NZ Plumber December 2020-January 2021

O F F I C I A L M AGA Z I N E O F

D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 0 /J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 1

WOMEN AT

WORK

On the tools & feeling proud – PAGE 16

DO YOU HAVE A DOORSTEP POLICY?

How to ensure top-quality customer interaction – PAGE 76

BUSINESS OWNER & PARENT

Tips for juggling the silly season – PAGE 70

CHANGES FOR G13/AS3

New incline requirements explained – PAGE 24

MERRY CHRISTMAS & warm wishes for 2021!

pw

A few words EDITOR

Volume 72, Number 6 MAGAZINE TEAM CEO Greg Wallace EDITOR Beverly Sellers 03 543 2008 bsellers@masterplumbers.org.nz PRINT Blue Star 81 The Esplanade, Petone Wellington 6141 DESIGN ICG Designer – Julian Pettitt ICG Senior Account Director – LauraGrace McFarland www.icg.co.nz SUBSCRIPTIONS NZ Plumber is published six times a year by Master Plumbers, Gasfitters & Drainlayers NZ. Members and Certifying tradespeople receive all six editions. If you wish to opt out, please email bsellers@masterplumbers.org.nz To order an annual subscription, go to www.masterplumbers.org.nz MAILING LIST For enquiries, or to update your details: bsellers@masterplumbers.org.nz Non-Master Plumbers’ members with address detail changes should notify the PGD Board direct, giving their registration number here: registration@pgdb.co.nz TO ADVERTISE Contact Alton Anamani advertising@masterplumbers.org.nz

NZ Plumber is the official magazine of Master Plumbers, Gasfitters & Drainlayers NZ Inc. Contact details for the Master Plumbers board, staff, branches and associations are available at www.masterplumbers.org.nz ©NZ Plumber 2013. Registered as a Newspaper, GPO, Wellington, ISSN 0111-4379. NZ Plumber is subject to copyright in its entirety. The contents may not be reproduced in any form, either in whole or in part, without written permission of the publisher. All rights reserved in material accepted for publication, unless initially specified otherwise. All letters and other material forwarded to the magazine will be assumed intended for publication unless clearly labelled ‘Not for Publication’. Views expressed in articles in NZ Plumber magazine are not necessarily those of Master Plumbers, Gasfitters & Drainlayers NZ Inc, or of the Editor. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information included in this publication, the publisher and the Editor take no responsibility for errors or omissions or for any consequences of reliance on this information. Publication of advertising material implies no endorsement of either a product or service.

What a year Well, I for one, am ready for the summer break at the end of this strange year. With family over in the UK, who are enduring another lockdown in the dark, winter months, I count myself lucky that we have managed to stay in Alert Level 1 for some time now here in NZ, enjoying freedoms that many other countries don’t currently have.

Despite this, COVID-19 has had significant impact on people and businesses all around the country, and the newly released 2020 BDO Construction Survey Report shows specifically how it has affected the construction industry by magnifying existing issues such as cashflow, margins, risk management, and availability of skilled staff. Turn to page 14 to read our article on the report and find out how you can access it in full.

I hope you also enjoy this edition’s feature article (p16) on the gradually growing numbers of women in hands-on plumbing, gas and drainage roles. Hera Eruera, who appears on our cover, is a

great example of the young women who are getting on the tools and discovering a passion and aptitude for the trade.

Hera is a true advocate for our industry, completing a Masterlink plumbing and gasfitting apprenticeship, which also sees her being a tutor’s assistant and assistant technician at MIT, where she says her goal is to inspire students to aspire.

There’s plenty more for you this edition, including a cracker of a 3-page Dodgy Plumbing Christmas special! To all our advertisers and contributors this year, a huge thank you. To all our readers, have a wonderful break away from work and best wishes for the New Year from the NZ Plumber team.

Beverly Sellers Editor, NZ Plumber, bsellers@masterplumbers.org.nz

Over to you Got feedback? A query? Or something you’d like to read about in a future edition? We welcome your emails. And remember there’s a $50 letter prize for the best we receive each edition. Email the Ed: bsellers@masterplumbers.org.nz

This publication uses vegetable based inks and environmentally responsible paper produced from Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) certified, Mixed Source pulp from Responsible Sources.

Paper produced using Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF) and manufactured under the strict ISO14001 Environmental Management System.

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D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 0 /J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 1

28

TECHNICAL THEME:

SHOWERS & TAPWARE

34

Wet area shower drainage

Tiled shower space advice from Allproof

36

Tapware: form & function

Waterware discusses the 3 key components

38

Mixer for all pressures

9

16

WHAT’S UP

9

New Building & Construction Minister

Hon Poto Williams in the new Cabinet

10

ON THE COVER Would you hire a woman?

Why a mindset change is needed to get more women working on the tools

Updates Construction industry news from around New Zealand

A constant temperature

ON THE TOOLS

FEATURES

16

23

From office to on tools

Meet Brooke Schmalkuchen, one of NZ’s few qualified women gasfitters

24 40

24

27

How Englefield’s Studio shower/ bath mixer keeps temperature constant, even with water supply fluctuations

MBIE provides an update

Going through the wall

Getting pipe penetrations right

28

Harnessing power of organic waste

A new bioenergy facility that’s a ‘plumber’s dream’

Cylinder efficiency

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Changes for G13/AS3

33 004

Felton Fusion Plus® technology explained

Discover EECA’s HWC test results

42

Products

A look at the latest products & services on the market

MASTER PLUMBERS

45

45 46

Member benefit New wellbeing 0800 number

BUSINESS SMARTS

68

Website marketing

Bulletin 2020 survey results, Master Plumbers Forum report and more

52

70

How Rheem & Master Plumbers members have helped householders in need

Key success factors for effective lead generation

6 tips to avoid the chaos…

Steady, hot & strong

68

72

Ideas for balancing work and home as a business owner and parent

Post-election tax update

CAREER STARTERS

78

78

Giving students a start

How Education to Employment Coordinators are helping employers connect with schools

AND FINALLY...

82

82

10 minutes with...

Plumber Andrew Bean, junk transformer

84

80

I could be…

Dodgy plumbing Bumper 3-page Christmas special!

MIT plumbing tutor Peter Shields talks about the teaching role

Expect tinkering rather than transformation

56

Life lessons Becoming a business owner at just 22, Simon Collins says the learning never stops

60 62

Partner profile Mico celebrates 75 years

Branch & Association updates

News from around the regions

64

Masterlink messageboard

Celebrating this year’s National Certificate recipients

74

Preventing workplace impairment

Why drug & alcohol use is just one risk to consider

76

Beyond the doorstep

How to achieve great customer interaction beyond the meet & greet

COVER STORY Hera Eruera is a shining example of a woman making a success of a trades career. We take a look at the drive to attract more women into hands-on plumbing, gas and drainage in our feature article starting on p16. Cover photograph supplied by Māori and Pasifika Trades Training Auckland.

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Report CEO

CEO’S REPORT

I want to thank all the Branch and Association Although I’ve made it clear that I believe building members who attended the Master Plumbers Forum and plumbing merchants should be the ones fined (formerly Half-Yearly) at the Rydges in Wellington for selling products that don’t comply with the in November. It was so nice to have a Master Building Code, the fact remains that the installers Plumbers meeting face-to-face again and I was are the ones who can be penalised for installing pleased to give an update on our advocacy projects non-compliant products. This is a reminder to all and for all our team to be able to showcase some members that it is your responsibility to ensure the exciting initiatives being rolled out in 2021. products you install meet the Building Code and We are really pleased to announce that we have New Zealand Standards. If you are unsure, check created an 0800 wellbeing support number for with the merchant because future liability will sit members and their staff across New Zealand. with you as the installer.

We have seen a real need as a By now, you will have noticed membership organisation to that registrations are live for the ensure we offer members good 2021 New Zealand Plumbing support in the wellbeing space Conference. A big thank you “We should be proud and it is a great development on to members and Business of what we’ve achieved the back of our Wellbeing on Tap Partners who rolled over their and the way we have programme, which we started at 2020 bookings, and we really supported our industry.” the beginning of this year. encourage all other members In other industry news, the to come along to wonderful BDO report on the construction Marlborough and enjoy some sector has recently been released hospitality, meet with colleagues and we have an article on this and hear industry updates. We on page 14. Although there is still some uncertainty have a great programme that we are very excited for 2021, so far, every economic forecast has about and some highly talented guest speakers. underestimated our sector’s resilience and ability to Finally, 2020 has been probably the most recover. New Zealand is still experiencing very strong challenging for business in New Zealand in our housing demand, so we are confident that the first six history and we’ve shown that we are resilient, months of 2021 will remain strong for our industry. robust and critically important to our communities.

We have particularly noticed the renovation We should be proud of what we’ve achieved and the sector peaking to record high levels. As the results way we have supported our industry. of our 2020 Master Plumbers member survey show, Now is the time to take a break from work, this means that shortages of tradespeople and staff enjoy some festivities and, most importantly, will remain one of the top three issues in 2021—so spend time away with our families. On behalf of making sure that your business is utilising the Master Plumbers and the team, I’d like to thank Apprenticeship Boost funding and hiring your first all members and Business Partners for your or additional apprentices is actually going to be tremendous support during 2020 and I wish you all critical in the years to come. a Merry Christmas.

On page 33, you will see some results from EECA around independent testing of hot water Greg Wallace, CEO cylinders and compliance with Minimum Energy Master Plumbers, Gasfitters Performance Standards (MEPS). Unfortunately, & Drainlayers NZ eight out of 12 cylinders tested did not comply.

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What’s up

Hon Poto Williams is the new Building and Construction Minister.

NEW BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION MINISTER The new Cabinet announcement sees Hon Poto Williams replacing Jenny Salesa as Minister of Building and Construction. She has also been given the roles of Police Minister, Associate Minister of Housing (Public Housing) and Associate Minister for Children. Poto is the Labour MP for Christchurch East, where she lives.

“The experience I have as a Member of Parliament in post-earthquake Christchurch brings a unique perspective to the Building and Construction role, including supply chain, regulation reform and the importance of training and micro-credentialing,” she noted on Facebook.

Master Plumbers CEO Greg Wallace says he looks forward to having a strong, constructive working relationship with the new Minister. “Master Plumbers has identified four critical issues for our industry and we hope to make some real progress on these in the new government term,” he says.

The four issues are: completing the overdue review of the Plumbers, Gasfitters, and Drainlayers Act; progressing selfcertification for plumbers and drainlayers; creating a sustainable funding model for New Zealand Standards; and ensuring plumbing industry products sold in New Zealand are safe.

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NEW BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION MINISTER

10 UPDATES nzplumber

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What's up INDUSTRY NEWS

CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY NEWS FROM NZ AND OVERSEAS.

Protecting wastewater professionals from Covid-19 The Covid-19 pandemic prompted the US-based Water Environment Federation (WEF) to conduct a review of pathways of potential exposure to this virus associated with the collection and treatment of wastewater.

The resulting digital document, published in August and entitled Protecting Wastewater Professionals from Covid-19 and Other Biological Hazards, contains information critical for safeguarding water professionals from viruses, bacteria, and other biological hazards.

Human viruses found in wastewater include Hepatitis A, Norovirus and Rotavirus, whilst bacterial pathogens include E.coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter and Legionella.

The document provides PPE recommendations, based on the route of exposure, and also has workplace precautions and personal hygiene guidelines. It begins with an update to the WEF Manual of Practice No.1 Safety, Health, and Security in Wastewater Systems and there are example Job Safety Analysis sheets in an appendix at the end of the document.

Download the PDF document at accesswater.org/ publications/-10027929/protecting-wastewaterprofessionals-from-covid-19-and-other-biological-hazards

This new document from the US Water Environment Federation is free to download.

FIRST FUNDING ANNOUNCEMENT FROM MAORI TRADES & TRAINING FUND A $50 million Māori Trades and Training Fund was established earlier in 2020, as part of the government’s Covid-19 Response and Recovery Fund. The first funding announcement to come from the Fund was made in October, with $2.025 million to go to K3 Kahungunu Property Development for its Takitimu Tuanui building trades apprenticeship programme.

The funding will support up to 50 Māori apprentices to train, while they also help with the construction of 50 houses across the Kahungunu rohe (area), which extends from Wairoa and Hawke’s Bay to Dannevirke and the Wairarapa.

“Our generation grew up with full employment and it is our ambition to provide this for our current and future generations to come,” said Ngahiwi Tomoana, Chairman of Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Inc.

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WE

LUCKY

When it comes to fetching and carrying pipes and tools, Lucky the dog is the perfect apprentice. Lucky recently starred on TVNZ1’s Seven Sharp with plumber and owner Malcolm Halls, who said he’s a good mate and handy for taking things to him when working under the floor. Ten-and-a-half-year-old Lucky is also a familiar sight at Plumbing World Rangiora, where he’s even got his own bowl.

RAPID MOBILISATION PLAYBOOK FOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS Aimed at getting construction projects off the ground quickly, successfully and without compromising safety, the Rapid Mobilisation Playbook has been developed to support Covid-19 economic recovery—and aligns with the Construction Sector Accord’s construction sector transformation plan.

The playbook is structured around the eight major stages of a project’s mobilisation, from initial due diligence through to preparing the contract. Templates and tools are also available, including a mobilisation phase checklist, a one-page project summary template and a project brief template.

Rapid Mobilisation Playbook A guide to support the acceleration of construction projects July 2020

The new Rapid Mobilisation Playbook is designed for project owners running government projects but can also be used as a blueprint for small to medium private sector projects.

Find the Rapid Mobilisation Playbook, tools and templates at procurement.govt.nz/procurement/specialised-procurement/ construction-procurement/rapid-mobilisation-playbook/

BRANZ RESEARCHING PERFORMANCE OF PREFAB SIPS

BRANZ researchers Dr David Carradine and Anna Walsh inspect a SIPs building under construction. Photograph by Nick Hubbard.

With prefab housing being seen as one solution to New Zealand’s housing shortage, BRANZ is conducting research into the performance of structural insulated panel (SIP) systems in New Zealand conditions. Used for decades around the world but relatively new here, SIPs are ‘sandwich’ panels made up of two face layers and an insulating inner core.

“The panels can be prefabricated and assembled quickly on site and could be used to increase construction speed and reduce overall building cost,” said BRANZ materials scientist Anna Walsh in October.

Walsh, who set up the project, says it will look at how the panels stand up to our climate and how they perform in the event of a fire or earthquake.

EQC-funded earthquake testing is already underway and BRANZ senior structural engineer Dr David Carradine says results to date show very good ductility, though final test results aren’t expected until late March next year.

The project will also look at how these panels perform in conjunction with other common New Zealand building materials. “At the moment, obtaining consent for a SIPs building is not always straightforward,” says Walsh. “It can be difficult for council officials who are unfamiliar with these products to assess their compliance with the New Zealand Building Code. We want to be able to support the development of a more simplified consenting process that will benefit everyone.” nzplumber

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What's up INDUSTRY NEWS

New Privacy Act in force

INVESTMENT IN MARAE UPGRADES Plumbing, carpentry, electrical and painting repairs and renovations will be among the marae upgrades to be made using the recently announced $100m funding, available through the government’s Provincial Growth Fund. A total of 351 marae around New Zealand will be upgraded, with the likes of repairs to water boilers, guttering and spouting, installation of fire sprinklers and resealed car parks.

COST OF BUILDING MATERIALS UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT Among the Labour government’s pre-election promises was a new market study of building supplies to gain a “deeper understanding” of the sector and to ensure New Zealanders are paying fair prices.

“Good housing underpins a range of social, economic and health outcomes and we need to ensure that Kiwis have access to affordable and fairly priced housing and building supplies,” said Commerce and Consumer Affairs spokesperson Kris Faafoi in October.

The market study would be conducted by the Commerce Commission and is expected to get underway in late 2021 following a similar market study into supermarket grocery prices. It is likely to take a year to complete.

According to Labour, analysis by the Productivity Commission in 2012 showed the cost of building materials was significantly cheaper in Australia than NZ. It noted that building materials are a key factor in the overall cost of a build, and in Auckland contribute between 16-19% of the cost a new residential dwelling.

However, in October, Building Industry Federation Chief Executive Julian Leys told NewstalkZB’s Tim Dower he doesn’t believe high building supply costs are contributing to the housing crisis. In 2019, the Federation welcomed a Deloitte Report on the cost of residential housing development, which showed housing construction costs, such as building materials and labour, were very similar and in some cases cheaper between NZ and Australia—and that land and infrastructure were the most significant cost.

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A new Privacy Act came into force on 1 December. This Act governs the use of personal information in NZ. The new Act replaces the old Act with a few key changes. Significantly, the new Act creates criminal offences for: misleading an agency to get or alter someone else’s personal information destroying someone’s personal information when they have requested access to it failing to advise the affected person and the Privacy Commissioner about a serious privacy breach failing to comply with a compliance order from the Privacy Commissioner.

You can be fined up to $10,000 if you are convicted of any of these offences. This is a good time to review your privacy practices to ensure you comply with the new Act:

1 If you haven’t already done so, appoint a Privacy Officer to

be responsible for ensuring your business complies with the Privacy Act. You can appoint an external person if you don’t have resources within your business.

2 Ensure you:

Collect information only from the individual concerned Tell people when you collect their information and what you will use it for Store it securely Use it for the purpose/s you collected it for Disclose it only if you have permission Have a process for dealing with requests for information.

3 Make sure all staff understand what they are required to do under the Act.

4 Have a plan for what you would do if someone’s privacy

were breached. If the breach causes or has the potential to cause ‘serious harm’, you need to notify the person affected and the Privacy Commissioner. You can use the Notify Us tool on the Privacy Commissioner’s website to work out if the breach is serious (www.privacy.org.nz).

The Plumbers Club has had a facelift Same great rewards, fresh new site

• Purchase qualifying products from any plumbing merchant and earn Plumbing Points.

• Choose from a huge range of amazing rewards, from homewares to fishing gear.

• PLUS get Bonus Points Offers, Industry information, training opportunities, product installation details and more. *T’s & C’s apply. For more info, go to www.theplumbersclub.co.nz/terms

Not a member yet?

