Pipes, Pressure & Perseverance: Lisa’s Plumbing Apprenticeship Journey

This week I talk with Lisa, an apprentice plumber and gas engineer, about her incredible journey from the fitness industry to the plumbing trade as an apprentice. Lisa shares the challenges and rewards of a plumbing apprenticeship, from mastering the physical demands of plumbing and gas engineering to building confidence through hands-on experience. She opens up about gender dynamics in the skilled trades, competing in plumbing competitions, and what it’s really like to be a woman in a male-dominated trade. Lisa also highlights the importance of community, mentorship, and support networks for tradespeople, along with how she balances her career, personal life, and growth in the industry. With a mix of humour, insight, and practical advice, this conversation is a must-listen for anyone interested in plumbing apprenticeships, trade careers, or women breaking barriers in skilled industries.

Key Takeaways

• Lisa transitioned from the fitness industry to plumbing during lockdown.
• The physical demands of plumbing require fitness and strength.
• Lisa enjoys the problem-solving aspect of plumbing the most.
• Balancing work and college is crucial for apprenticeship success.
• Gender dynamics in the trade can present challenges for women.
• Networking and competitions are valuable for career growth.
• Community support among tradespeople is essential.
• Lisa is proud of her accomplishments in her apprenticeship.
• She aims to become self-employed after completing her training.

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Instagram: @lifeofafemaletradie_  

Facebook: Life Of A Female Tradie 

Tiktok: loaftpodcast  

Follow Guest:

Instagram: Lptheplumber

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Lisa's Journey

02:10 Transitioning Careers: From Fitness to Plumbing

04:32 Hands-On Experience: The Importance of Physical Fitness

06:38 Apprenticeship Insights: Learning and Growth

08:36 The Intricacies of Plumbing: Problem Solving in Action

10:41 Balancing Work and Life: The Apprenticeship Challenge

12:52 Overcoming Gender Stereotypes in the Trade

15:09 Competitions and Networking: Building a community

17:31 Proud Moments: Achievements in Plumbing

19:35 Social media and the Trade Community

21:36 Final Thoughts and Future Aspirations 

Transcript

LPThePlumber (Lisa (00:11)

I’m Lisa, I am an apprentice, well, apprentice plumber, but I'm also a gas engineer apprentice at the same time. So it's combined.

Laura (00:20)

thanks for coming onto the podcast and thanks for approaching me as well. I really appreciate that. Thank you. So yeah, tell me more about you. How did you find your apprentice?

LPThePlumber (Lisa (00:25)

Yeah, problem.

So I found my apprenticeship online. I first started off as like doing the traineeship for two weeks. from there, I kind of learned about transitioning from one industry to another because I was in the fitness industry. from doing my traineeship, I had a little bit of experience. And then I merged with K10. Or was it Evolve? Anyway, I merged with a company.

Laura (00:46)

All

LPThePlumber (Lisa (00:57)

who then allowed me to work on site. And then from working on site, I then transitioned to domestic council work

Laura (00:59)

Okay.

when you say you're working on site, what kind of property was you working on?

LPThePlumber (Lisa (01:11)

New build developments. So it was mainly high rise. a lot of stairs, a lot of learning how to manage the stairs with tools and equipment. But yeah.

Laura (01:11)

Okay.

wow.

⁓ I guess

your fitness background comes in handy then when you was on that job.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (01:25)

different kind of fitness. It's not exactly the same, not

exactly the same, but it did help definitely, yeah.

Laura (01:30)

Awesome,

brilliant. And why did you choose plumbing?

LPThePlumber (Lisa (01:33)

interesting a few people asked me this and it sounds really strange but it was during lockdown I was looking at a video on YouTube and I was like I think I could do that literally that was it I looked at it I was like I could probably do it so then I thought right I don't like what I'm doing now let me transition over and it kind of just rolled into one but yeah literally from thinking I can do this on a video

Laura (01:53)

Okay.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (01:59)

to doing the traineeship, getting a call up to actually work on site. It was probably about a year it took from me researching to actually getting an apprenticeship.

Laura (02:07)

Okay.

