Plumbing method statement example
Finished method statements for common jobs: the steps in order, who does each, and the emergency arrangements. Read one, download it, or build your own.
Build your ownChoose a job
- Electrical second fix and testing in a house refurbishmentLived-in 1970s house, accessories and consumer unit fitted, one circuit dead at a time, tested dead then live before handover.4 pages, checked 2 November 2026
- Hot works: cutting and welding in an occupied warehouseSteel brackets cut out and replaced on a live bay, with a permit for each shift and a separate fire watcher.4 pages, checked 2 November 2026
- Erecting an independent tied scaffold on a two-storey houseIndependent tube and fitting scaffold to a TG20 compliance sheet, family at home, rescue kit on the wagon.3 pages, checked 2 November 2026
- Stripping and re-tiling a pitched roof from a scaffoldLived-in house, tiles, battens and underlay off, one section made weathertight each day.4 pages, checked 2 November 2026
- Digging a 1.2 m trench for strip footings and a drainBeside a lived-in house, services located first, excavator then hand tools, trench sheets and props before anyone goes in.4 pages, checked 2 November 2026
- Repainting occupied officesWater-based paint from a podium, walls filled and sanded first, one bay screened off at a time while staff work on.3 pages, checked 2 November 2026
- Bathroom first and second fix in a lived-in houseOnly bathroom replaced, press-fit pipework under the floor and in a duct, tested before anyone closes it up, suite fitted after tiling.5 pages, checked 2 November 2026
- Tarmac resurfacing on a car park that stays partly openOld surface tested and planed off, private retail car park, laid bay block by bay block with shoppers around.3 pages, checked 2 November 2026
- Unloading a builders’ merchant delivery with a lorry loaderPacks of blocks and plasterboard landed on a small building site, on a standing lift plan reviewed for this site.4 pages, checked 2 November 2026
- Cleaning the outside of a two-storey office with a water-fed poleAll from the ground, in an open office set back behind its own car park, on cold November mornings.3 pages, checked 2 November 2026
- MIG welding a pump frame in a plant roomMIG welding bare mild steel at floor level in a closed plant room, with on-torch extraction, while the retail park keeps trading.3 pages, checked 2 November 2026
- Stripping out a vacant single-storey workshopOffice ceiling, partitions, carpet and benches out by hand, building empty, every service including the fire alarm disconnected on a certificate, lit by roof lights and a 110 V string.4 pages, checked 2 November 2026
- Skimming and patching walls in an occupied houseGround floor living room of a 2006 house, family at home, plaster mixed in the room with the door shut, from a hop-up.3 pages, checked 2 November 2026
- Building a garden wall in blockwork and facing brickA 5 m long, 1 m high wall, one brick thick, on a foundation already in, laid from the ground.4 pages, checked 2 November 2026
- Core drilling a flue hole through a cavity blockwork wallOne 125 mm wet core, rig fixed to the inner leaf, through an external wall of a single-storey extension, with the core caught outside.3 pages, checked 2 November 2026
- Replacing damaged ceiling tiles and grid in an occupied office, out of hoursLike-for-like tiles and tees on the existing hangers, from a podium, with the offices empty and the fire alarm left live.3 pages, checked 2 November 2026
- Clearing gutters on a bungalow from a ladderEight ladder positions of under 15 minutes each, one hand on the ladder, with a stand-off keeping it clear of the gutter.3 pages, checked 2 November 2026
- Laying a block paved patio in a lived-in gardenDug out by hand to 250 mm, sub-base compacted, blocks laid on sand and cut wet, family at home.4 pages, checked 2 November 2026
- Hanging office doors in existing linings, out of hours in a working buildingSix heavy non-fire meeting room doors, trimmed and routed on trestles after the staff have gone.3 pages, checked 2 November 2026
Plumbing method statement example
Bathroom first and second fix in a lived-in house
Only bathroom replaced, press-fit pipework under the floor and in a duct, tested before anyone closes it up, suite fitted after tiling.