Own a plumbing, gasfitting or drainlaying business?

Sign up today & get 500 points

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With the release of The BDO 2020 Construction Survey Report this November, NZ Plumber looks at what the report has to say about the state of affairs for the vertical building sector before and after the initial Covid-19 lockdown.

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articipants in The BDO 2020 Construction Survey included shareholders/directors and senior staff members from all sectors of the vertical construction industry, including housing and commercial, head contractors and subcontractors.

Topics covered by the resulting survey report include: A pre-COVID industry snapshot The impact COVID-19 has had on the industry Key concerns and strategies for survival and growth.

In his foreward to the report, BDO New Zealand’s James MacQueen notes that, despite being very challenging, the recent period of growth had left most industry participants in their strongest financial position for many years.

“That financial strength will be critical to the resilience of the sector and its participants through the next economic cycle, as participants’ greatest concerns relate to the reducing pipeline of future work and reducing margins required to secure work, both of which could fuel a ‘race to the bottom’,” he says.

He also notes that survey responses made it clear that participants want to be measured and win work based on their non-price attributes.

COVID-19 & THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR

9%

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Yes, but so far, we have sufficient work to remain in business and remain profitable

3%

Not yet 47%

Not yet but have had communications suggesting this is likely Yes, we do not currently have sufficient work to remain profitable but plan to persevere

Q:

014

This is the third year for The BDO Construction Survey, with the 2020 report released this November.

9%

This pie chart shows the impact of Covid-19 on previously confirmed projects.

Have you had previously fully confirmed projects cancelled or postponed with no known start date by your clients arising from COVID-19?

THE BDO 2020 CONSTRUCTION SURVEY REPORT

32%

Yes, and it is on a scale where our business must significantly restructure or will likely be forced to close

Feature CONSTRUCTION REPORT

CASH COLLECTION AND CASH RESOURCES

RETENTIONS REGIME Compliance with the retentions regime continues to improve, with 98% of 2020 respondents with retentions payable holding these funds in trust, compared to 93% in 2019 and just 72% in 2018. The majority of respondents (74%) hold retentions owed in a separate account.

In the 2020 survey only 3% of respondents have said that delay in receiving payments was an issue prior lockdown—a significant improvement from 2019, when 20% indicated delays being an issue.

2019

2019

2020

2020

2%

2%

7% 62% 24%

18%

65%

74%

25%

22%

2%

20% 3%

1% We have a retentions insurance policy

All clients paid us by contractual due date

We prefer not to answer this

Delay in receiving payment after it is due was a big issue for us

We always have sufficient cash but are not using a separate bank account

Most clients paid us by contractual due date

2020 32% 27% 23% 22%

19%

19% 13%

13%

15%

We need more work We have sufficient confirmed work over the next 0-3 months We have sufficient confirmed work over the next 3-6 months We have sufficient confirmed work over the next 6-12 months

We are holding cash in trust

The report lists key insights in three categories of Danger, Caution and Go.

The survey asked respondents about their forward work position in the coming months to a year, accounting for the immediate impact of Covid. The results show a slight improvement on the 2019 survey, with 27% of respondents saying they had more than 12 months profitable forward work, compared to 19% of respondents in 2019.

2019

We are using non cash assets as security

Key insights

CONFIRMED FORWARD WORK

17%

74%

Danger The greatest impact of Covid is uncertainty of future work 69% had contracts cancelled or delayed due to Covid-19 Number 2 concern is falling margins The ‘race to the bottom’ is at risk of being underway 25% plan to reduce staff numbers.

Caution 42% (twice as many) projects with delays over 3 months compared to 2019 90% needed to apply for the wage subsidy 58% cancelled or delayed salary increases Costs from unreasonable transfer of risk increased 70% have had a bad experience with an engineer to a contract 31% reduced or delayed dividends.

Go 92% have adequate bonding capacity 85% can pay their creditors when due The forward work pipeline (pre-Covid) improved Balance sheet resilience is UP The majority wish to be compared based on nonprice attributes.

We have sufficient confirmed work over the next 12 months Read The BDO 2020 Construction Survey Report in full at www.bdo.nz/en-nz/construction-survey

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Feature EMBRACING DIVERSITY

As mindsets gradually change, more women are getting on the tools in plumbing, gas and drainage work. NZ Plumber takes a look at the numbers and how this half of the population can help plug the skills shortage gap.

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lumber and Drainlayer Wanted.

Recognise that sign? Despite the economic disruption of Covid-19, skills shortages remain in the top three challenges for plumbing businesses, according to a 2020 Master Plumbers membership survey.

The government’s current Apprenticeship Boost funding is getting more plumbing business employers thinking about taking on an apprentice as a way of growing their own qualified staff.

It’s also providing a financial incentive for school leavers to consider a trades career.

But how many of those new plumbers will be girls? And how many plumbing businesses are prepared to take on a female apprentice? Women make up half the population, so they play a significant role in solving labour shortages in the trades.

Numbers are growing According to The Skills Organisation, there has been a big lift in women signing up to do plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying apprenticeships with Skills over the past year—albeit from a low base.

Masterlink plumbing and gasfitting apprentice Hera Eruera is hosted by the Manukau Institute of Technology, where she works as a Tutorial Assistant, whilst also getting on-job experience thanks to Dan Baker and Scott and Kirstin Young at B&B Plumbing in Auckland.

In 2020, 24 women signed up for a PGD apprenticeship, compared with 17 in the previous year. The number in training in 2020 is 59, which represents a 25.5% increase on the year prior.

The Masterlink group training scheme also notes growth in the number of women entering apprenticeships, with 11 currently in training, a further six candidates seeking placement with a host company, and more applications in the pipeline.

Whilst entering double digits represents a significant milestone, Masterlink’s long-term goal is to see greater diversity becoming the norm in the trades, according to General Manager Steve Strawbridge.

“All our candidates go through a robust recruitment process to ensure the people we accept have the right stuff to succeed in our industry,” he says. “Our female apprentices have not only met the criteria for skills and aptitude, but they have also shown a passion for the trade. They are signing up for a four-year PD or five-year PGD apprenticeship, so they need to demonstrate commitment as well as the grit and determination to stay the course.”

At the launch of a new government marketing campaign in November to raise the profile of vocational training in New Zealand, Education Minister Chris Hipkins noted that the number of women

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starting an apprenticeship has more than doubled, increasing to 1,785 from 845 in the same period last year. “It’s a welcome development to see more women going into these traditionally male-dominated industries,” he said. “But I acknowledge there’s still a long way to go.”

The new campaign will include social media influencer activity, radio and TV advertising and online videos.

Adult plumbing and gasfitting apprentice Raukawa Paama loves the variety of the work she gets at Masterlink host business Plumbing & Gas Works (PGW) in Hamilton.

Changing long-held perceptions Long-held perceptions can be tough to budge—whether it’s a woman’s perception of what a plumbing career might entail or a male business owner’s perception of what a woman might (or might not) bring to the mix.

Studies have shown that women are less likely to be informed about the opportunities our industry offers them and there has also been a lack of role models on the tools.

Those that get beyond these hurdles reap the rewards, according to Garry Fissenden, CEO of The Skills Organisation. “We believe women are recognising that it’s not just a great career for the lads. It provides real career opportunity for women, too—and many of those businesses that take on our female apprentices just love their attitude.”

Steve Strawbridge agrees. “Our female apprentices tell us they love what they are doing and hosts who have taken them on appreciate the positive effect they have on their team. They bring different skills to the trade, which can only make a business stronger. Some customers also prefer to have female tradespeople in their homes, so businesses with women on their teams have that competitive advantage.”

One such woman is 31-year-old Masterlink plumbing and gasfitting apprentice Raukawa Paama, who loves the variety of the work she gets to tackle at Plumbing & Gas Works (PGW) in Hamilton, and takes great pride in a job done well.

Host Mike Foote says she’s a good fit with the team culture and well respected by

‘Fashion conscious’ workwear trend A new NZ Safety Blackwoods flagship store in Penrose, Auckland, is catering to the growing trend for more fashionable workwear, which it says is being driven in part by the increasing numbers of women entering trades.

Shoppers at the store will find workwear labels for the ‘fashion conscious’ tradeperson next to tools, PPE and engineering supplies— with mirrors and changing rooms available to ensure the look is right.

“The old school self-image of the typical New Zealand tradie has changed over recent years and

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this has manifested in a growing design trend for more stylish workwear which was traditionally seen as purely functional,” says NZ Safety Blackwoods General Manager Andy Antoci.

“The designer label on their work clothing is just as important to them as their casual clothes are and a range of recognisable fashion brands like KingGee, Levis and FXD have developed an offering to meet this need.”

NZ Safety Blackwoods has retail expansion plans for the NZ market over the coming year.

her colleagues. “Raukawa doesn’t want or need any special treatment because she is female,” he says. “She wants to be treated like any of our other employees.”

Hera Eruera is another plumbing and gasfitting apprentice who’s loving her chosen career. A sister to eight brothers and a young solo mum, Hera was offered an The growing number of women on the tools is helping drive up demand for designer label workwear, according to NZ Safety Blackwoods.

Feature EMBRACING DIVERSITY

SCHOLARSHIP CLASS Each year, Site Safe invites scholarship applications in five categories. Petra Molloy of Laser Plumbing Tauranga was among the 16 recipients of a 2020 scholarship in the Women in Construction category and is looking forward to free health and safety training towards completing Site Safe’s Health & Safety in Construction programme.

Petra joined this Master Plumbers member business seven months ago as Administration Manager and Maintenance Coordinator. She has now added Health & Safety Administrator to her multi-faceted role, which will include doing regular site checks to ensure everyone is working safely and assist with any concerns.

Previously a Contract Administrator at SouthRoads in Southland, Petra came to the firm with plenty of good experience in maintenance and construction, from toolbox meetings to reporting near misses and incidents from the team.

Find out more about Site Safe scholarships at www.sitesafe.org.nz/training/scholarships

apprenticeship at Northpower at just 17, but had to decline when she found out she was pregnant. Not wanting to be seen as falling into “that stereotype”, she decided to get into plumbing.

Through Masterlink, Hera works as a tutor’s assistant and assistant technician at the Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT), whilst also gaining practical onjob experience with the assistance of B&B Plumbing, thanks to Dan Baker and Scott and Kirstin Young.

There are currently fewer than 1% of women plumbing students at MIT but Hera hopes her example will help other women be inspired to enter the industry. She recommends that women shouldn’t pay attention to the stigma of plumbing being a ‘dirty’ industry but should be open-minded and give it a try. One day, she even hopes to start New Zealand’s first all-female plumbing business.

Māori and Pasifika representation Māori and Pasifika Trades Training Auckland has a remit to encourage and support more Auckland-based Māori and Pasifika to train or retrain for careers in the trades. Whilst this organisation reports a relatively unchanged position of Māori and Pasifika wahine entering

RECOGNISING WOMEN IN THE INDUSTRY 2021 JACKSON WOMEN IN PLUMBING AWARD

Site Safe 2020 scholarship winner Petra Molloy of Laser Plumbing Tauranga with Shane, one of the company’s senior plumbers.

trades training through its programme of support, the even smaller percentage choosing plumbing has remained stubbornly low over the past few years.

In 2020, 23% females enrolled in pretrades training through Māori and Pasifika Trades Training Auckland, and just 2% of these were in plumbing.

“We’d love to attract more women into plumbing and double the talent pool available for the industry,” says Samuelu Sefuiva, Mana Whakapai/Project Manager for Māori and Pasifika Trades Training Auckland.

“To be successful in our quest to improve the number of women entering plumbing careers in Auckland and New Zealand, we need the plumbing and trades sector to be closely involved. Like all trades, plumbing is a great career choice for women and there is no shortage of employment opportunities once they’re certified.

“What we are conspicuously lacking are female role models in plumbing. Along with more female role models, we’d like to attract more employers in small- to medium-sized businesses keen to mentor women in plumbing apprenticeships.

These two things together would give women considering a plumbing career a much stronger proposition.”

Nominations are open for the 2021 Jackson Women in Plumbing Award, which will be presented at the 2021 New Zealand Plumbing Awards in Blenheim in March. This award recognises a woman who has made an outstanding contribution to the plumbing, gasfitting or drainlaying industry. It was established by the Jackson family of New Zealand company Allproof Industries in honour of owner Ian Jackson’s wife Maureen.

“The Jackson family have been in the plumbing industry since 1920,” says Ian. “The women in our family—my mother, my sister, my wife and daughter have all made a great contribution.”

Go to www.plumbingconference.org. nz for details of the 2021 NZ Plumbing Conference and Awards.

2021 NAWIC EXCELLENCE AWARDS

Nominations are open until 3 February for the 2021 NAWIC Excellence Awards, which will be celebrated in Auckland in May. Proving that the plumbing industry has some first-class women leaders, Colleen Upton of Hutt Gas and Plumbing won the supreme Helen Tippett Award at the 2019 awards. Colleen is on the judging panel of the 2021 event.

Go to www.nawic.org.nz to become a NAWIC member or to enter the 2021 NAWIC Excellence Awards.

Construction support network For women that do enter a career in construction, support is available through the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC).

Master Plumbers has recently become an industry supporter of this non-profit organisation, which provides networking events, presentations and information for women in construction and

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Feature EMBRACING DIVERSITY

Women

in Aotearoa

“A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE” Foleys say the women plumbers at their branches bring something different to the mix.

As a company, we are fortunate at Foleys to have female plumbers that want to work for us. We say fortunate because they do bring a different perspective to the trade just the same as people from different walks of life, cultures, backgrounds do.

They will tell you, though, that they don’t want to be treated differently. We don’t deck them out in pink uniforms or provide them with pink vans because fundamentally and most importantly they are plumbers—they just happen to be females, in, let’s face it, a fairly male-dominated trade.

When we are recruiting for new staff in any of our branches, the most important thing, after ascertaining that they are qualified, is fit and alignment to our values. The females that we are lucky enough to have working for us are a great fit and live our brand of going above and beyond every time.

Megan, a third-year apprentice in our Christchurch branch, says: “A couple of things that made me want to be a plumber were I love being hands-on and being active. Plumbing looked quite different, there was lots to learn and you’re always doing different stuff. That really helped me choose what I wanted to.

“I love everyone I work with and everybody makes me feel welcome. I do heaps of different stuff every day, so there’s lots to learn and I have had some lovely customers, which makes me really appreciate my job.”

The gender pay gap has dropped over time to

9.3% in 2019.

On average, women earn $2.50 less an hour than men.

Industries with a HIGH proportion of women include:

83.1% Health care and social assistance

72.2%

Industries with a LOW proportion of women include:

Education and training

13.5% Construction

8.7% Mining

18% of women not in the labour force care for a child as their main activity, compared with 4% of men.

65% of women spend face-to-face time with their family at least once a week, compared with 56% of men.

The median age for women marrying for the first time has increased to 29.2 years in 2018, from 21.7 years in 1980.

A girl born in 2020 has a life expectancy of about 93 years.

Source: Stats NZ

Megan Butler, a third-year apprentice at Foleys, loves the hands-on, active nature of plumbing work.

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construction-related roles. Members come from a wide range of careers, including quantity surveyors, project managers, architects, engineers, apprentices, lawyers and, of course, tradespeople on the tools.

The 2021 New Zealand Plumbing Conference will also include an inaugural Women in Plumbing programme, providing a forum for open discussion among women working in plumbing, gas and drainage businesses.

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 New Zealand

In March 2020, to support International Women’s Day, Women in Aotearoa presented some key facts about women in NZ—with Stats NZ publishing this accompanying infographic.

Custom Stainless Shower Trays

NZ

MADE allproof.com

LET’S TAKE YOUR APPRENTICE

TO THE NEXT LEVEL Technical skills Financial awareness Health & safety Best practices Customer service Communication Study techniques *Essential Skills training – Masterlink will cover your apprentice’s wages for 8 hours when they work 40 hours per week.

TRAINING DAY*

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Talk to your Regional Manager Call us on 0800 502 102 or Visit masterlink.co.nz *Terms and Conditions apply

Feature EMBRACING DIVERSITY

FROM OFFICE TO ON TOOLS Brooke Schmalkuchen is proud to be one of the few qualified women gasfitters in New Zealand.

AUTHOR: PETER WHITE

B

rooke Schmalkuchen initially worked in the office for Auckland-based firm Gas Appliance Specialists, but she always wanted to be out doing the job. One day, when one of the workers called in sick, she got her chance and has never looked back.

“I gave the boss a hand and I absolutely loved it. At first, he thought I was joking when I said I wanted to do this, but he took me on. It has worked out really well for me.”

The 26-year-old passed her National Certificate in Gasfitting in September after beginning her Masterlink apprenticeship at Gas Appliance Specialists in 2015. She is now licensed and specialises in gas appliances.

“I really like the problemsolving involved and meeting all the different people,” she says.

“The job is quite complex. You sort of go through a process of elimination first and then it gets really technical.”

Brooke feels women have a lot more to prove in the industry and says it is challenging not being treated the same as the men. “It actually makes you work that extra bit harder. It is a good feeling when you can do the job just as well as the guys and sometimes better. What I do is very intricate and you need a lot of patience.”

She encourages other young women who like working with their hands and solving problems to consider a career as a gasfitter. “It is great. I have loved every minute

of it. It is definitely very rewarding.

You can’t be afraid to get dirty and crawl under houses and things.

But it is just awesome.

“If I could give myself some advice five years ago, I would remind myself I don’t know everything and I would continue to learn. It was a big thing for me as I got quite discouraged and found it difficult at first—but the more I kept putting in the work, the easier it became. So just be patient and put the hard work in.”

“At first, he thought I was joking when I said I wanted to do this, but he took me on.”

BROOKE SCHMALKUCHEN Gas Appliance Specialists Brooke found support from her Masterlink Regional Manager Colin Kilpatrick, and her tutor at the Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT) also helped her stay on track. As for future prospects, Brooke says it is a great time to get into the industry.

