Why Plumbing Contractors Lose Money on Site
Running a sole trader plumbing or heating business is demanding. Between routing pipework, installing boilers, and repairing leaks, paperwork gets pushed to the weekend. These three common mistakes eat away your profits:
- 1.High-Value Parts & Unbilled FittingsPlumbing materials are expensive. A few copper press-fit elbows, valves, and a pack of solder can quickly add up to £50+. If you don't log these against the specific customer job, or fail to write down the spare parts you used from your van stock, you end up funding the client's installation out of your own profits.
- 2.Emergency Merchant RunsForgetting you don't have a specific compression fitting or washer size means driving to Plumbase, City Plumbing, Wolseley, or Screwfix mid-job. You lose an hour of labor, and you rarely log the fuel, mileage, and parts cost against the job, killing your profit margins.
- 3.Lost Receipts & Faded Thermal PaperPaper receipts from merchants get faded, wet, or lost in the van. At tax time, your accountant can only claim what you have receipts for. Every lost receipt is cash directly lost to the taxman.
Features Purpose-Built for Plumbers
AI Invoice Scanning
Take a quick photo of your City Plumbing, Wolseley, Plumbase, Screwfix, or local merchant invoice. Our AI scans the invoice, extracts every item (boilers, valves, copper fittings, fluxes), and links them directly to your job budget.
Smart Parts & Fittings Library
Log pipes, press fittings, traps, and copper coils easily. VanLog autocompletes past items and remembers pricing, making on-site tracking take less than 15 seconds.
Mileage Logging for Merchant Runs
Record your runs to local merchants or site surveys. VanLog automatically calculates your tax-deductible mileage value based on HMRC (45p/mile) or ATO (88c/km) approved rates.
Offline-Capable Interface
Works in wet cellars, utility rooms, and remote properties with zero cell reception. The app caches all materials and mileage inputs locally and syncs automatically when you're back in range.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the AI scanner support City Plumbing and Wolseley invoices?
Yes. Our AI receipt scanner recognizes layouts and invoice terminology from all major national plumbing merchants like City Plumbing, Wolseley, Plumbase, Screwfix, Toolstation, and Williams, as well as local independent merchants.
Can I track my Gas Safe, CIPHE, or registration costs?
Yes. You can log professional registration fees, annual assessment costs, calibration charges, and public liability insurance under the Job Expenses or Overhead tracker to make sure your tax returns reflect these business costs.
How does VanLog handle copper pipe and waste material?
You can add copper coils or lengths of plastic waste to your materials log and choose to allocate a percentage of the total cost to a specific job, or log it fully to a job and let VanLog track the rest as van stock for future allocation.
Ready to stop losing profit on your plumbing jobs?
Join self-employed plumbers and heating engineers who use VanLog to track material costs, capture tax-deductible mileage, and manage their business efficiently.
⚠️ Important: VanLog is a record-keeping tool. Verify all calculations with your local tax authority and consult an accountant before submitting tax returns. You are solely responsible for your tax compliance.