What to change
- Company, people, site and dates
- Age of the house and asbestos information
- Where each shut-off is
- Who is living there and how they manage without the bathroom
- Whether gas is touched
- Soldering, which this example avoids
- Emergency arrangements
Sources
- CDM 2015, regulation 7: domestic clients
- Water Fittings Regulations, schedule 2
- HSE: what to do about asbestos
- CDM 2015, regulation 30: emergency procedures
Checked
The same sheet as text
Worked example of a method statement. Change it to fit your job before you use it.
Bathroom first and second fix in a lived-in house
Job details
- CompanyHollins & Reed Plumbing Ltd
- Site and work area9 Vicarage Road, Stockport
- Planned dates12 to 23 October 2026
- CustomerMr and Mrs Lowe
- In charge on siteDan Hollins
- TeamTwo plumbers: Dan Hollins leads and runs the job between trades; Tom Ellis works with him. The tiler and the electrician work to Dan’s programme.
- WorkBathroom first and second fix in a lived-in house
- Risk assessmentBathroom first and second fix in a lived-in house: worked example RAMS, a separate document
Work and boundaries
- Isolate/drain, sanitaryware, fit/replace pipe, cold joint, water pressure test. Areas: First-floor bathroom; Landing and stairs as the carry route
Working arrangement
- Access: the floor or ground.
- Test boundary: A new pipe section.
- Other people will be using the area.
- The family stays at home; children are kept out of the bathroom and landing while it is open. Pipes run under the floor and in a boxed duct, so no walls are chased, and joints are press-fit, so no hot work. This is the only bathroom: the family keeps the downstairs toilet and the kitchen sink throughout, and we agree the days without a bath with them before we start. The old cistern and bath panel are checked for asbestos before they are touched. Hold point: nobody plasters, tiles or closes the duct over pipe that has not passed its test.
Emergency arrangements
- Know where they are on day one: stopcock under the kitchen sink, gas emergency valve at the meter in the hall, consumer unit in the hall cupboard. Leak or failed joint: Tom Ellis shuts the stopcock, power off to anything wet, buckets and sheets, tell the family. Smell of gas: open up, no switches, valve off, ring 0800 111 999. Fire: everyone out by the stairs, meet at the front gate, count the family. Burn or scald: cool running water for 20 minutes. First aider: Tom Ellis, kit in the van. Nearest A&E named on the job sheet and the route checked on the day. Dan Hollins rings 999, gives 9 Vicarage Road, and meets the crew at the gate; if he is the one hurt, Tom Ellis does.
Planned method
- 1. Set up the work areaConfirm the work area and scope before starting. Keep other people outside the active work area. Keep entrances and escape routes clear.
- 2. Keep people clear of the workAgree how people get past or around the work while it is going on. Put barriers or signs where a route crosses the work. Do not leave open work unattended.
- 3. List every feed before you open the pipeTrace inlets, returns, bypasses and stored sections that can refill the work. Agree where the isolation stops before you start.
- 4. Check the route before you cutUse service information and a suitable detector before cutting or drilling. Stop if old lagging or an unknown material is in the route.
- 5. Get the test written down before you fillWrite down what is being tested, what you fill it with, what pressure, how long, and what counts as a pass. Do not fill or put pressure on until those numbers are written down.
- 6. Check hoses and connectorsInspect hoses, gauge, caps and connectors for damage before filling. Check their ratings and compatibility with the written arrangement.
- 7. Check for asbestos before you disturb anythingCheck the asbestos survey covers exactly what you will disturb, to the full depth. Register only, or nothing: get a refurbishment survey or a sample first. Read what it says about old pipework, lagging, boards, sealants, toilet cisterns or panels under baths. No survey, or a material you do not recognise: stop and get it checked.
- 8. Find and isolate hidden servicesFind cables and pipes before you disturb anything: drawings, then a detector. Mark what you find. Not sure what is there? Turn the supply off, or do not start. Have cables and gas isolated by the right person and prove them dead before you start.
- 9. Carry the plumbing materials safelyPlan the route, clear it, and get help with anything long or heavy. Store materials close to the work so nobody carries further than they need to.
- 10. Cool hot water before you open itTurn off the heat source serving the section. Wait until the water is safe to handle before opening a fitting.
- 11. Close and mark every isolation valveClose each valve that can feed the work, including a bypass or second feed. Tie or label the valves so they are not opened by mistake.