“You always need plumbers, you always need gasfitters. You can go anywhere in the world and do this. My job can’t be replaced by a robot.”

Licensed gasfitter Brooke Schmalkuchen works at Gas Appliance Specialists, based in Auckland’s Blockhouse Bay. Photograph by Logan West.

Text from an article that first appeared in Issue #19 of Leaving School magazine from Oliver Lee Publications. www.oliverlee.co.nz

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On the tools 24 UPDATE TO G13/AS3

27 PIPE PENETRATIONS 28 PROJECT SPOTLIGHT

33 CYLINDER

EFFICIENCY

34 TECHNICAL

THEME: SHOWERS & TAPWARE

42 PRODUCTS 024

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UPDATE TO G13/AS3

As part of the November 2020 NZ Building Code update, modifications have been made to AS/NZS 3500 Part 2 Sanitary Plumbing and Drainage to reduce the likelihood of drain blockages and support the use of water efficient fixtures.

Changes made to G13/AS3 are intended to support updates made to AS/NZS 3500.2:2018 figure 4.9.1(a) 45° Junction at grade, which reduces the probability of drain blockages occurring.

The G13/AS3 modifications apply when AS/NZS 3500 Part 2 Sanitary plumbing and drainage is used as an Acceptable Solution to comply with NZ Building Code clause G13 Foul Water.

Those who use AS/NZS 3500 Part 2 Sanitary plumbing and drainage should familiarise themselves with the G13/AS3

modifications to this Standard, which can be accessed at building.govt.nz

What this means for you For new installations, DN100 45° ‘Y’ junctions installed in new graded drains or discharge pipes must be installed with a 15° minimum incline above the horizontal.

This requirement applies when using AS/NZS 3500 Part 2 Sanitary plumbing and drainage as an Acceptable Solution to comply with NZ Building Code clause G13 Foul water.

On the tools BUILDING CODE & STANDARDS

It is also recommended that DN100 45° ‘Y’ junctions are installed with an incline when altering existing sanitary plumbing and drainage installations (where sufficient height is available) and when installing DN100 sanitary plumbing and drainage pipework in accordance with G13/AS1 and G13/AS2.

Benefits of the change This change will help reduce the likelihood of drain blockages occurring and graded discharge pipes by: removing the probability of partial backwash of a discharge into branches minimising stranding of solids and paper in junctions and branch lines improving solid waste transportation efficiency within the drainage network by maintaining discharge volumes providing clarity on how junctions in graded drains and discharge pipes can be installed using best practices.

Under the changes to G13/AS3, DN100 45° ‘Y’ junctions in new graded drains or discharge pipes must be installed with a 15° minimum incline above the horizontal.

These changes support the ongoing move towards the installation of water efficient fixtures, and in particular toilet cisterns with reduced flush volumes (eg, dual-flush 6/3 litre and 4.5/3 litre toilet cisterns).

G13/AS3 Amendment 9 is effective from 5 November 2020 and supersedes all previous versions of this document. The previous version (Amendment 8) will cease to have effect on 3 November 2021 to allow for a 12-month transition period.

FRANCHISES AVAILABLE DrainPro has franchise opportunities available around the country.

Whether you are an existing company struggling or a tradesman looking to go out on your own, we have the experience, systems and industry contacts to help you develop a successful business. We are members of the Franchise Association of New Zealand (FANZ), and can give you all the assistance you need in deciding if a franchise is the right thing for you.

Contact Nathan to register your interest nathan@drainpro.co.nz

www.drainpro.co.nz nzplumber

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BE A MASTER PLUMBER

Be the best you can be - for your customers, your staff and your business.

Branding – logo and vehicle decals Fuel discounts with Mobilcard Business Partner deals exclusive to members Master Plumbers health & safety app Health & Safety resources and support Technical support from PGD experts Job leads from our Find a Plumber search tool 12 month consumer guarantee HR resources, guidelines and support Advocating for member and industry interests Networking opportunities Professional development training Latest industry news

Find out more at masterplumbers.org.nz or call 0800 502 102

On the tools PIPE PENETRATIONS

Going through

THE WALL Although it happens less frequently today, BRANZ still sees cases where penetrations cut through walls are not well done.

Here’s their advice for getting it right.

A

ny time you cut a hole in a wall, it is crucial to get the details right so weathertightness is not compromised.

As always, the best option is to avoid a penetration completely if you can. When retrofitting a heat pump into an old house, for example, consider a floor console where pipes from the outdoor unit may be able to enter below floor level, avoiding a hole in the wall.

In Acceptable Solution E2/AS1, Figures 68 and 69 show how to make pipes and service penetrations through walls weathertight.

For pipe penetrations, use flexible flashing tape to seal the pipe to the wall underlay or flange plate (as shown). There are also a

range of proprietary penetration seals on the market (including BRANZ Appraised seals) that simplify this task.

When working on existing homes, the ideal is to follow E2/AS1, but because this will require removal of cladding, it is often not practical. (If the lining is being removed or replaced as part of a renovation, however, taping the penetration to the back of the underlay is an option.)

Steps to take when making a seal against the wall underlay isn’t an option: Locate the penetration in as sheltered a position as possible—under/through the eaves/soffit (clothes dryer or exhaust vents) or on the sheltered side of a building

Figure 1: Fitting a flange to a penetration on an existing wall

This article is reproduced from the ‘BRANZ Guideline’ (September 2020 edition). Find it at www.branz.co.nz/pubs/guideline/

Figure 2: The correct location for sealant on a flange Sealant to top two-thirds of flange collar

Conduit or pipe through penetration

Slope pipe penetrations down to the outside at least 1.5° Provide a hood or cowl to the penetration and seal this to the cladding.

Install a flange around the pipe/sleeve (Figure 1). Apply sealant over a PEF backing rod around the opening, cover with the flange and seal just the top two-thirds of the flange collar against the cladding (Figure 2). Don’t seal the flange sleeve to the pipe because the sleeve lets water that gets past the flange drain out.

Sealant to top two-thirds of flange collar

No sealant to flange sleeve

Flange 10mm

Flange

Minimum 1.5° slope to exterior Sealant over PEF backing rod

No sealant to flange sleeve Existing cladding Cavity batten

Wall underlay

Face of cladding

Conduit or pipe through penetration sloping to exterior

Note: Shaped packers sealed to cladding are required behind flange for profiled claddings.

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Andrew Keaney, left, managing director of T&G Fresh, and Andrew Fisher, director of Ecogas, mark the start of work at the Reporoa site.

PROJECT SPOTLIGHT A $30 million facility being built in Waikato to turn food waste into bioenergy is being described as a “plumber’s dream”. NZ Plumber finds out what it’s all about.

HARNESSING POWER OF

ORGANIC WASTE AUTHOR: MATTHEW LOWE

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On the tools PROJECT SPOTLIGHT

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On the tools PROJECT SPOTLIGHT

A plan of the Ecogas Reporoa plant that is due to be completed in 2022.

“It will be a great environment to bring on apprentices and we will be working with local plumbers.”

ANDREW FISHER Business Development & Director, Ecogas

E

cogas is building a plant in Reporoa that aims to process 75,000 tonnes of organic waste annually from businesses and kerbside collections into renewable clean energy. Earthworks at the site are already complete and the company plans to be operational in 2022. It will create enough energy annually to power about 2,500 households and produce clean bio-fertiliser for about 2,000 hectares of farmland.

Director Andrew Fisher has been working on the project for nine years and believes there is ultimately scope for more than 20 similar facilities across the country. “It’s an opportunity to utilise science and technology to generate renewable energy and recover significant volumes of water that would otherwise be lost to landfill,” he says.

“For me, it’s just the application of science and using our heads. The whole facility is plumbing centric because the system is all about moving liquids and capturing gases—the process is totally enclosed and it’s a plumber’s dream.”

“Much like a septic tank” Ecogas, a partnership between Pioneer Energy and EcoStock Supplies, will operate New Zealand’s first commercial scale anaerobic digestion facility recovering biogas and manufacturing nutrient rich bio-fertiliser. The world-class Ecogas Reporoa facility will help New Zealand

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value and sustain multiple beneficial outcomes from biomass recovery already seen globally with this technology. The UK alone has more than 142 of these facilities and its population is only 12 times the size of New Zealand.

Fisher explains that organic waste (biomass), which will be collected from across the North Island, will first go through a depacking process to get rid of decontaminants. “After that it comes out of the machines like a thick spirulina,” he says. “Everything has to be resized to less than 12mm in the depacking process.”

The substance next goes into a huge hydrolysis tank, which has a pH level of two to four, and spends four to five days there.

After that it is subject to a pasteurisation process and treated for one hour at 72 degrees. Eventually, the “thick spirulina” goes into biogas reactors. While in the reactors, micro-organisms feed from the substance for between 30 and 70 days.

Biogas is generated from the top and liquid fertiliser comes out “like a weak tea” from the bottom of the tanks. This is all done in an enclosed tank without air, hence the term anaerobic digestion.

“It operates very much like a septic tank, except the bugs we have in there are designed to produce biogas,” he notes. “We have various options with the biogas. It can

go directly to the boiler and replace natural gas usage on site, but in time we’re looking at doing as they do in the UK and getting green gas injected directly to the grid, or power combined heat power generators, to create electricity.”

Proven technology overseas Future options for the system may include putting in membrane technologies to separate out carbon dioxide for industrial applications and creating biomethane for truck fuel. Anaerobic digestion technology is well proven overseas—similar plants operate in Europe and the United States—but the Reporoa’s plant is the first commercial-scale facility in New Zealand.

“This approach to dealing with food waste has been around for 2,000 years,” says Fisher. “It’s essentially how we’ve dealt with waste historically to maintain a level of hygiene, and circularity of resource.

We’re not reinventing the wheel with this development; it’s more a case of putting a new set of tyres on it.

“Most food is between 50 and 70 per cent water and recovering this water reduces demand on our nature resources and is improving productivity. It’s only been in the last five to six years that New Zealand

has really looked at sustainability solutions at a scale such as this.

There’s a lot of people who really want this to happen and support from small and medium-sized New Zealand businesses has been fantastic. We’re also starting to get movement from directors of large business who are making direct contact to learn more. This has been a massive change and been extremely positive for both parties.”

Fisher adds the biggest challenge of the project, and his long-term ambitions for more facilities, is persuading large industry of the value of what Ecogas is doing, and that any business that needs energy or produces biomass will benefit. He enjoys introducing his existing clients and new businesses to comparable businesses in the UK, Australia and Europe that already access similar anaerobic digestor facilities. The standard response has been, “This is fantastic”.

“Historically, people have made what we’re doing sound difficult and complicated but big things like this need to be kept simple.

For high-volume hot water

The Jandakot Bioenergy Plant in Perth, Australia, was built by Biogass Renewables and will be a ‘sister site’ to Ecogas Reporoa.

Plumbers will be key More than 70 people will be involved in building the Ecogas Reporoa plant and plumbers will be key for the ongoing maintenance and servicing of the site. There is a lot of pipework and a significant number of tanks. Fisher says besides utilising the skills of existing plumbers, he hopes the facility and any future ones can be used to help apprentices.

“What we’re creating is a manufacturing facility using modern technology, bio-technology and agri-tech, dependant on the skills and support of plumbers and general, hands-on engineers, who will run diagnostics and be able to monitor the work remotely. It will be a great environment to bring on apprentices and we will be working with local plumbers and won’t keep all the work just for people on site. We want a circulatory market and are keen to work with local tradespeople.

“Because the facility runs 24/7, it would be difficult for us to operate in isolation long term. As a result, there’s an opportunity at this site and future ones to be working with local trades, and Pioneer Energy Limited has been doing this at its sites across New Zealand for a long time.”

Check out the most extensive truly commercial range of energy-efficient hot water systems available in New Zealand.

Contact Paul Watson on 021 437 611 nzplumber

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NZ

YOUR HOME CENTRAL HEATING & DOMESTIC HOT WATER PROVIDER

On the tools HWC EFFICIENCY

CYLINDER ENERGY EFFICIENCY: TEST RESULTS Too many electric hot water cylinders have failed testing, says Murray Bell of EECA in this opinion piece.

E

lectric hot water cylinders are usually an emergency purchase for homeowners, and both plumbers and the public rely on energy efficiency claims by importers and manufacturers.

EECA is disappointed and concerned about the number of electric hot water cylinders sold in New Zealand that have failed energy efficiency testing and are not meeting manufacturers’ claims.

EECA commissioned testing of 12 hot water cylinder models and six failed to meet the NZ energy efficiency requirements.

Considering these requirements are many years old, this level of performance is disappointing. Our post-test investigations have identified further issues that give us concern.

Why is this important? About 70,000 electric hot water cylinders are sold each year in New Zealand and hot water makes up about 30% amount of the average energy bill—about $600 a year. An inefficient cylinder is costing each household up to $1,240 over the life of the cylinder (about 20 years) at current energy prices.

Finding a compliant and energy efficient cylinder for a difficult or small space is not an issue—they come in a range of sizes, including very small and large. And a compliant cylinder does not need to be more expensive.

EECA has published its test results on its website*, so plumbers and consumers can find models that have passed check testing.

Manufacturers and importers of the tested models have been informed: two suppliers have stopped offering four cylinder models for sale, and a prosecution is being taken against a manufacturer. One further investigation is ongoing.

We believe it is in the public interest for plumbers and homeowners to be informed about these test results. EECA will now work with

industry to help ensure electric hot water cylinder manufacturers and importers understand and comply with regulations.

Homeowners who have a model that has failed testing can contact the manufacturer.

Increased monitoring We will also increase our monitoring of the sales of water heater systems covered by our regulations, which includes gas and heat pump systems. We have entered into an information sharing agreement with the NZ Customs Service, and now have access to data on all regulated products imported into the country. We will also prioritise check testing of water heating systems, and will continue to do so until we see a high level of compliance from the sector.

*Find the EECA test results at www.eeca.govt.nz/our-work/research/ research-papers-and-guides/product-check-testing-results/ About the author: Murray Bell is Standards and Regulations Manager at EECA, the government agency that works to improve the energy efficiency of NZ homes and businesses, and encourages the uptake of renewable energy. EECA administers the Energy Efficiency (Energy Using Products) Regulations 2002, which cover appliances and other products for home, commercial and industrial use. Regulated products (or assemblies that incorporate a regulated product) need to meet: • Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS), developed to remove poor performing products from the market; and/or • Mandatory Energy Performance Labelling (MEPL) requirements, so people can compare energy efficiency and running costs when deciding what to buy.

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This render shows an Allproof tile over stainless steel shower tray installation.

When it comes to tiled shower spaces, don’t ‘fall’ victim to compromise, say Allproof.

D

esign features such as open concept bathrooms have become popular to extract maximum value from the space available in smaller building footprints.

Removing a boxed-in shower unit in exchange for a tiled shower can dramatically increase the usability of the space.

Certain aspects of AS/NZS Standards and NZBC Clause E3 must be accommodated during the design and install of a tiled shower. Ensuring that water is retained within the designated shower area is important, and this will predominantly be controlled with the combination of walls, doors and fall in the floor towards an outlet.

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Channel drains Most residential showers will be considered a ‘Type 1’, according to internal wet area waterproofing Standard AS 3740-2010 (clause 3.13.5)—ie, with a frameless glass screen, shower curtain and/or waterstop hob entry controlling splash and surface water. AS 3740 states that a minimum of 1:100 fall is required in a shower area with a hob, and a minimum of 1:80 fall for areas without a hob.

By designing a shower with a channel drain—typically running along the back wall under the shower head—the installer will only need to screed a fall in one

direction. This improves the aesthetic finish and reduces the amount of work conducted by the tiler by avoiding cross cuts through the tiles towards a central point drain outlet. AS 3740 states: “It is advisable to have either the screed drained or a membrane placed on the top of the screed to prevent retention in the screed beyond the water stop.”

New Zealand’s wide offering of waterproof membranes combined with Allproof’s drainage systems, such as the Vision Shower Channel, create some excellent options to protect the structure of the building from moisture created within this area.

Tile over stainless shower trays For those who prefer the assurance of a shower tray/base—especially in bathrooms located in timber structures or multi-storey buildings—an Allproof stainless steel shower tray can be installed under the tiles, creating an impermeable barrier directly under the wet area.

On the tools SHOWERS & TAPWARE

TECHNICAL THEME

Diagram showing the elements needed in a stainless tray installation Waterproof Membrane

Wall Tiles

Floor Tiles

Tile Adhesive

Tray Flange Tray Wall Upstands

Primer

Waterproof Membrane Wallboard

Tile Adhesive

Fixing Wall Framing Suitable Adhesive Continuous Bead of Silicone Stainless Tray Engineered Base 1:50 or 1:80 Fall

Suitable Adhesive Stainless Tray

Floor Substrate 50mm BSP Threaded Outlet A tile over stainless shower tray would be considered a ‘Preformed Shower Base’ in AS 3740-2010 (Clause 3.6), needing to be sufficiently recessed into the wall and floor to allow waterproof membranes to be dressed onto the flange surface areas (textured to maximise bonding).

It should also be supported to prevent distortion or cracking.

Allproof have designed the tray to incorporate the fall outlined for Type 1 showers by utilising an engineered base.

The tile over stainless tray provides options of a 1:80 or 1:50 fall, which satisfies NZBC E3 3.3.5, which looks to obtain a fall of 1:50 towards the shower drain. The tray has a channel drain built into the system, with tile bar options designed to suit varying tile depths and weepage holes allowing subsurface moisture trapped by the stainless tray to track into the waste outlet.

The Allproof preformed tile over tray system makes tiled showers easy while providing peace of mind for installers by creating a system that: accounts for the required falls provides a reliable, impermeable base removes the need to screed allows for direct stick tiles and flat floor framing.

A tile over shower tray was used for the shower in this Auckland property.

About the author: Allproof custom make Tile Over Stainless Trays in New Zealand to project specific measurements. A custom quote/order form can be downloaded from allproof.co.nz

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On the tools SHOWERS & TAPWARE

TECHNICAL THEME

Design trends are veering towards earthy colour palettes and natural finishes, whilst also experimenting with metallics and patterned tapware. Shown here is the Loft tall basin mixer in brushed copper from Waterware’s tapware range.