So a fair amount of time then. Yeah. Fair play for taking the jump and thinking, I can do that.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (02:12)

A fair amount of time. Yeah.

we're still here. We're not finished yet. We're not finished yet. But yeah, a few people have said to me like it was kind of a big jump. But for me, I just thought, why not? I'm quite impulsive in nature. So I saw that as a new challenge and I've stuck with it. It's actually the only job I've stuck with really in the past four or five years. So yeah.

Laura (02:18)

Hahaha.

Okay, yeah.

Fair play.

So are you more quite the hands-on kind of person when it comes to say like fixing stuff and everything, yeah?

LPThePlumber (Lisa (02:46)

Absolutely. Yeah,

absolutely, absolutely. I mean, even in school, I played football. I was just known as someone who played football because it was practical. ⁓ really? What position did you play?

Laura (02:53)

Yep, same. Yeah, Well,

because I'm quite tall I was a defender, so centre, centre or right back, yeah. Was you really? nice. It's part of the job.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (03:04)

you as my enemy, I'll strike up. Yeah, defender's always love to try and take your legs.

It's true, it's true. I can't really do that anymore though. I've not played football in years. Work has taken over.

Laura (03:15)

Me neither. Yeah,

I mean, I tried playing five aside probably about a year or two ago and yeah, pulled muscle after pulled muscle, it's not the one. it does. Absolutely, yeah. keeping your body strong is also good with being in a trade. Do you?

LPThePlumber (Lisa (03:26)

No, it affects your work, doesn't it? It affects your work sometimes, what you do outside.

Yeah.

Laura (03:37)

still do any sort of fitness outside of work or you're just too tired.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (03:41)

I do, I do. I try to get back into football, but I'm not fit as I used to be. really like these 19 year olds want rings around me now. I can't do it. It's different. The game's different. Yeah, in my head, I'm like, I'm still 19. My bones feel like I'm 19, but no, not quite. No. So I went from playing some football to then deciding to just stay in the gym because of my previous experience of working in a gym. I really like weightlifting.

Laura (03:43)

Nice one.

You're 19 up here though, I bet, yeah? Yes.

Okay.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (04:11)

It probably suits me best and it suits my work as well. Because when I was on site, even now, I still carry heavy stuff. So from bundles of copper to lifting baths and whatnot. Yeah, so it just suits me better. I was thinking of doing rugby though at some point. Yeah.

Laura (04:23)

god, yeah I bet.

Mmm. Have you been watching

any of the Red Roses, the Six Nations? it was good. It was good, you shoulda done.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (04:34)

No, I haven't, I haven't. I really

want to get into it. I really do want to get into it. Yeah, definitely.

Laura (04:39)

That'd be awesome, fair

play, So obviously you're still working through your apprenticeship. How far in it are you?

LPThePlumber (Lisa (04:48)

I am, but yeah, between four, I think four and five, no. So I started my apprenticeship about three years ago. I wanted to get into the trade about four. So it took me an extra year. I mean, I've got this year to do to get my gas and then that's it. I'm fully qualified. I know, it's time coming.

Laura (04:55)

Okay.

Amazing. And, ⁓ I

knew you were gonna go just all in for yourself, self-employed.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (05:13)

Do you know, I think, you know, I want to have the balance of learning enough of the trade to then be very confident to do, you know, work on my own. But it's definitely, it's definitely in my mind, like the things I'm planning to do. I do want to give self-employed work a crack, like a really good crack. But I feel like I need to get that experience more first. But we shall see. That's the thing with the future. You don't know what's going to happen. ⁓

Laura (05:23)

Yeah.

That's it. And I guess you've still got that time

left whilst you're learning to kind of figure it out anyway, haven't you?

LPThePlumber (Lisa (05:44)

Yeah, yeah, I've got a bit of time left so yeah, we'll see what happens with that.

Laura (05:48)

Awesome.

So what aspects of plumbing do you mostly enjoy?

LPThePlumber (Lisa (05:52)

Apart from working with my hands, I like the intricacies of it. I like how every job you go to is different. So when I was on site, there were different plots, but it was pretty much the same. It was repetitive. Whereas going over to the domestic side in older buildings, completely different, completely. The walls are hard as hell.

Laura (06:07)

Okay.

Mm.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (06:15)

You know, like there's old pipe work that hasn't been touched in years and as soon as you touch it, anything can happen, you know? So it's more, yeah, the intricacies of it allows me to develop myself as a trades person.

