Although it’s probably not something you give much thought to when things are running smoothly, the fact remains that you’re probably going to need the help of a plumber at some point along the road. An emergency can strike at any time and you want to have a few tools at your disposal to help you find the right person for the job as quickly and efficiently as possible.
1. Don’t overlook accreditations and certifications
The first and most basic thing you can do to make sure you’re going to get quality service when choosing a plumber is to ask to see their accreditations and certifications. Within the world of plumbing there is a fairly large range of qualifications and the various certifications will determine the work they are able to carry out. Unfortunately, some people try to get around the training process and start working prematurely. Luckily, you can avoid employing one of these people by making sure that the person you contact has a clear mark that identifies them as a tradesperson and that they are legitimate and are able to carry out the required plumbing work.
2. Ask about insurance
If you are dealing with a registered professional, they should come equipped with a reasonable amount of insurance to accompany their work. Regardless of how carefully they approach their work, unexpected problems do crop up and you want to make sure you are covered. If you’re working with someone who doesn’t have insurance, you’ll be stressed out the entire time and could end up incurring a lot more damage in the long run.
3. Ask about availability
Once you know you’re going to be safeguarded in the event that something goes wrong, it is important to figure out whether or not this plumber is going to be available for you when you need them. Plumbers are generally called once a state of emergency is already under way, so you likely want to find someone who responds to emergencies 24 hours a day. Knowing their response time can also be a crucial deciding factor. If a pipe bursts, you can’t wait 8 hours for someone to show up.
4. Ask about a guarantee
As plumbing is a customer service based profession, you want to make sure you’re dealing with someone who takes this customer service promise seriously. A good sign of a reliable and trustworthy company is the content of their customer charter. In being able to clearly identify and lay out the kind of commitment they are willing to make to the people they serve, you will be an idea of the kind of company they are more generally speaking. For more information, you may want to consult with Drain Rescue for their resources and insights.
5. Look into online presence
A helpful and well thought out website is a sign of someone who takes him or herself and their professional responsibility seriously. They might even have invested the time and resources to create blog posts containing useful tips and information that can empower their potential customers to avoid problems before they arise.
You also want to evaluate the kind of responses and reviews they are getting from the online community. If you spend some time combing through reviews and they are widely positive, you can likely rest assured that you’ve found yourself someone reliable.
6. Ask about rates
Although the cheapest option isn’t always necessarily the best deciding factor, you definitely want to go with a company that is upfront and transparent about their rates. If they’re not clear about the pricing in advance, you can end up dealing with a lot of frustration later on. You can also protect yourself by asking for a written quote once you’ve gotten a spoken confirmation of the what the work is going to cost you.