TAPWARE: Form & Function Consumers are spoilt for choice with tapware styles and options but there is more than meets the eye when it comes to the design and production process, as Waterware explains.

W

hen combined, three key components—the main body, cartridge and finish—deliver an appealing bathroom, kitchen or laundry tap for consumers.

The body The body will typically be manufactured using one of two base materials: stainless steel or brass. Though equally popular, each has unique characteristics. One key distinction is that brass tapware is much easier to form into different shapes and

designs and can be finished in a wide variety of surfaces and colours. Stainless steel tapware is a little harder to form, so can be a more expensive option. However, stainless steel alloy has rust resistant properties and can be used in outdoor environments, depending on the grade.

The finish Both brass and stainless steel tapware can have different colours and finishes applied to the base material, which is done using an electroplating process or PVD coating.

Looking after taps Despite the hard-working nature of a household tap, its care and maintenance can sometimes be overlooked. Consumers quite often ask for advice on the best way to keep a tap clean to ensure it maintains its looks and performance over time.

Waterware recommend regular use of standard cleaning products, such as a spray and wipe together with a soft cloth.

It is not advisable to use any abrasive cleaners that could tarnish the tapware and void the warranty.

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Electroplating Electroplating is the process of plating one metal onto another by hydrolysis—most commonly used for decorative purposes, or to prevent corrosion of a metal. This form of additive manufacturing is referred to as an electro-deposition process. Both an anode and a cathode (the metal part to be coated) are immersed in an electrolytic bath composed of a solution of salts, including the metal to be plated. A direct current (DC) of electricity passed through the solution effects the transfer of metal ions onto the cathodic surface, plating the metal onto the item.

Many materials are suitable for electroplating, including brass, nickel, gold and silver. The process gives the product additional strength and corrosion resistance, enhancing its durability.

PVD coating PVD coating, also known as thin-film coating, is a process in which a solid material is vaporised in a vacuum and deposited onto a part’s surface. These coatings are not simply metal layers, however. Compound materials are deposited atom by atom, forming a thin, bonded metal or metalceramic surface layer that greatly improves the appearance, durability, and/or function of the part or product.

Both processes offer a high-quality application, so the decision as to which is best to coat a tap comes down to the

This exploded view shows the ceramic disc cartridge within a tap.

Lever Handle

SOLUTIONS • BATHROOM • HEATING & COOLING • PLUMBING

Hot/Cold Indicator Collar Trim Brass Retaining Nut

Cartridge Locating Lugs Mixer Body

YOU CAN’T MANAGE WHAT YOU DON’T MEASURE. Perlator

Managing water consumption in a multi-user environment such as a residential apartment block is critical to ensure water charges are accurately allocated to tenants.

Waterware’s HYDROLINK wireless water meter system does just this – effective measurement of water consumption.

colour or finish chosen, and how it can best be applied. Chrome and matte black finishes are still very common options in the marketplace, but soft-brushed golds, bronzes and coppers are also becoming increasingly popular.

The cartridge The third key component of the tap is the cartridge. Ceramic disc cartridges are found inside most taps and contain two discs with holes through them. One disc is fixed in place whilst the other moves with the tap handle, so water can flow through the tap when both discs are aligned. When they are not aligned, water flow will stop. Ceramic disc cartridges are very durable and generally manufactured to last a lifetime.

It is not usually the ceramic tap cartridges that fail but the inlet or outlet seals falling apart or the build-up of sediment within them that creates leakages. In some cases, it also depends on the hardness of the water and the quality of the tap itself.

A less expensive tap, even with ceramic discs, is going to wear down over time. However, the ease and low cost of replacing a cartridge means any cartridge-related issue can be a relatively easy fix.

About the author: Waterware, over many years, have developed a range of market-leading tapware and are always looking for opportunities to innovate through style and finish. Waterware are proud to offer ‘10 years of guaranteed satisfaction’ on all their tapware, including their many coloured tapware ranges. To discuss your next tapware project, feel free to call Waterware on 0800 WATERWARE or view their range at www.waterware.co.nz

The system enables the remote collection and transmission of data recorded by the meter via a wireless network. The solution provides for a range of transmitting and receiving hardware options from simple ‘walk by’ to fully automated GPRS transmission solutions.

The solution offers a range of benefits including: • Significant time and cost saving over more traditional manual recording systems

RADIATOR SOLUTIONS

• Leak detection

• Fraud /attempted tamper alarm • Error free data reading and transcription • Direct export data in excel format • Easy to use software The HYDROLINK system uses the M-BUS wireless transmission protocol and will piggy back 3rd party power and or gas reading equipment on the same system.

With over 12,000 water meters sold in the past 3 years and currently 335 active systems operating across various sites, the HYDROLINK system provides a reliable and proven solution.

For further information, please feel free to call us on 0800 WATERWARE or email us at info@waterware.co.nz and we would be happy to discuss your requirements.

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Diagram showing how the Venturi effect works in unequal pressure situations.

Fast moving cold water creates a suction effect, boosting hot water flow into the mixer outlet.

Venturi jet speeds up cold water flow.

Cold water at high pressure enters the Venturi jet.

Mixer for ALL PRESSURES In this article, Felton give the lowdown on installation and maintenance of Fusion Plus®—their all pressure shower mixer technology.

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he patented Fusion Plus® shower mixer is designed and assembled in New Zealand with ease of use in mind, both for plumbers and homeowners.

Unequal pressure situations Fusion Plus® technology uses the Venturi effect to provide great flow and temperature control on unequal pressure.

For homes on unequal pressure, Fusion Plus® is fitted with one of two Venturi jets, which have been optimised for specific

hot water pressures: one for 36kPa and one for 76kPa. Both jets can be installed from the outlet of the shower mixer, which means it can be set up without having to disassemble the mixer and disturb the leakproof factory seal.

To install the Venturi jet, use the Allen key provided to screw the jet into the inlet thread end first until the mark on the key aligns with the end of the mixer outlet.

On high or low equal pressure, fit the mixer as supplied, with no Venturi jets needed.

IMPORTANT Ensure the Venturi jet is screwed in firmly thread end first until the mark on the key aligns with the end of the mixer outlet.

How to install the Venturi jet. Using the Allen key provided, screw the Venturi jet into the inlet thread end first. The Allen key is a tight fit and will require a hard push to fully engage in the jet.

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On the tools SHOWERS & TAPWARE

TECHNICAL THEME

Fusion Plus® Seal Fusion Plus® Venturi jet (2nd jet available)

Metal faceplate

1. Remove the handle and disassemble the mixer.

2. Unscrew the Venturi jet from the Fusion Plus® Disc.

3. Reassemble the mixer.

F5 47mm Ceramic Disc Cartridge

NEW DESIGN Fusion Plus® Disc

Fusion Plus® 55mm Nut

Fusion Plus® Dome Cover

Mains pressure upgrades can be carried out without taking the mixer off the wall.

Front-of-wall access If the homeowner decides at some point to upgrade to mains pressure, the Venturi jet can be removed completely from front of the wall, without having to take the mixer off the wall and cut tiles or shower linings.

Any maintenance on the mixer can also be done from front of the wall.

Faceplate and finish options The cold line mesh filter is serviceable from the front of wall.

Standard trade mixers come with a 195mm faceplate to suit a retrofit scenario. A smaller 150mm faceplate is also available.

The Fusion Plus® shower mixer is available across the Felton product range, including a matte black finish in selected ranges.

About the author: Felton are a Kiwi owned company. They offer a 10-year warranty on their Fusion Plus® shower mixer, which can be upgraded to a lifetime warranty. Their friendly, local and knowledgeable customer service teams are happy to help with any questions you may have. For any further questions, please feel free to call the Felton Technical helpline on 0800 743 358.

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A CONSTANT TEMPERATURE The new Studio Thermostatic Shower/Bath Mixer features technology that maintains a constant temperature even with fluctuations in the water supply, as Englefield explains.

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he Studio shower or bath mixer has a thermostatic cartridge with precise temperature control that reduces the risk of scalding or uncomfortable sudden temperature fluctuations.

Designed with the plumber in mind, the mixer features the new Englefield wall hub, which allows for an easy, quick and more reliable installation. It has large, long-life filters and a replaceable cartridge.

The mixer is easy to use, with a single control for flow and temperature. With a cold water range of 2째C-25째C and a

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hot water range of 55째C-65째C, it has an operating pressure range of 10 to 500kPa and is suitable for both equal mains and equal low pressure.

A valve safe shutdown operates within two seconds if the cold supply fails.

About the author: Offering the total bathroom solution, Englefield has been trusted in New Zealand since 1982. Contact Englefield Customer Services on 0800 100 382 for advice or more information.

On the tools SHOWERS & TAPWARE

TECHNICAL THEME

The new Englefield Wall Hub features large, long-life filters and a replaceable cartridge.

The mixer is suitable for both equal mains and equal low pressure.

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The thermostatic cartridge reduces the risk of scalding or sudden temperature fluctuations.

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G 1/2”B

G 1/2”B

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G 1/2”B

17 54~65 114

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NEW G6000 SERIES THERMOSTATIC MIXING VALVES 

Specifically designed for use with Emergency Showers and Eyewashes.

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Set water temperature to ensure water is “tepid” (16 - 38°C) meeting the AS4775 Standard.



Two Models available: • G6020 with 49 Litres per minute capacity • G6040 with 189 Litres per minute capacity

To receive our Guardian catalogue and price list for plumbers text “safety” to 021 589 070.

For more information contact: Dalton International on 0800 323 223 or visit us online at www.daltoninternational.co.nz

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CHECK OUT WHAT’S NEW TO MARKET, PLUS THIS EDITION’S FEATURED MASTER PLUMBERS RECOMMENDS PRODUCT.

MASTER PLUMBERS RECOMMENDS Felton Fusion Plus® Technology Truly future proof The Fusion Plus® (patented New Zealand No. 605175) from Felton is an all pressure shower mixer that can be line tested up to 1500kPa. Designed, machined and assembled in New Zealand, it features a proprietary Felton F5 cartridge with antiscald and flow limiter. Its supplied with two venturi jets for better performance and user experience on unequal pressures. The jet is fitted during installation by the plumber, who selects the jet based on the water pressures on site.

Its patented technology allows for full front of wall access for maintenance and future mains pressure upgrades, all without removing the faceplate or disturbing the wall lining. The Fusion Plus® mixer is ideal for retrofit situations as no minimum length of vertical straight pipework is needed from the outlet of the mixer.

Available through your local plumbing merchant.

Find out more at www.felton.co.nz/ourinnovations/fusion-plus/

Felton Fusion Plus® shower mixers are available across the Felton product range, as pictured here. Top row, from left: Axiss Black, Axiss and Max. Second row, from left: Halo* and Urban. Third row, from left: Jaz*, Slique and Odyssey*.

Bottom row, from left: Que Black and Que. *available with 150mm or 195mm faceplate.

About Master Plumbers Recommends Master Plumbers Recommends shows consumers the products they can trust: for performance, quality and a manufacturer’s guarantee. View all recommended products at www.tickofapproval.co.nz

Caroma introduces Urbane II Colour Collection This extensive bathroom collection, featuring a range of toilets, basins, tapware, accessories and showers, sets a new benchmark in technical and contemporary design.

As with the current Caroma Urbane Collection, Urbane II offers a range of Cleanflush toilet suites, with added features, such as: GermGard®, an adjustable flush pipe, uni-orbital connector and coloured seat hinges and flush buttons.

All Urbane II mixers are WELS 6 star rated (4.5L/min), and come with common in-wall 042

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bodies allowing for ease of installation, and the ability to refresh the design later without changing the plumbing.

Urbane II showers offer V-Jet technology, where the user can seamlessly transition from an invigorating shower spray through to a gentle mist, and everything in between.

Urbane II tapware, accessories and showers come in a range of PVD colours—gunmetal, brushed brass and brushed nickel—and in electroplated black. caroma.co.nz

On the tools PRODUCTS & SERVICES

Presenting… the new Michelin Agilis 3 tyre!

The new commercial tyre for light-duty vehicles, designed to meet the challenges of difficult usages and road conditions. The Michelin Agilis 3 provides a high level of safety on wet roads and excellent energy efficiency (fuel economy and reduction of CO2 emissions), all while maintaining the robustness and durability you can expect from Michelin tyres. The Agilis 3 features reinforced robustness built into the sidewall (an area particularly exposed to impacts) and the grooves (an area particularly exposed to stone retention), as well as 25% more KM life than its previous generation—talk about withstanding the test of time! Tyre sizes range from 14 to 17 inches. Visit beaurepaires.co.nz/ masterplumbers/ michelin or call the friendly Beaurepaires team on 0800 30 50 60 to find out more!

New addition to UNITRAY A new 90° elbow fitting for the UNITRAY safe tray system makes under-tray waste installation easier. UNITRAY’s elevated safe tray has been a big hit with plumbers across NZ since its introduction in early 2017, and is increasingly specified for multiple installations, such as apartment blocks and group build housing developments.

The integrated elevating posts allow hot water cylinders to be raised off the floor without the additional time and cost of building a platform, and with the addition of a new 50mm PVC 90° tight radius elbow, the positioning of the safe tray waste beneath the tray can be achieved quickly and easily.

The elbow’s male-threaded end screws directly into the tee-piece outlet beneath the integrated relief-drain tundish, while the coupling end glues directly into the waste.

UNITRAY product and elbow are available through leading plumbing merchants. For more information visit www.unitray.co.nz or email info@unitray.co.nz

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Our Partners

Master Plumbers, Gasfitters & Drainlayers NZ thanks the following Partners for their support: PLATINUM PARTNERS

GOLD PARTNERS

SILVER PARTNERS

A Group SFA Company

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Master Plumbers

MEMBER BENEFIT

Kereama Carmody at the Master Plumbers Forum in November.

WELLBEING 0800 NUMBER Master Plumbers has a new resource to assist members with staff wellbeing—launching in a year that’s highlighted the need to look after our mental health.

Just as businesses must have health and safety systems in place, it’s essential that we address mental health and wellbeing in our industry to ensure we’re looking after our people.

As part of the Master Plumbers Wellbeing on Tap programme, we’d like to introduce members to Kereama Carmody, our resident mental health practitioner, who is available to help with your wellbeing questions and concerns on our new 0800 number.

With extensive experience in the mental health and alcohol and drug treatment field, Kereama is passionate about workplace wellbeing. He is on hand to assist with: How to communicate with staff about difficulties affecting work and home Navigating struggles with substance abuse

Resources for creating simple wellbeing practices at work Tips on how to build supportive relationships among your team General queries within the wellbeing space.

Please note: This is not a crisis line. In an emergency, call 111 or phone Healthline on 0800 611 116 for your local DHB Mental Health Crisis Team. 0800 Lifeline also provides 24/7 support.

45 MEMBER BENEFIT 46 BULLETIN 52 STEADY, HOT & STRONG

56 MEMBER PROFILE 60 PLATINUM

PARTNER PROFILE

62 BRANCH & Find the new 0800 wellbeing number under HR Support in the member log-in area at www.masterplumbers.org.nz. Calls are confidential and free to members during normal business hours (9am-5pm, Monday-Friday).

ASSOCIATION UPDATES

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WITH THE SUMMER BREAK JUST AROUND THE CORNER, HERE’S A FINAL UPDATE FOR THE YEAR ON ACTIVITIES AT MASTER PLUMBERS.

SEEKING TRAINERS Master Plumbers 2020 survey respondents came up with a wide variety of suggestions for topics to add to the Master Plumbers Training programme.

Top of the list were backflow prevention, gas servicing, AS/NZS 3500, pricing and quoting, and legal compliance.

To ensure we can deliver face-to-face courses for our members around NZ now and into the future, we’d love to hear from you if you have relevant training for our industry. Please contact training@masterplumbers.org.nz Let us know if you’re interested in providing training for the Master Plumbers Training programme.

BUTELINE ON THE ROAD Members in the Whakatane, Taupo and Rotorua enjoyed a breakfast BBQ and catch up with the Buteline and Master Plumbers teams in late October, as the Buteline trailer stopped off at local Mico and Plumbing World branches on a three-day roadshow.

The Buteline trailer making its Whakatane stop.

QUOTE & TERMS OF TRADE TEMPLATES Hourly and fixed rate quote and terms of trade templates are available to members in the website log-in area. These have been updated to reflect new privacy laws that came into effect on 1 December (see page 12). The user guides have also been revised and simplified.

These templates can be used for hourly rate or fixed term contracts for smaller residential projects when you have been given the job directly by the homeowner.

For residential building work costing $30,000 or more inc GST, use the Residential Building Contract templates, also available on the Master Plumbers website. This is because work of this value must comply with specific Building Act requirements.

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Master Plumbers

UPDATES

A successful Master Plumbers Forum

Registered Master Builders CE David Kelly discussed the development of a collaborative quality assurance programme that aims to support and benefit the whole construction sector.

Each year, between annual conferences, delegates from the Master Plumbers regional Branches and Associations come together in Wellington for open discussion and a progress report from the national office, which they can then feed back to members at regional meetings. This year’s event was delayed due to Covid-19, but it was great to see the Master Plumbers Forum (formerly the HalfYearly Meeting) go ahead in early November.

A packed agenda over one and a half days included advocacy, strategy, marketing and wellbeing updates, along with a Masterlink report from new GM Steve Strawbridge. Guest speakers at the event were Registered Master Builders CE David Kelly and Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board CE Martin Sawyers.

The event included a workshop, with delegates coming up with ideas for potential Branch and Association social activities for the 2021 calendar. New guidance and support has been developed to assist regions with running events of this kind.

Ongoing advocacy work

Master Plumbers CEO Greg Wallace provided members with an update on key advocacy projects.

Master Plumbers CEO Greg Wallace spends much of his time dealing with advocacy work on behalf of the membership. One main focus has been to lobby for plumbers and drainlayers to be able to self-certify their work,

in line with gasfitters and electricians. With many councils having unacceptably long wait times for inspections and some relying solely on PS3 and PS4 documentation, which have no legal status, self-certification would speed up the building consent process, reduce unauthorised activity and enable a nationally consistent record-keeping process.