Laura (06:21)

You

I guess

there's a lot of problem solving that comes into the equation when you go into different residential buildings of different ages as well, isn't it?

LPThePlumber (Lisa (06:36)

Yeah, yeah. So as I said, you know, there's older systems that you need to work with that you don't see in everyday houses now, whereas now you have pressurised sealed systems. Maybe on some systems they're really old, they're gravity fed and the complete mechanism of it is so different. You literally, you don't know what you're going to get.

Laura (06:54)

That's

so much to learn. So when it comes to the basics of plumbing, say I don't, me personally, I don't really know all that much about plumbing. I mean, I've been around property development and things like that. But say I didn't know a thing, what would I need as a start out plumber tool wise? What's the basics?

LPThePlumber (Lisa (07:16)

basics.

Are we going really basic or are we going...

Laura (07:19)

As basic

as you think is necessary.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (07:21)

Okay, so when I first started, all I had was a pencil, a tape measure and a knife, like a Stanley blade. That was it. So that's very basic. I think when you get more into it, you need copper cutters, 22 mil and 15 mil. You need grips.

Laura (07:28)

Okay, gotcha. That's

Okay.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (07:41)

You need adjustable spanners. You need a radiator bleed key. Yep, a little thing. To be fair, even with me, it goes missing. I'll put it in my pocket and then 10 minutes later I'm there searching for it because I can't it.

Laura (07:46)

⁓ those little things that always go missing.

Not just me then.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (07:58)

No, definitely

not. think that's a general thing. Like you know the ones where you put the like work trousers in the washing machine and then there's everything but the thing that you need. There's screws, there's bits of wool, everything. Absolutely everything.

Laura (08:05)

⁓

Yep. Or

can hear it tinkering around the drum whilst it's spinning.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (08:16)

the worst. And then you get looks of, you've done that again. Yep. Basically, yeah.

Laura (08:19)

What have you left in there? Brilliant,

And what are you working on at the moment?

LPThePlumber (Lisa (08:25)

At the moment, so along with my gas portion of my apprenticeship, I'm working with boilers, gas pipe work, radiators and pipe work runs for the radiator. I'm also working with cylinders as well. Yeah, so hot water cylinders.

Laura (08:43)

Okay, so I guess with,

I guess with pipe work and everything, you've got the whole added aspect of lifting floorboards and making holes in places that there shouldn't be holes and stuff like that as well.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (08:55)

Basically,

yeah, yeah, you have to learn how to make a good hole, so you've to find a way of doing it. And you know what? When I was on new builds, that wasn't too bad because most of the holes that were made for, from my perspective, and what I was doing was running through plasterboards and metal studding. Whereas it's different now, you've got concrete blocks, they're tough.

Laura (08:58)

That's it.

Okay.

Mm-hmm.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (09:22)

Like

when they were built back in the day, they were built to last. Yeah, so when you're doing like core drilling, you know all about it. So I'd say on that side, drilling, notching, taking up floorboards. Yeah, that's...

Laura (09:25)

Sure were, absolutely.

Yeah.

Have you come across

a concrete floor yet that you've had to deal with?

LPThePlumber (Lisa (09:42)

Hmm, have I come across? I don't think I've come, no that's a lie, I have, have. Yeah. I did some work with a team in a gym, but it was an old gym that was in a warehouse. And the floor, they had to, like to be fair, we all, we all kind of luckled in. We had to drill up the floor for the shower trays to sit down.

Laura (09:47)

I do.

you

Okay.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (10:08)

and it was tough to be fair i was doing more of the core drilling for the for the toilets and even that was bad but being around the team that was also doing the floor like it's hard yeah a little bit it's all right

Laura (10:15)

my god.

Yeah. Backbreaking stuff. Which you wouldn't really assume

with plumbing. You wouldn't assume that it's such a physical trade, would you?

LPThePlumber (Lisa (10:30)

Yeah, because you see everything surface level, you know, like you'll see radiators on the wall, you will see toilets and bath like bathrooms, kitchens in place. You don't really see what goes on behind the scenes to get the pipe work to those appliances. Yeah, yeah.

Laura (10:32)

Exactly.

