As you know, there are a few days left until the Heating Installer Awards deadline, and we want to make sure that installers are getting involved for all of the right reasons! With this in mind, we sat down with our media partner, Installer Magazine, to discuss everything #HIAwards. We spoke with Joe Sharpe, Installer’s online editor, about why Installer partners with the awards, what advice he would give installers, why installers should enter and what his favourite part of the awards is. Here is what he had to say…

1. Why do you partner with the Heating Installer Awards?

There’s a lot of hard work that goes into being a heating and plumbing engineer, and I feel like a lot of installers don’t realise what a great job they do. They have to have the technical skills, business acumen and be the first-port-of call for their customers, so they really are on the front line of the industry. The work they do is really important to people’s lives, keeping homes warm and water flowing. We want to help shine a light on this, and the Heating Installer Awards is the perfect way to do that.

2. What’s your top piece of advice for installers starting out in the industry?

My advice is to learn as much as possible. Book on to manufacturer training courses to really get to grips with products, read trade magazines and come to the shows to expand your knowledge, and look into business courses to help you with things like quoting, invoicing and cash flow.

There’s also a great community of installers who are always willing to offer their advice. Social media on Twitter, LinkedIn or in Facebook groups is a great way to expand your contact book.

3. Why you think that installers should enter the awards?

Installers should enter the awards to be rewarded for the hard work they do every single day. I’ve spoken to all of the previous winners and they’ve been thrilled. The awards has helped them boost their business and increase their great reputation. Plus the money-can’t-buy prizes that are up for grabs can help the winners take their business to the next level.

4. What is your favourite part of the Awards?

My favourite part is without doubt when the winner is announced live at the Installer Show. I make sure I never know beforehand because I don’t want to ruin the surprise, but it’s always one of the highlights of the day, and it’s great to see all the emotion from the winners. It’s clear it means a lot to them and I’d encourage any installer to get their entry in and get on that winners’ stage at Installer2019.

To hear more about the awards, follow @HIAwards on Twitter or find us on by searching for Heating Installer Awards over on Facebook. For further information on Installer Magazine, please visit www.installeronline.co.uk.

The industry famous Heating Installer Awards is underway, and the countdown is on as entries close on the 8^th February.

The scheme calls on tradespeople who go above and beyond for their customers to share their stories, giving installers the chance to show particular standout projects and examples of stellar service.

Sponsored by Danfoss, Geberit, Glow-worm, Polypipe and Stelrad, and media partnered with Installer magazine, the awards are free to enter and offer prizes up to the value of £10,000, including a coveted trip to Danfoss HQ in Denmark, Love2Shop vouchers, an Apple watch, a nextbase 412GW Dash Cam, asbestos training and so much more.

Shaun Scott, Heating Installer Awards winner 2018, spoke about what the awards have done for him and his business. Shaun said: “The awards have massively helped the business, particularly from a customer relationship point of view. People know they will get a good quality of work, they trust me and recommend me. I noticeably get a lot more people approaching me, and a lot more enquiries are converting into business.”

After entries close, the next stage of the competition will involve an expert judging panel, made up of industry professionals, reviewing each entry and deciding 11 regional finalists. The judges’ scores for the finalists will then be carried forward to the next round, which, for the first time, will also include a peer-reviewed, response-to-scenario technical challenge. The finalists’ scores for this, together with a public vote and judges’ scores, will decide the national winner.  The lucky winner will be announced at Installer2019, where 2018 champion, Shaun Scott, from Scotland, will hand over his crown.

The awards offer plumbers the opportunity engage with other plumbers and businesses that they may not previously have had contact with, to receive more business, and give their customers extra assurance through the association with the awards.

To enter, plumbers and heating installers should visit www.heatinginstallerawards.co.uk and complete the short form detailing a project they are particularly proud of. To hear more about the awards, follow @HIAwards on Twitter or find us on by searching for Heating Installer Awards over on Facebook.

The Heating Installer Awards look to recognise the achievement of plumbers and installers who deliver excellent customer service on a daily basis. As well as recognition, the awards also aim to help heating installers and their businesses, by providing money-can’t-buy prizes, raising their profiles and connecting people within the industry.

We recently had a chat with Shaun Scott, Heating Installer Awards winner 2018, to discuss the awards and what they have done for him and his business. Shaun said: “The awards have massively helped the business, particularly from a customer relationship point of view. People know they will get a good quality of work, they trust me and recommend me. I noticeably get a lot more people approaching me, and a lot more enquiries are converting into business.”