Master Plumbers is also pressing hard for the review of the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Act, which is now seven years overdue and expected to begin in 2021. “The way the PGD Board has to operate under the current Act is costly and cumbersome,” said Greg. “We want an Act that reflects modern communications.”

Apprentice training is another focus, as the Review of Vocational Education (RoVE) makes gradual progress towards a new system for apprentice training delivery in New Zealand.

Despite 23% growth in apprentice numbers since the government’s Apprenticeship Boost scheme was announced, overall licence holder numbers have not increased, as the older generation retire.

“The skills shortage is the biggest challenge facing our industry,” said Greg, who expressed confidence in the strength of the plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying sector despite a predicted economic downturn in mid-2021.

A workshop session at the Master Plumbers Forum resulted in a wide range of ideas for regional social activities in 2021.

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Winning a Master Plumber for a Day Back in February, to celebrate World Plumbing Day, we held a prize draw to offer the services of a Master Plumber for a Day. As you can imagine, the lockdown and subsequent restrictions delayed the big day but, this August, Suzannah and Thomas Wansbone were thrilled to receive 8 hours’ plumbing work for free—which started as a simple switch to gas and evolved into a whole bathroom renovation!

“There have been so many things about our wee house that have bothered us since we moved in but that we have always felt too scared and ignorant to do anything about to fix or change as complete renovation rookies,” says Suzannah. “Winning the Master Plumber for the Day was the kick in the pants we needed and it motivated us to say, ‘Well why stop there...?’”

Suzannah and Thomas were very impressed by the helpful, hardworking and friendly approach from plumber Tim at Taurangabased Pipe Masters and Brittany in the office team. “We couldn’t have asked for a better crew to take us on our first reno experience. The whole process has given us the confidence to take on other projects in the house and we could not be more grateful to have a sparkling new space to enjoy,” she says.

The couple’s visit to Mico came with a shopping list from Tim and the assistance of the store staff, who guided them in their choice of tapware, vanity and mixers, which Suzannah says was a lot of fun—though they were glad to have some help with so many options available.

The couple couldn’t be more happy with their bathroom and are now excited to take on some more challenges. “Thank you so much for choosing us as the winners and for helping us gain a new bathroom, unlimited hot water and confidence!” says Suzannah.

Suzannah had a fun time choosing fixtures and fittings for their bathroom reno at their local Mico branch.

“Having such a capable plumber to guide us through was definitely a huge part of the reason why the whole thing was so positive, easy and stress-free. We knew having a Master Plumber gave us an assurance the work would be done to a very high standard and knowing that Tim had the credentials was definitely a significant factor in our confidence. We also appreciated the amazing communication from both Tim and Brittany. We always knew what was happening and they both made the choosing of fittings much easier too!”

The couple were pleased to see the back of their “grotty and claustrophobic 1970s shower” and to upgrade their bath with new tapware. A new basin and vanity completed the “sparkling new space”.

NEW SILVER BUSINESS PARTNER: MILWAUKEE We’re delighted to introduce Milwaukee Tool as a new Master Plumbers Silver Business Partner. Milwaukee Tool is an industryleading manufacturer of heavy-duty power tools, accessories and hand tools for professional users worldwide.

Since the company began in 1924, Milwaukee Tool has led the industry in both durability and performance. With an unwavering commitment to the trades, Milwaukee continues to lead with a focus on providing innovative, trade-specific solutions. Whether it is through their leadership in LITHIUM-ION technology, as seen in the M12™, M18™ & MX™ Systems, time-saving accessories or innovative hand tool products, Milwaukee is dedicated to delivering a steady stream of advanced solutions for the trades that offer increased productivity and unmatched durability.

Based in Auckland, Milwaukee Tool New Zealand sets up its local presence, catering for the ever-growing demand of

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high powered tools in various industries such as construction, automotive, mining, plumbing and utilities across North Island and South Island. Their local Customer Support Team services retailers and end users alike.

Master Plumbers

UPDATES

Member survey: reporting the results Our annual member survey was a little different this year, as we sought to understand the impact of Covid-19 on members and their business confidence levels going into 2021.

One of the main functions of the national Master Plumbers organisation is to provide members with useful, practical and relevant business resources. Employment agreements, quote and terms of trade templates, health and safety manuals, professional development courses... the list goes on. We do this best if we have a true gauge on what assistance our members need for their businesses—and this is why we conduct an annual survey.

Covid-19 & business confidence We know that business needs can change quickly when the unexpected happens, and our response must be equally rapid. Covid-19 certainly kept us on our toes as we worked quickly to provide members with the assistance they needed.

It was very heartening to learn from our survey responses that 94% of members thought the support we offered during the initial lockdown and beyond was ‘good’ to ‘excellent’, with one respondent saying: “We have been really impressed with Master Plumbers throughout Covid-19.

Definitely a worthwhile membership.”

The survey showed that earnings are largely down, with 49% experiencing a reduction in earnings and 43% having less business confidence than the previous year. However, the majority of respondents (75%) noted ‘moderate’ levels of business confidence.

One respondent commented that work was steady but planning for the future was difficult. This would appear to be a common challenge, with nearly half of respondents (44%) unsure about whether or not conditions would improve in the next 12 months. According to the survey, the top three challenges facing the industry currently are a shortage of tradespeople, future job prospects and unlicensed tradespeople.

Training programme. Top five topics on the wishlist were AS/NZS 3500, backflow, gas servicing, pricing and quoting, and legal compliance.

Member benefits The Master Plumbers brand and consumer guarantee were rated in the top three for member benefits, along with HR advice and resources, with 92% of respondents believing the support they receive from Master Plumbers to be ‘good’ to ‘excellent’.

In terms of the advocacy work we do on behalf of the industry, 95% of respondents felt we do a ‘good’ to ‘excellent’ job, with one noting a desire to have more input in this area as it has such importance.

Members can view the 2020 Master Plumbers Survey Report in the member log-in at www.masterplumbers.org.nz

QUICK MEMBERSHIP FACTS According to the 2020 survey responses: 41% of member businesses have between 2 to 5 employees 10% are one-man-bands 2% employ 50+ staff 24% have been members for 25 years or more The most common services offered by members are residential plumbing (91%), residential gasfitting (71%) and residential drainlaying (64%).

91% Plumbing Residential 71% Gasfitting Residential 64% Drainlaying Residential

The majority of members – 75% – report “Moderate” levels of business confidence.

9% High confidence 75% Moderate confidence 15% Low confidence 1% No confidence

61% Plumbing Commercial/Industrial 43% Gasfitting Commercial/Industrial 42% Other (eg. Backflow Prevention Services, Roofing) 39% Drainlaying Commercial/Industrial

Training & learning It was heartening to see from the survey that 77% of member businesses currently train at least one apprentice. The government’s current Apprenticeship Boost scheme has encouraged 68% to take on a new apprentice, with 57% actively planning to take on a new apprentice over the next 12 months.

Learning doesn’t stop with apprentice qualifications and our survey showed that members really value ongoing training and professional development, with plenty of great suggestions for the Master Plumbers

NZ PLUMBER #1 FOR INFO! Members have a wide range of channels to access information, including digital newsletters, the Master Plumbers website, social media and face-to-face branch meetings. Survey responses showed that your very own NZ Plumber came out on top, with 80% getting their information from the magazine.

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Meet the team...

Get to know the Master Plumbers team with our quick Q&As.

2. What’s your work background?

I started out in a trade, moved into admin and worked in accounts as part of a team. I have a pretty varied working background. In my last couple of roles, I was part-time administrator for a radio station while also working parttime in accounts for a retirement village. I also worked for super busy physio practice, looking after the admin for three practices and doing company account recons.

3. Can you tell us a bit about you?

I moved to this beautiful country in December 2014 from South Africa. I have a very kind and thoughtful partner and three amazing children, ranging in age from 11 to 16. We have a loving and loud-talking cat named Nitro, who loves laps and announces himself when he walks in the door so you know he is home. We live in Porirua in a beautiful suburb close to the kids’ schools. We are a pretty active family and enjoy going on hikes and taking a walk and swim at the beach on the weekends three seasons a year. During the week we do cross fit, boxing, jujitsu and yoga to keep healthy all year round. We have a rather busy household.

4. What music do you like?

I enjoy many genres and lots of artists and bands. I like Live, Guns N’ Roses, Foreigner, Styx, Nickelback, Maroon 5, Linkin Park, Daughtry… even boy and girl bands from my younger years, and so many more. As far as artists go I enjoy Pink, Rihanna, Avril Lavigne, Anastasia, some hip hop artists and DJs and good old Ed Sheeran—you get the picture I’m sure.

6. Where’s your favourite holiday spot?

My favourite holiday spot in NZ so far is Napier. I was first introduced to Napier when my partner and I went away for a weekend to do the Tough Guy & Gal Challenge (I was a spectator, of course). I love the weather and rough coastline, and there is much to do outdoors, not to mention the bonus of having my fav vineyard in the area too.

7. What’s your favourite food?

Mmmm food. Well, I have two favourites. My absolute best is a South African tradition: dried meat known as Biltong, Droewors and Cabanossi. I could easily consume this every day, and would definitely recommend giving it a try. My other favourite food is a naughty one—cheesecake. I love it so much I could eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. My waistline would not like it much, so I indulge myself every now and again.

NAME: Cat Marshall ROLE: Master Plumbers

Administrator & Masterlink Payroll Officer

1. What does your day-to-day role entail?

I wear two hats. My administrator role keeps me busy with updating our CRM software, making staff travel bookings, assisting some Branches and Associations where needed, and other normal admin functions. Masterlink payroll keeps me on my toes and it is quite satisfying making sure our apprentices get their wages.

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8. Can you name someone who particularly inspires you?

That would be my Dad. He has definitely helped mould me into the person I am today. Strong and resilient, he has taught me many life lessons and is always lending a hand.

He is my very own Super Hero.

9. What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

I don’t have much free time in my life but, when I do, I chill on the couch and catch up with Netflix. At the moment, that time is being used to study. Currently I am doing a payroll course, and there are more I would like to do after this. All in the aim of progress.

Master Plumbers

NEW MEMBERS

A warm welcome to new Master Plumbers member businesses: Northland Fineline Plumbing and Drainage Northland Plumbing & Gas Auckland Boreham Plumbing The Hot Water Doctor Ze Plumb & Gas

Waikato Mark Above Plumbing & Gas Mario’s Plumbing Taranaki Koru Plumbing & Gas Wanganui Taylor’d Gas & Plumbing Manawatu Refined Plumbing and Gasfitting Services

WANT TO JOIN? Master Plumbers is here to support all businesses in the plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying industry.

Members are Quality Assured and backed by the Master Plumbers Guarantee. We offer a wide range of business resources, HR & technical support, plus training and member discounts—and we advocate for our members as a collective industry voice.

Get in touch to discuss our two-year membership deal!

UPDATES

2021 NZ Plumbing Conference We’re hugely looking forward to hosting the New Zealand Plumbing Conference in Blenheim in 2021 after having to postpone this year’s event due to Covid-19 restrictions.

The conference will take place from 24-26 March at the Marlborough Convention Centre—same great venue, same inspirational speakers, same exciting social activities. See you there!

Full programme details are available at www.plumbingconference.org.nz It’s back on! The 2021 NZ Plumbing Conference will take place from 24-26 March at the Marlborough Convention Centre.

Steve Rushworth North Island 027 839 8398 srushworth@masterplumbers.org.nz

Sam Timlin South Island 021 433 615 stimlin@masterplumbers.org.nz Or contact 0800 502 102 membership@masterplumbers.org.nz

GET YOUR AWARDS ENTRIES IN! The annual conference will culminate in the 2021 New Zealand Plumbing Awards Dinner, sponsored

by Plumbing World. There’s still time to enter in 10 different categories—application forms available at www.plumbingconference.org.nz

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Steady, hot &

STRONG Abounding kindness and generosity among the Master Plumbers membership became very apparent when Rheem ran its recent Steady, Hot & Strong campaign for householders in need. Master Plumbers Marketing & Communications Executive Lisa Onland looks at some of the heartwarming stories to come out of the initiative.

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ockdown was hard for all New Zealanders. But perhaps those who felt it most acutely were the ones stuck in a home lacking the bare essentials.

Back in May, Rheem reached out to Master Plumbers saying that they’d heard of people going through lockdown with no hot water in their homes. Families that were now facing a long winter ahead.

Rheem wanted to give away several units to people in need; would Master Plumbers be able to help with the installations?

We put it to our members and the answer was a resounding yes. The Steady, Hot and Strong campaign was born. Within a few days of putting out the call, we had over 75 members volunteer from across the country. Members from businesses large and small put up their hands to offer their expertise to people in their communities.

The giveaway ran for a month and received roughly 120 entries. From those, 14 winners were selected. Each week in July, we sat down to match winners with volunteers from the area, thinking it would be a simple matter of locating a Taupo plumber for our Taupo winner, an Invercargill plumber for our Invercargill winner.

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Hayley and Matt from Semtex Plumbing & Gas in Palmerston North went out of their way to help this family, who were showering at the pool after being faced with costly repairs following the purchase of their first home.

Master Plumbers

UPDATES

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1 In reality, winners didn’t fit within neat predefined regions. But that didn’t stop our members from coming out to meet them. Aaron from BOP Plumbing and Gas trekked to Minginui, Mike at Gaskin Plumbing made the hour-long drive out to Kaingaroa Forest, and MacMillan Plumbing and Gas will be venturing out to Nukutawhiti.

With members still adjusting to post-lockdown workloads and several winners with limited means of contact, it was a feat of logistics ensuring jobs were scoped, the right unit was sourced and a time set for the install.

It wasn’t just members that got on board.

Master Plumbers Business Partners Apex Valves and Hydroflow donated valve packs for many of the installs and several local electricians

1. Dave at North N South Plumbing N Drainage in Gore assisted a winner living with disabilities on a fixed income to replace her old malfunctioning cylinder.

2. Jon and the team at The Lewis Plumbing Company gave the comfort of hot water to a cancer survivor living in a mobile home in Rotorua, who’s shown here with installer Dave Hodgson.

3. Henry at AKL Plumbing & Gasfitting Services stepped up to replace the hot water cylinder of a winner who’d returned from being stranded abroad and was struggling to find steady work.

4. Dale at Eco Plumber & Gasfitter in Papamoa headed out to Te Puke to install a brand-new unit for a young family living in a rural homestead.

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Master Plumbers

UPDATES

Auckland member business Plumbuilt Plumbing helped out an airline industry employee who had lost his job. Pictured here is installer Daniel von Stetten.

offered their services at reduced rates to assist winners experiencing financial hardship.

If this giveaway is anything to go by, it’s clear kindness and generosity abounds in the Master Plumbers community.

“Just hearing how happy people were that they were going to get hot water again, especially those that were nominated by friends and family—it was a complete surprise to some,” says Brian McFarlane from Rheem, who spearheaded the initiative. “The absolute hardship some people had been facing, not only having no access to hot water, but serious problems of having no income and not knowing when they’d get another job.”

Ray at Baxter & Neilson Plumbers in Invercargill answered the call of a single mum struggling with a 35-yearold cylinder needing replacement and Dave and the team from Laser Plumbing Taupo replaced the cylinder of a mum-of-two whose cylinder

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began leaking during lockdown and was forced to turn it off. Nathan at Precision Group in Wellington ensured an elderly couple no longer had to heat their water on the stove and a solo dad looking to relocate a small house without a water heating system to Mataura will be assisted by Phil at Gore Southern Plumbing and Heating.

While some winners had been making do for some time, there were others immediately affected by the economic impact of Covid-19— including an airline industry employee who had lost his job and a homeowner who’d been stranded abroad and was now struggling to find steady work.

“Definitely an eye opener about how other people are living outside your own bubble. Most certainly a wake-up call and good motivator to continue to help out,” says Brian.

Rheem has indicated their interest in continuing the initiative at branch level, where Master Plumbers Branches and Associations select two to three local recipients a year to assist.

A WORD OF THANKS A huge thanks to Rheem and those Master Plumbers members and Business Partners who donated their services to the initiative—and all those who put their names forward to help out.

Thanks to Master Plumbers members: AKL Plumbing & Gasfitting Services Baxter & Neilson Plumbers BOP Plumbing and Gas Eco Plumber and Gasfitter Gaskin Plumbing Gore Southern Plumbing and Heating Laser Plumbing Taupo The Lewis Plumbing Company MacMillan Plumbing and Gas North N South Plumbing N Drainage Plumbuilt Plumbing Precision Group Semtex Plumbing & Gas Thanks to Master Plumbers Business Partners: Rheem Apex Valves Hydroflow

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Master Plumbers

MEMBER PROFILE

Being a good plumber is one thing but being a good business owner is quite another. In Simon Collins’ view, it’s all about being ready to learn, adapt and improve with every experience encountered.

F

or Simon Collins, starting his own business at just 22 was a massive learning curve.

Now 35, he has grown Henderson-based Collins Plumbing, Gas & Heating in the intervening years from one man and a van to a current team of 27, including 10 apprentices.

“Learning how to manage staff has been the biggest challenge,” he says. “I’m a good plumber and love being on the tools, but I hadn’t run people before setting up my own.”

Simon believes he’s come out stronger as a result and with a great team around him but says he still makes mistakes and there are always things to learn.

“You have to be flexible and ready to adapt,” he says. “The current generation is so different, and you need to change your approach to get the most from them. They want a clear idea of their career development and their earning potential and they are very connected through social media with how their contemporaries are progressing.”

Business owners also have to learn not to take it personally when a team member leaves, he says.

“You can have a good environment and pay your staff well but sometimes there’s nothing you can do to stop someone from moving on. With every person who has left, I have learned from the experience and looked at where we can make improvements.”

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Open-door policy Integrity and honesty are top values at Collins Plumbing & Gas, which has been a Master Plumbers member for over 10 years. “I believe in being straight up and doing what you say you’re going to do,” says Simon. “I don’t like talking about someone behind their back. If there’s an issue, I want to hear it from the horse’s mouth.”

