Plumbing can be easy to take for granted, especially when we get used to our faucets and heaters working just as they should.
However, a lot of plumbing problems take us by surprise. Sometimes a pipe may seemingly just burst out of nowhere, flooding the basement.
Thus, it is of utmost importance to keep the contact details of a trusted plumber on hand. These things are done in advance so that in the event of a plumbing emergency, you already know whom to call.
If not, you’ll have to look for a plumber at the last minute. This is far from ideal since you may not have enough time to properly gauge and pick out the best one out of many.
The Qualities of a Plumber Worth Hiring
Picking out a plumber before disaster strikes ensures that you’ve considered everything about the contractor beforehand instead of just settling for the first available name in a panic. That way, you can better judge if they’re the perfect fit for you.
Here are some things to look for when considering a plumber:
1. Qualifications
Probably the most important thing to ask is whether a plumber has the proper license and certification. Surely you would never risk entrusting your home to anyone who may be unqualified to handle sewage backup or heater issues.
It is vital to check if the plumber has the appropriate provincial, state, or country-level license. This proves that they are not just qualified, but also recognized by the country or province to perform their trade.
If you find that the plumber holds a license, this means that a legal complaint has not been filed against them in the past. This is basically the best sign to hire a particular plumbing contractor.
2. Insurance
Before hiring a plumbing contractor, always check if they are insured. Most certified and licensed plumbers have insurance, but it is always good to check, just to be sure.
Knowing that the plumbers are covered by insurance helps, especially in serious and potentially risky plumbing problems, such as burst pipes or flooded basements.
While there is the assumption that plumbers already have enough knowledge and experience to keep them from making mistakes, knowing that they are insured doubles your security.
Make sure that they are covered with liability insurance. Liability insurance ensures that you have peace of mind if ever the plumber is injured during the repair, or if your home gets damaged in the process.
3. Services
Sometimes, a plumbing problem is not what it appears to be. It may actually be connected to a complex network of interconnected problems that if not fixed as a whole, may continue to plague your home.
As such, it might be best to check out plumbers with a wide range of services to ensure that all your needs are served in one go. Or if not possible in one go, by one company at least.
Check out the list of services on their website to be sure that the particular service you need is covered, such as drain treatment.
It’s definitely a plus as well if they offer 24/7 emergency plumbing services, so you know whom to call for in the event of those dreaded emergency plumbing situations like burst pipes, sewage backup, or flooding.
4. References
Just as important as certifications and licenses, reviews and references should also play a huge factor when you choose a plumbing company.
You can usually get to know the best plumbing companies through recommendations from friends, family, or other homeowners. This way, you’ll get to know which ones are actually trustworthy and have already cultivated good relationships with their clients.
While direct references from friends and other homeowners may be the common first step when looking for recommendations, these may sometimes not be enough.
As such, you can also check online for reviews of the best plumbers out there. Make sure that the company has plenty of reviews so you get a variety of feedback from past clients that can vouch for their satisfaction or dismay.
You can also see how the company responds to or handles the feedback for their services. Check out the replies from the company itself, which can be seen in review sites such as Google Reviews.
It’s always better to check reviews and listen to references than just blindly hiring a company without getting a thorough background.
5. Cost
All services come with a cost. As such, affordable and reasonable rates are just as important as the quality of service you get.
Do some research before hiring the first contractors you come across. You must get a complete picture of what various companies offer and how much they charge for them.
This way, you will avoid overpaying for a service that’s just as good as another company’s but may be less expensive.
It is also best to detail the issue extensively in order to get an accurate estimate. This ensures that all possible concerns will be accounted for, and any unexpected fees from unexpected problems will be avoided.
Professional plumbers will be able to give you an accurate estimate. But keep in mind that they charge a flat-fee, which is necessary since they have been called out to your home.
On top of that, consider the additional costs for labor and the required parts as well.
You should also inquire about the company’s pricing structure. Ask if it is contract-based or on a per-visit basis to properly gauge if hiring the company will be cost-effective.
Don’t be afraid to check out multiple companies and ask quotes from all of them. However, keep in mind that the best way to get an accurate quote would be the plumber seeing the actual problem instead of having it described to them over the phone.
6. Guarantee
A guarantee is vital in that it is a declaration that shows how confident plumbing companies are when it comes to their handiwork.
So if anything goes wrong after the repair itself, a guarantee from the company will give you the peace of mind that the damages will be covered or the mistake will be fixed. As such, all labor and parts should be backed by a guarantee.
A guarantee goes hand in hand with the liability insurance that covers plumbers. This will take care of you if the repair is a failure or your home has been damaged in the process.
7. Experience
It’s definitely important that a plumbing contractor has a long history of being in the industry. More often than not, a company’s extensive experience is a top selling point for their services.
This isn’t to discount the experience of companies with less years in business. But come to think of it, companies that have been around for decades are still in business for a reason.
And of course plumbers with the necessary field experience are less likely to make mistakes. They’ve most likely encountered and fixed every plumbing problem there is.
Take note of the experience of the individual plumber as well, not just the company’s as a whole. Established companies will most likely only hire individual plumbers with complete training, certifications, and experience.
These tips may seem much for a service as simple as plumbing, but trust us in saying that you should pick out a good plumbing service way before you actually need it.
It’s a bit like health insurance or life insurance – you should have them ready before you even start suspecting a need for either one.
Anyway, using the tips we gave you can help you find the perfect plumber for your future issues. This is the perfect safety measure to protect yourself from plumbing emergencies that can be remedied efficiently.
