Things to Consider Before Hiring a Plumbing Contractor

Why do you need a plumbing contractor?

When you have water where there isn’t supposed to be water, it is time to contact a plumbing contractor. Googling “local plumber” leads to numerous results, so how do you pair down your list to the plumber that you need to contact? We’ll explore some of the factors that you will need to consider before calling a plumber.
plumber at work in a bathroom, plumbing repair service, assemble and install concept.

Six Factors to Consider

One of the biggest mistakes that customers make is to only ask about the price the plumber will charge. There are several other factors to consider and questions to ask of your plumber before hiring them. Here are the factors that will help you find the best plumber for your plumbing situation.

Experience:

You can’t gain experience without doing something the first time, but you don’t want your plumbing problem to be the first time your plumber has faced this issue. Ask your plumber how long they have been in business, how many times have they encountered the problem you are facing, and what is usually the result when they encounter your problem. The more often they have encountered your problem the more comfortable and confident they will be while fixing your problem. They will also do a better job, complete the task quicker, and not have to come back out and fix anything that they “fixed”.

Price:

Just because we said you shouldn’t ask first about price doesn’t mean you shouldn’t ask about price at all. Always ask for a price quote before agreeing to hire the plumber. Also, ask what the quote entails: priced by the job or by the hour and does it include all parts or just the parts they suspect they will need. When you consider the different prices you have been quoted, make sure they are equal quotes when you compare them. Just because one plumber has a lower quote doesn’t mean the final cost of repair will be the lowest. This also means that the highest quote means they will do the best work with the best quality products.

Licensing:

Ask your potential plumber if they are licensed in your state, what license they hold, what certificates they hold, and if they are part of a union of plumbers. These licenses and certificates do not mean they will be flawless, but it does mean that they are held accountable to a third party agency and that their work is endorsed by them. When you ask for their license, verify their license number. Check to see if your state requires plumbers to be licensed because not all states require a license to perform plumbing tasks. Even if your state does not require a license you can enquire to see if complaints have been filed against your potential plumber.

Insurance and Bonding:

When a plumber carries insurance it protects them and you. Accidents happen while on the job, and your property and their person should be protected. Your plumber should also be bonded to cover the cost of the job in the event the terms of the contract are not met. The potential plumber should be bonded for a minimum of $500 but should be bonded for the entire cost of the job or for the job to be redone.

References:

You will come across some groups that do not recommend asking for references from your potential hire because they will only provide references of people who will speak positively of them. If you do ask for references and they aren’t able to provide any, or are hesitant to provide references, you should be hesitant to hire the individual. You can also do your own search of the individual plumber online to see what comes back and what kind of reviews people have given them.

Warranty:

Your top plumbers will offer you a warranty without you even asking because they stand by their work, and if the work is substandard, they want to correct their mistakes and make it right. If your potential plumber doesn’t offer a warranty, you should ask them if they provide a warranty to back up their work. The warranty is not an indication or an expectation that they will perform substandard work, but a guarantee that the work that you pay for will be completed correctly, whether it be the first or second time.

If you live in the Jacksonville, FL area and need a plumber, contact us at 904.638.7979 or online to discover our experience, prices, licenses we hold, insurance we carry, warranties that we offer, and reviews that our customers have left for us over the past 70 years.