the problem permanently. Unfortunately, the builder involved foreclose and Bill was left to ‘foot the bill’ for the works. He and his family also had to deal with what was a very unwelcome inconvenience – smack back in the middle of their own home!   At this point, Bill wanted to source an independent review and advice on how to stop water from entering under his house, and to get a professional quote to renew the agricultural drain. Bill had trouble finding a plumber to start the process – as no one took the time to really understand the issue in depth!   Thankfully, the team O’Shea Plumbing are very good at listening. Having twice now ‘gone over with a fine-toothed-comb’ to give detailed quotes and professional suggestions to prevent wet areas under the house, we are now at the stage of sending these to Bill. This is so that he can finally finish off their dream house. It’s definitely a relief for Bill and his family, and we are more than happy to help!

Recently, O’Shea Plumbing very happy to assist Stan and his wife, who hail from Bentleigh VIC. As a retired couple, they renovated their bathroom many years ago. Unfortunately, issues were found to eventually arise from their efforts to improve their home – as the plumber responsible at the time had simply raised the shower base and connected the waste directly over the top of the old one – without bothering to even remove the grate!   Undoubtedly, this plumber performed a terrible disservice to Stan (and his spouse). Over the years obstructions were merely ‘poked down’ past both grates, which naturally lead to a very blocked drain. Luckily, a plumber from our experienced team at O’Shea was able to address the problem with a home visit. The plumber first unblocked the drain, then proceeded to propose options to find a permanent solution to the problem.   Through successful identification of the issue and alongside practical expertise, O’Shea Plumbing (as a tried and trusted plumber in Bentleigh) were able to provide peace-of-mind and a reliable service. Due to this, Stan and his wife will now only call our team to the exclusion of all others when they encounter any plumbing problems in their house. We were pleased to have them report that they found up to be “honest, fair, punctual and to do a job to a high standard”.

In this next case study, a resident of Mount Waverley by the name of Stewart gave the team at O’Shea Plumbing a call, with an issue regarding a blocked drain (storm water) and blocked sewer. This was a job for our senior plumber Grant – who promptly visited onsite to deliver  solutions backed by years of practical experience. As a plumber in Mount Waverley, he is in a  well placed proximity to most locations in the Melbourne region.   Some options (with accompanying quotations) were provided as potentialities in unblocking the drains, which included cable, water jet machine and drain camera methods. Stewart chose to proceed with a water jet and camera option – which resulted in a successful sewer clearance. The drain camera revealed faults with the drain, but the conclusion was that it would remain serviceable, for at least the time being.   The storm water drain was shown to have structural breakage and partial collapse. To deal with this particular problem, Grant once again went ‘back to the drawing board’, preparing quotes and recommendations in replacing sections of the drain, as part of a sewer replacement.   This was, of course, all performed in adherence to relevant regulations/protocol and included a substantial amount of ‘background work’. This took the form of Monash Council permits, inspections to meet Monash Council Inspector’s requirement, bin hire, concrete cutting/hole boring, excavating, ‘Dial Before You Dig’ permits and, of course, a complete clean up of site – amongst many other aspects.   With the problem at hand resolved quickly and meticulously, Stewart was very happy. He is now considering further work to be done by O’Shea Plumbing. And, that high level of loyalty is exactly what we aim to endear (through our hard work and dedicated customer service) in all our clients!

