Every household requires the services of a plumber every now and then – be it for basic stuff or for emergency situations. Less-than-ideal plumbing jobs can lead to recurring problems. Such poor jobs can also cause damage to the pipes and fixtures in your house. So, ensure that you hire the right plumber from the get-go. Asking some questions can help you select the right one.
Here is a checklist of recommended questions to ask a plumber.
Are you licensed?
The plumber you hire must have a valid license to provide services in your location. Plumbers require taking tests to obtain their business licenses. They also need to renew their licenses every year or every few years (depending on the location). So, they are always up-to-date with new plumbing tools and techniques. Licensed plumbers are really qualified to provide their services.
So, do not neglect to ask this question before hiring a plumber.
Professional plumbers also list their license number on their websites. So, you can confirm it by visiting the websites of various plumbers in your area. A simple online search will generate links to plumbers’ websites. Just use the keywords with your location; such as plumbers in Anaheim and plumbers in Pomona.
What is your experience for a specific job (specify it)?
Plumbing is more than unclogging a drain and fixing a leaky faucet. So, ask about their experience in offering the service that you need.
For instance, perhaps you need help with a flooded basement. Tackling it can be a big job. The plumber will need to assess the water damage and work efficiently to fix the problem. It can even take a few days or more to fix a flooded basement depending on the damage. A poor job can cause more damage to your basement.
So, ask the plumbers about their experience in handling a flooded basement. Do not only rely on their overall industry experience.
What is your response time?
Plumbing repairs require immediate attention. Only a few jobs can be tackled with a waiting period of a day or two. So, it is best to hire a plumber who responds quickly to your queries and promptly arrives for the job, if hired.
Do not just call and hire the plumber for whatever plumbing service you need. Ask them to specify a time period for it.
What will it cost me to hire you?
You won’t find rates for each service listed on any plumber’s website. Each job is different and may require specific solutions to resolve them. For instance, a leaky faucet can be due to a damaged washer or any other broken component. So, until the plumbers know the details of the problem, they may not be able to offer you a confirmed price.
They may, however, be able to provide you with an estimate. But once the plumber has inspected the problem, ensure that you ask about the final cost for the job.
Does the cost include both material and labor charges?
Yes, definitely confirm this by asking the right question. A plumber may only tell you the labor charges but the final cost may be higher due to the cost of the materials included in it.
You wouldn’t want any surprises in terms of the cost after the job is complete now, would you? So, don’t be shy with your inquiry and ask the question to the plumber you wish to hire.
Do you require upfront payment for some amount quoted for the job?
It is a very important question to ask especially if you need to hire a plumber for a big job. For smaller jobs, you will be expected to pay once the job is complete. Usually, smaller jobs do not require more than an hour to complete.
Big jobs may be completed in days or weeks. For such jobs, you may be asked to pay some of the cost upfront and the rest once the work is complete. For really extensive undertakings, you may be required to pay at each stage of the job as and when it is complete.
Information about the payment details can put you at ease. You can then accordingly hire the plumber that suits your requirements and budget.
