Plumber
I think you're right the problem isn't the plumber but the free market and doing a job that too many people want to do creating oversupply in the labour market.
Re: the plumber he's actually a bloke in our road and he's doing it as a favour for well below normal rates - £15 an hour in fact so even on a Flybe salary it seemed a better option than letting me loose on pipes and risking water coming in from the ceiling. I am however tiling, painting, floor laying etc in order to keep the costs down. Mind you if I was on a decent salary like many of you here I'd certainly be using my concessions to spend a week in Mauritius and come back when it's all been done!!
Desk-pilot