Interview scorecard template

Plumber interview scorecard

Evaluate Plumber candidates across 4 weighted areas: hands-on competence, safety discipline, fault finding, and reliability and conduct. Hands-on competence leads at 35%, so check hands-on range: soldered and press-fit copper, MDPE and push-fit, soil stack work, unvented cylinder installs, combi swaps, power flushing, and bathroom first and second fix. Use the rubric to compare role-specific evidence consistently.

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skilled trades technical operationsgas safepipefittingplumbingwater regulations
TL;DR
For hands-on competence, look for evidence the candidate names specific installs (unvented G3, S-plan wiring, macerator runs) and describes pipe sizing and pressure testing without prompting. For safety discipline, look for evidence the candidate cites live registration numbers and ACS modules, and describes refusing or capping an unsafe appliance with an ID or AR warning notice. Apply the written 1–5 anchors to every answer, record the evidence behind each rating, and use the factor weights to reach a consistent overall assessment.
Complete evaluation framework

What to assess and how to score it

Review the evidence signals before interviewing. Then use the anchored descriptions—not instinct alone—to choose the score that best matches each answer.

01
Evaluation factor

Hands-on competence

35% weight

Check hands-on range: soldered and press-fit copper, MDPE and push-fit, soil stack work, unvented cylinder installs, combi swaps, power flushing, and bathroom first and second fix.

Evidence to listen for

  • Names the equipment, materials, and tolerances they work to
  • Can describe a job start to finish without hand-waving the hard parts
  • Holds the tickets, licences, or certifications the work requires, and they are current
  • Knows what they are not qualified to touch

Five-point scoring guide

1
Poor

Cannot describe the work concretely; lacks required tickets or licences.

2
Needs Improvement

Basic familiarity; needs supervision on routine tasks.

3
Satisfactory

Competent on standard work; slower or unsure on unfamiliar jobs.

4
Very Good

Skilled and independent across the normal range of the role.

5
Excellent

Names specific installs (unvented G3, S-plan wiring, macerator runs) and describes pipe sizing and pressure testing without prompting.

02
Evaluation factor

Safety discipline

30% weight

Probe certification currency: Gas Safe registration and ACS categories, G3 unvented ticket, WRAS and Part L knowledge, plus practice on isolation, hot works permits, and asbestos awareness.

Evidence to listen for

  • Treats procedure as protection rather than paperwork
  • Can describe a time they stopped work and why
  • Knows the specific hazards of this trade and the controls for each
  • Reports near misses instead of hiding them

Five-point scoring guide

1
Poor

Casual about safety; describes shortcuts with pride.

2
Needs Improvement

Follows procedure when watched; cannot name the hazards that matter.

3
Satisfactory

Sound safety habits; less certain on unfamiliar hazards.

4
Very Good

Safety is instinctive; can describe stopping work over a real concern.

5
Excellent

Cites live registration numbers and ACS modules, and describes refusing or capping an unsafe appliance with an ID or AR warning notice.

03
Evaluation factor

Fault finding

20% weight

Test diagnostic method on no hot water, intermittent boiler lockout, low mains pressure, recurring leaks, and airlocks; listen for how they isolate cause before replacing parts.

Evidence to listen for

  • Has a method for narrowing a fault rather than swapping parts
  • Reads schematics, manuals, or error codes and acts on them
  • Knows when to escalate rather than guess
  • Can describe a fault that took real work to find

Five-point scoring guide

1
Poor

Parts-swapper; no diagnostic method.

2
Needs Improvement

Fixes symptoms; cannot explain how they found the cause.

3
Satisfactory

Solid on familiar faults; less structured on new ones.

4
Very Good

Clear systematic method with a real hard-fault story.

5
Excellent

Walks a logical sequence (pressure gauge, flow test, manometer readings, fault codes) and cites a fault others had misdiagnosed and replaced wrongly.

04
Evaluation factor

Reliability and conduct

15% weight

Assess van stock discipline, punctuality on booked slots, making good after chasing floors or walls, clear pricing before work, and handling a callback on their own install.

Evidence to listen for

  • Turns up, on time, prepared
  • Handles shift work, callouts, or travel as the role requires
  • Documents work so the next person can pick it up
  • Deals with customers or site staff professionally

Five-point scoring guide

1
Poor

Unreliable attendance; unprofessional on site.

2
Needs Improvement

Inconsistent; documentation is an afterthought.

3
Satisfactory

Dependable; paperwork is adequate.

4
Very Good

Consistently reliable, documents well, professional with customers.

5
Excellent

Gives evidence of low callback rates, tidy handovers with commissioning paperwork, and returning to fix their own defect at no charge.

Evidence-led prompts

Interview questions for a Plumber

Use these prompts to surface evidence for the weighted factors above and compare candidates against the same role-specific criteria.

  1. 01

    What types of plumbing systems are you most experienced with?

  2. 02

    Do you have experience with both residential and commercial plumbing?

  3. 03

    Do you have experience installing and repairing water heaters?

  4. 04

    Do you have experience with bathroom and kitchen fixture installation?

  5. 05

    Do you have experience diagnosing problems using camera equipment or other tools?

See the complete Plumber question set
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