Helping boost businesses by giving credit to installers that deserve it is what the awards set out to do, and it’s great to hear that they are doing that and more for Shaun. We also heard similar feedback from Huw Jenkins, 2018’s runner up, Peter Booth, 2017’s winner, and many more of our previous winners! 

Via the Heating Installer Awards, winners (both national and regional) also have the opportunity to develop close relationships with our sponsors. In return for being great installers, they get the perks of being first to try new products. Commenting on this, Shaun said: “I get companies approaching me to try new products and learn how to use them, and then I pass my knowledge on. It really keeps me at the forefront of the industry, it’s really cutting edge.”

Need any more convincing? Check out some of Shaun’s recent tweets below, explaining what the awards mean to him and what he’s been getting up to following his win.

This year’s entries are open until 8^th February, so if you or someone you know deserves some recognition and all of the above, then let us know or enter directly here! We’d love to hear from you. You can also find us over on Twitter – @HIAwards

Everyone deserves recognition for a job well done, and plumbing is no different! That’s why the Heating Installer Awards was created, to recognise and celebrate plumbers and heating installers who deliver top quality work and brilliant service to their customers.

Now in its fourth year, the Heating Installer Awards champions excellence within the industry, and makes sure that those who deserve to be shouted about are! Our work has not been in vain, with many of those involved telling us that their businesses have benefited from being associated with the awards.

In honour of our fourth year, we’ve put together the top ways that we believe the awards can help plumbers and their businesses. Here they are…

1. Positive perception – people think (and rightly so) that if you have won an award, been a runner up, or even got through the initial stages, then you can do a great job! You wouldn’t have been shortlisted without a decent level of skill, ability and customer service. As Huw Jenkins, last year’s runner up, put it: “Since being nominated for the awards my customers (new and existing) have a lot more faith in me.”
2. Trust – in being associated with the awards, customers automatically have an increased level of trust in you, because you couldn’t have won an award without being trustworthy! Shaun Scott, current Heating Installer Awards champion, said: “People know they will get a good quality of work, they trust me and recommend me.”
3. Recommendations – more business! As Shaun said, more people are recommending him and therefore he’s receiving more business. This can lead to more choice for you and your business, even giving you the opportunity to expand or take on an apprentice.
4. Partnerships – by being associated with the Heating Installer Awards, entrants are able to engage with other plumbers and businesses that they may not previously have had contact with, including our great sponsors: Danfoss, Geberit, Glow-worm, Installer Magazine, Polypipe and Stelrad! This can lead to a host of new opportunities, from recommendations from peers to product trials from companies.

This year’s entries are open until 8^th February, so if you or someone you know deserves all of the above, then let us know or enter directly here! We’d love to hear from you. You can also find us over on Twitter – @HIAwards

It happens every year, yet somehow it always seems to come as a little bit of a shock! The nights start to draw in and we wake up when it’s still dark. There’s lots of advice out there on how to keep houses warm and fashion tips on how to look great in the cold, but here at the Heating Installer Awards we like to look out for our own! And after last year’s bitingly cold beast from the east that lasted well into spring, we think that it’s important to prepare for what might come this year:

1. Make sure that your vehicle is prepared for the change in weather because breaking down in the cold is enough to ruin anyone’s day. Make sure you check tyre treads regularly, as well as test your tyre pressures, and monitor oil and water levels – all the activities we love to say ‘I’ll do that next week’ about! As well as this, it’s a good idea to always keep some de-icer, an ice scraper and a blanket in your van, then at least if you do happen to breakdown or get stuck in bad weather, you’re prepared.
2. On this note, make sure you’ve got a good breakdown policy in place, just in case. No one wants to be stood on the roadside in the middle of winter for any longer than necessary – especially when there’s a job to get to!
3. Working in winter can be chilly; especially for you guys who are likely to be working on a project where you’re installing/fixing a heating system, meaning the house or building is probably cold. So make sure you invest in the right clothing. Look out for affordable winter clothing in the sales, such as insulated and waterproof trousers and jackets, and some top quality thermals and fleeces. Some heavy duty, sturdy winter boots will also come in handy, as well as some anti-slip gloves for working in the rain or snow. Helmet liners are also a great way to keep your head and neck warm.
4. With the the clocks going back, the evenings will start getting darker even earlier now, so remember to factor in shorter days to your work schedule if you will need natural light to complete a job.
5. Finally, you never know if a customer will offer to put the kettle on, so make sure you get yourself a good flask. Nothing beats a hot cup of tea or coffee!