Here at O’Shea Plumbing HQ, we recently had a phone call from Natalie (a very valued long term client) about a blocked drain. The sewer drain had been cleared of tree roots, but our client wanted long term solutions. Our trusty team members were on hand to provide quotes for both a partial sewer replacement, and a section of stormwater drain.   The work was confirmed by Natalie and completed as quoted. As plumbers in Elwood (inner suburb of Melbourne) must, of course, comply with State regulations, all work was completed in accordance with the Local Sewerage Authority, the Victoria Building Authority, and in compliance with AS/NZS 3500 standards.   Therefore, consent was obtained from South East Water and inspections were booked before any work was undertaken. Specifically, a Road Opening Permit and a Dial Before You Dig (generally storm water only) applications were made, processed and granted.   At this point the team also made sure all equipment was made available, and that a protocol was drafted before the practical application of the plumbing work could begin. A bin was provided to remove excess excavated soil and rubbish from the site, and a plan was enacted to leave all areas in a clean state. It was agreed that an excavator would be sourced and that excavated soil from under paved area would be removed from site, and back filled with crushed rock.   We are pleased to report that the all the planning and hard work paid off. Natalie was very happy with the job, and exceptionally relieved to have her plumbing issues sorted with peace-of-mind into the future. It made it so rewarding when O’Shea Plumbing received positive feedback by way of an SMS from Natalie. “It’s at moments like now (as the rain pelts down) i’m very grateful for all the recent good plumbing work. Thanks Grant (and Keith). Cheers, Natalie.”   If you too are experiencing issues like Natalie and need your plumbing fixed promptly (yet thoroughly) don’t hesitate to pick up the phone and give our friendly team a call today on 03 9888 2887! 

We recently completed a drain replacement job for a client named Spiro based in Mount Waverley, Melbourne. He was struggling with a blocked sewerage drain that he had already attempted to fix, unsuccessfully. Spiro had gotten Yarra Valley Water to come check out the problem, but their efforts did not provide the results Spiro needed. They said the blockage was in the property drain and did not offer further solutions.   Spiro then decided to contact a plumber in Mount Waverley instead. He reached out to the O’Shea Plumbing team to come clear the drain. We investigated the situation using a drain camera and location equipment that could track the camera head. Upon inspection, we found that the sewerage drain was broken and needed to be repaired.   We provided Spiro with quotes for the necessary plumbing work, which Spiro accepted. This included replacement of several sections of sewerage along with additional replacement of storm water drains.   Plumbers in Mount Waverley (Greater  Melbourne region from relevant sewerage authority) must obtain consent and sewer plans from Yarra Valley Water before completing such work. We helped obtain these permits along with information and plans from Dial Before You Dig (another requirement for Melbourne plumbers). Our plumbers also booked inspections at Spiro’s Mount Waverley property with the Victorian Building Authority.   The plumbing project itself involved removing excavated soil from the site and backfilling the excavation with crushed rocks for sections of the drain that were underneath the pavement. Finally, our plumbing team supplied and lodged a Certificate of Compliance, which guarantees that services completed by any plumbers in Mount Waverley and surrounding areas adhere to relevant codes and regulations.   We are pleased to say that Spiro was very satisfied with our services once it was all said and done. He wrote us a raving 5/5 star review on Product Review, claiming that we provided “quality service and exceptional value for money”.   Spiro and many other clients know and trust us for plumbing in Mount Waverley and all around Melbourne. To experience the difference we can make for yourself, call us today at 03 9888 2887!

Geoff is a local resident based off of Dandenong Rd in Murrumbeena, Melbourne. He called us up one day requesting a quote for swapping his gravity feed hot water unit to a gas unit. He had been looking for a reliable plumber in Murrumbeena and stumbled upon our company.   Shortly after our phone call with Geoff, several members of our plumbing team met him on site in Murrumbeena to inspect his property and provide advice tailored to his specific situation. We gave Geoff a range of service options and explained the details and requirements of each one. We also listened to Geoff’s suggestions and took them on board so we could offer a plan of action personalised to him.   We then presented Geoff with a quote, making sure to highlight the attention to detail, high quality and guarantees of our plumbing work. Geoff told us that he would get quotes from other plumbers in Murrumbeena and think it over before getting back to us. The next day, Geoff accepted the quote and arranged a day and time for the work to commence.   All the work we completed was done on time, including extra work such as water pressure reduction and water and waste pipe replacement that Geoff decided he wanted done as well. Our team even organised all application forms to Greenbank Environmental, which are important for plumbers in Melbourne and the greater Victoria region to complete. We filled the forms out and sent them off to Geoff so he could claim a government rebate, as he was changing from an electric unit to a gas five star hot water unit.   By the end of the project, we could see that Geoff was very satisfied with our work and level of customer service. In fact, he has even left us two 5-star reviews on Product Review! We can confidently say that if you need an honest and reliable plumber in Murrumbeena, we’re the place to turn. Both Geoff and ourselves guarantee it!   To arrange your own consultation or request a free quote, call the best plumbers in Murrumbeena at 03 9888 2887!

