11 Things to Consider When Hiring a Professional Plumbing Service

Plumbing issues and emergencies happen.

One minute you are having a normal day and suddenly, you might be dealing with a rapidly flooding bathroom — we feel you. 

But a sudden plumbing emergency is not a cause for panic. If anything, it is an opportunity to find a reliable plumber who can deal with all your plumbing needs going forward. 

Do you know the factors you need to consider when hiring a professional plumbing service?

No? Well, let’s take a quick look at 11 things to consider before hiring a plumber.

#1 Credentials and Qualifications

If you search online for plumbers, you're bound to find a large list of options. But before you click on any of these options, you need to take a look at their credentials and qualifications.

You will find many plumbing businesses making huge claims, but the only way to assess whether they are actually good is to check their qualifications. Ensure that the plumbing business employs plumbers with adequate certifications and experience dealing with the issue that you have.

Once you decide on a plumbing service, feel free to ask the plumber to show their valid licence. 

#2 Experience

An amateur is still an amateur, no matter how well they sell their skills. You do not want to end up with more expenses than you initially budgeted for. An experienced plumbing professional can not only ensure that your problem is fixed, but also that you do not spend more than you absolutely need to.

Going through the reviews and recommendations for a plumbing service is a great place to get insights on this. You can also enquire directly about the experience that a specific plumbing business has in dealing with your issue.

Remember, a novice plumber might be able to solve the problem, but an experienced plumber will do that as well as help you save a lot of time and money. So, if you are looking for someone to do re-piping in your house, you want to check whether they have done it before and how successful they were at it.

#3 Professionalism

It is not uncommon for people to have unpleasant or negative experiences while dealing with handymen, such as plumbers or electricians. So, it would be completely understandable, and even advisable for you to double-check how professional the plumber you choose is.

You want your plumber to be patient, polite and empathetic, and that's fair! 

After all, you might be spending hours if not days together while your plumbing issue is being resolved. You would ideally want a plumbing professional who takes a proactive approach, does not procrastinate, and gives you positive recommendations and suggestions.

#4 Costs

Regardless of the magnitude of the plumbing problem you have at hand, you want to find a solution that is pocket friendly. Plumbing expenses can often be recurring, and you don't want to spend more than you have to.

Once the plumber examines your plumbing, they should be able to give you an estimate of the costs you would incur to fix the issue. An experienced plumbing professional will be able to provide you with an estimate without charging for the initial assessment.

Alternatively, you can also seek an estimate via call or email by describing your issue to the plumber, but this is considered risky, as the actual assessment may reveal different issues and requirements. 

A good plumbing business will physically assess the scope of the job, identify the materials required for the work, and offer you an accurate estimate of your final costs. It is also important to ask whether the plumbing business charges you a flat rate or on an hourly basis.

#5 Guarantees and Warranty

Plumbing — no matter how small or big your repair — can get quite complicated and messy. More often than not, your plumber will get everything right and fix your problem for good. But it is always a great idea to understand what kind of guarantee or warranty they offer.

Most professional plumbing businesses will offer you a guarantee on their services, as well as a warranty on any new parts that they install in the process. Reputable plumbers will also provide a guarantee of the quality of their workmanship. So, if you are dissatisfied with the service, you could claim a full or partial refund.

#6 Client Reviews and Recommendations

Word of mouth is powerful — and for good reason!

Even in today’s age of browsing and online comparisons, reviews and recommendations outweigh most other forms of marketing. If you are new to the area, asking your workmates or neighbours for recommendations may be a good idea.

Did you know that over 93% of consumers admitted that online reviews had a great impact on their buying decisions?

If you have almost decided to go ahead with a specific plumber or plumbing business, it is a good practice to go through the online reviews and ratings they have received. You can refer to their Google Business Profile, or their listings on specific directories to see what other customers are saying about their service quality.

#7 Background Checks

The next aspect that you need to consider while hiring a professional plumbing service is a thorough background check. We would like to believe in a world where everything goes well, and there is no such thing as a negative experience, but the reality is so much different.

When you are hiring an independent plumbing professional, the onus of running a background check falls on you. Ask the professional to supplement you with references or contacts of prior clients to aid your decision-making process. A seasoned professional would be happy to do so. But if they don’t, move on and consider another professional.  

When you choose an established plumbing company, they will generally vet any contractor or employee they take on to ensure they are professional and have a good track record. So, even if you’re hiring a plumber for something as trivial as fixing your hot water system, all you need to do is double-check with the company that they have run a proper background check on their employees. You can then hire a professional without any hesitation!

After all of this, if you still end up having a bad experience with a professional associated with a plumbing business, you can rightfully hold the business accountable.

#8 Location

We can't stress enough how important it is to find a plumbing service that is in the same location as you. For one, you will have more control over your plumbing needs, and you can pay them a quick visit to check the legitimacy of the plumbing service.

Some plumbing companies claim to service many locations but provide fewer services or outsource their services in some suburbs. Ensure that the service you need is actually provided by the plumbing company in your location to save a lot of time down the road.

If something goes wrong with your plumbing services and repairs, having a plumber close to your location ensures that they can get there on time and deal with the issue quickly and effectively.

#9 Response to Emergency

When it comes to plumbing, emergencies are inevitable. There is not much you can do if you end up with a clogged toilet that can’t be fixed by plunging, or if your sewer system starts leaking and fills your property with an unbearable foul smell.

All you can do in such a situation is contact the plumber and hope they get there soon to deal with the issue. This is why you need to assess how well a plumbing service responds to an emergency.

Delays in such situations can mean that you may have to stay in an unsanitary environment — which can be a nightmare in a residential or commercial property. You need to ensure that you are hiring a plumber that understands the gravity of the situation and can arrive at your property as soon as possible.

While responses to emergencies can vary, most professional plumbing services will offer you a 24x7 availability for emergencies.

#10 Quote Comparison

We are pretty sure that you already know this, but before hiring a professional plumbing service, do not just blindly go with the first option you find.

In today’s age, we analyse and compare quotes from multiple websites before we even buy a mobile phone. Hiring a plumbing service is no less of an investment, if not more. You want to browse through multiple professional plumbing websites and shortlist a few that have great reviews and experience.

Then, have these plumbing services inspect your plumbing issue physically so that you can get a quote. Once you have multiple quotes, you can finally settle on a service that balances pricing and professionalism.

#11 Large Company vs Independent Contractor

After considering all of these factors, you might still be wondering whether you should go with a large professional plumbing company or an independent contractor

For most points, we have outlined what each option can offer you, but you may still be undecided. 

For commercial plumbing requirements, procrastinating might cost you a lot more, so you want to have a professional plumbing service on call, most likely an established, trusted company. For residential plumbing issues, an independent contractor might be well-equipped to handle smaller projects, but for bigger projects that might require a lot of resources, a professional plumbing company will prove to be more reliable.

Conclusion

There you have it — a list of factors that you should keep in mind while hiring a professional plumbing service for your residential or commercial property. Keeping these in mind will help you make the right choice and save you a lot of time, money, and stress down the road.

Feel free to contact us at All Needs Plumbing for all of your plumbing needs in St George and Sutherland Shire. We can have one of our experts assess the problem and draw up the best quote for you!