Introductory trade courses are a fantastic and increasingly popular way of picking up valuable core skills that will allow you to complete basic DIY tasks around the home. 

Whether you’re a landlord, work in property renovation or are simply a homeowner not wanting to be tied to the cost and schedule of busy tradespeople, these entry-level training courses can appeal to a wide variety of people and needs. 

For those hoping to undertake basic domestic plumbing work, an introductory plumbing course is perfect for equipping you with the skills, knowledge and confidence to carry out some of the most common tasks you’re likely to encounter around the home. 

This introductory course can also act as a pathway to more advanced training further down the line, should this be something you’re interested in pursuing. 

What practical skills does the course teach? 

Taught over five days by a qualified, time-served professional, the course will cover several essential skills through discussions, demos and practical tasks, ensuring you’re able to comfortably tackle a variety of DIY plumbing jobs without needing to rely on the often expensive services of a tradesperson. 

This could include anything from repairing a leaky bathroom tap and cleaning out a blocked U-bend pipe to understanding how to safely solder and repair faulty or broken pipework in a kitchen.

Other jobs like bending and pressure testing copper tubes will also be covered, as will the installation of basic pipework.

Here are some of the practical skills you might learn:

  • Change a bath, basin, sinks and taps
  • Unblock traps (u-bends)
  • Repair dripping taps
  • Fix toilets that don't flush
  • Fix over-flowing toilets
  • Change faulty valves on plumbing systems
  • Fix leaking fittings on plumbing systems
  • Remove and replace a radiator for decorating
  • Replace a radiator for one of the same size
  • Work out the correct radiator size using an online sizing application
  • Add central heating inhibitor water treatment to a heating system
  • Remove and replace baths, basins and toilets
  • Drain down central heating system to move or replace radiators
  • Replace an entire bathroom suite

It's important to remember that every course and every student is different. Not everything on this list will be covered in a practical demonstration and tasks during the five days. Some of the advanced tasks will only be achievable by very confident students.

However, everything you learn on the course will meet the latest City & Guilds standards, and you’ll be awarded with a certificate from the organisation upon completion, formally reinforcing the new skills you have developed.


All the information about the Able Skills Introduction to Plumbing course can be found online here. If you’d like to know anything more, or have any questions about the centre, please don’t hesitate to give us a call on 01322 280 202 and we’d be happy to chat things through.