5 Mistakes to Avoid When Hiring a Plumbing Company

Have you been noticing that your tap’s been dripping, no matter how tight you close it? Or maybe you’ve been seeing your sink look like it’s been draining a lot rather slowly. Has your shower drain been getting clogged over and over again?

If you’ve familiarized yourself with the scenarios above, you definitely need to call for plumbing services. While these are only some of the most common plumbing issues that homeowners frequently deal with, it can get pretty worse – and very expensive – when left unchecked. You might think these are all easy to fix, with just a wrench in hand and some determination, but it’s best you leave it to the professionals. 

Which brings us to this question: What are the common mistakes homeowners make when it’s time to hire a plumbing company? There’s always room for error, but your home’s entire plumbing system can greatly affect everything in your house.

Read on to see the 5 mistakes to avoid when hiring a plumbing company.

• Settling for the Price

There’s no problem at all with setting a budget for the repair you need to be done, but the truth is that whenever you pick the cheapest or rush into the most available option, you’re risking getting poor plumbing services that will only lead to more repairs in the long run.

While the cheapest options may not exactly be the best ones, so are the most expensive either. Expensive services don’t necessarily translate to efficient service. So how exactly do you go about this issue? 

Our advice, you can keep your budget in mind, for sure, but don’t think of the price as the end-all-be-all factor in choosing a plumbing company. What you can do instead is to check whether they’ve kept a good reputation since being in business, and then check the prices if it matches your budget.

If anything, keep your family’s comfort and safety in mind, so only hire a respectable professional plumber. This leads us to the second mistake below.

• Not Checking the Plumber’s and Plumbing Company’s License

Some homeowners dive right into a project agreement right away after seeing a plumber’s years of experience without considering their licenses and registration. That just might be the most overlooked thing when it comes to hiring a plumbing company.

We know it can be taxing to check on the plumbing company’s credibility – besides, laws differ in each state, meaning so do the laws that every plumber is obliged to abide by. But we strongly advise you to ask for proof of valid license while you’re looking for one to hire. And while we’re on this topic, it’s also just as important to check that the business that the plumber works for is registered as well.

• Not Asking for References

Another frequently neglected part of the hiring process for a plumber is the reference list. We strongly urge homeowners to go ahead and ask one from one of your potential plumbers. Clients often forget about the reference list, which is actually a considerably important aspect when hiring a plumber.

Why is a reference list so important? It serves as an unbiased trove of information when it comes to the plumber or plumbing company’s previous performances, customer service, and general reputation in the local plumbing community.

If a plumbing company is recommended by a friend or neighbor, don’t just take their word for it. As bad as it sounds, they might just be trying to do someone a favor. Go ahead and ask for a reference list. In fact, a credible plumbing company won’t have to think twice about presenting one in the first place. If they have a website, you can go ahead and check that as well, or read reviews on Yelp or Google. This simple thing might just save you so much money and trouble.

• Not Getting a Contract for the Plumbing Project

One of the worst mistakes homeowners could do is to get into a plumbing project arrangement without a contract. And quite unsurprisingly, it’s more common than we think.

Do not rely solely on the plumbing company’s assurances; instead, get everything in writing. This includes the price, and the time frame for completion agreed upon by both parties. Even every minor aspect of the job should be documented. Because they made a positive initial impression on you, you wouldn’t want to end up working with a shady plumber.

This contract, will keep the plumber on task and keep you protected during such a time when something unlikely happens – which, frankly, is inevitable. Another thing that you should keep in mind for the contract is their refund policy. This will save you from substandard work.

• Not Asking About Insurance

Finally, one of the things that homeowners tend to overlook is the plumbing contractor’s insurance that will cover the cost of accidental damages to your property during their line of work with you.

Meanwhile, plumbing companies are mandated to provide their employer’s compensation insurance such that an accident happens to a plumber and they end up sustaining an injury while working for you.

Conclusion

It takes time and effort but double-checking a plumbing contractor and a plumbing company’s credibility is an essential key to ensuring you only get nothing but the service you deserve. Doing so also means saving money from future plumbing issues. So those are the 5 mistakes you should avoid when hiring a plumbing company.