- 12. Drain to the agreed safe pointConnect the hose or place trays before opening the drain. Open the drain slowly and keep the discharge under control.
- 13. Prove the section is emptyOpen the drain or outlet at the work and watch the flow stop. Break the joint only after the section cannot refill.
- 14. Depressurise before disconnectingEnsure the system is depressurised before disconnecting the fitting. Keep a tray under the joint.
- 15. Take out the old suiteIsolate and drain first, then protect the route out. Lift out the bath, basin and WC with a team or a mechanical aid. Treat foul water as a serious health hazard.
- 16. Protect open connectionsCap or cover open supply, waste and flush connections while other work continues. Remove covers before final connection and inspection.
- 17. Support the pipe and its fittingsFix the pipe on supports that suit its material and route. Do not leave a joint carrying the weight of the pipe.
- 18. Keep joints where they can be reachedLeave every joint accessible for inspection and repair. Fit an access panel if the agreed route needs a cover.
- 19. Cut the pipe end square and cleanCut the pipe without crushing it and remove burrs or score marks. Use the preparation required by the fitting instructions.
- 20. Fit the right insert or sealUse the insert, olive, seal or thread material specified for the fitting. Keep fittings clean until they are ready to use.
- 21. Seat the pipe fully in the fittingPush the pipe to the stop or marked insertion depth. Tighten or press the fitting exactly as its instructions say.
- 22. Pull-check the jointPull the pipe to check that it is secure.
- 23. Mark where the test stops and keep people backWork out which pipes and fittings are in the test, and shut off or take out anything that cannot take the pressure. Keep people out of the area and stand where you can watch the gauge.
- 24. Fill and vent the water sectionFill with clean water and open the vents. Let the air out before raising the pressure.
- 25. Raise the pressure in stepsApply the written low-pressure check first. Raise the pressure in steps and hold each one as the written test says. Water pipework is tested at not less than 1.5 times its maximum pressure. Test first fix before anyone plasters or tiles over it.
- 26. Let the pressure off before you touch itAfter the test, open the drain or relief point. Check the gauge reads zero before you go near it or disconnect anything.
- 27. Secure the sanitaryware supportUse the fixing points and frame instructions. Make sure the support holds the fitting firmly in place.
- 28. Lift and carry the item safelyPlan the route before moving the fitting. Use an aid or help when the item is heavy, bulky or hard to grip.
- 29. Connect water and drainageConnect the supply using suitable fittings, and stop water flowing back into the supply. Connect the drainage and keep open ends and seals clean.
- 30. Test and flush the new runTest the completed run using the written arrangement for the system. Flush it before it is handed back for use.
- 31. Bring the water back on slowlyBring the system back on slowly and inspect each joint before use.
- 32. Run and inspect the finished fittingTurn supplies on slowly and run the taps, flush or waste. Look around every connection before the room is handed back.
- 33. Clear and hand back the areaRemove tools, waste and unused materials. Check the area is clean and ready to use. Tell the customer or whoever runs the site when the work is complete.
What a finished method statement says
- The job and its boundariesWhat is being done, where, and what is not your work.
- How the work area is set upAccess, shared spaces and who else is around.
- The steps, in the order they happenOne action to a step, from arrival to sign-off.
- Who does each stepThe people in charge and the skills each step needs.
- What happens if something goes wrongWho to call, where to go and how help gets in.
Method statement or risk assessment: which one is this?
This is the method statement: how the job is done, step by step. The risk assessment says what could go wrong and what controls it.
Method statement example questions
Are these real jobs?
No. Every job, company, person and address here is made up, and every page says so.
Can I send one as it is?
No. Your site, your people and your emergency arrangements will be different. Change it to fit your job first.
Where is the risk assessment that goes with it?
In the Plumbing RAMS example. The method statement names it on page one.
Word or PDF?
Both. Word if you will change the wording yourself, PDF to read or print. Or press Use this and edit it in the builder.
Does a method statement need a risk assessment?
A method statement names the risk assessment it rests on. CDM 2015 does not set a form for either document.
Where is the blank?
On the method statement template page. These examples are all filled in.