There may be a few minor plumbing projects that you can complete around the house as do-it-yourself projects, such as plunging the toilet or tightening a loose screw on the bathroom faucet. Your plumbing system must be well-maintained at all times to avoid the unnecessary expense of water waste and to prevent severe water-related damage. There are many seemingly minor repair issues that a skilled and experienced plumber should fix to ensure that the work is completed quickly and correctly. You may also have to deal with a serious plumbing issue from time to time that requires the immediate assistance of a professional.
Because of how critical your plumbing system’s integrity is to your home’s condition, you understandably do not want to make a poor decision when hiring a plumber. With many plumbers serving the local area, you may be wondering how you can make a smart hiring decision. A great idea is to walk through these eight essential steps so that you can make a smart and informed decision when hiring a plumber to visit your home.
Top Eight Steps to Choose a Plumber
- Define Your Needs
- Pay Attention to Services Offered
- Look at Years of Experience
- Read Online Reviews
- Inquire About Licensing and Insurance
- Check with the Better Business Bureau
- Inquire About Guarantees
- Compare Rates
The Eight Steps Explained
It is easy to assume that all plumbers provide all of the services that you may need over the years, but this is not always the case. Some plumbers specialize in basic services, such as those that can be handled during normal business hours. They do not provide emergency services, or they may not have the tools necessary to handle major service requests. As you compile a list of plumbers to reach out to, ensure that you read through the list of services that are offered. If emergency service is essential, confirm that this is offered as well as the unique type of plumbing service that is needed. There may be instances when a homeowner cannot determine the exact cause of the problem, and this makes it difficult to determine which plumbers offer the services that you need. If this is the case, it may be necessary to contact a few companies and to describe your issue over the phone.
While you need to find a professional or company that offers the specific services that are needed in your home, you also want to properly vet the professional or company before allowing anyone to complete plumbing work in your home. One factor to review is the years of experience that the company has serving the year. This is often listed in a company’s bio or “About Us” page on their website, so it is easy to determine. More than that, you need to ensure that the actual plumber who will be doing the work on your home has ample experience. You may be able to request that the most experienced plumber on the company’s payroll does the work on your home.
There are a few additional steps that you should take to complete the vetting process. Locate online reviews on independent websites. Remember that any reviews or quotes on the company’s own website will be handpicked. As you read reviews on independent websites, pay attention to the dates of service as well as the specific details that each reviewer provides. This can be more informative than simply looking at star ratings.
When you contact a company to request a bid or estimate, ask the individual about licensing and insurance. It is helpful to request specific insurance policy information and licensing details so that you can call and confirm that the information that is being provided to you over the phone is accurate. You should also take the next step to review the company’s rating with the Better Business Bureau. Any negative reports with the Better Business Bureau should be older rather than recent.
After you have followed these steps, you may have a list of reputable and experienced plumbing companies or individual plumbers that you can request service from. For minor projects, such as plunging a toilet, you may request a quote over the phone from each of these companies. For major repair services, however, the companies typically will need to inspect your home and determine the best steps to repair the damage. Be prepared to request quotes from several companies so that you can compare rates. When you receive quotes, inquire about a guarantee for the work that is done to your home. After all, you do not want to pay for a second service call because the work was not completed properly during the initial visit to your home.
While it may be easier to simply schedule service with the first plumbing company that you can find with a quick online search, this is not a wise idea. The integrity of your home’s condition is at stake. Follow these essential steps to ensure that you hire a reputable, skilled plumber to work on your home’s plumbing system.