That's it, exactly. It's like all the prep

work for a decorator. No one sees that particularly. They missed most of the process. They just see the painted finished room, not all the elbow grease that's gone into it.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (10:58)

yeah

yeah yeah gosh i mean when i was on site i saw i saw all of the painting decorators carrying up like the big tubs of a lot up the stairs and like we're talking 15 16 floors and the hoist is out of action for some reason you gotta take stairs

Laura (11:11)

you

goodness.

So How do you manage your apprenticeship? Obviously there's got to be an aspect of written work along with the practical stuff.

along with having a life outside of work. How do you balance all of that?

LPThePlumber (Lisa (11:33)

I think once you start, especially with the apprenticeship when you get enrolled into college, you kind of, it's a choice whether to hit the ground running and do the paperwork as you go along, get your portfolio pictures as you go along, or you wait until last minute. So from what I've seen is either one of the two. Luckily, when I started, because I had a clear goal in my mind that this is what I wanted to do.

Laura (11:53)

Okay.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (11:59)

Which is really weird because normally I'm quite unorganised. I'm really not very organised. I forget a lot of things. I I forget a lot of things. Like even weird things like I'll put my phone down in a room and I walk out and I've... It's gone. Don't know where it is. It's absolutely gone. But for some reason with the course, it kind of just cemented in my head that this is what I want to do. So I just made sure that when I did go to college...

Laura (12:14)

Yeah

LPThePlumber (Lisa (12:27)

all the paperwork that had to be done was done. Because at the end of the day, that's what will hold you back. Once you've done all the pictures and everything, that's fine. But if your college work isn't done alongside what you're doing, that's what's going to hold you back from advancing or completing. So I tried to make time, I tried to balance, I tried to balance with some holidays.

Laura (12:30)

Nice.

Yeah, definitely.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (12:50)

designate times for, you know, do write ups, designate times and liaise with my management to do portfolio pictures as well. Because on site it was better, it was easier. But when I came off site, and then I started working and doing service work, it became a bit more difficult because you have to liaise more with management because a lot of the times you're under a time constriction.

Laura (12:57)

Okay.

Right.

Gotcha.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (13:16)

and your other workers that you're with, They want to get

the job done. You want to assist them with the job, but at the same time say, excuse me, can you just take a picture of me doing this and that? But it's just making sure you have good communication skills to be able to get what you want across. And nine times out of 10 people, they'll take pictures, they'll help you out because they've been in that situation too.

Laura (13:30)

Definitely.

that's good. Yeah, I mean, I've been around other tradies that have, they're either going through an additional qualification for their trade or they're just starting out. the whole getting evidence, i.e. the photos, from someone that doesn't know anything about an apprenticeship wouldn't.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (13:41)

So, yeah.

Laura (14:00)

understand what that is for. So it's good that people around you know and are able to assist and are happy to as well because like you say, some trades people just want to get in and get out and onto the next. Do the best job you can and then get onto the next. So it's nice that you've been around people that are willing to help you as well. ⁓

LPThePlumber (Lisa (14:03)

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah, yeah,

I've been quite lucky in that respect, I think.

Laura (14:26)

brilliant,

because I was just going to say, have you butted heads with anybody yet for any reason in your apprenticeship?

LPThePlumber (Lisa (14:35)

Um, not so much butted heads. I've had instances where, um, again, I've been at a site and I've heard remarks of, I don't think women should be lifting things heavy. or I think, I don't know if with a lot of it, it's a cultural aspect as well, because different cultures tend to have different beliefs and that's fair enough. But if everyone's working under the same, you know, roof, as it were.

Laura (14:55)

Okay, yeah.

Mm-hmm.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (15:05)

I think people need to take a second out to actually give everyone a fair chance and treat everyone equally. But there's only been little things like that. There's never been anything where it's been outright severe and something I'm just not happy with. I have had some issues with facilities before.

Laura (15:11)

I

I was just gonna say that, yeah.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (15:25)

Yeah, that has happened where I've had to change once in an old storage room or I've been on site and we, you know, the girls have to change in toilet or even the toilets on site get locked because people only assume that the only women on site are cleaners so they will lock the toilets but that can stop you from making money because obviously with the men's the toilets are constantly open so they can go and use the toilet.

