Plumbing emergencies are never fun. Unfortunately, they often strike without any warning, leaving you little time to perform some due diligence before you let a total stranger into your home. If you are navigating the throughs of a plumbing emergency for the first time, then you may be uncertain of how to hire the best plumber for the job. Perhaps you are ankle deep in water in your kitchen, and you don’t have much time to go over the pleasantries, at this point anybody will do, right? We hope you never find yourself in such a mess, which is partially why we recommend doing some research before you are faced with a major plumbing emergency. Have the number to a plumber you trust on hand before disaster strikes are one of the best ways to prepare for a plumbing emergency, and prevent further damage. Here are some tips for hiring the best plumber for the job.
Emergency Service
One of the most important things to consider when hiring the best plumber for the job is whether or not they offer 24-hour emergency service. Not all plumber emergencies have the decency to provide warning, let alone strike during regular business hours. Having the number to a plumber provides 24-hour emergency service is always a good idea.
Specialties
Another important tip for hiring the best plumber for the job is to inquire about their specialty. Some plumbers are drain cleaning specialists, while others specialize in leak detection. Hiring the best plumber for the job will involve hiring someone that has the most experience, tools, and resources to fit the job. For example; you wouldn’t go to an optometrist if you were having an issue with your foot, even though they both went to medical school, they specialize in different things.
Licensed and Insured
When hiring the best plumber for the job, you will want to inquire about what licenses they hold and if they are insured. While going the budget route and hiring someone who isn’t licensed may be tempting, just remember that you usually get what you pay for. A plumber that is licensed will have better knowledge about safety hazards, zoning issues, code violations, and more. These things are important to protect your health, public health, avoid fines from the city, and allow for sale and transfer of property. Not to mention peace of mind, knowing that if something goes wrong there is coverage.
Pricing
While many plumbers need to make a physical assessment before they give you an estimate. You can inquire about the methods they use to provide estimates. Do they use flat rate billing or do they charge hourly? Is all of their pricing upfront? While you can’t always prepare all surprises, who knows what your plumber will find when they open up the wall, having a general idea of how they charge is a good idea to help prevent sticker shock.
Guarantee
Does your plumber offer a guarantee on their work? This is an important thing to know up front. In the event that something goes wrong, knowing if your plumber will come back and take care of the mishap can offer you some reassurance.
Need a good quality plumber? Contact Courtesy Plumbing today!
