Choosing The Right Plumber For The Job

A good plumber is a skilled professional who can come into your home and fix a variety of problems with your pipes, fixtures and appliances. Not all plumbers are the same. You want to pick a plumber very carefully.

The first step is ensuring that any plumber you are considering has a valid license and insurance. A license means the plumber is registered with the city or state. The individual meets all qualifications to act as a professional and to charge for services. Never hire an unlicensed plumber since you do not know anything about the person and could run into liability issues. A good plumber should also be carrying current general liability and worker’s compensation insurance.

Look at how long a plumber has been working in a professional capacity. Do not consider non-professional experience. You want to find someone who has been a professional plumber for at least three or more years. More experience is preferable because it means the individual will be better equipped to handle even the most complex plumbing problems in your home.

Look carefully at the billing practices of the plumber. Be sure that you understand exactly how everything will be billed. You might end up learning that you will be charged for fuel or extra items that make no sense. If you are not comfortable with how the billing will be done, then find another plumber. It will help to hire a plumbing company that provides a binding quote before starting service so that you know roughly what you will be paying.

Any plumber that you hire should be able to provide recent positive references from previous clients. The references should be from work that was done within the last six months or a year. Get around three references. Call those previous customers and ask questions about the work performed and other issues. References can reveal a large amount about the plumber that you might not discover in any other way. Do not hire plumbers who cannot provide positive or recent references.

Things can go wrong for even the most competent plumbers. This is why you want to find a plumber offering a solid warranty or guarantee on the work done. This means the plumber will come back and fix any problems that occur in the weeks or months after the repairs are made. Review the warranty or guarantee closely so that you are sure that it is acceptable and will not cost you a fortune.

An important aspect to look for when trying to choose a plumber is someone who uses written contracts and documentation. The last thing that you want is to do business relying on the word of someone you barely know. Written contracts help to protect you and the plumber against misunderstandings. They clearly list what work is to be done and what is expected. Steer clear of any plumbers who refuse to create and sign a written contract.

The final thing to consider is the attitude of the plumber. You want to work with someone pleasant and professional. Judge whether the person is treating your professionally from the start. This will make a difference when the person is in your home. Stay away from plumbers that seem overly rude, unprofessional or careless during the initial meeting or phone call.

Charlie Teschner started MESA Plumbing, Heating, and Cooling in 1982. Charlie has a journeyman and master plumber’s license. He was raised with a strong work ethic and he now applies those values to tasks such as Longmont, CO heating repair.