Laura (15:41)

Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (15:52)

come back continue with their work. Whereas if you're, know, if say for example I'm working and I really need to use the toilet but I'm really high up in a high rise, I come all the way downstairs, toilet's locked. What do you do? You know, it's good that you know I'm an apprentice but if I wasn't an apprentice and I was on price work I would say I'm losing money because of the inequality that's happening here.

Laura (16:06)

Goodness me. Honestly.

Exactly,

yeah. I mean, you've been lucky that there's a toilet at all, because sometimes there's only facilities for men. So there is that kind of flip side to it all. I mean, I know I've been on residential refurbs and stuff and the been torn out and there's only something there for the fellas to use.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (16:23)

Yeah.

No.

Laura (16:44)

Some horror stories on that one.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (16:48)

There are and I feel like there has to be more to be done. Especially you have big firms that are building a local community. Their expectation is that there's purely men on site. I'm not saying all firms are like that, but there is that stereotype that it's a very male-dominated industry, which there is some truth to that, there is, but there needs to be more.

Laura (17:02)

Mm.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (17:16)

for the ladies on site, definitely.

Laura (17:18)

especially

as the number of us are growing now in the trades. think, I'm sure a lot of firms are taking that on board ⁓ and realizing that that side of things needs to become a little bit more accessible just in case someone like ourselves does end up going onto a site. So hopefully with us being more in the media, so to speak

LPThePlumber (Lisa (17:21)

Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah.

Hmm.

Laura (17:43)

then firms are taking note of it. So fingers crossed that we don't encounter any horror stories as I've just said ⁓ going forward.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (17:47)

Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah, yeah, but

I mean, as I say, I don't think I don't think it's purposely done. You know, when it is done, I think it's as you say, it's more of some of these firms need to be educated and the ones that are, you know, increasing their awareness and helping out with facilities props to them. But it just needs to be a bit of a bigger thing. Yeah.

Laura (17:58)

No, I agree.

Yes,

totally. Instagram that you took part in a competition recently. Is it the hip, H-I-P?

LPThePlumber (Lisa (18:22)

Yeah.

Yes, yes, I was put forward by my college to compete, my tutor especially. Yeah, I was was put on by a good old Rachel King. She's a great, great engineer herself. Yeah.

Laura (18:29)

Awesome.

Cool. So what was,

what's the competition about? What did it involve?

LPThePlumber (Lisa (18:40)

So when I went, the only spaces that were available at the time was to go up to the Midlands, I think. And you arrive and you're given, like everyone's given individual bays and there's been like a diagram put out or installation that you need to complete in a certain timeframe. And then after that, your work gets judged and the two finalists from there,

Laura (18:57)

Okay.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (19:05)

then went on to the finals which actually happened not too long ago. I think the finals actually happened either a week or two ago? Yeah.

Laura (19:11)

Okay.

And is that the event you got all dolled up for? No? ⁓ okay.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (19:14)

No, that was different. That was a different

event. Yeah. So the one where I suited and booted that was, ⁓ yeah, that's all right. I could be doled off and suited and booted at the same time. Doesn't bother me none. I went to a competition which had loads of manufacturers, like manufacturers around and there was a lot of troubleshooting and you teamed up with an engineer. So fully qualified engineer, you was teamed up with them.

Laura (19:19)

Suited and booted should I say, sorry.

That's cool.

⁓ okay.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (19:41)

and then you would go around, try and problem solve, but you'd also be marked on your communication, how well you are at working as a team, how well you are at, you know, helping other people as well. So not just your little team. And I managed to come first, which I wasn't expecting. I really wasn't expecting it. Thank you. And then I got invited to the Sophie annual dinner and that's where I was suited and booted. So, yeah.

Laura (19:52)

Okay.

Nice! Well done.

⁓ sounds posh.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (20:08)

It was posh, it was posh. It's like a three, four

Laura (20:10)

How many courses did you have?

LPThePlumber (Lisa (20:11)

It was like three or four courses and like the plates they were a la carte so it was like this big. A little mouthfuls but I enjoyed it. It was really good to network as well to be fair. you know, because I also managed to find out about different career paths as well. So if I wanted to take the engineering route, you know, these would be the steps I'd have to do.

