Image of young caucasian plumber man in uniform holding bag with equipment and clipboard while working in apartment
Whether it’s an emergency you need to be dealt with right away or shopping around for a plumbing professional to handle an upgrade or installation you have planned, a plumber can do things in your home or business that most people can’t. Even general contractors have their limits and need to call in these specialists sometimes. Knowing how to find a good, honest plumber is crucial to entrust the pipes of your place to the right hands.
Verify Their Credentials
The first thing you can do is verify any credentials they have. Make sure they’ve been operating in your area for a number of years with a permanent address and won’t just take a deposit and disappear. Look them up in any local or state databases that regulate certain professions. Also, look for complaints leveled against them through the Better Business Bureau or other industry watchdogs. Some complaints might be expected, but successful resolutions are good things to see.
Check Online Reviews
Check for consumer reviews and ratings. These are often done on a five-star scale. See who has the highest average ratings, but also consider who has the most ratings. It’s rare to see someone average a perfect rating after hundreds or thousands of reviews, but the quantity says something good, too. So look for a good balance between the number of reviews and overall rating. If they only have two reviews it may not be as reliable as thousands of reviews. Even if the overall rating is high.
Get Multiple Quotes
Shopping around directly always helps. If you find a handful of plumbers whose backgrounds and reviews look good, start contacting them for actual quotes. Let the plumber know the actual work that you need to be done, and see what they can do for you. Some of the better ones might refuse to do a specific quote until they come out and actually look over the building or home where they will do the work. That’s often a good sign of a genuine professional who doesn’t want to give you an inaccurate quote.
Go With Your Gut
At some point, you just have to trust your own instincts. Once you’ve looked into three to five plumbers on your own, you should have a good idea of who is actually capable and charging appropriately for their services and who isn’t. So make the decision and stick with it. Switching plumbers in the middle of a job is a great way to waste money.
Once you do find a good, honest plumber, be sure to keep their contact information. Hopefully, you won’t need a plumber all that often. Yet, if you find one you trust, be sure you know how to get them again the next time you need the services of such a professional. And why not help them out too? Leaving a good review will help them secure even more jobs in the future.
