Avoiding plumbing mistakes with a whole-home approach

From hot water connections to underfloor heating, plumbing often plays a largely unseen, vital role in the comfort and overall functioning of homes and businesses. By planning ahead and engaging the advice of a plumbing expert at the design stage of a project, costly and time-consuming mistakes can be avoided.

Having established Not Justa Plumber six years ago, Kyle Merry provides a range of plumbing and gas fitting services to the Tauranga/Papamoa and wider Bay of Plenty community for both residential and commercial projects.

“I enjoy doing a lot of the oddball jobs that other plumbers might not, like solar hot water and underfloor heating. I enjoy the variety of my job the most. I see quite a lot of different projects and meet a lot of different people; I’m not at the same place for too long,” says Merry.

This approach makes it easy for Not Justa Plumber to be involved in projects from start to completion – something Merry recommends for all designers and architects.

“Architects will sometimes ask for advice on jobs I’m working on and I find plumbing and gasfitting is often overlooked in the design process,” says Merry. “Sometimes a plan will be drawn for waste pipes, for example, and it doesn’t align with the timber structure that's been put in the way.”

However, there is generally always a way for this to be rectified – although it can cause delays and cost increases.

“We will do anything to make it work, but obviously it takes more time and money.”

I enjoy the variety of my job the most. I see quite a lot of different projects and meet a lot of different people; I’m not at the same place for too long.

Not Justa Plumber

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Gas fireplace installations and services

As well as installing gas fireplaces year-round for renovations and new builds, including the leadup to winter, Not Justa Plumber also services gas fires.

“Especially when you come to winter, people start realising that their fireplaces need servicing. It’s a reminder that gas fires should be serviced every two years to keep them running at their optimal performance.

“This is the same for underfloor heating and solar systems – these should be serviced every couple of years, at least,” says Merry.

Underfloor heating

Like many aspects of a project, when underfloor heating is installed correctly by a qualified professional, the result is cost-effective – whether it be for residential spaces or large-scale commercial properties. Plus, it’s often more sustainable and cheaper to operate in the long term than traditional air conditioning and heat sources such as heat pumps and standalone heaters.

However, this is only possible if the pipe layouts are designed and installed correctly to suit each project.

For commercial projects, Not Justa Plumber has been involved in underfloor pipework projects and various internal fittings.

Residential plumbing and gas fitting services

Across the wider Bay of Plenty region, Merry also collaborates with designers and architects on residential projects including kitchen retrofits and new home fit-outs, infinity hot water installations, gas fireplace installations, bathroom designs and even outdoor showers.

“Kyle recently put in our copper outdoor shower along with a matching towel rail and robe hooks, which he designed himself,” says clients Jo and Latham. “It was the perfect complement to our outdoor setting – beautiful, functional and practical, especially with living by the beach.”

With services spanning general plumbing, gas fitting, solar hot water, domestic irrigation, underfloor heating, central heating and more Not Justa Plumber recommends that plumbing design and installation is considered at the start of all projects.

Get in touch with Not Justa Plumber and explore recent projects on ArchiPro.