Case Study    O’SHEA PLUMBING – APPLYING SOUND BUSINESS PRINCIPLES TO ASBESTOS MANAGEMENT   Plumbing is a challenging trade: a good plumber needs to understand hydrostatics and hydrodynamics, have all the necessary skills as well as a good dose of common-sense, and be prepared to work in some unpleasant environments. Plumbers who work on existing housing stock also have the additional challenge of working with asbestos. O’Shea Plumbing is a family-owned plumbing company located in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, mainly carrying out work on private homes. The owner and managing director, Lawrie O’Shea, has developed an even more cautious approach to handling asbestos than in the past, prompted by Master Plumbers (Victoria) who alerted plumbing companies to the technical and financial risks of working with asbestos.   What have they done? Processes which make ‘best practice’ the easiest practice The company has a number of simple but effective processes to make it easy for the company’s plumbers to act appropriately if asbestos is suspected: all staff have the occupational hygienist’s and the asbestos removal contractor’s phone numbers pre-programmed in their phones disposable masks and overalls are standard issue and easily accessible in all company vehicles the company uses scheduling software to minimise the chances of employees being “too rushed, too busy, too little time between jobs” to follow the company processes for dealing with asbestos the owner is always available to be consulted on ambiguous situations.   A methodical approach O’Shea Plumbing has an extremely logical approach to working with asbestos or in sites which potentially contain asbestos. It is often hidden – for example, under tiles which might need to be cut in order to carry out plumbing work – and cannot be identified until the work begins. They prioritise identification and management in advance, so that other trades don’t lose a day unnecessarily due to the last-minute identification of asbestos, and the client sees that the company is looking after their health.   O’Shea Plumbing Asbestos Management Decision Tree   Effective financial practices Apart from being personally committed to best practice in asbestos handling, the owner says it’s the only possible strategic financial decision: “it’s a business-based decision as well as a compliance-based decision”, due to the potential financial liability (not covered by insurance) if a client or staff member fell ill even years later. One risk to companies that undertake best-practice is that they could be underquoted by less careful or less scrupulous companies. O’Shea Plumbing gets around this problem by ensuring that asbestos testing or removal/disposal is always separately identified on any quote, so that a client can differentiate between the plumbing cost and the asbestos-related cost: when quoting, staff bring up the asbestos issue very early with clients – and ensure that the client is well-briefed before work starts. To ensure that best practice is followed, the company has designed a quoting template that makes it easy to separately identify the cost of asbestos-related work; staff have a series of standard clauses for quotations relating to asbestos risk pre-filled in on their iPads. The careful approach (and the separate invoicing) has paid off well for O’Shea Plumbing: their clients are delighted to see they care about this issue and are doing everything they can to protect their clients’ health, and their staff and other trades know that they can be sure they’re working on a site that is completely free of asbestos.   Part of a broader message The company has made the ‘asbestos message’ as part of a broader ‘safety message’: it’s not justified to take risks with asbestos, just as it’s not necessary to crawl under low floors and risk damage to your back. This broad safety message is continually emphasised during their regular weekly team meetings.   Challenges Many tradies are young, and the young are invincible. It’s necessary to keep emphasising the dangers of asbestos: some younger plumbers can still have too much of the “I’ve got to die of something, so why worry” mentality. There are still relatively low levels of community awareness of the potential risks of asbestos – the message keeps needing to be given.   Key messages about how to make it work O’Shea Plumbing’s practices have demonstrated how even a relatively small company can achieve best practice. The key to its success is: making ‘best practice’ the easiest practice having a standard, methodical, company-wide approach to working with asbestos, which incorporates the ‘asbestos message’ as part of a broader ‘safety message’ developing business practices that ensure that a best-practice company is not financially disadvantaged.