Best Time To Find A Plumber

The best time to choose a plumber is before you need one. There are reliable and unreliable plumbers. Finding a qualified plumber requires research and comparison shopping. Doing your research ahead of time will protect and save you money.

The first step in finding a good plumber is to ask family and friends for recommendations of professionals they’ve hired in the past. Many cities also provide a list of recommended, licensed plumbers who are familiar with the plumbing codes in your area.

Another way is to go through the phone book or online and call plumbers as if you had an emergency. See which one answers the phone personally, who calls you back, and how long you have to wait to have your call returned. This will eliminate a number of plumbers.

It is important to keep in mind that there are two different types of plumbers, those who handle repairs and those who specialize in new construction and remodeling. Repair plumbers should be called in for such jobs as clogged sinks, leaky faucets or emergency situations. The second type of plumber works on larger projects like replacing failed plumbing throughout the home or plumbing a home during construction. Ask the plumber what his specialty is to help determine if this is the right plumber for your needs.

Here are some questions to ask that will help you decide which of these plumbers should be added to your contact list:

 Are you a licensed plumber?

 How long have you been a plumber?

 Are all of your service technicians licensed plumbers?

 Are you properly insured?

 Do you belong to a better business bureau?

 How do you charge for your services, do you have an hourly rate and do you apply a trip charge?

 Do you provide evening, weekend and holiday service?

 Do you charge overtime rates, and if so, when do they go into effect?

 Do you offer 24-hour emergency service?

 Are your vehicles fully stocked and do they include emergency repair items?

 What is your normal response time to an emergency problem?

 Do you have a website? Good plumbers will have a website.

 Does your company do drain cleaning?

 Can you estimate how long this job/project will take?

 Do you offer a written guarantee?

 Can you provide me 5 recent client references?

It is important that you don't over interrogate. Once you have eliminated the plumbers you are not comfortable with, create a list of three plumbers that appear to be customer service oriented in a priority order, that way you have multiple options in an emergency. 

Here are interview questions to ask of the plumber supplied references:

 Were you happy with the project?

 Was the job completed on time?

 Were there any unexpected expenses?

 Would you use this plumber again?

 Would you recommend this plumber?

Hiring a plumber does not have to be a stressful experience if you simply do your research and take a little time. It is not a decision you should rush into. Good luck.