How to Find and Hire a Plumber
Most people only need to hire a plumber when they have a problem or they need to have some work done on their house. This means that you don't necessarily have a lot of time to spend on finding a good plumber. But even if the situation is a plumbing emergency, this does not mean that you have to accept the first offer that comes along, or the first plumber who answers your call.
If you can get a plumber recommendation from a friend or family member, that is truly the best way to go. Even so, plumbers often have busy schedules and may not be available right away.
So if your bathroom is quickly becoming wet enough to start manning the lifeboats after your toddler flushed six toy cars down the toilet, you need to sit down with the phone book and find a plumber fast! Here are some questions that will help you narrow down your choices and give you a better chance at getting a great plumber.
The first thing to ask is if the plumber is licensed. Some states require this, others do not. However, a licensed plumber generally has more experience and training than an unlicensed one. Ask for the license number just in case.
You also need to find out whether or not they are insured. This is protection for you and the plumber. This means that if the plumber somehow makes your problem worse (and this happens often enough), you will not have to pay for the additional repairs out of your own pocket. The plumber's insurance will pay for the additional repairs.
Ask about how the plumber charges for the work. Some plumbers will give you an initial estimate for labor and parts. Make sure that you get this in writing! However, if the plumber finds out that it will take him longer than expected or the problem is more serious, you will end up paying more regardless. Find out how the process goes and tell them you want to be consulted before they any fees are added to the initial estimate.
Find out if the plumber has had specific experience with your type of problem. Some plumbers have a lot of experience with clogged drains but not with frozen pipes, and so on. If you can find a plumber who has experience with your particular problem, the chances of it getting fixed correctly and quickly are much higher.
A final thing that most people forget is to ask the plumber about what caused the problem to begin with. You must discuss any preventative measures you can take to keep it from happening again. Many plumbers are highly knowledgeable the issues but do not volunteer the information to save themselves time. If you don’t ask you don’t get. Knowing about preventative maintenance can save you lots of money in the future.