Five Things You Need To Know When Hiring A Plumber
Knowing what to ask when you hire a
plumber will save you time
and money in the long run. Do yourself an enormous favor and start a
relationship with a good plumber before an emergency strikes. Having their
name and phone number on file before a pipe leaks in the middle of the
night will give you peace of mind. Likewise, knowing what plumber you’d
choose when you add on to your home or do some renovations will give you
one less thing to worry about.
Here are five important questions to ask a plumber to ensure you’re
getting the best service possible:
1). Ask about prices, but keep in mind that the cheapest plumber
isn’t always the best. Knowing what you’ll be charged ahead of time will
lessen the stress of handling an emergency. An emergency call is almost
always going to be a shock to your system because you’re paying for
driving time and emergency service charges on top of regular fees and
compensation for parts. You’ll want to know a ballpark of these fees, and
ask about regular rates and if there are any other service charges.
2) Ask if your plumber has experience with the job you need done.
This is important for two reasons. First, if you hire a plumber who is
inexperienced with what you need done, you’ll probably need to hire
another plumber to fix what the first one attempted to do. Second,
plumbers come in two basic varieties: ones that handle emergencies, and
ones that do plumbing renovations and installations. A competent family
plumber that focuses on emergencies may not be qualified to put an
addition onto your home.
3) Find out if they are licensed, insured, and state-certified.
Call to check if their license and certification are current and if there
are any filed complaints against them. Not having any complaints filed may
be good, or it may mean the unsatisfied customer hasn’t filed yet—that’s
why it’s important to check references. For insurance, your plumber should
carry at least $500,000 minimum liability insurance and have workman's
compensation. This will protect you in the event of injury.
4) Ask about getting a written estimate. If your plumber won’t give
you one, it may not be the right plumber for you. Most states protect
consumers from being charged a certain percentage above a written estimate
without signed consent from the consumer. Getting a written estimate will
ensure you won’t be surprised with a huge bill at the end of the job.
5) Ask for references. A good plumber takes pride in his or her
work, and won’t mind giving you clients’ names. Avoid plumbers that won’t
give references or don’t have any, as they may be hiding something. If you
do get a list of references, follow through with a phone call to verify
the plumber’s quality of services. Ask if the reference was satisfied with
the workmanship, price, and if there were any communication problems.
Asking these five simple questions will help you to find the
best
plumber for your needs, be it emergency services and family
plumbing, or renovations to your existing home. You’ll end up saving time,
money and headaches that can happen when hiring an incompetent plumber.
If you are looking for a Licensed Plumber for your New York home please feel free to call us today at 845-569-1299 or complete our online service request
form.
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