This year’s UK Plumber of the Year competition has begun its search to find the nation’s best plumber. The 2016 UK Plumber of the Year, Shaun Scott from Aberdeen, has supported the launch with a video called #EPICLIKESHAUN which can be viewed on YouTube.

The competition was first launched by JT, in partnership with Bristan and Wolseley Plumb Center, in 2015 where a nationwide search found Josh Colbert, a multi-skilled plumber from Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire, as the worthy winner of the inaugural UK Plumber of the Year competition.

In 2016, Shaun Scott fought off competition to pick up the crown, and last year saw Wigan’s Drew Styles take home the title in a record-year for applications.

The industry-leading competition aims to find the nation’s finest plumber for 2018 and recognise the remarkable level of talent from plumbers across the UK, with another huge prize fund of over £10,000 worth of prizes awarded to the deserving winner.

This year, the competition’s Official Judging Partner, Watersafe, the online directory and national accreditation body for competent and qualified plumbers in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, will shortlist three plumbers from each of the six chosen regions (North England, South England, Midlands and West, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland) from the applications submitted by Friday 29th June 2018.

The public will then vote for who they believe deserves to be crowned their local winner, with each of the six regional winners then going through to the grand final, which will be held at Bristan HQ later in the year.

Paul Crossley, MD of JT, says: “To run this competition for the three years has been a pleasure, and we’re sure our fourth year will be epic, #EPICLIKESHAUN. Once again, we’re delighted to work with our partners at Bristan, Wolseley Plumb Center and Watersafe to launch the competition in 2018. Each year, the quality and quantity of entries keeps growing, so we’re looking forward to another big year for the award.”

This year’s prizes include:

  • JT and Bristan products, plus a £1000 voucher for Nabis at Plumb Centre
  • Proper Job beer are offer this year’s worthy winner a trip to Cornwall – the home of the award-winning beer. The champion (and a guest) will stay for three nights at the Pier House Hotel in Charlestown, a charming harbour village on the south coast. Dinner will be sorted on the first night too.  The winner will also get to visit St Austell Brewery and its interactive brewing experience and visitor attraction. There will be a chance to have a behind-the-scenes look at where Proper Job is brewed – and there will be plenty of time for some tastings. Four runners up will also get sent a case of Proper Job to toast reaching the final.
  • £1,000 worth of Rothenberger tools that can be spent at Plumb Center for the winnerA HomeBoost Salamander Pump for the winner. HomeBoost is the perfect low cost, quiet and compact, solution to help boost mains water pressure. By intelligently recognising when pressure and flow is low it automatically boosts the performance of the incoming mains water up to 12 litres per minute ensuring compliance with water fitting regulations. The product comes with all fittings included and is fully WRAS approved.
  • A day’s session with an established Marketing company to help the winner make the most out of the award
  • 15 Heavy Duty Tubs of BigWipes for the 15 shortlisted plumbers
  • Chapter 8 Shop will provide one Premium Grade Rear Chevron Kit (Half Kit) for the winner’s van. If the winner is part of a team, a fleet of up to 10 can be fitted
  • Vehicle Livery Solutions will provide the winner with a vehicle graphic design and fitting from their premises in Hull, East Yorkshire
  • Jobman Workwear will provide some #gamechangingworkwear for our winner and runners up
  • Beam LED will provide one Milano Leitha 9W LED Bathroom Mirror Cabinet for the winner

Be sure to keep an eye on @UKPOTY on Twitter and Facebook.com/UKPlumberoftheYear for more information.