He also knows the time and effort that goes into training apprentices and will never poach people from other firms. “I don’t want that to happen to me, so I won’t do it to someone else. If a person comes to me looking for a job, I make it clear to them that I will contact their employer before hiring them.”

Simon has an open-door policy for his team, despite a demanding workload that comprises a 60:40 split between being in the office and on tools.

“I treat every individual as an individual, and there are some I’d do anything for, as I know they’d do the same for me. I’ve also learned that different cultures have different approaches to personal interactions, which I always try to take into consideration.”

Specialist knowledge Being on the tools is Simon’s happy place and he’s ‘on the ground’ at some point every day of the week.

His mantra is always to do the job to the best of your

Simon Collins started his Auckland plumbing, gas and heating business 13 years ago, at just 22.

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MEMBER PROFILE

Callum McKenzie, shown here on a construction site, heads up the company’s Whangarei division.

medium- and large-scale projects of this kind for homes across the upper North Island.

“Keeping up with new technologies is my favourite part of the job and it’s why this industry needs the younger guys, who are quick to adapt,” he says.

“Product technologies change so rapidly, as do business systems and marketing opportunities. When I started in 2007, there was no advertising on the internet and businesses did all their invoicing on paper— look how far we’ve come in 13 years.”

Time for the family

ability, and to take the time to do the job properly. “In my experience it can take just as long to do a job that’s not pretty as a pretty one,” he says. Leading by example, his high levels of workmanship have become known in the company as ‘the Collins way’, with the whole team striving for the same benchmark.

Simon’s particular specialty is heating and cooling using renewable technologies.

The company’s skills in this area are in demand throughout Auckland and Renewable heating and cooling is a company specialty. This Stiebel Eltron ground source heating system was set up and commissioned by Simon.

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Northland, with another division of the business based in Whangarei, headed up

by Callum McKenzie. “Renewable energy systems are a growth market, but installer knowledge is essential to retain the reputation of these technologies,” he says.

At Stiebel Elton’s invitation, Simon spent two weeks in Germany training up to be an approved installer for this company’s ground source and air source heat pump water heating systems and has worked on

This year hasn’t been an easy one, of course, and despite having plenty of work on and considering himself to be mentally strong, Simon admits to having some “pretty rough, dark days”. “Covid-19 has certainly put pressure on people and there’s a lot yet to come out of it,” he says.

Being a business owner can be a lonely place without a support network and Simon is thankful to have a business mentor as well as an “amazing” wife, who he can always talk to about what’s going on—though he tries to leave work at the door. “We have a little girl, who’s four and a half, and a boy who’s 18 months, and three years ago I made the decision not to work weekends anymore, so I can be with them.”

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Master Plumbers

PLATINUM PARTNER PROFILE

MICO

celebrates 75 years

P L AT I N U M P A R T N E R S H I P

This December Mico celebrates 75 years of trading in New Zealand. We take a look at the evolution of a business that came from humble beginnings, founded by an entrepreneurial refugee from Palestine in 1945.

M

ico founding father, Sigmund (Sigi) Hirschfeld was born in Vienna in 1901. Trained as a Master Plumber, he briefly worked in the family factory making gas water heating units.

Moving to Palestine in 1926 with his wife and young son, he established the first local Jewish-owned manufacturing business, making water heaters and plumbing equipment with his brother. In 1940 the family migrated to New Zealand, arriving with two children, modest savings of £4,000, speaking very little English but with a fierce determination to succeed.

In 1945 an opportunity to buy a half share of a small Wellington-based business importing non-ferrous metals from England came about and by 1946 Sigi became the sole proprietor of Metal Import Co. That same year, Sigi partnered with Roy Messenger, forming Wakefield Metal Co Ltd in Christchurch, marking the beginning of a highly successful partnership. He built relationships with a range of metal product suppliers and later established strong links in the plastics industry.

In 1956 Ed Matla joined Wakefield Metal, becoming the South Island General Manager in 1962, Managing Director in 1966 and Group Chairman in 1972—dedicating almost his entire working career to the company.

“Generous in his recognition of service rendered, it was his nature to share the fruit of his life’s work with those who worked for him. Fruit not just in financial reward, but in an example of tenacity of purpose, a passion for excellence and a deep respect for his fellow man—rare qualities indeed.”

Ed Matla, writing affectionately about Sigi Hirschfeld in his 1998 memoir.

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By 1967 Wakefield Metal had established branches in Christchurch, Dunedin, Invercargill, Timaru and Nelson and moved into modern new warehouse facilities (pictured) and offices in Balfour Terrace, Christchurch.

A lot has changed in 75 years.

Mico Hamilton is pictured here, showcasing the 2020 branding.

In 1980, Metal Import and Wakefield Metal came together under the umbrella of the Mico Wakefield Group and by 1991 there were 16 branches in the North Island and 15 in the South Island, including three in Australia.

In 1994, to enable expansion, Mico Wakefield became a wholly owned subsidiary of GE Crane Holdings Ltd—an auspicious partnership, as Sigi and John Crane had an affinity and friendship that had spanned many decades.

In 2011, Crane was acquired by Fletcher Building and since then Mico has continued to grow into a robust business. Growing

and expanding the Branch network to better service customers, investing in new technologies, product ranges and market areas, with 67 branches from Kerikeri to Invercargill, offering plumbing, bathrooms, pipelines, laundry and heating solutions— all in an overarching drive to Make it Easy for customers.

On Friday 18 December, Mico customers and suppliers are invited to 75 year celebrations in store.

LOOK OUT FOR THE TICK OF APPROVAL

We put each and every Master Plumbers Recommends plumbing product to the test, assessing all aspects, such as ensuring replacement parts are readily accessible, they’re easy to install and they look great. Of course it goes without saying that they also come with a solid manufacturer’s guarantee. Once it ticks all those boxes, it gets our tick of approval.

To find out more call 0800 502 102 or visit tickofapproval.co.nz

The assembled guests at the Waikato Master Plumbers Awards Evening, held in October.

Winners in the

WAIKATO I

It was all on in October, with 170 guests joining the celebrations at the 2020 Waikato Master Plumbers Awards Evening.

nitially postponed due to Covid-19 restrictions, the Waikato Master Plumbers Awards Evening was able to go ahead in mid-October, with NZ back in alert level 1.

Held once again at the Wintec Atrium, the event was attended by Master Plumbers members, their partners, staff and apprentices—and well supported by Master Plumbers Business Partners. Speakers on the night included Hamilton

deputy mayor Geoff Taylor and local MPs Jamie Strange and Tim Van de Molen. Recent apprenticeship graduates were also recognised for their years of study at Wintec, with Tony Wright of Laser Plumbing Matamata and Dylan Loughnan and Rowan Mathews of Drainage Systems all going on stage to collect their National Certificates in Drainlaying.

Congratulations to all the winners on the night!

AND THE 2020 WINNERS ARE...

Waikato Master Plumber of the Year: Dr Plumber Wintec Apprentice of the Year: Ryan Oliver of FB Hall Waikato Branch Personal Growth & Development Award sponsored by MM Kembla: Calum McNab of Laser Plumbing Matamata Outstanding Services to the Industry sponsored by Dux: Ngaire Scott, Office Manager at Hamilton Plumbing Industry Excellence Award sponsored by Hirepool: Wintec Training Leader of the Year sponsored by Mico: CF Reese Most Outstanding Plumber sponsored by Plumbing World: Mike Judd of Morrinsville Plumbing and Gas Most Outstanding Drainlayer sponsored by Marley: Hamish McKenzie of Drainage Systems Most Outstanding Gasfitter sponsored by Rheem: Kerryn Reardon of CF Reese Masterlink Best All-Round Apprentice sponsored by Masterlink: Sean Berry, hosted by Mario’s Plumbing Services Top Year 3 Apprentice sponsored by Buteline: Johan Jacobs of Laser Plumbing Hamilton West Top Year 2 Apprentice sponsored by Greens Tapware: Quintin Trott of Plumbing & Gas Works

Greig Gornano (left) and Tony Walker of Dr Plumber with their 2020 Waikato Master Plumber of the Year Award.

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Top Year 1 Apprentice sponsored by GWA: Logan Potter of FB Hall

Master Plumbers

AMBROSE ACTION FOR CANTERBURY The October sun shone on this year’s Canterbury Master Plumbers golf tournament, which marked 69 years for this hugely popular event. Held at the Russley Golf Club in Christchurch, the four-person ambrose saw Master Plumbers member businesses, apprentices, sponsors and visitors all come together for some friendly rivalry.

“We had a full field of around 130 players and the ambrose format went really well as it helped the non-golfers enjoy the day,” says Canterbury Master Plumbers President Michael Diver. “This was the first major event we’d had all year, since being able to come out of lockdown, and it was really good to see most people stay on for a meal and a drink.”

Thanks to the many event sponsors there were plenty of prize donations too, including golf vouchers, toolkits and chilly bins—and Michael says these were really appreciated, especially as Covid-19 meant the tournament could only be confirmed 10 days out.

“Mico kindly donated a 300L hot water cylinder, which we raffled off and got $580 for. We are donating this, plus another $280 raised in our meat raffle, to Stand Children’s Services for kids in need.”

He particularly wants to acknowledge Morris Ford, who has organised the event for the past 28 years. “Though retired, Morris is still highly involved with the golf day, always going out of his way to make it a success.”

BRANCH & ASSOCIATION UPDATES

The regional Masterlink team had games, food and water at their golf hole— and brought along two apprentice candidates to chat with members.

Around 130 players turned up for the annual Canterbury Master Plumbers golf tournament on a sunny day in October.

Wanganui stalwart remembered With the passing of Wanganui Master Plumbers Association Life Member John Wadey earlier this year, John’s partner Mary Anne Sleyer remembers a man with a true dedication for his profession.

John was born into a plumbing family in 1938.

The eldest child of Maurie and Marie Wadey, he spent his first years as the ‘man of the house’ while his father served in the military during WWII. John was seven on his father’s return, and had a whole new family dynamic to grow into as he got to know his father.

Maurie had studied sanitation engineering and quantity surveying in a German POW camp, and his brother Des, who had also returned from active service, was a welder.

On their return, the brothers joined forces and set up their plumbing company Wadey Bros Ltd. The firm was one of three large plumbing contracting companies that installed infrastructure to many government buildings—notably the Wanganui Memorial Hall, including the copper dome.

They undertook a wide range of industrial, commercial and rural work as well as domestic dwelling work, employing 25 plumbers, sheet metal workers and office staff. They also trained many apprentices, many of whom went on to set up their own businesses.

On leaving school after the fifth form, John joined the family firm as an apprentice plumber. He proved capable with both his practical skills and his technical knowledge, gaining the top marks for New Zealand in his final Trade Certificate exams.

He purchased the family business in 1987 and was a hands-on company director. His strong work ethic and dedication to his profession carried him through the many ups and downs of the contracting business. He expanded the business to include heating, swimming pool and spa pool work, before gradually downsizing to two employees over the later years, when he worked from home. He eventually retired in 2006, largely due to a deteriorating knee problem.

Like his father, John was a member of Master Plumbers, which was always an important element of his life in the industry.

An active member throughout his working years, he took up the role of local president twice: between 1984 and 1986, then 1992 to 1994. He was awarded the honour of Association Life Membership in July 2006.

John and his then wife Colleen had three sons: Michael, Glenn and Simon. Sadly, Michael drowned at the age of 16 when he was away for a weekend Scout camp.

With an interest in architecture, over the years John applied his practical skills and his eye for design to build two family houses, demonstrating his characteristic creativity.

John passed away in July 2020 after a long period of illness. He will be sadly missed by his long-term partner Mary Anne, his sons Glenn and Simon and sisters Janine and Sue. nzplumber

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A FINAL NEWS ROUND-UP FOR 2020 FROM THE MASTER PLUMBERS-OWNED MASTERLINK MENTORED APPRENTICE PROGRAMME. WE’LL BE BACK IN THE NEW YEAR!

Upskill your apprentice for free A new Masterlink Training Day offer is designed to take your apprentice to the next level at no cost to hosts. When your firstyear apprentice works at least 40 hours during the week, Masterlink will credit your business with 8 hours—a free Training Day—which you can choose how to use. It’s all about flexibility. Upskill your apprentice by taking them out on a job with you; getting them into the workshop/office to learn different aspects of the trade; or getting them to complete an online course without the need to charge for their time. Talk to your Regional Manager for more information. Terms & Conditions apply.

TALENTED CANDIDATES WANTED

Calling all plumbing, gas and drainage firms... Have you had good apprentice candidates knocking on your door, but no opportunities for them right now? We’re always looking for excellent candidates, so tell them to get in touch with Masterlink!

If we succeed in placing them with a host business, we’ll send you a thank-you gift.

Call the team on 0800 502 102 or email admin@masterlink.co.nz We profile all successful apprentice candidates on the Masterlink website at www.masterlink.co.nz

FROM CASUAL LABOURER TO APPRENTICE The government’s Apprenticeship Boost funding, together with the support Masterlink provides for small businesses, convinced Kevin Scott, owner of Mangawhai Plumbing, that now was the time to sign up Jordan Stevens, who had been doing casual work for the firm.

If, like Kevin, you have a casual labourer, Gateway student or someone else in mind for an apprenticeship, let us know and we can get them signed up and started on a great career!

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Casual work at Mangawhai Plumbing has turned into a Masterlink apprenticeship for Jordan Stevens, shown here with his mentor, Masterlink Northland & Auckland RM Tania Forsyth.

Master Plumbers

MASTERLINK

TOP IN THE WAIKATO!

Adult apprentice Sean Berry picked up the Masterlink Best All Round Apprentice Award at the 2020 Waikato Master Plumbers Awards, held at the Wintec Atrium in October. Sean switched from a desk job to a plumbing apprenticeship at the age of 30 and is hosted by Mario’s Plumbing Services in Hamilton. Host Mark (Mario) McMinn says one of the main things he admires about Sean is his work-life balance. “During his time with the business, Sean has bought a house, which he is renovating, has had his first child, is learning the bagpipes and likes to get out for bush walks.”

Sean’s Masterlink mentor, Central North Island RM Russell Walsh, says Sean’s contribution to the reputation of our industry is hugely positive. “He is testament to the fact that trades like plumbing can be embraced at any age. You just need passion.”

Get to know our Regional Managers This edition, we head down south to profile:

BRENDAN PARKER LOWER SOUTH ISLAND REGIONAL MANAGER From his sunny Invercargill base, Brendan Parker looks after Masterlink hosts and apprentices in the Southern, Otago and Central Otago regions. When he’s not catching up with apprentices on their block courses at SIT or at their regular progress appraisals, Brendan is kept busy interviewing and screening apprentice candidates, and attending careers expos and other trades events in the region.

Born and bred in Southland, he spent his school years in Oamaru and went on to complete a marketing degree at Otago University. His varied career began with the Police and then in fixedterm contract management roles before joining Masterlink.

“I have three kids who have quickly progressed my hairline and my natural colour to a stressed white,” he says. “I also have a beautiful wife, who I get to laugh with every day.”

Brendan says he is regularly inspired by the stories of Masterlink host employers who have persevered through hard times and come out better

Award winner Sean Berry (centre) with host employer Mark (Mario) McMinn, right, and Masterlink Central North Island RM Russell Walsh.

GET IN TOUCH

Need an apprentice in your business? Masterlink Regional Managers are here to help.

Brendan Parker has the good fortune to live and work in his number one holiday spot!

off, and of apprentices who have found their feet after struggling early on in their training.

Describing himself as an ‘active relaxer’, he is always up and doing, with renovating a particular passion. He also admits to a love affair with food.

“Love my seafood, wild meat, handmade bread, BBQs,” he says. “I’m either eating, thinking about what I could eat or preparing something to eat.”

When it comes to his favourite holiday spot, Brendan doesn’t need to go far.

“Anywhere Central Otago,” he says. “The wine, the food, trails, fruit picking with the kids in summer, snowboarding in winter and then that little thing called the scenery—in the top five in the world.”

Tania Forsyth Auckland & Northland 027 558 5441

Russell Walsh Central North Island 027 600 9929

Sam Timlin Upper South Island 021 433 615

Colin Kilpatrick Auckland 021 773 296

Bob McCoy Lower North Island 027 479 0075

Brendan Parker Lower South Island 021 644 560

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Master Plumbers

MASTERLINK

Masterlink milestones WELCOME

It’s great to have the following new Masterlink apprentices on board and we thank their host companies for their commitment to providing first-class on-job training.

■■ Chavawn Matthews – Rogers and Rogers, Kaitaia ■■ Oliver Aitchison – Public Drainage Systems (2018), Auckland ■■ Kane Ardern – Hi Spec Plumbing & Gas, Auckland ■■ Alain Bongat – Allstar Plumbing, Auckland

YOU DID IT!

A tough year made it tougher than ever for our apprentices to complete their National Certificates—so a big shout out to all who’ve made it past the finish line in 2020.

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■■ Inoke Paea – Drainage Solutions, Auckland ■■ Jordan Stevens – Mangawhai Plumbing, Auckland ■■ Stewart Tu’l – BDK Drainage, Auckland ■■ Liam Wilson – Allstar Plumbing, Auckland ■■ Eric Gruythuysen – Pauanui Plumbing, Pauanui ■■ Andrew Soper – J&T Plumbing, Tauranga ■■ Liam Fox – DunnRight Plumbing & Electrical, Cambridge ■■ Harpreet Singh – The Lewis Plumbing Company, Rotorua ■■ Jayden Turton – 100% Plumbing & Gas, Rotorua ■■ Reece Saunders – Advanced Building Services, Wellington ■■ Jack Leonard – Doaky’s Plumbing, Ashburton ■■ Isaac Perenara – Flints Plumbing, Queenstown ■■ Chase Sheridan – All Septic and Drainage, Mosgiel

PLUMBING & GASFITTING Simon Cavey Kristian KaraitianaTongia Ben Stanley Jarrod MacLean Sean Stevenson Josh Olsen Kyle Nicholas-Booth James Wairau John Ryan Lauren Phillips Jarrod Spearpoint Ben DeClifford Connor Hamilton Sean Conlan Regan Harper Pieter Russon Joseph Benton Harrison Muir Regan Harper Bradley Primmer Lyndon Johnston Wade Williams

PLUMBING Jacob Piket Jack Swain Aidan Gregan Valentino Eyer GASFITTING Brooke Schmalkuchen

(see page 23 for more about Brooke’s success story).