As the saying goes, failing to prepare is preparing to fail. But that’s why you’re reading this, to prepare! So make sure you follow up on this advice and keep warm this winter.

Follow us on Twitter at @HIAwards for more useful articles.

Following an intense judging day which saw the best talent within the plumbing and heating industry shortlisted to just nine outstanding installers, the regional winners of the industry famous Heating Installer Awards have been revealed for 2018.

The regional winners are:

• North West – David Thompson, Ground Heat Installations Limited
• North East and Yorkshire – Neil Bumford, Bumford Heating Limited
• South West – William Hale, D J Hale and Co
• South East – Daniel Wells, DW Heating and Plumbing Limited
• East Midlands – B.A.R. Plumbing and Heating
• West Midlands – Ian Smith, IJS Trade Services
• East of England – Mark Partridge, Bright Green Renewables Ltd
• Wales – Huw Jenkins, Thornhill Plumbing and Heating
• Scotland – Shaun Scott, Scott Plumbing and Heating

Hundreds of entries were whittled down to the top nine, with each winner representing their own region of the UK. They will now face an online, public vote to decide the UK’s number one heating installer.
Representatives from Danfoss, Polypipe, Sentinel, Installer Magazine, and Vaillant UK, the award sponsors along with Wolseley and Avanti Gas, judged the entries on technicality, professionalism, exceptional service and customer testimonials, at the judging day which was held at Vaillant HQ in Belper. The panel was also joined by Peter Booth, winner of last year’s Heating Installer Awards.

The winners selected each demonstrated a desire to go to great lengths in order to deliver incredible levels of service for their customers, using innovative solutions that improve the quality of life of families and businesses across the UK.

Judge Becky Appleyard-Kelly, representing Polypipe, said: “Over the years we have witnessed the positive influence the Heating Installer Awards is having within the industry and we wanted to be a part of that. This was our first year sponsoring the awards and we are incredibly proud to be a part of an initiative that celebrates exceptional levels of work.

“The level of quality of the entries received this year was very impressive and it was a difficult job to choose just one for each region. Each finalist should be very proud of themselves and we are excited to find out who the overall winner is.”

Judge Paul Honeyman, representing Vaillant, said: “We have been sponsors of the Heating Installer Awards since it began in 2015 and the quality of entries is improving year on year. The judging day was a reminder of how many talented installers there are within our industry.

“From one-man-bands to larger companies, the awards celebrate those installers that go above and beyond for their customers and who display exemplary levels of work on a day to day basis; they set the benchmarks the rest of the industry should aspire to.

“Congratulations to all of the regional winners. The British public has a difficult job in selecting a national winner!”

Jessica Green, judging on behalf of Sentinel, said: “As advocates of the heating industry, and the installers that work within it, we were incredibly impressed to see not just the quality of the work that is carried out across the country each day, but the amount of passion those within our industry have for what they do.

“The Heating Installer Awards judging day was a fantastic opportunity to witness this talent and dedication first hand: it really made us smile. The British public has a really tough choice ahead of them as we enter the final part of this competition.”

Judge Gareth Ash, representing Danfoss, said: “This is our second year judging the Heating Installer Awards and it was great to see the installer community remains as passionate as ever! The entries this year were fantastic, and it was a tough job to judge.

“We already know the industry is filled with talented and dedicated tradespeople that put their customers first, and the Heating Installer Awards is a great way to celebrate this. The winning regional installers are not only a credit to their region, but the UK as a whole.”

Mark McGettigan, judge and editor of Installer magazine, said: “As media partner of the Heating Installer Awards, we have seen the entries develop and improve over the years and this year was the best we’ve seen in terms of quality. It was incredibly interesting to see an increase in the number of renewable energy entries, which gives us a wider view of the landscape of the heating industry.

“Congratulations to all of the regional winners, and may the best man win!”

Peter Booth of G.V. Booth and last year’s winner, said: “It was fantastic to see so many talented installers enter the Heating Installer Awards. I see examples of quality installations from other installers everyday on social media and I really enjoy people showcasing the work that they’re proud of, no matter how big or small the job is.