Laura (20:15)

little mouthfuls.

Brilliant.

Okay.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (20:34)

I get an additional apprenticeship or go to uni. But at the moment I'm quite content with finishing my apprenticeship so far. So yeah. Yeah.

Laura (20:41)

Wicked. Awesome.

All very exciting stuff. obviously I've mentioned that I've seen bits and bobs of your Instagram. Do you try and make that quite a big part of your up and coming career?

LPThePlumber (Lisa (20:55)

At the start it was mainly something I was just building on. It was more to keep track of what I was doing and for me to look back and reflect but the past year or so is becoming a bit more popular now to post on Instagram, especially in the plumbing and heating industry. So I thought let me connect with other female tradies and male tradies at the same time because you know I think everyone as a community should come together.

Laura (21:00)

Okay.

Mm.

Yeah.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (21:22)

especially in the trades as they are dying at the moment. It's good to have your contacts and know people who especially know more than you.

Laura (21:30)

Yes, definitely. I we're all always learning, I think. I I still learn something different every day or every job, you know. It is good to have such a big community within your trade. yeah, social media is just awesome for it.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (21:38)

Yeah.

Yeah, it's a really good platform. mean, I don't post as much as I want to. I think a lot of that is due to me just getting my head down and trying to get through my portfolio, my apprenticeship. But it is a really good tool and you can meet some really cool people like yourself. I met you on there. Thank you very much. Yeah.

Laura (21:55)

Yeah.

Oh, thank you. And you. You did. Yeah.

I don't know if you've noticed or have heard of, you probably haven't, but in the decorating world, there is a national decorators show that happens every year. Is there, I don't know if there's one for plumbing or engineering or anything. Do you know if there's such a thing?

LPThePlumber (Lisa (22:12)

Mmm.

Mmm.

So there is.

Yep, so see there is the installer show. Yeah, where there's a load of manufacturers that come to this big event. It's like a massive expo where a lot of people in my industry tend to pop up and turn up and they give really good discounts and they do talks as well about, know, anything from starting your business to new technologies happening and you know how

Laura (22:30)

I've heard of that one, yeah.

Okay.

Yeah.

Wow.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (22:55)

the trades advancing. There is also a, and I want to word this correctly, I don't want to word this incorrectly,

But there is also, especially one for the female heating and plumbing engineers, there is a yearly meetup. Yeah, there's a yearly meetup.

Laura (23:09)

Okay. ⁓ okay.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (23:16)

either women in construction or women in the trades. And it's run by, I think it's Stopcock's Plumbing.

Laura (23:22)

done.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (23:23)

but they hold an annual event basically where literally all of the engineers and apprentices meet up. It's pretty cool and it's really good to network, absolutely.

Laura (23:25)

Awesome.

Cool. Yeah. That's it. I think that's what all these

expos and everything are about, isn't it really? Just to meet the people that you see on social media as well. I've seen people at the decorating show and thought, blimey, I don't know if I can bring myself to go and say hello.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (23:39)

Hmm.

Yeah.

Laura (23:52)

It's so strange.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (23:53)

Yeah, it's really different, isn't it, from seeing these people on your phone to then seeing them, you know, real life in the flesh. And because, you know, like these are the people that you take advice from. You go for experience and tips and they help you along your journey. You know, like, I mean, these people know that they're doing that. That's why they're doing it. But it doesn't really like when you see them in person, it's a bit like, cheers, You know, you helped me out. Yeah.

Laura (24:08)

Absolutely.

Yeah, exactly.

it's so good. Absolutely. That's it, for sure. So just going back some stuff that you've worked on, can you think about any particular jobs that you've been most proud of that you've got the end result that you thought, yeah, I like that.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (24:20)

So credit is where credit's due, essentially. They need their flowers. Yeah.

I ran the first fix plumbing for like a plot on site purely by so there wasn't any connections to the appliances. We were just running, well, I was just running the first fix in my own plot. My colleague was running his own, in his own plot. And, you know, from getting the materials to...

drawing out where holes are going to be made, drill them through, use equipment that, you know, I didn't know how to use before, like nail guns, you know, all of the fancy cool stuff and actually, you know, being given the opportunity to do it myself, test as well. Yeah, I was quite proud of myself for that, considering maybe a year or two ago, it was it was just a thought that I could do something. Yeah.

