Top 10 Questions People Ask Their Plumber

When it comes to having someone inside your home, you need to make sure to ask plenty of questions first. Many people have been taken advantage of because they were too afraid to ask questions and found out the hard way about their reputation.

When it comes to your home, find out all you can upfront. Here are the top 10 questions that plumbers are often asked before they are hired.

There is no law that says you have to be licensed to go into people’s homes and work on their plumbing. While technically you are supposed to be licensed, there are many companies that operate illegally.

Asking if they carry a license is perfectly acceptable. Remember, if they mess it up you will have to call in a reputable company to fix it. Always ask for their license and make sure they are qualified and trained.

While this may seem like a silly question to ask, if one of their workers is at your home and gets hurt; it can be a matter of who’s paying for the claim. It can be your home owner’s insurance that may have to pick up the tab if they are not properly insured. Don’t put yourself in that position, they need to insure their employees.

If they are doing work in your home that totals more than $500, they need to be bonded. Being bonded is just another policy that protects you should they damage something in your home. Also, if something comes up missing or there is another issue, being bonded will help you out and ensures your protection.

Before having any work done on your home’s plumbing system, make sure to get an estimate in writing. Most contractors will do an estimate for free, but you need to make sure what their policy is before you use their services. The estimate is your legal backing that you won’t have to pay more than what they originally wrote, regardless of how much they spend.

Some plumbers will charge an hourly fee, while others charge a flat rate charge for their work. You need to know up front how their billing system works. However, if you have an estimate in hand, this should offer you some protection.

Plumbers are on call 24/7 due to the fact that an emergency can happen at any time.

However, most charge a service fee for being required to come out after hours. This fee can be anywhere from $100 to $200 extra dollars. Be sure to know the cost for an emergency service fee up-front. Most plumbing problems can wait till morning. If you don’t need someone right now, save yourself the money and call the next day.

When you are dealing with the plumbing system, it is very costly to have repairs made. You need to find out if the company has any sort of guarantee on their work. Do they offer you a warranty for a certain amount of time? Never let anyone work on your home that doesn’t offer some sort of safeguard. Better yet, make sure to get that warranty in writing.

Don’t be afraid to ask for references. If a company won’t eagerly hand you over some reputable customers, then move on and do business elsewhere.

Checking the internet is also a good source to find out information about their past experiences. Thanks to the power of the internet, it’s easy to steer clear of those who don’t uphold honest business practices and do great work.

A company that has a website means that they have put down roots in a community. Because companies can blow in and out of town quickly, you want someone who has been around for a while. A website can answer many of your questions and help you make wise decisions about your plumbing services.

If you are faced with an emergency, you want to know how quick the Kirkland area plumber can get to your home. If you have a tight schedule with work and such, make sure they have evening or weekend hours.

Unless you have water spewing across the home, you can probably put off an emergency call. Not all plumbers are willing to work around schedules that don’t include a 9-5 pm without an emergency charge. Find a reputable plumber that works keeping the customer’s needs in mind.

While some people may have a hard time asking some of these questions, it’s only to protect your home and your plumbing system. If a plumber doesn’t easily answer your inquiries, move on to the next one.