Ezra Edwards DRAINLAYING Kyle Thom Cameron Jaques Rueben Allen-Bennett

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Business smarts

IS YOUR WEBSITE WORKING HARD? How does your website rate against the key success factors for online marketing?

Richard Calkin of Web Genius outlines the formula for effective lead generation.

W 68 WEBSITE

MARKETING

70 6 TIPS TO AVOID THE CHAOS…

72 POST-ELECTION TAX UPDATE

74 PREVENTING WORKPLACE IMPAIRMENT

76 BEYOND THE DOORSTEP

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hy is it that some plumbers report their website is a great source of leads and new business while others express nothing but frustration and disappointment?

Like anything else it comes down to how well the fundamentals have been adhered to. So what are the key fundamentals of web marketing success?

At Web Genius we use the following formula to express this: Targeted Traffic + Persuasive Content + Calls to Action = More Customers

Targeted traffic The first factor is ‘Targeted Traffic’: in other words attracting pre-qualified potential customers to your website. For most consumers looking for businesses like plumbers, this starts at Google.

That’s why a strong presence in both the paid and unpaid sections of the

Google search results is crucial for any plumber wanting to secure their fair share of the available traffic.

The paid section is known as Google Ads and, while you can create and run your own campaigns, it is often more time and cost efficient to contract a certified Google Ads partner to manage this for you.

Improving your website’s visibility in the unpaid, or organic, section of the Google search results is the domain of search engine optimisation, or SEO. Fundamentally this involves creating useful, relevant and original content that addresses and solves your customers’ burning questions and problems.

Once you have this content the next step is to optimise how it is presented to Google and also build the number of other websites that link into yours. These ‘incoming links’ are a crucial part of the

Business smarts WEBSITE MARKETING

your content seeks to anticipate your visitor’s main questions and information requirements, before providing quick and easy access to all the answers.

Calls to action This leads to the final element of the formula: Calls to Action. The measure of how persuasive and successful your website is ultimately comes down to how many visitors respond to one of your calls to action.

It’s important that your calls to action are many and varied. ‘Many’ because your visitor may be ready to enquire at any point throughout the process of reading your website content and ‘varied’ because different people prefer to respond in different ways.

Websites that provide easy access to a phone number in the header on every page, as well as a form that is accessible on every page, will generate more enquiries than one that makes it hard to find the main calls to action.

Sonya Jackson of Peter Jackson Plumbing on the Kapiti Coast says having high online rankings draws a lot of traffic to their website, which they developed with Web Genius.

Google search algorithm—and continually increasing the quality and quantity of incoming links is an important ongoing element of any SEO campaign.

To find out how well your website rates on the key SEO fundamentals, you can run it through the Google Domination Audit available here: audit.webgenius. co.nz. Just enter your website address, click audit and wait a couple of minutes for a free, 11-page report.

First impressions are particularly important, which is why the first question your website should answer is: “Am I in the right place?” In other words you need to make it crystal clear exactly what you do and where you do it.

Once your visitor has had this question answered, his or her next one will be: “What’s in it for me?” This is where

Persuasive content Once you have a steady flow of targeted traffic, you need to make sure they are presented with the next part of the formula: Persuasive Content.

Exclusive corporate rates for Master Plumbers.

There is a real art and a science to creating a website that successfully addresses all three elements of the formula. Make sure that whoever produces yours has a thorough understanding of these basics so you avoid frustration and are able to join the ranks of plumbers whose web marketing produces a steady flow of new customers.

About the author: Richard Calkin is the founder of Web Genius, which has provided website and web marketing services to Kiwi businesses since the turn of the 21st century, and is the author of The Kiwi Business Hero’s Internet Marketing Handbook. Web Genius has an exclusive arrangement with Master Plumbers to provide discounted web marketing solutions.

Check out masterplumbers.webgenius.co.nz for more info.

KEEP YOUR HEAD ABOVE WATER LIFE, MORTGAGE AND HEALTH INSURANCE

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ALLAN MEARNS ring or text 021 422 82 allan.mearns@sprattfinancial.co.nz

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Daniel Fitzpatrick helps you avoid the chaos with these 6 proven ideas for balancing work and home.

AUTHOR: DANIEL FITZPATRICK, NEXT LEVEL TRADIE

Business smarts BUSINESS COACH

A

nyone who has kids and a small business deserves a medal. It’s not easy. Covid-19 has added even more pressure. Most tradies are busier than ever. Basically it’s a season where likely the smartest move is to dig in and take the work while it’s available to build up your cash reserve—so you’re ready for whatever comes next.

But how do you juggle all this and make sure the kids don’t miss out, especially if both of you are working in the business?

1 Pick and choose

Just like in business, when you want to improve your results, taking stock is the first step. Get clarity around what you’re okay (and not okay) with missing out on.

Figure out what’s important. Let yourself off the hook for other stuff.

What’s non-negotiable for you? What would gut you to miss? Being there for Christmas Eve, school performances, their Saturday games, weekly movie nights, or maybe it’s just being home in time for dinner every night?

Protect that time. Have your ‘no’ speech ready. Remember ‘yes’ and ‘no’ operate in balance. Just like dropping your price might have dire consequences later (especially in this environment), saying ‘yes’ to a certain client, might mean saying ‘no’ to your family for the next few weekends.

Let go of other people’s expectations.

Most people have no idea the amount of work and sacrifice it takes to run your own business. Weigh your own actions.

2 Set the tone

What we expect is what we will see. Don’t buy into ‘terrible twos’ or ‘disrespectful teens’. Focus instead on the best things each season of parenting brings.

Likewise, focus on what’s good about being in business: it makes you more money than a regular job would. Gives your kids better opportunities, a head-start in life. You’ve created flexibility to help out with the kids more, spend more time with them. You’re providing for your family.

That’s badass. Own it.

Look: How you talk about your business = how your kids will feel about it. If you talk about hating work, they will pick up on that. And probably feel a bit septic about the time you spend working.

Talk it through with your kids, help them see the reasons you work so hard. Soon they will be grown and have their own career (or business). Kids learn by watching (and mimicking) us. Are we modelling

healthy behaviour in how we do business, handle curveballs, and in how we treat our clients and team?

3 Accept that it’s messy

You can’t do it all. Don’t try. Get help with the children, the house, the business.

As much as you can.

We’re not supposed to parent alone.

Encourage healthy influences in your kids’ lives that are not you. Find childcare options your kids love—and don’t feel guilty. Hire an online tutor, cleaner, lawn-mowing service, meal delivery, anything that makes it easier!

Work-wise, outsource and delegate as many of the <$25/hour tasks as you can.

To be a successful leader, spend your time on the high-level tasks. Save time by systemising and streamlining every area.

Now is a great time to lean on technology.

4

Optimise the in-between

Research shows the in-between moments of regular family life (like chores or taking the car for a warrant) can do as much for family bonding as any planned ‘family fun’.

Easy ways to make the most of things you’re doing anyway: Implement a ‘no screens at the dinner table’ rule. Turn your phone on silent.

Clients can wait an hour.

In the car? Practise times tables, ask your kids what problems they want to solve in the world, listen to an audiobook together.

Cooking, doing dishes, folding laundry?

Have the kids help; blast the family soundtrack or ask them about Minecraft.

Take a kid along for some 1-on-1 every time you run an errand.

Bring the kids into the business. Give them simple jobs in the office, or begin teaching them your trade.

Consider that some of your own best memories may be the simplest things your parents did: Tucking you in at night.

Making up stories. Chasing you around the house. Putting notes in your lunch.

Brushing your hair. Working on projects with you. Taking you fishing. Caring for you when you were sick. Little traditions like pancakes every Sunday.

I teach my clients the 80/20 rule to create more profit. Likewise, identify and focus on the 20%—the simple daily activities that matter most to your kids.

5 Play at 100%

One study found children were better off when parents work was challenging and

enjoyable, even if it limits time at home.

However, this only held if, when dad was home and off-duty, he was available, not on his phone constantly or obsessively thinking about work.

Gary Vee is known as a workaholic. Yet he says: “I play in extremes. My daughter had a recital, I was the first parent in line for it. On weekends, I am all in. 100%. I’m not playing 4 hours of golf. I’m not doing things other people are doing. I’m all in on the kids.”

CEO Sharran Srivatsaa has a good tip: “On my way home, I pull over, finish any calls, load my meditation app, change my state to ‘father and husband’. When I get home, I walk through the door present and joyful. This simple 6-minute state-change transformed my life.”

6 Love your work, or quit

Can’t really build a business without your partner having some role. But are you both on the same page, both playing to your strengths? Stop and assess: “Is this working?”

A common scenario is when the female does accounts and runs the show behindthe-scenes, while he is on the tools or with clients. If this isn’t her natural skillset, or she’s constantly overwhelmed, it may be time to look at another option. Not all couples can, or should, work together (especially if there’s an eroding baseline of respect).

Also wise to consider how much time she really has available, especially if your kids are young. Factor in relentless interruptions, school pickups, drop-offs, sick days, and school holidays—and the required consistency in the role may be hard, or impossible, to achieve.

Research also showed kids are mentally healthier when mum feels she has control over what happens in her workday and also has time away for self-care (this increased her capacity, compared to using that same time on housework).

A final word 93% of the time we spend with our kids is spent before they finish high school. Once they move out, we won’t see them nearly as much, and have less influence.

Time is short. Life has to be on your terms. Your business requires attention but, to avoid regrets, it’s key to set your boundaries and schedule in advance. So work doesn’t encroach on family time.

About the author: Want to know the 5 things you must do now to protect your business + stay ahead? Daniel Fitzpatrick has a new checklist available for download—get it free here: nextleveltradie.co.nz/stayahead

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Business smarts TAX ADVICE

TAX: CHANGES AHEAD?

What tax changes should we expect? New Zealand’s newly formed government is likely to tinker rather than transform, says Chartered Accountant Brett Crombie.

Now the dust has settled on the election and the new government has been sworn in, it is worth revisiting the campaign promises and considering what tax changes are in store.

Individual income tax of 39% Labour campaigned to increase the top individual income tax rate from the current 33% to 39% and we can expect this to occur quite shortly. This top tax rate will kick in on income over $180,000, so will only affect a small fraction of wage earners. There will now be quite a spread between this top individual tax rate of 39% and the tax rate for Trusts (33%) and especially Companies (28%).

Some readers may recall that prior to 2009 there was a similar spread between tax rates for Individuals, Trusts and Companies. This spawned a variety of tactics by which business owners changed the amount and method of extracting money from their businesses in order to avoid paying the top tax rates.

For any business owners contemplating these tactics, caution is in order because there is a point at which such changes are viewed as tax avoidance in the eyes of the IR. The relevant rules around tax avoidance

in New Zealand were most clearly outlined in the Supreme Court case of Penny and Hooper v Commissioner of Inland Revenue [2011], which involved two Christchurch orthopedic surgeons who were judged to have taken artificially low salaries for the purpose of avoiding the top individual income tax rate.

Capital gains and wealth taxes Labour campaigned on a capital gains tax before the 2017 election but subsequently pulled back from implementing it. Current Labour policy is that there will be no capital gains tax while PM Jacinda Ardern is in charge.

It is timely to recall, though, that we already have a type of capital gains tax. It is more commonly known as the bright-line test, which taxes capital gains made on residential land (other than for a main home) which is bought and sold within five years.

With regard to wealth taxes, the Green party campaigned for a tax on individuals’ net wealth over $1 million. Despite Labour entering a ‘Co-operation Agreement’ with the Green party, Jacinda Ardern made some firm comments ruling out such a tax during her tenure.

In summary, neither of these taxes are likely in the next three years.

Fuel taxes The current fuel excise tax is about 77 cents per litre, with an extra 10 cents per litre on fuel sold in the Auckland region. Labour campaigned stating that they will not raise fuel taxes. Of course, if oil prices increase leading to higher pump prices, the amount of GST collected will in fact increase.

Transformational or tinkering?

Overall the next three years are unlikely to be transformational from a tax perspective.

With the transformative taxes such as capital gains and wealth taxes ruled out, all that remains are relatively minor tweaks to the status quo.

For small businesses this at least gives some degree of stability for the short term.

In the longer term, there is a reckoning coming, given that the government has been running up big spending deficits in an effort to counter the economic impact of Covid-19. Ultimately, these deficits will need to be balanced and one way of doing so is through increased taxation—so tax policy is bound to remain a topic of much debate over coming months.

About the author: Brett Crombie is a Chartered Accountant, qualified lawyer and former Inland Revenue tax investigator. He is the owner of Straightedge Accounting, which provides tax, accounting and business advisory services. Contact Brett on 021 301 022 or email brett.crombie@straightedge.nz

Disclaimer: This is general information only and not intended to be treated as professional advice. It is recommended you seek professional advice before acting.

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PREVENTING workplace impairment Workplace impairment encompasses drug and alcohol use, noise, fatigue, stress and many other physical and mental factors—and increases the chances of a serious workplace incident. So, what can employers do to mitigate risks?

AUTHOR: KERRIE MORGAN It’s every employer’s worst nightmare: a workplace incident as the result of employee impairment. Plumbing is an industry that relies on its tradespeople to be switched on, physically agile and able to work long, dedicated hours—so, it’s important that employers and staff understand what workplace impairment is and how to help prevent potential incidents.

What is workplace impairment?

Impairment can be caused by a number of factors—the most obvious being drug and alcohol use on the worksite, or outside of work hours. WorkSafe lists the following as other causes of impairment: fatigue, distractions, noise, health conditions and stress.

Whatever the cause, employee impairment can be detrimental to the employee-employer relationship, and

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to the health and wellbeing of all staff.

It affects decision making, risk taking, communication, relationships and general wellbeing. In fact, impairment in the workplace can cause serious incidents which may injure or even be fatal.

Company protocols and support The only way to step in and stop physical or mental impairment as it is happening is for everyone in the team to recognise the signs and understand the company protocols around reporting and supporting that person.

Company policies around drugs and alcohol, risk management and wellbeing should be crystal clear and employees should feel they can speak to their line manager, another company manager, or an HR person should they be suffering in any way that might impair their work.

Drug and alcohol impairment The 2020 cannabis referendum prompted many employers to voice concerns around what would happen in their places of work should the drug become legalised.

By law, employees and employers both have a duty to ensure their workplace is safe. This includes protecting employees from dangerous behaviour as a result of drug use, whether that drug is legal or not.

Your company should have clear expectations and policies around drug and alcohol use, which every employee should be aware of and understand before commencing work. This policy should include what the consequences will be if someone turns up to a job site impaired by alcohol or drugs.

If you have reason to believe that an employee is using recreational drugs

Business smarts HEALTH & SAFETY

on weekends or during work hours, taking action can be tricky.

Accusing an employee of using drugs, or being impaired by drug use, is a serious accusation and can result in a difficult situation for everyone involved. It’s also important to determine if a drug-using employee has a problem and needs help—and this can be done through open conversation, with a focus on support.

If you’re unsure how to handle a certain situation or you need help dealing with it, always seek legal advice. Seeking legal advice and approaching the situation cautiously is the best way to cover yourself, your company and the employee.

Drug test considerations Your company’s drug and alcohol policy might also include regular drug testing, which can be effective in minimising, or even eliminating, risk caused by drug and alcohol impairment in safety sensitive industries, such as plumbing.

However, before you start any sort of testing in your business, it is of utmost importance to get your company drug and alcohol policies, guidelines and legal obligations correct and clear. Again, employing a legal expert to help should be a priority.

There are four occasions when it is considered reasonable to implement workplace drug testing and it’s important to understand your legal obligations as an employer before carrying out any of these tests: pre-employment when an employer has reasonable cause to believe an employee is using drugs or alcohol post-incident random.

All drug testing should be carried out by specialist staff from an independent accredited drug testing company. A rise in doit-yourself workplace drug tests has seen innocent employees unfairly dismissed, drug users go undetected (resulting in workplace incidents) and expensive court cases costing employers tens of thousands of dollars.

If a non-negative/positive result is received (or if an employee refuses to comply with reasonable testing in accordance with their employee obligations), the next step is to decide what disciplinary action, if any, will be taken. If disciplinary action is taken, it is absolutely crucial to adhere to your company drug and alcohol and/or disciplinary policy. It’s at this point that many a case has come unstuck due to failure to implement a policy or get proper legal advice.

Other types of impairment As mentioned, impairment can be caused by a number of factors and while we’ve focussed mainly on drug and alcohol impairment here, it’s important to recognise and understand the other causes. It’s no secret mental health, including stress, plays a huge role in an employee’s (and employer’s) general wellbeing and can affect decision making, physical functionality, mood, memory, energy levels and sleep—all of which can, in turn, lead to impairment at work.

A staff member’s circumstances outside of the office can also affect their ability to work safely and adequately. It’s important to be aware of changes in an employee’s behaviour and be able to approach them and have an open conversation if you think something might be affecting them mentally or physically.

With the right policies in place, legal assistance should you require it, and good rapport with employees and workmates, the risk of impairment in the workplace can be significantly reduced.

Plumber/Gasfitter – Awesome Opportunity!!

With so many satisfied clients, our business is growing and we need a registered Plumber/Gasfitter who has some awesome skills to be proud of, enjoys what they do and completes work to a high standard.

You’ll be able to work unsupervised, enjoy all types of work from bathroom renovations, maintenance, new builds, gas and central heating installs. You will also be able to project manage and problem solve where required and be a great communicator. We are a family business and have been operating in the Wellington region for over 15 years. So if you’re keen for a new challenge then be sure to apply asap with a copy of your CV and a brief covering letter telling us about yourself to: jasonb@jasonbrownplumbgas.com.

