I think you are likely a home plumber or you would not have arrived at this point. That's great. Many of the plumbing jobs and plumbing supplies can be handled by the average handyman and huge household savings can be the result. You need to know when it's time to call up the expert though.

Know your limits and respect them to truly achieve the desired savings. Get in over your head and things could suddenly get much more expensive than if you had hired a professional.

I can't say it enough times - Large outlets like Lowes Home Improvement and Home Depot can be invaluable. They have a huge selection and in most cases you will be hard pressed to find a better price on identical items. They constantly promote seminars to teach the skills in area such as plumbing and basic construction. They stock a huge variety of books for the do-it-yourself enthusiast.

If you find yourself in the position where you require a professional t then make sure he is exactly that. Sometimes price shopping is not smart shopping , when hiring a professional. He should be licenced and should have good reference. Too many things can go BAD wrong with a poor plumbing installation. Watch a few Mike Holmes programs on TV and you will see what I mean. He constantly stresses priorities such as code, licences and references. One other item of note here that is often neglected. Mike believes in contracts. If you want legal standing in a dispute you will be in much better standing with a contract.

You should pick a plumber based on their reputation and level of service. See if you can check their references if you cant get a recommendation from a friend.

A common problem that home plumbers often experience and repair - grease clogs. Many of these can be totally avoided. Don't dump everything from your cooking and meals straight into your drain. Seperate the greasy residues from cooking into a container and dispose of them in a safe and environmentally friendly manner. Grease builds up and eventually clogs the drain. Hair is another coomon drain clogger. Occasionally pour a small amount of commercial grade drain solvent into your sinks and don't let it get to the clog stage.

Purchasing your own plumbing fixtures can be a great money saver. Just bear in mind that nquality varies widely. Usually price is not the only factor. The most beautiful may not function any better than moderately priced items but your own inspection should reveal sound workmanship. Avialability of replacement seals and o-rings is nice to see. Smooth working and tight moving pats will avoid many leak problems.

The new solder less plumbing products are fantastic if a little more expensive. Plumbing under a house or in confined spaces is much safer. A couple of adjustable wrenches, the correct fittings, flex line and a cutter - you can plumb anything without ever lighting a dangerous torch. Leaks are non-existent with this stuff if you a just a bit carefull in assembly and modifications to be made easily in the future. If you do any of your own plumbing - you gotta try this stuff.

Not a lot of tools are required for the average household plumber but make sure you get set up with the basics before you get into your project.

If you insist on using the old "solder technique":

A few soldering tips you must ABSOLUTELy follow to avoid leaks

Clean the tarnish completely before soldering - the new wire brushes make it easy.
use soldering flux liberally
don't move anything until the solder sets up
you cannot solder pipes with water in them
if you need to solder a portion that has a little water that won't drain - suck out as much as possible with something like a straw and then stuff in a piece of bread to absorb the remainder. It will was out as soon as you turn on the tap

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