The “news” that poked a Bear!

We’ve made it to December and for many of us, it means that well earned and long-awaited break.  Whether you’re stocking up on the sunscreen and heading off to the Central Coast for a beach holiday or flying to the Northern Hemisphere in the hope of a white Christmas, there’s always lots to do in preparation. But amongst the booking of accommodation and packing of suitcases, we’d like to draw y...

Admit it – you sang that line in either your sweetest Sandy voice or in your swooniest Danny voice!  (that’s a Grease reference, for those of you not showing your age).  Now that the temperatures are finally starting to rise (it seems like the warmer weather is a bit later than usual this year) it’s time to think about summer, and in particular, plumbing options that can elevate your summer to ...

Guess what?  It’s our 20th Birthday!  Bear Plumbing started in 1998 – what a year!  Let’s take a trip down memory lane.  In 1998, Australia’s population was 18.7 million (compared with just over 25 million today) and John Howard was Prime Minister (for somewhat longer than our current run of PMs!).  The median house price in this country was $157,387, a loaf of bread cost $1.37 and unleaded pet...

September marks a change of season, and after some seriously cold weather in last few months, it’s time to thaw out and get ready for spring.  While we generally consider spring to be from the start of September to the end of November, some argue that it doesn’t technically start until the spring equinox on September 22. This is the day when our beautiful planet is exactly side-on to the sun an...

The humble hot water heater is one of the innovation world’s unsung heroes. Where would we be without it? Imagine freezing cold early morning showers – not even a great prospect in the summer months, let alone in the depths of a Sydney winter. The convenience of hot water on standby in the kitchen, compared with having to boil a kettle or heat a saucepan every time you needed it. Hot water is d...

It’s no secret that a bathroom renovation is one of the best ways to increase the value of your property.  A modern and functional bathroom enhances every home. If your bathroom is starting to show the signs of wear and tear, or if the design and fittings have dated, maybe it’s time to renovate.  But where to start? Here are our tips for a great bathroom renovation: Research, Research, Re...

The winter months have well and truly arrived. We’re about to settle in for a brief period of woolly jumpers and comfort food. Our local winters don’t compete with the northern hemisphere for below-freezing temperatures, but it’s all relative, and we do feel the cold (and won’t be shy complaining about it for the next month or two!). Our desire to be warm and cosy also means that the winter ...

There is a multitude of decisions to be made when renovating your bathroom.  Colour schemes, tapware, layout, storage, tiles … literally thousands of options on offer.  There is one bathroom fixture that’s more polarising than any other. Some people get uncomfortable at the mere mention of it. But it’s ok, we’re all adults here, so we can talk about this. When renovating your bathroom, what are...

It’s time to get in touch with your inner Sherlock Holmes. Or Agatha Christie. Or Nancy Drew. Whichever one you relate to best. We’re looking into the Mystery of the Concealed Leak and if you don’t think it’s happening at your place, you might be surprised. The best part of this adventure is that you don’t have to have the finely honed skills of a world-renowned literary detective. Just be awar...

The Bear team came across a couple of news items last week that really got our backs up. And for good reason. Both the Nine website and the Sydney Morning Herald ran articles with attention-grabbing headlines of “It’s confirmed: tradies adjust their prices depending on your postcode” and “The most expensive Sydney suburbs to hire a tradie”.  From Bear Plumbing’s point of view, this is wrong ...