Plumber Martin Parry is old-school and proud of it.
The 6ft 1in heating engineer offers a traditional plumbing service – with time-tested skills and old-fashioned customer service. “I trained with Tom Finney’s,” said Martin. “You started in the basement on drains and worked your way up through the building, learning all about heating and plumbing and then roof work, doing leadwork and roof repairs”. “I do traditional plumbing using proven materials such as copper pipes, not push-fit plastic pipes.”
Martin, 62, spent 22 years at Tom Finney Ltd, ending up as a foreman. In 1999, when the company changed hands, he opted to branch out on his own. Martin, 46 years a plumber and Gas Safe registered, tackles bathrooms, tiling and plastering, drain work, gutters, central heating installation and repairs, all plumbing repairs and also installs boilers.
Martin stresses his professional approach, as shown by the slogan on the side of his van – “putting pride into profession”. “I’m proud of what do – at least 90 per cent of my work comes through my name and I have a lot of good reviews on Lancashire’s Safe Trader Scheme,” he says. “I am good at what I do, reliable, punctual and go the extra mile for customers. We guarantee our work for 10 years and go back straightaway if there’s a problem.”
He will tackle any job, from small tap leaks to luxury bathroom installations. He designs bathrooms and will even buy the fittings if the customer wishes – a popular service with older folk. “There’s no call-out charge, “ he adds. “ If we don’t do anything, we don’t charge – and we offer OAP discounts.” He also does roof work, in particular specialist leadwork, a rarity among today’s plumbers. He can do lead welding, lead bays, gutter linings and repairs, roof work, and he makes specialist pieces for builders.
Martin, who is helped by son Martin as a plasterer/tiler, jokingly describes himself as personal plumber to Lady Baines, widow of Sir George Grenfell-Baines, the architect who built the Guild Hall.
He gives written, itemised quotes and does not charge VAT.