Laura (25:11)

Yep. Yep.

Okay.

Of course, yeah. So for anyone that doesn't

quite understand what a first fix is, just break it down for me.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (25:32)

so a first fix would be all the pipe work being run into the property. you've got your hot, your cold, and then you have them run into the outlets. So say for example, the hot and cold to the kitchen, for the sink and washing machine. Then you've got the connections going in for the boiler or the heating unit and then going off across to the bathrooms. Yeah.

Laura (25:55)

So just the basic

pipe work coming in.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (25:57)

Basically, yeah.

Laura (25:59)

can you think of any horror stories you've had or any funny stories that you can share with us?

If you've not had any yet, that's a bonus, obviously.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (26:08)

I do have

I think just more the simple thing. So when I'm with an engineer and they're asking me to do something, it could be something like put the level on something. And I'm there scratching my head and I'm overthinking it and I'm thinking where, like where do I put it? My engineer would be like, no, put it on like this specific thing, put it on it. And I'm thinking, but how? Left, right, up, down, and there's some things where you look back.

Laura (26:20)

Yep.

You

LPThePlumber (Lisa (26:37)

You just think, yeah, I proper look like an apprentice there. yeah, it's probably little things like that, mainly. So far, I've not done anything that's quite catastrophic or anything. Yeah. Fingers crossed. Yeah, touch wood. Absolutely. How about yourself?

Laura (26:40)

⁓ bless ya.

Good, nice one. Touch wood, that's it.

Oh wow. Yeah, I had a bit of a funny story. When I first started up a good few years ago, I was actually working on one of my dad's property renovations. And he basically said, I need all this doing, here, I'll see you later.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (27:10)

Mm.

Laura (27:15)

the pair of ladders that I had was an old wooden pair that I think were my granddad's. So there was only steps on one side and then the supports on the other. So I was working in this corridor, like an L-shaped corridor. And I was working in the corner of it basically where the doorway was. Just, I think I was cutting in the ceiling and I had obviously paint brush one hand and

LPThePlumber (Lisa (27:26)

Hmm.

Laura (27:38)

my little scuttle in the other with the paint in it. And I was at the top of the ladder and I went to turn around and I stepped over the top of the ladder thinking that there were steps on the other side. Zero steps. Down I went, legs in the air. Luckily I didn't spill a drop of paint, but I was stuck upside down with my legs in the air, wedged in this corner of this corridor with no one there to help me. I couldn't believe it.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (27:49)

I'll do.

Laura (28:04)

Luckily I didn't hurt myself. I was bit knocked about.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (28:07)

to

say, I was about to say like you know hopefully you didn't hurt yourself from it that's the main thing.

Laura (28:10)

No, no. That's why

it's so funny because I didn't hurt myself. yeah, ladders kind of scare me a little bit now, So it's just I try and stay hop-up level. And luckily, I'm quite tall so I can reach most ceilings on a hop-up. So yeah.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (28:25)

Things happen though, don't they? Things happen. So yeah, I probably, I mean, I have a story where I thought, you know, something would be no problem. was my first day, my first full day on site. And then I was asked by my manager at the time to go in the hoist with him on this high rise and go up to the top to look at the air source heat pumps that they were installing. Yeah, no problem, we're fine. I was just thinking it's a normal lift. And then you go in.

Laura (28:26)

Oh, they do, they do.

Okay.

Mmm.

Yep.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (28:55)

shutters come down, you come up, next thing you know you're on the outside of a building in a cage and we're going up, up, up, up, I've never been on a hoist before in my life, this is my first time. I was bricking it. The legs went jelly. Honestly, it's just one of those things where, I mean, have you experienced going in a hoist before? It's a surreal feeling because you're in a lift but outside the building. You can see.

Laura (29:08)

I can imagine.

I haven't, no, no.

Yeah, I mean, I've been up

some scaffolding, like three levels up to like roof level and that's quite scary in itself. So yeah.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (29:32)

Yeah, it was definitely a knee trembler but I got to it. I played it out quite well. I played it out like I was fine. But at lunchtime, I was just re-evaluating my life choices a little bit. I was thinking, is this really what you want to do, Luce? I was like, yeah, actually, I do want to do it. But yeah, you do get over it. You do get used to it the more you do it.

