Plumbing

Plumbing - Even a small leaking fitting that costs less than a dollar to repair, can cost you thousands of dollars in repairs in just a few hours. With a project that detrimental to your homes well-being, it’s definitely in your best interests to find a professional plumber to fix the problem before it gets out of hand. Use these basic tips for hiring a plumber and you’ll be sure to get the best person for the job at the best price possible.

Licensing and Other Regulations

Before hiring any plumbers, it’s important to find out if they are licensed, insured, bonded and have the permitting power needed to get the job done in accordance with local, state and federal building codes. Once you have your potential plumber’s license number and insurance information, a quick call to the local building department can verify that your future plumber is legit. Your local building department can also inform you as to what permits and/or bonds may be required to start the project.

References

While licenses and insurance ensures that your plumber is legal to perform work in your area, it doesn’t mean that they will do a good job. That’s why getting at least 3-5 contactable references is such an important part of hiring any plumbing contractor. Follow up with a phone call to each past customer to find out if the plumbers did a good job, treated them right and if any problems occurred, how well they handled them. This will help you to find a qualified plumbing professional who is well experienced and has a long list of past satisfied customers.

Payments

Depending upon the project, a typical plumber charges a service charge or a trip charge to bid on the project. They also charge a minimum hourly rate for smaller jobs. Holiday, weekends and after hours plumbing repairs further add to the costs of the average plumbing repair project. Always know what charges are forthcoming before calling any plumber to your home.