More information about the company can be seen on www.jasonbrownplumbing.co.nz.

Or call Jason on 021 241 7315 for a chat.

Franchise Opportunity Wellington We are on the look out to find a motivated franchisee to take over our Wellington branch. This is an existing branch with proven profitability and established clients. Secure your future with a DrainPro franchise. This is the perfect opportunity for someone who is looking to go out on their own for the first time. You will receive full training and support and also have the benefit of taking over a profitable business with existing clients.

Please enquire in strict confidence: nathan@drainpro.co.nz 021 217 1616

Millars Plumbing & Drainlaying Otautau Ltd Are looking for a Gasfitter and or Plumber with a current Practicing Licence. The successful applicant will have to have good communication skills and excellent knowledge of products and plumbing practices. Be able to work unsupervised, have the ability to problem solve, be honest & trustworthy. We service a large country area, involved in maintenance and new work, servicing commercial and domestic clients. We are a family plumbing business operating in Southland for over 32 years. We are located at the bottom of the South Island and are two hours’ drive from Queenstown—the adventure capital of NZ—an hour and a half from beautiful Fiordland and Te Anau, and twenty minutes from the beach at Riverton.

If this sounds like you, check our business out on Facebook and apply today in writing with attached CV to millars.plumbing@xtra.co.nz Graeme 0274340705

The cost to place a classified advertisement is $60+GST for Master Plumbers members; $100+GST for non-members.

Email advertising@masterplumbers.org.nz nzplumber

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Business smarts EMPLOYER PERSPECTIVES

turn up to site. Your customer might go through several moments of truth while your team are there. If your customer has a negative moment of truth, you can be sure they will tell all their friends and family about it. A negative moment of truth will also determine how happy they are to pay your bill. Of course, if it is a positive experience, they will keep coming back and recommend your business to others.

I wanted our doorstep policy to give guidance to all our employees on how to behave before they get to a customer’s property, when they get there, while they are there, and when they leave.

SAM TYSON Managing Director, Climate & Plumbing

BEYOND THE DOORSTEP

Do you give your employees guidance on how to interact with customers? Having a doorstep policy allows you to set rules and expectations, says Sam Tyson.

Recently we were asked to submit our expression of interest for a large job in our region. Part of the documentation we had to submit was a ‘doorstep policy’. When I asked for further clarification on what this might be, I was told: “A doorstep policy is the standard introduction requirement your staff would use when they meet the customer.”

As we did not have one, I decided I would have a brainstorming session with the team at our Monday morning toolbox meeting. I saw it as a great opportunity to get very clear on how we can all commit to providing a consistent and quality service to all our customers.

I also saw the opportunity to make it more than a meet and greet policy. I wanted our doorstep policy to give guidance to all our employees on how to behave before

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they get to a customer’s property, when they get there, while they are there, and when they leave. All these parts make up ‘moments of truth’ for a customer.

A moment of truth is a point or an event in a customer’s journey with you where your business can either live or die. In other words, when a customer phones your business to ask for help, in that one phone call, your customer will either feel, yes, they can help me or, no, I am never phoning them again. If you get past that moment of truth, you may then need to go to site to provide them with a quote. How you turn up, what you look like, how you behave, and what you say, all add up to a moment of truth.

Let’s say your customer accepts the quote, the job is scheduled, and your team

This is where a doorstep policy can be gold. Our policy covers everything from the use of customer’s facilities, such as asking if it’s OK to use the toilet, to acceptable language to use—no swearing, no gossiping, no shouting. It covers what you should do if you need to shift any furniture, where to park, how to leave the site at the end of the day, and what considerations need to be made as far as noise and the occupants’ needs.

Having a doorstep policy means you have rules and expectations. Your staff are bound to follow these rules as a condition of their employment and if, for whatever reason, they break these rules you are more able to act. If you do not have rules or guidelines, how are they to know what you expect?

If you would like to know more about our doorstep policy, I am happy to have a chat and share with you what our team has put together.

About the author: Sam Tyson has been Managing Director of Climate & Plumbing since 2010. She is an active member in the industry and, with a background in strategic business development, shares the knowledge and experience gained from her award-winning business to help others obtain better results in their businesses. Sam was selected for the 2019 NZ Plumbing Merchants Future Governance Programme.

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Career starters

GIVING STUDENTS A START

Regional Education to Employment Coordinators are on hand to help employers engage with students and schools, as Hutt Valley Coordinator Amanda Walters explains.

M

any of us started working in jobs that were offered to us because of who we knew—usually a relative, neighbour or parents. It was relatively easy to get a foot in the door.

CVs, cover letters and formal interviews were not required.

Those of you with children will know that work experience is not as easy to obtain as it once was. Most opportunities for a student to connect into the plumbing industry happen through the Gateway programme. It is today’s reality that students are often not ‘work ready’ when they leave college, as they’ve had little or no engagement with an employer.

A START

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I COULD BE…

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Sharing your knowledge It is critical that your vast plumbing knowledge and skills are shared in schools, to ensure students learn about all construction-related trades and to continue the pipeline into employment for the next generation of workers.

You have practical skills and connections that would be of great benefit to these young people. Taking this opportunity to engage with them helps increase their work readiness skills.

‘Middle person’ support New funding initiatives to help employers connect and engage with students and schools include 25 regional Education to Employment Coordinators to act as the ‘middle person’ between schools and employers. Their role is to support employers to connect with schools and provide information on the Apprenticeship

78 GIVING STUDENTS

Support Programme: a cross-agency government response to help employers retain and retrain new apprentices.

To contact your nearest Education to Employment Coordinator, email employer. engagement@education.govt.nz www.connected.govt.nz is the government’s one-stop-shop for employers wanting answers to education, employment and training questions, and includes direct links to relevant information on funding.

High-school students getting a taste for the building industry through a visit from a commercial construction business.

Career starters SCHOOL CONNECTIONS

WHY SHOULD LOCAL EMPLOYERS ENGAGE WITH SCHOOLS AND STUDENTS? ENGAGING WITH SCHOOLS Provide in-demand work experiences.

Connecting with employers helps raise studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; knowledge of work ready skills required Help inform students about previously unknown industries Inform young people about your work and how your industry supports your local community Instil confidence in our young people.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH Undertaking work experience helps students build their work-ready skills Young people who have four or more engagements with employers are five times less likely to become NEET (not in education, employment or training) than peers without this engagement.

HOW TO CONNECT WITH SCHOOLS? FIRST STEPS Talk about your job with a class in your region Contact your local Education to Employment Coordinator Approach careers staff at local secondary schools Volunteer at a local careers expo to inform students about your industry and the different roles available

FURTHER ENGAGEMENT Host a tour of your workplace for small groups of students Offer students the opportunity to have work experience at your business Engage in local employer SpeedMeets when you have roles available for young people

BENEFITS FOR YOUR BUSINESS Your opportunity to give back to your community and local schools Increase your workforce and build your reputation Helps increase staff confidence and leadership skills Increase your network Having an important part in shaping the futures of local students and their careers.

ONGOING ENGAGEMENT Find out more about local Gateway programmes and take part where you can Support topics students study at school by offering your skills and knowledge of your industry If opportunities arise, think about offering an apprenticeship, job shadowing or part-time work to a young person.

This diagram shows ways that employers can connect with students to help them transition into employment and engage with the world of work while still at school.

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I COULD BE...

A PLUMBING TUTOR The best solution to meeting the chronic shortage of qualified plumbers, gasfitters and drainlayers is to produce more—but that also requires trained, motivated and inspirational people to teach the trade. NZ Plumber talked to MIT’s Peter Shields about the tutor’s role.

AUTHOR: SAM DAY

A

fter working as a policeman for 18 years, Peter Shields decided he wanted a career change. Figuring that plumbing is always in demand, he enrolled in Wintec’s Level 3 pre-trade plumbing course in 1996. From there, he went on to complete his apprenticeship and became a Certifying Plumber, Gasfitter and Drainlayer in 1999—at which point he also started part-time tutoring.

Since 2016, Peter has been curriculum lead of the plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying department at the Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT) in Auckland. He believes the Level 3 pretrade qualification is a significant step in becoming an authorised plumber in New Zealand. It follows on from an introductory Level 2 course (teaching student skills across multiple trades) and can also lead to a formal apprenticeship at Level 4.

MIT currently produces around 700 of New Zealand’s 3,000 plumbing apprentices across Levels 2, 3 and 4 but accepts just 46 students each semester for the Level 4 training. Whilst demand for apprenticeships is much higher, it can be challenging to find placements with plumbing firms for the onjob aspect of the training.

Hands-on and in-class activities MIT’s courses offer students a mix of practical and in-class work through an ‘integrated assessment model’ that revolves around block courses, with each block focussing on a specific aspect, such as hot water heat pumps, solar hot water panels, or stormwater drainage systems.

Students are asked to complete varied inclass questions associated with the practical activity. The two different learning models

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Peter Shields, curriculum lead of MIT’s plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying department, with tutor’s assistant and Masterlink apprentice Hera Eruera.

Career starters JOB OPTIONS

HERA ERUERA: MIT’s youngest tutor

Hera in action at MIT, fitting off a hot water cylinder.

With a Maori and Pasifika Trades Training scholarship under her belt, Hera Eruera decided to pursue a career in plumbing. Recognising Hera’s talent and energy for the trade, Peter Shields and the tutors at MIT offered her an apprenticeship through the Masterlink group training scheme, with the aim of growing and fostering future tutors.

Now approaching the third year of her PGD apprenticeship, Hera works as a tutor’s assistant and assistant technician alongside MIT’s Level 3 tutors, which has given her the opportunity to build relationships with tutors, staff and fellow students—and to meet her goal of “inspiring students to aspire”.

When not tutoring, she gets her on-job experience thanks to B&B Plumbing in Auckland.

Read more about Hera in our feature article on women in plumbing on p16.

complement each other, says Peter, giving practically-minded students a greater ability to succeed.

Tutors have to know all the ins and outs of plumbing and the courses they teach—and they also need to know how to relate to students and get the best from them. To do this, Peter builds on each student’s specific skills and knowledge, making sure he understands what learning stage they are at so he can tailor his teaching to make it enjoyable and understandable.

Importantly, though, the students want to learn. They’ve chosen to be there, have gone through the application process, and have the motivation to succeed—Peter and his team just have to provide the opportunity.

BLACK

S U P E R I O R S P O U T I N G E V E R Y D AY

S U P E R I O R S P O U T I N G E V E R Y D AY

S U P E R I O R S P O U T I N G E V E R Y D AY

S U P E R I O R S P O U T I N G E V E R Y D AY

S U P E R I O R S P O U T I N G E V E R Y D AY

S U P E R I O R S P O U T I N G E V E R Y D AY

S U P E R I O R S P O U T I N G E V E R Y D AY

S U P E R I O R S P O U T I N G E V E R Y D AY

RICH BLACK

CMYK

SLATE C66 M62 Y60 K50

GULL GREY C33 M28 Y32 K1

LICHEN C50 M45 Y57 K14

Tutors have to know all the ins and outs of plumbing and the courses they teach— and they also need to know how to relate to students and get the best from them.

S U P E R I O R S P O U T I N G E V E R Y D AY

COPPER C23 M57 Y85 K7

BLACK

S U P E R I O R S P O U T I N G E V E R Y D AY

“A fantastic opportunity”

S U P E R I O R S P O U T I N G E V E R Y D AY

S U P E R I O R S P O U T I N G E V E R Y D AY

S U P E R I O R S P O U T I N G E V E R Y D AY

S U P E R I O R S P O U T I N G E V E R Y D AY

RICH

BLACK Despite a need to grow the number of apprentices, the future S U P E R I O R S P O U T I N G E V E R Y D AY of plumbing tutoring in New Zealand is bright, according to Peter, who says the new NZ Institute of Skills and Technology will develop the capability to support work-based, campusbased and online learning as a unified system by bringing CMYK together NZ’s polytechnics and institutes of technology.

U P E Rconsistency I O R S P O U T I N G E V E R Y D AY He believes the new institution will allowSfor in outcomes and give the qualification greater weight. “With demand remaining high for plumbers and entry into MIT’s course, plumbing tutoring is needed now more than ever, and can be a fantastic opportunity to pass on knowledge and see SLATE GULL GREY LICHEN NZ’s newest plumbers thrive,” he says.

C66 C33 C50 M62 Y60 K50

M28 Y32 K1

M45 Y57 K14

S U P E R I O R S P O U T I N G E V E R Y D AY

S U P E R I O R S P O U T I N G E V E R Y D AY

AUCKLAND & WELLINGTON 0800 365 365 I three65spouting.nz COPPER C23 M57 Y85 K7

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And finally...

10 MINUTES WITH...

Andrew Bean In his spare time, Andrew Bean loves to give old junk a new life.

AUTHOR: KERRIE MORGAN

F

irstly, what does your day job involve?

I look after some of the boys that we’ve got working for us [at Hi Flo Plumbing in Oamaru]. I get them organised and out to jobs, and organise any gear they might need. I also do some quoting and I still do a bit of plumbing—just the odd job.

Andrew Bean, Operations Manager at Hi Flo Plumbing in Oamaru, built this traction engine for his daughter, when she was four, and it caught the attention of Warwick Smith, former director of the Forrester Gallery in Oamaru.

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10 MINUTES WITH…

How did you get started in steampunk?

I didn’t start off doing steampunk, but it has progressed into that because I use a lot of copper and brass. When my daughter was about four, she was really into Thomas the Tank Engine, so I built her a steam engine and she used to love going for rides on it. I was trundling it down the road one day and Warwick Smith, who ran the local Forrester Gallery at the time, saw me and pulled over in his car for a chat. He said they’d love to have it in their gallery… that’s how it all began really.

And finally... ON THE SIDE

Where do you work on your creations?

I have a workshop and have been gathering different tools up for years. I use a lot of steel which people give me, and a lot of brass which I’ve melted down from old tapware. I have my own foundry where I can cast stuff and I live on a lifestyle block with lots of sheds to spread out in.

What is your process for coming up with an idea and building it?

I just start doing these things then come up with other ideas as I go, and it just evolves. I started a motorbike project because I had two Villiers lawnmower engines from the 1950s and I just thought, ‘I’m going to build a motorbike out of those!’ I thought about how I wanted it to look—long and sleek—and it all evolved from there.

What sort of materials do you work with?

There were no motorbike parts used on the motorbike—apart from the back hub. The back tyre is a space saver tyre which I cut the centre out of and welded a new centre into; the front tyre is a mountain bike tyre and the gear box is off one of those little jiggers that used to run along the railway line. Just bits and pieces I’ve gathered up over the years.

Andrew is the mastermind behind a number of incredible creations—part steampunk, part Mad Max—including a jet-propelled go-kart, a 1950s-style dragster and this motorcycle.

What was the first thing you ever made and do you have a favourite piece?

I can’t remember exactly what the first piece was but I’ve just always created and had an urge to create. I love building stuff and basically building it out of old junk. I’m working on a dragster at the moment, in the 50s-type style and I’m really enjoying that.

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Complete meltdown Didn’t have any small bends in the van?? “Not sure how that one didn’t block,” says Myles from Prince Drainage in Tauranga, who came across this at a job in Mt Maunganui.

Waste not Thanks to Bamford Plumbing for sending in this photo.

“Having trouble with dishwasher waste.”

Sent in a photo and haven’t seen it yet? Please bear with us as we work our way through all the entries!

Enjoy our three-page Christmas bumper selection!

Makes you wonder “I found this when I was installing an internal Infinity for my nephew,” says Colin Simonsen.

“They had been in the house for two years but never lit the fire, luckily.

It had been passed by council in the first place and passed by two other building consultants.

Makes you wonder. The house was built by the original owner. My nephew is the third owner.”

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Santa’s challenge “Thought this would be an interesting pic for you!” says Glenice Houghton of Houghton’s Plumbing, Heating & Gas, who sent in this photo.

And finally... DODGY PLUMBING

Paint restraint Thanks to Chris Downey of Tuffnell Plumbing Drainage & Gas for sending this one in. “Craig Coutts our Drainage Manager spotted this whilst on a site visit—well at least the tenants of the property put seismic chains around the paint buckets!”

Mystery solved This one was sent in by Paul Mortimore of Mortimore Plumbing. “Tenants wondered ” why it leaked sometimes

Nowhere to go

In-shower plumbing

“I got called to a job to reconnect a trap that was tricky after the owner undid a nut to clear a blocked sink,” says Jeremy Spring from White and Taylor Plumbing Christchurch. “What the photo doesn’t show well is that the entire front horizontal pipe was lower than the bottom outlet elbow, hence always leaving it full.”

“I came across this when looking at another job on the same property.

Thought it might be of interest,” says Mike Butler of MN Butler Plumbing & Drainage. nzplumber

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And finally... DODGY PLUMBING

Unfit for purpose “Gas company refused to deliver new LPG bottles, so I was called in to inspect the installation and this is what I found,” says Nathan of Bays Plumbing. “We had to rectify the installation to make it all compliant.”

Things to make one smile The two photos above were sent in

by Malcolm’s Plumbing & Drainage.

The first shows an HWC isolation ball valve found on an HWC outlet and the second a WC fill flexi hose going into the wall to join the in-wall plumbing.

Wetback wonder Thanks to Ashley Harrison of Harrco for sending this one in.

“Found this in top of low-pressure wetback HWC.”

Holy camoly!

“Was it looking for water or likes plastic?” asks Malcolm Halls of Malcolm’s Plumbing & Drainage.

Send your dodgy photos to the Ed: bsellers@masterplumbers.org.nz. The bigger the file, the larger we can show it on the page.

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Boss Gully Trap

The shortest boss around › uPVC – seamless integration into Marley OPTIM DWV System ®

› Just 199mm high – 20% shorter than standard uPVC option › Get the right fit and fall within shorter joist heights › AS/NZS 1260 compliant New Zealand patent application no. 753983, New Zealand design application no. 426078 WaterMark Certification WMK20224

INNOVATIVE

230mm 230mm

230mm 230mm

TRADITIONAL

BAD FIT

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