SH Plumbing & Property Maintenance

Plumbing Tools & Materials for Beginners (Level 1)

This lesson is about the basic tools and materials that make small plumbing jobs easier and safer.

You don’t need a van full of kit to get started. With a few simple tools and the right spares, you can tackle many Level 1 jobs confidently.

These tools are useful for lots of DIY, not just plumbing, so they’re worth having anyway:

Adjustable spanner (one or two)
- Used for tightening and loosening nuts on taps, compression fittings, and valves
Pliers or water pump pliers (grips)
- Give you extra grip on pipes and fittings
- Helpful when something is stiff or awkward to reach
Screwdrivers
- Flat (slotted) and Phillips (cross-head) types
- Used on tap heads, isolation valves, and many fixings
Junior hacksaw
- For cutting small pipes, bolts, and screws when needed
Tape measure and pencil
- For marking out pipe runs and making sure things line up properly
Torch or headlamp
- Very useful in dark cupboards, under sinks, and in lofts

These tools are more focused on plumbing work and will make your life much easier.

Pipe cutter
- Makes neat, straight cuts on copper or plastic pipes
- Quicker and cleaner than using a saw
Deburring tool or file
- Removes sharp edges and burrs after you cut a pipe
- Helps the pipe fit properly into fittings and protects rubber seals
PTFE tape
- Thin white tape used on threaded joints to help make a watertight seal
- You wrap it around the threads before you screw parts together
Bucket and old towels
- Not glamorous, but essential
- For catching water and mopping up any drips or small spills

Having a few common spares at home can turn a stressful leak into a quick fix.

A few spare isolation valves
- Let you quickly add shut-off points on feeds to taps, toilets, and appliances
Some 15mm and 22mm straight couplers
- Ideal for joining pipes or repairing a small damaged section
Spare washers for taps and other fittings
- Very small and cheap, but can stop many drips and leaks
Spare flexible tap connectors
- Used to connect taps to the pipework
- Handy if one fails or you’re fitting a new tap
A ready-made trap kit
- For example, a kit for a kitchen sink or basin
- Gives you all the parts you need if you want to replace an old or leaking trap

With just a small toolbox and these basic materials, you’re well prepared for Level 1 plumbing jobs.

Next lesson: Simple Plumbing Jobs You Can Do.