The question is: how do you find the right one? There are a number of factors to consider when hiring a plumber for homes. We’ll get into 6 of these factors below.
1. Cost
Different plumbers charge different rates for different services. Whereas one plumber might charge $50 an hour to snake drains, another might charge $100 an hour to snake drains. As such, before you make a hire, you need to get estimates for the work that you need to be finished.
Any reputable plumber will provide you with a cost estimate upon inquiry. This estimate should come free of charge and should include the broken-down costs of parts and labor.
If a plumber won’t give you an estimate, you should not utilize his or her services. Doing so would make you vulnerable to exceedingly high bills, some of which you might not be able to pay. So, make the call, get an estimate, and know what you’re getting yourself into.
2. Experience
Another factor you’re going to want to consider is experience. Generally speaking, the more experience a plumber has, the higher level of service he or she will provide. There are, of course, exceptions to this rule — new plumbers can get the job done, for instance — but it’s, more or less, a good rule to follow.
Now, what’s the minimum level of experience that you should accept? We recommend a minimum of 2 years. This is enough time for a plumber to have proven his or her ability; if a plumber is still working professionally after this length of time, he or she is capable of getting the job done.
Why avoid plumbers with less experience than this? To put it simply, they’re an unsafe bet. Sure, they might be able to perform quality work, but there’s very little way of knowing that. You don’t want to waste your time and money being the guinea pig.
3. Reputation
Any seasoned plumber will have a reputation of some kind. Your job is to identify what kind of reputation this is. If it’s a positive reputation, the plumber is worth hiring; if it’s a negative one, the plumber should be avoided at all costs.
Now, how do you determine a specific plumber’s reputation? The best option is to ask around. But if that doesn’t prove fruitful, there’s something else you can do: check online review sites.
Sites like Facebook, Yelp, and Google are loaded with reviews for businesses of all kinds, including plumbers. All you have to do is search for plumbers in your area on Google and these reviews will be presented to you.
Generally speaking, it’s best to stick with plumbers with 4-star ratings or greater. The higher the rating, the safer bet the plumber will be.
4. Insurance
When you hire a plumber, you’re inviting someone into your home to perform a task. Unfortunately, in some cases, while in the midst of completing this task, the plumber will actually cause damage to the property. This occurs even with the best of plumbers.
As such, before hiring a plumber, you need to make sure that he or she is properly insured. Insurance will cover the cost of any damages that occur to your home. It will also cover the cost of any injuries that the plumber’s employees suffer on your property.
There are two types of insurance you need to inquire about. One of these is general liability insurance; the other is workers’ compensation insurance. As long as the plumber has both of these insurances in his or her possession, he or she is safe to hire.
5. Certification
In most states, plumbers are required to have specialized plumber’s licenses. These are issued by the state itself and indicate that the plumber does, indeed, have the skill and knowledge necessary to perform the work in a satisfactory manner.
If a plumber is operating without a license from his or her respective state, there’s a good chance that he or she is working illegally. Look up your particular state’s laws and find out what the qualifications are. Departments of Labor should be able to furnish you with this information.
You should also note that most states provide license lookup tools. These enable anyone to type in the name of a business and discover what licenses that business has in effect.
Just go to Google and type in “[name of your state] license lookup tool”. It should be one of the top results returned.
6. Required Services
The last factor to consider when choosing a plumber is the services that you require. Simply put, not all plumbers provide all plumbing services. While some do, others are experts in only a few key areas, like water damage, for instance.
As such, before hiring your plumber, you need to make sure that he or she can handle all of the tasks that need to be tended to. So, if you need to have your septic line cleaned, for example, you need to make sure that your chosen plumber is capable of doing such.
Most plumbers have a list of their services on their websites. If one doesn’t, you can simply make a call and ask. Any reputable plumber will be happy to speak with you.
Finding the Right Plumber for Homes Is as Simple as Considering These 6 Factors
If your goal is to find the right plumber for homes, you need only to consider these 6 factors. Doing so will help you to identify the perfect candidate, one who is experienced, skilled, and legally certified.
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