It is important that you carry out plumbing maintenance at regular intervals to avoid yourself the potential mess that a plumbing fault can invite to your property, not to mention financial damage that comes with it. Plumbing work, be it maintenance, repair work, or any renovation work, is best left in the able hands of professionals. There are myriad things that can go wrong when trying to go the DIY route when it comes to plumbing works.
The lack of adequate knowledge, professional tools, and a number of other restrictions dictate that you hire a professional plumber when met with any plumbing related problem around the house. This brings us to the important question of ensuring that you hire the right plumbing professional for your plumbing needs. Therefore, we have put together some of the most useful tips that will assist you in hiring professional plumbing services for your plumbing needs.
Deciding On a Plumbing Plan
Before you even start looking for a plumber, it is wise that you chalk out a basic plumbing plan. So, start off by understanding your plumbing needs first, everything else will follow this basic step.
Check for the Required Documents and Certifications
Hiring a ‘professional’ who is not certified is the worst mistake you can make when acquiring plumbing services. This effectively kills the whole purpose of hiring a professional as you are giving the job of plumbing works around your house to someone who is not well versed with the industry standards. Assuming that every plumber out there up for hire is certified is being too optimistic. Therefore, it should be the first thing on your checklist when looking to hire professional plumbing services. Ask for the certification documents upfront and even counter check them with the local plumbing authorities if possible. Next up, ensure the plumbing service provider has an insurance cover. This should protect you against any incident on the job.
Consult Friends and Family
Having the required documentations, such as licenses or insurance cover may not always guarantee impeccable quality of work. Therefore, asking around in your neighborhood can come in handy. Your neighbors might have recently or at some point got some plumbing renovations done, and they can tell you which professional plumbing services they hired and whether they did a good job or not. You can talk to people in your area and see which plumber most people recommend. The true credentials of a plumber are established through the word of mouth and referrals.
Ensure That the Plumbers Have Enough Experience
Practical work experience is essential in determining the quality of plumbing services that you’re acquiring. The quality of expected service and the years of experience are directly related. Experience in the job is especially important if you are looking to hire plumbing services for complex and sensitive plumbing tasks such as working with electric heater water pumps. The lack of experience of a professional plumber in this case can jeopardize your safety or that of your household by exposing you to a risk of electrocution in the shower.
Inquire about their Services
Regardless of the kind of plumbing work the plumber will be engaged at your property, it is advisable to ensure that it is backed by warranty. Whether it is major renovation and fixture installations or simple maintenance work, a warranty covering the work and the materials used is advisable. If the plumber suggests otherwise or fails to provide warranties for a considerable time period, it is a good idea to look for alternatives.
Pricing
The pricing mechanism used by the plumber to determine the prices for the plumbing services often separates a quality plumbing service provider from a low quality one. As a rule of thumb, avoid dealing with plumbers that require that you pay the full fees upfront. Chances are that it is just a tactic to cover themselves in case they end up doing a sloppy job. Often, plumbing services that charge by the milestones are the ones that provide best results. Besides, this gives you more control in the situation as you pay only for the work that has been done and that you’re satisfied with. You can even go for a professional plumbing service that charges by the hour.
Contract Terms
When hiring the services of a plumber, it is important that you have some security against any losses or damages to your property at the hands of a plumber. Plumbing can be extremely complex work that requires dealing with delicate stuff that can easily break. It is advisable that you seek a professional plumbing service that is willing to take responsibility of any and every such damage to your property that they might cause. Have that written out in a contract and avoid the plumbers offering verbal assurances and promises to replace any damaged items.
Hiring professional plumbing services is almost unavoidable for any house owner. The aforementioned tips will come in extremely handy when you go down that path for any of your plumbing needs. If you need any help with pressure regulation, detecting leaks or any other plumbing related issues around your house, try our dedicated plumbing services to take care of all your plumbing needs.