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6 Questions to Ask a Plumber Before Hiring Them
When your Garland, TX area household needs professional plumbing services, selecting the right plumber is imperative. If you don’t make an effort to select a qualified, reliable plumbing company, you could get stuck with someone unprofessional or inexperienced. And since the health of your plumbing system is so integral to the functionality of your home, the last thing you want is to hire an unqualified plumber. There are several ways to ensure that you select the right plumber for the project you require.
For example, you can ask your friends and family member for recommendations and check the customer reviews for different plumbing companies. You should also have any prospective plumbers come out to your home and provide you with a free estimate for the job. Once you’ve found a plumbing professional who you’re interested in hiring, you’d be wise to ask them a few questions about their experience and the specific service.
1. Are They Licensed and Certified?
Before you even think about agreeing to work with a plumber, you need to ensure that they’re licensed and certified. If they are, they should have no problem answering the question and showing you their documentation. When plumbing professionals are licensed and certified, that demonstrates that they at least have the minimum amount of training and experience to earn those achievements. It doesn’t prove that they’re exceptional plumbers, but you’ll at least know that they know what they’re doing.
If a plumber you’re consulting with is missing their license or certification, that should be all you need to know to determine that you shouldn’t work with them. Working with unlicensed plumbers is not only risky for the health of your plumbing system, but it’s also risky for the overall safety of your home.
2. Do They Have Insurance?
It’s also extremely important to verify that any plumber you’re considering hiring is insured. And in addition to ensuring that they have insurance, it’s worth making sure that the coverage they have is adequate. Even with qualified professionals, there’s always the possibility of something going wrong when it comes to significant plumbing repairs and installations.
For example, if a mistake is made leading to a burst pipe with major flooding and water damage, it’s going to be expensive to thoroughly restore everything. But as long as the plumbers are sufficiently insured, you won’t need to worry about getting stuck with those giant bills. Insurance policies can be complicated if you don’t know much about them, so make sure to have the plumbing company explain their coverage in detail.
3. What Does the Estimate Include?
When you have a plumbing company give you an upfront estimate for a household project, it’s imperative that you have a complete understanding of the proposal. During an estimate, someone from the team will come out to your home, consult with you about the job, and inspect the necessary parts of your plumbing system. Once they have a comprehensive idea of what you need, they’ll present you with an estimate for the price of the service. At that point, you should ask them for specific information about what’s included in the estimate.
For example, you will want to know in advance if any hidden costs aren’t included. If you’re attempting to decide between multiple plumbing companies, knowing the exact amount each company will charge is crucial information to have.
4. Do They Have Experience With Similar Projects?
Household plumbing systems are fairly complex, and every home is designed differently. And when you’re having a major repair or installation job done, your best bet is always to hire plumbers who have relevant experience. At the very least, you should make sure they have a familiarity with the work you need and a plan for how to approach the task.
If you’d prefer, you can also ask them to give you a straightforward breakdown of how they will handle the project. This not only gives you the chance to learn about what’s being done in your home, but it also shows you that the plumber is confident in their approach.
5. Does the Company Offer Warranties?
Receiving a quality warranty is very important when you’re having any significant contracting work done on your home. Essentially, a good warranty serves as your insurance policy for the plumbing company’s work. For example, if a plumber installs a new water heater for you and it breaks down six months later, you shouldn’t be stuck spending hundreds of dollars on a repair. And if you have a one or two-year warranty on the water heater, the plumbing company that installed it will be obligated to repair it for you free of charge.
The majority of reputable plumbing companies will offer warranties for parts and labor and stand by the work they do. However, you should always confirm this before agreeing to hire a plumber for any significant job. Of course, you’ll always hope that you never need to utilize your warranty, but having one is a massive safety net.
6. How Long Will the Job Take?
Finally, you should make sure to ask any plumber you’re considering how long they anticipate the project taking to complete. For one thing, this can help you keep your schedule in line and stay in the loop during the work. And for some plumbing projects, you and your family may need to temporarily vacate some areas of the home or even the entire household. So, if that’s the case, you’ll certainly want to know when the job will be finished.
Additionally, if you’re still choosing between two or three plumbing companies, finding out which plumber will finish the task the quickest may serve as a tiebreaker of sorts. If a plumber isn’t able to give you a decent estimate in advance of the job, that may be a red flag. If they have experience working on similar projects, they should have a pretty good idea of how long it will take.
It’s Always Worth Vetting Your Plumbers
When you need professional plumbing work, you might be tempted to simply choose the first plumber you find after a quick online search. However, it’s always worth putting in the time and effort to find the best possible plumbing company for the job. The health of your plumbing system isn’t something you should take for granted, and saving a bit of time in the short term is not worth the money and frustration it could cost you in the long run.
Since 1981, our team at On Time Experts has been faithfully serving the greater Garland area. You can always count on us for reliable plumbing services, and we can also assist with your heating, air conditioning, duct cleaning, and indoor air quality needs. We stand by our work, and if you’re not entirely satisfied with your service, you won’t have to pay a dime. Give us a call at On Time Experts today if you’d like to schedule an appointment!
