
We want your experience to be quick and easy
Explore our list of Frequently Asked Questions
About Baker Smith
Baker Smith Ltd. is a limited company registered under the registration number 06057811.
We cover towns such as St Albans, Hatfield, Luton, Dunstable, Welwyn Garden City, Stevenage, Harpenden, Hemel Hempstead, Potters Bar, Borehamwood, Stanmore, Edgware, Barnet, Watford, Ruislip, Pinner, North London and surrounding areas.
We are open Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm. Appointments and enquiries can be made during our normal working hours, we also take weekend calls for emergency purposes.
Yes. We can be contacted out of office hours, just dial our usual number 01727 730590 and you will speak to a senior manager of the company.
We can usually reach you within an hour in an emergency, obviously depending on your location. Winter time is also a very busy period which sometimes means that this response time may be extended.
We pride ourselves on our fast response rate and will contact you within 2 hours of receiving your enquiry.
No. Cold calls annoy us as well as everyone else, your details are only used internally by members of staff to send invoices, quotations, receipts and discuss work with you.
Our Appointment
We don’t want you waiting in for us all day. When your appointment is booked, we offer you either an AM or PM time slot (each time slot is a 3 hour window) so you know within what time slot your engineer will be arriving. You will also receive a reminder text 24 hours before your appointment.
Yes. You can book a job well in advance, this can be changed or amended at any time before your appointment day.
Not a problem at all. Contact our team and your appointment can be rearranged at a time that is more convenient for you.
If you would like the same person to return to carry out work for you then please ask when booking in your appointment and if they are available we will see what we can do. If this is not possible then not to worry as all of our engineers are great.
Yes. If you would like a reminder call then let us know at the time of your booking.
Any major job will create some mess, but we are very diligent clearing up after ourselves and complying with any house rules you may have. All our engineers clean up immediately after every job.
Yes. We do a lot of work for landlords and agents where we collect keys, although it’s better if someone is on site in case we need to ask questions or get authorisation.
Emergencies
Try to minimise the risk of damage to your property as much as possible. It is advisable to shut off your main water supply at the stopcock, and then contact Baker Smith on 01727 730590 to arrange a quick repair.
If you have a burst pipe, turn off the water at the main stopcock, turn on all your cold taps to drain the system, turn off your central heating, immersion heating and any other water heating system you may have. Once done, turn on the hot taps to drain the hot water taps to drain the hot water in your system, turn off the electrics and call Baker Smith on 01727 730590 to come and fix the problem.
Turn off the water supply at the main stopcock, turn on the tap nearest to where the pipe is frozen so the water can flow out once it has defrosted, thaw the pipe out (this can be done using a filled hot water bottle or a hair dryer. Then call Baker Smith to repair any damage.
Most properties have two: one internal and one external. The internal valve is most often located under the kitchen sink or under stairs. If you cannot find it or it is seized shut, the external stopcock can usually be found under a small cover in the pavement outside your property. You may need a special turnkey to turn this on or off.
Yes. Blocked drains can be a nuisance, but if caught and dealt with on time they are relatively easy to fix and you might avoid more problems like leaks, overflows etc.
You should call National Grid on 0800 111 999. This is a free, national emergency line. They will dispatch an engineer (free of charge) who will make the property safe. They will usually disable the gas supply temporarily until the required repairs can be carried out by a company like ourselves. You can then call us to arrange to have the repairs done and complete multiple tests to ensure the property is safe and restore the gas supply at the property. Remember, only gas safe qualified engineers should attend gas and boiler problems.
Yes. Please call us immediately on 01727 730590 and we will send someone out to you as soon as we can.
Boilers & Heating
It is important that you get your boiler and gas appliances inspected and serviced regularly to make sure that they are working as safely and efficiently as possible. An annual boiler service can increase the chance of detecting minor faults before they become full blown boiler problems. Many boiler manufacturers insist on regular servicing as a condition of warranty.
A boiler service normally takes 45 minutes to 1 hour to complete.
A power flush is a process where a low pressure but high water flow pump is connected to the central heating which pumps water and cleaning chemicals through the system at a high speed. A combination of chemicals will break up and dislodge most material including limescale and black sludge and will leave your system working efficiently.
