It’s an unfortunate truth about the plumbing industry, but a lot of homeowners have been scammed at least once by professional plumbers. This is because it’s extremely difficult for regular folks to understand the intricate details of their plumbing systems, and some shady actors will take advantage of this naïveté.
But the good news is that there are also plenty of high-quality, reputable plumbing companies out there that are just waiting for your call. But when you live in a big city, it’s really difficult to compare and contrast your countless options from one another.
That’s why we’ve developed this list of things that homeowners should be on the lookout for while they’re looking to hire residential plumbing companies. By going through this list of tips, you’ll know what makes certain plumbers stand out from their competition!
Online Ratings & Reviews
What’s great about today’s plumbing industry is that the Internet is doing a great job at holding shady contractors accountable for their actions, and it’s simultaneously helping homeowners know when other plumbing companies are doing a great job at other households.
So you should make the most of the Web and thoroughly vet prospective plumbing companies via reading their many online ratings and reviews. There’s a lot you can learn from sites like Yelp, Google, HomeAdvisor and many others, because this is where past clients are posting their opinions about plumbers.
So don’t just read a completely biased website page and decide a plumbing company is right for you, because online ratings and reviews are an objective way to learn more about what it’s like to work with any specific plumber!
Certifications, Insurance & Licenses
Once you’ve created a vetted shortlist of prospective plumbing companies, you’ll then need to further vet these businesses by asking for proof of insurance, licenses and industry certifications. A lot of times a plumbing company will display this type of information on their website, but if they don’t, you should call them and ask for more details.
You don’t want to get caught with your pants down when a disaster strikes on your property with an uninsured plumber, so it’s simply not worth the liability risk to work with these types of underinsured or uninsured industry professionals.
This is why industry certifications, insurance and licenses are true prerequisites for any homeowner’s hiring decision!
24-Hour Emergency Plumbing Services
Plumbing issues don’t always happen at convenient hours when professionals can show up on a whim, and a lot of plumbing emergencies tend to happen during the nighttime hours when homeowners can really be put in a tight spot.
This is why it’s typically best to only work with plumbing companies that provide 24-hour emergency services. Even if you don’t need emergency services, you should still highly value the plumbers who are willing to show up for their customers when they’re needed most. This shows that they’re committed to their business and their valued customers, which is a very positive sign to consider when you’re comparing two or more companies from one another!
Estimates & Inspections
Once you’re ready to receive an estimate from a plumbing company, you should first understand that they shouldn’t be willing to provide too many concrete details over the phone. Every reputable plumber will need to see what you’re going through firsthand before providing any accurate estimates, and over-the-phone estimates are often red flags that shady plumbers will do to get their feet in your door (to then only raise their prices when they’re your most convenient option).
A good tip to keep in mind is researching average costs of the services you require, and then comparing those average costs to the estimates you’re provided with.
State-Of-The-Art Equipment & Tools
Be sure to take a quick look at the tools and equipment certain plumbing companies utilize, because it does speak volumes about the quality of services they’ll be able to provide. It’s never a good sign when a plumber shows up with decrepit-looking gear, because it shows they don’t value themselves as much as they probably should.
So it’s always best to work with plumbing companies that pride themselves upon the tools and equipment they provide, and these businesses will likely be more than willing to give you details about their state-of-the-art gear prior to showing up to your house!
Contact The Plumbing Specialists At Yoder Plumbing When You’re Looking For Plumbing Companies In Your Local Area!
There are a lot of details that homeowners need to consider when they’re in the process of comparing plumbing companies throughout their local area, and the above tips are a great starting point when you’re undergoing this hiring routine.
You can learn more plumber hiring tips by going through the link at the top of the page to the Yoder Plumbing website and speaking directly with their esteemed specialists!
