FAQs

This page addresses a number of frequently asked questions on our products. If you do not find the answer to your question or concern in these FAQs, please contact us and we will be glad to assist:

General: 

Who are Perrin & Rowe?

Perrin & Rowe is a luxury English tapware brand that was established more than 30 years ago by Bob Perrin and Greg Rowe.

Perrin & Rowe is a world leader in premium quality brass kitchen taps, bathroom taps, bathroom accessories and porcelain bathroomware. Their unique classical designs, superb manufacturing quality and attention to detail have earned Perrin & Rowe specification into many of the world’s leading projects from resorts and hotels to luxury homes.

With the best design and engineering talent, and tight control over their entire manufacturing process, the superb range of products offered by Perrin & Rowe continues to grow, with no compromise on quality.

What is so special about Perrin & Rowe kitchen and bathroom products?

Perrin & Rowe is a brand offering the highest quality for the discerning homeowner.

While other manufacturers with a ‘close enough’ attitude have their products mass produced in low-cost location, Perrin & Rowe has remained true to its founders’ original vision by avoiding shortcuts in order to craft the best tapware in the world.

Perrin & Rowe products are made by English craftsmen who fully understand the tradition, design, materials and manufacturing processes necessary to produce excellent products; manufacturing for uncompromised quality, not to a budget price. Every item must survive the scrutiny of continuous hand inspections as they progress through the manufacturing process, to ensure the final impeccable result.

Perrin & Rowe products are made from high quality solid brass and fine English porcelain. All products are finished and polished by hand before being coated in one of Perrin & Rowe’s superior finishes. 


Suitability for Australian homes:

Are Perrin & Rowe taps suitable for use in Australia?

Absolutely. Perrin & Rowe produces their kitchen taps, basin taps, bath taps and shower sets specially for The English Tapware Company in Australia using DZR (de-zincification resistant) brass of the highest quality and fittings which are compatible with Australian plumbing.

Only Perrin & Rowe tapware produced for The English Tapware Company has WaterMark certification (license number WMKA02818). Perrin & Rowe tapware sold elsewhere in the world does not carry this certification, is not produced from DZR brass and cannot be legally installed in Australia. See below about WaterMark.

Perrin & Rowe taps have also been tested and certified with a Four Star rating under the WELS (Water Efficiency Labelling & Standards) scheme with Licence number R000372. Perrin & Rowe shower fittings hold a Three Star rating, and our WC flush mechanisms are also rated Three Stars.

What is WaterMark certification?

WaterMark certification is proof that a manufacturer’s tapware design, materials and construction meet the requirements of the Australian tapware standard ‘AS/NZS 3718:2005 Water Supply – Tapware’. Without WaterMark certified products, it is illegal for a plumber to sign-off your project and issue a compliance certificate. WaterMark certification is your guarantee that you are purchasing a high quality product, suitable for Australian conditions, which can be legally installed in your home.

All Perrin & Rowe tapware produced for The English Tapware Company is fully WaterMark certified (license number WMKA02818).

The process to gain certification involves a detailed audit of the tapware factory. An applicant must demonstrate adherence to a strict quality control program for the supply of materials and the manufacturing process. The products themselves are also subjected to chemical analysis, strength testing and endurance testing (where, for example, the tap valves are opened and shut 50,000 times!).

It is only after passing all of these audits that WaterMark certification is granted.

Search the WaterMark certified product database. Enter “Perrin” in the ‘supplier name’ field to view all Perrin & Rowe products made specially for Australia. The certification of other tapware brands can also be checked here.

Note that WELS is NOT WaterMark. WELS relates only to water usage. Ask for the WaterMark license number for the product you are purchasing if you have any doubts at all or search the database. Our manufacturer’s license number is WMKA02818.

WARNING: While it is illegal for a plumber to install non-WaterMark certified products, retailers are still allowed to sell non-certified products. We recommend caution and that you only accept Australian WaterMark certified products for your home.

What is WELS? 

The Australian Government’s Water Efficiency Labelling & Standards (WELS) scheme came into force in 2006. The scheme is designed to encourage lower water consumption and applies to kitchen taps, basin taps, showers and toilets, among other water using appliances. The Australian WELS scheme is underpinned by the joint Australian/New Zealand regulatory standard AS/NZS 6400.

Put simply, choosing water efficient products helps Australians to save water. By 2021 it is estimated that using water efficient products will help to reduce domestic water consumption by 5% and save a greater volume of water than that in Sydney Harbour. Nearly half of the savings will come from water efficient washing machines, while most of the remaining savings will be split between shower and toilet use.

The WELS scheme is compulsory for all products which come within its scope. These products include kitchen taps, bathroom taps, showers, toilets, washing machines and dishwashers.

Products coming within the WELS scheme must be tested, certified and labelled for their water usage. They are given a star rating based on their water consumption, which must be displayed on packaging and certain displays.

Perrin & Rowe taps have been tested and certified with a Four Star rating under the WELS scheme with Licence number R000372. Perrin & Rowe shower fittings have hold a Three Star rating, and our WC flush mechanisms are also rated Three Stars.

As you will see when you purchase our tapware, WELS labels have been affixed to the product packaging to indicate each product’s Star Rating.

Do not mistake WELS for WaterMark certification. WELS relates to water usage only, while WaterMark relates to the quality of a product’s manufacturing and materials and means that a product can be legally installed.


Customisation:

Can I customise the look of my Perrin & Rowe tap?

Yes. Besides the numerous finishes offered by Perrin & Rowe, most Perrin & Rowe taps offer a choice between cross-head and lever handles. Further, most Perrin & Rowe taps with levers may be customised by changing the finish or colour of the lever handles.

Click for more information on Customisations. 


Purchasing:

Where can I purchase Perrin & Rowe products?

Perrin & Rowe products are available exclusively from The English Tapware Company and our network of authorised dealers. See Where to Buy for more information.


Delivery:

What is the delivery time for Perrin & Rowe products?

We generally maintain stock levels in Australia to allow same day dispatch for most items. Depending on your location, delivery may take between one and five working days.

With the wide range of models and finishes on offer, we may on occasion sell-out of a particular item, though we have new shipments arriving weekly. Limited items which are sold less frequently may not be carried in stock and would therefore be ordered from England with a lead time of approximately eight weeks.


Technical:

Can Perrin & Rowe taps be used with low, high or unequal water pressure?

Yes. Because many homes in England still have ceiling water tanks, Perrin & Rowe taps are deliberately designed to allow use in both low and high water pressure systems. Their ceramic disc valves have a maximum permitted water pressure of 500 kpa (72 psi / 5 bar) so limiting valves must be fitted where the inlet water pressure may exceed this. The minimum water pressure is 50 kpa (7 psi / 0.5 bar).

By way of comparison, the average water pressure for Australian homes on mains water systems is around 350kpa (56 psi / 4 bar).

For situations where there is unequal water pressure (usually evidenced by high water pressure at the cold tap and low water pressure at the hot tap), non-return valves can be fitted to the hot and cold inlets. These are available from The English Tapware Company.