Laura (29:35)

Hahaha.

Nice one.

⁓ bless you.

Yeah.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (29:55)

It was, yeah, I don't know if that was done on purpose to try and see if I'd be scared of it not, but...

Laura (29:59)

if test the old sea legs,

so to speak. Brilliant, brilliant. Right, so I'm gonna go into a quick fire question round for you. So the listeners can learn just a little few different bits about you, because they're gonna be totally random questions. So it's a this or that. And I'm gonna start with driver or passenger.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (30:02)

They were tested alright boy.

it.

Okay. Yes.

driver.

Laura (30:26)

Kitchen plumbing or bathroom plumbing?

LPThePlumber (Lisa (30:28)

Kitchen.

Laura (30:30)

tea or coffee.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (30:31)

coffee.

Laura (30:32)

Sunshine holiday or a cold holiday?

LPThePlumber (Lisa (30:36)

sunshine holiday. Of course. You know, it's going to be someone, I it's going to be an If you find one, it's going to be an electrician.

Laura (30:37)

I don't think anyone's picked cold holiday yet. I'm trying to find a skier. There's gotta be someone.

⁓ it? We'll see, we'll

see.

copper pipe or plastic pipe.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (30:50)

This is supposed to be quick fire but it's making me think a bit.

Laura (30:52)

It's fine, think all

LPThePlumber (Lisa (30:53)

gosh, copper. Yep.

Laura (30:55)

Cool. Take

out or meal out.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (30:58)

Meal out.

Laura (30:59)

Commercial work or residential?

LPThePlumber (Lisa (31:01)

residential.

Laura (31:02)

Sweet. All done. There we final questions for you before we go. If you could be another trade, what would it be and why?

LPThePlumber (Lisa (31:12)

Ummm... Another trade!

I wouldn't be in electrician, not for the general rivalry, I swear. I just don't like the idea of getting shocked. That is literally the only reason. Even though, you know, the components that I'm working on at the moment does involve electricity with boilers and that. But I still don't want to deal with, I'd rather deal with water and gas.

Laura (31:21)

Yeah.

Mm-hmm.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (31:36)

than electricity,

we're gonna leave the electricians to their own game, I think. I think that's... Yeah. I... know what? I don't know why, but I quite like when I watch plastering. Like when I watch it on TikTok. For some reason, it's really therapeutic to me. I don't know why. There was a phase where I watched a lot of bricklaying, but then I got bored of it because...

Laura (31:40)

I... yeah.

Mmm.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (32:00)

It's the same old, same old, but with plastering it's a bit different. It's not always the same old, same old. Yeah.

Laura (32:02)

Mmm. Yeah. It's tough work though.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (32:07)

Yeah, because your arms are constantly in the air or especially on the ceiling that I've seen like, yeah, you do have to be quite strong for it. And I think the bending down constantly, like you're bending down constantly to stand up. But then again, you do that in your trade as well.

Laura (32:09)

Mm-hmm. ⁓ But yeah.

Yes, you gotta have a strong back. True,

yeah.

Brilliant. Okay, so final question, What trade should I have on the show next?

LPThePlumber (Lisa (32:26)

No worries.

Laura (32:28)

who would you like to listen to?

LPThePlumber (Lisa (32:30)

I would like to listen to...

Chippy. Yeah, carpenter. Yep.

Laura (32:35)

okay.

I will have to see what I can do then.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (32:40)

Absolutely, I'll tune in for that 100%.

Laura (32:42)

Wicked.

Okay, so where can people find you? Social media handles, et cetera.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (32:49)

I am mainly found on Instagram, so it's LP the Plumber. That is where you're mainly gonna find me. I think I do want to branch out onto more social media platforms, but just for now, LP the Plumber's alright. Yeah.

Laura (33:02)

All right, awesome.

Well, thank you very much for sharing your story with us and for sharing your time with me as well. So it's been great.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (33:10)

No worries, no

worries. Thank you. Thank you for having me

Laura (33:14)

of course. have a good one. Nice one.

LPThePlumber (Lisa (33:15)

Cheers, take care.