If your central heating system has been under-performing, your radiators are taking longer to warm up, or you are noticing cold spots on them, your system would probably benefit from a power flush. Contact us to discuss your system and we will advise on the best solution.
Generally we recommend fitting magnetic filters. They are small magnetic units that trap any dirt, debris and sludge found in the system before it can do any damage to your boiler and controls. The filter will be cleaned at your annual boiler service.
Bathrooms
Yes. We would be very happy to quote to supply and install your bathroom or just install sanitaryware you have chosen yourself, we can also do the plastering and tiling. We are happy to help with the designing of your project from the general layout to detailed selection of bathroom furniture and accessories.
We can install underfloor heating anywhere you wish. Call us to arrange a site visit and we can estimate for underfloor heating in any room of your home.
Plumbing & Other Services
We are qualified to carry out all types of plumbing work from a simple dripping tap to showers, radiator installations and complete bathrooms.
We can install your new washing machine or dishwasher. Our plumber will ensure everything is installed correctly to prevent leaks in the future and make sure you have sufficient water flow to operate your appliance efficiently.
Yes you can supply your own materials but we use quality products and reliable suppliers in which we have 100% confidence. You will always benefit from our suppliers’ discounts and access to warranties.
Our Quality Work
We offer a minimum 12 month guarantee on our labour for all new installations including boiler and central heating installations. The parts we use all come with their own manufacturer’s guarantees which vary from 1 to 25 years depending on the product.
Our technical director Mark Smith. Should you not be satisfied with the completed workmanship Mark will inspect the job himself. Contact our office for further details.
All Baker Smith engineers are fully qualified with years of experience. All our engineers specialise in reactive maintenance (breakdowns/emergency plumbing) so are excellent problem solvers who have come across almost every known issue possible.
Yes we are and we are also registered with Hertfordshire Trading Standards.
Firstly, all complaints should be made by calling into our office on 01727 730590. If a satisfactory resolution cannot be reached within 21 days and we cannot resolve any complaints using our own complaints procedures, as a Which? Trusted Trader we use Ombudsman Services for dispute resolution.
In the unlikely event of a complaint arising and you wish to refer the complaint to them please contact Which? Trusted Traders in the first instance on 0117 456 6031.
Our Fees
The product you have chosen, type of service you require, and even the time of day that you need us will all affect the price of your job, but one thing remains the same – we simply don’t do hidden costs.
No, we do not charge a call out fee. We charge an hourly rate for the 1st hour – if the problem is repairable within that time and no materials or parts are required, that’s all you will pay.
Where possible we give you a fixed price to complete your work, this way you have peace of mind knowing the exact cost of the job, without any hidden or unexpected fees.
It depends. However, it does not hurt to ask, there are some occasions when we can help but regrettably some when we cannot.
Yes. We provide free estimates for most major work, these include boiler replacements and new installations, bathroom refurbishments etc.
Our quotes are valid for 30 days and we are always happy to answer questions about the quote you have received. Call into the office on 01727 730590.
Bank transfer, cheque, cash, credit and debit cards (we regret we don’t accept American Express) are all accepted methods of payment.
Yes, we are a VAT registered company. Our VAT number is 897610774.
Unfortunately, we can’t work for free. If you request a visit for a boiler fault, we will charge an hourly rate for the first hour – if it is repairable within that time and no materials are required, that is all you will pay. We also offer free remote fault diagnosis which in some cases is all that is required to resolve the issue. Call us on 01727 730590 for more details.
No. We are unable to monitor all external variables, including traffic, job overruns or vehicle issues, this is why we work with AM or PM slots. Please speak to us if your appointment time has become inconvenient, we will re-arrange timings to suit you better.
Yes. Our minimum charge is 1 hour but if work carries into a second hour then we charge in half hour increments.
Please do not instruct work unless you have the finances for the proposed works. All invoices will be required to be paid immediately after works have been completed, unless agreed by prior arrangement and stated on the invoice.
Yes. We work for some of the largest letting agencies in Hertfordshire and London and understand their working environments, so we usually give letting agents agreed payment terms.