“The quality of entries was very high – I even gave one full marks, something I didn’t think I’d be able to do! I encourage everyone to continue celebrating good news within our industry and vote for the overall winner of the Heating Installer Awards 2018.”

All regional winners will now be put forward to compete for the title of the UK’s Best Heating Installer 2018, which will be announced at Installer2018 in May following the online public vote.

Those wishing to vote should visit www.heatinginstallerawards.co.uk/finalists. The deadline for votes is 9pm on Friday 27^th April. Full terms and conditions can be found on the website.

What’s your favourite thing about the industry you work in? At Installer2017, plumbers and heating installers shared what they loved about the industry on balls from our (super fun) ball pool, and we’ve collated the answers to find your top answers.

From the opportunity to make friends, to being the heroes that ‘don’t wear capes’, you had an array of reasons why you love the industry you work in.

1. Being sociable

The most popular entry in our ball pool was how sociable the industry is! Simply by viewing the conversations that happen over Twitter and social media every day, we can tell many of you love the social element that surrounds the job and the sense of community that comes with it. From attending events and meeting fellow installers to just having a brew with work colleagues, these are just some of the many reasons why installers love the industry. Oh, not to mention the constant ‘banter’ that’s impossible to escape!

2. Practical work

The job doesn’t just involve being able to have a good chat with people; many of you love the practical side too! Whether it’s a particularly difficult installation or the chance to work with a new product, you love being hands on with the job. It’s this love of the practical side of your work that means you carry out quality installations time after time! Because after all, you have to enjoy what you do to be great at it.

3. Helping other people

One of the top things installers love about the industry is the ability to help people each day. Whether it’s aiding a homeowner whose heating has packed in, or ensuring people are aware, and adhere to, the Gas Safe Register, installers really care about the people they work with. You help to keep families warm, and as the winter months seem to be getting colder each year, the public commend you.

4. Teaching the future

Many installers are excited about a new generation of plumbers entering the industry. Across the UK apprenticeship participation stands at a record level. The ability to teach skills and pass on knowledge to the next generation starting out in the industry is another reason why installers love what they do. Our Apprentice of the Month competition is set to open for entries soon, so if you’ve taught an apprentice and are impressed by their work make sure you nominate them. More information can be found on Twitter – @AotMAwards.

5. Ecofriendly

We love that the community cares about the environment. Many of you told us that you want to be as eco-friendly as possible and love the new environmentally friendly products coming out from your favourite suppliers. From ground source heat pumps to water based UFH, you’re always looking to the future and trying to save the planet, job by job.

6. Perks of the job

It may seem slightly more trivial, but you love the free perks of the job. The offer of a brew whilst at work and the freebies you receive from companies you work with, all make being an installer that little bit better.

7. Job satisfaction

Many of you love the satisfaction you get from your hard work, after providing the public with service of an excellent quality. Whether it’s the diverse nature of the job or carrying out innovative work, each night you go home feeling proud, and that’s what makes those cold winter months and long summer days worth it. If you’ve done a job you’re particularly proud of, enter it into the Heating Installer Awards today!

You can find out how to write the perfect entry here and what’s different about the awards over on our blog page. Or, to enter now, head here – https://heatinginstallerawards.co.uk/enter/

Every now and then, you’ll come across a job that makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. It could be a bathroom suit that looks like a child fitted it, or a customer with an excessive number of pet snakes that roam freely around the house. Surviving these jobs, however, is like a badge of honour and makes going home at the end of the day that little bit sweeter.

To show that we’re all in it together, we’re compiling a list of plumbing horror stories that have all come from our installer network on Twitter. Since posing the question for the first time last week, we’ve had some shocking entries! One installer visited a home that had 16 cats and seven dogs. We hope he wasn’t allergic…

Another entry details how after their toilet broke, a homeowner resorted to using the bath, until this then clogged up! Now that is a horror story.

Despite hearing these, we haven’t been put off and we want to hear more! Whether it’s a DIY disaster you had to fix, or you inherited a job from a cowboy, let us know by tweeting us at @HIAwards. You can also comment underneath this blog post.

All entries will be collated into an article, but will your horror story make the Top 10?

Every person that tells us a plumbing horror story will be put into a prize draw to win an Amazon Echo Dot. You’ve got until the end of February to submit your stories.

We can’t wait to hear them!