# Craig West — Plumber in Brighton

> Sole trader plumber based in Brighton and Hove, specialising in Saniflo macerator repairs, toilet repairs, tap repairs and washing machine/dishwasher installs. Same/next day service. Fixed prices, no VAT, no call-out charge, no fix no fee.

## Business details

- Name: Craig West
- Trade: Plumber (sole trader, not VAT registered)
- CIPHE registration: No. 028459N (Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering)
- Location: 37C New England Road, Brighton, BN1 4GG
- Phone: 07415 619 793 (+44 7415 619793)
- Email: iwswordpress@gmail.com
- Working hours: Monday to Friday, 08:00–15:00
- Area served: Brighton and Hove (approx. 2–3 mile radius of Preston Circus)
- Website: https://01273plumbers.com/

## Pricing

Fixed prices are quoted before work begins. Parts are charged at cost plus 25% to cover warranty and stocking. All prices are inclusive (no VAT).

- Install washing machine or dishwasher (like for like): £65 plus parts
- Replace basin taps: £65 plus parts
- Replace kitchen taps: £70 plus parts
- Replace bath taps: £75 plus parts
- Toilet repair (no decoupling): £75 plus parts
- Toilet repair (strip down and rebuild): £95 plus parts
- Back-to-wall toilet repair: £105 plus parts
- Saniflo/macerator work: individually priced (typically higher due to complexity)
- Other work: individually priced
- Minimum charge: £60 (applies even for short jobs)
- No VAT added (not VAT registered — customers save 20%)
- No call-out charge
- No fix, no fee — nothing charged if the problem cannot be resolved
- Return visits do not incur additional labour or parts charges ("pay just the once")
- Parts and labour guaranteed for one year

## Payment

Card reader available. Bank transfer accepted. Cash discouraged; all income recorded for tax. Payment due at the end of the job. No invoicing.

## How it works (process)

Craig generally operates same/next day rather than booking far in advance. He can often "take a look" en route between jobs at no call-out cost, then either complete the work immediately or book it in. A one-hour arrival window is given with a text update roughly an hour beforehand so customers do not need to wait in.

## Services

### Toilets
- Toilet does not flush
- Noisy toilet (fill noise, dripping, running)
- Overflowing cistern or pan
- Replace toilet (standard, close-coupled, back-to-wall)

### Taps
- Install new taps (basin, kitchen, bath)
- Dripping taps
- Stuck taps
- Changing tap handles

### Saniflo macerators
- Saniflo macerator specialist with well-stocked van carrying common parts and spare machines
- Labour-only service with access to discounted Saniflo supply through a trusted partner
- Clears blade obstructions, replaces rubber membranes and non-return valves, unblocks discharge runs

### Washing machines and dishwashers
- Like-for-like washing machine installation
- Like-for-like dishwasher installation

## How a Saniflo works

A Saniflo macerator grinds toilet waste and paper into fine slurry and pumps it through small-diameter pipework to the soil stack — useful where gravity drainage is impractical (basements, loft conversions, extensions).

Step-by-step:
1. Waste enters the macerator chamber after flushing.
2. A pressure membrane activates the microswitch and starts the motor.
3. The blade/impeller macerates solids rapidly.
4. The pump discharges slurry through the outlet and discharge line.
5. A non-return valve closes to prevent backflow when the cycle ends.

## Common Saniflo repairs

- Clearing blade obstructions (wipes, floss, foreign material)
- Clearing blocked discharge runs and correcting poor pipe routing
- Replacing a worn rubber membrane (delayed or unreliable triggering)
- Replacing non-return valves (backflow or random cycling)
- Resolving repeated pump cycling caused by slow cistern drips

## Saniflo maintenance advice

- Use only human waste and standard toilet paper
- Avoid wipes, sanitary products, cotton buds, oils and harsh acid cleaners
- Descale regularly to reduce limescale on the membrane and internals
- In hard-water areas, monthly descaling is recommended

## FAQs

**How does a Saniflo macerator work?**
A pressure membrane and microswitch trigger the motor when water rises in the chamber. The blade macerates waste into slurry which is pumped through small discharge pipework to the soil stack.

**What are the most common Saniflo repairs?**
Clearing blockages at the blade or discharge pipe, replacing worn rubber membranes, fixing non-return valves, and addressing repeated cycling caused by slow cistern leaks.

**How often should a Saniflo be descaled?**
In hard-water areas, monthly descaling is usually recommended.

**Can a Saniflo pump uphill?**
Yes. Saniflo systems pump wastewater vertically and horizontally through small pipework.

**Why is my Saniflo running when no one flushes?**
Usually a slow cistern leak or dripping inlet keeps raising the water level and triggering the membrane switch.

**How should discharge pipework be installed?**
Rigid pipework with vertical lift taken first near the unit, then a correctly-falled horizontal run with access for maintenance.

**Do you charge VAT?**
No. Craig West is not VAT registered, so customers save the 20% they would pay with a VAT-registered contractor.

**Is there a call-out charge?**
No. You are only charged for work carried out, not for attending to assess the problem.

**What does no fix, no fee mean?**
If the problem cannot be resolved, you pay nothing.

**Which areas do you cover?**
Brighton and Hove, roughly a two- to three-mile radius of Preston Circus (BN1 area and Hove).

**What are your working hours?**
Monday to Friday, 08:00–15:00. Same/next day is typical.

**How are prices calculated?**
Fixed quotes are given before work begins. There is no hourly rate. Parts are charged at cost plus 25%. The minimum charge is £60.

## About Craig West

Craig became a qualified plumber in 1996. He holds Gas Safe and Part P Electrical certifications and is a registered member of the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (CIPHE No. 028459N). He ran Small Job On Time Same Day Plumbers Ltd, which accumulated over 1,000 reviews on Checkatrade over 15 years from 2006. In 2020 he moved into AI at CraigWestAI.com. In 2026 he returned to plumbing in Brighton.