How to Find a Plumber You Can Trust on a Dime
Being a mom means that you have to do a little of everything: discipline the little ones, find ways to save money, call service professionals for repairs, and somehow find a way to keep your sanity. When it comes to being frugal and your home, you know that service providers, like plumbers, will offer different rates. Some plumbers may even recommend services that you don’t need.
A few ways to avoid these headaches, save money, and have the job done right the first time is to know how to vet a plumber properly. It’s better to pay a little more for a Plumber Bristol (or wherever you are) who does a fantastic job and is trustworthy than to deal with someone who charges less, doesn’t arrive on time, or doesn’t provide the proper credentials.
I’m going to give you quick and easy guidelines to find a plumber you can trust and who will provide a great service at the right price.
1. Licensed and Insured
The credentials of your plumber demonstrate their professionalism and expertise. You don’t want to go to a random person who doesn’t have experience and have them fix your sewer. It’s one thing to fix a leaky sink, and it’s another thing to perform intense plumbing work without proper training.
You want to make sure that the plumber you choose is:
- Licensed
- Insured
You need to ask your plumber if they’re licensed, ask to see their state license and even ask for proof of insurance. It’s vital that the plumber has insurance if they plan on doing any work in your home. Also, call the state’s licensing department to verify that the plumber is licensed.
2. Testimonials and Reviews
There was a time when the number of years a business was in operation was vitally important, but that time is starting to fade to some degree. Now, it’s equally as important to find testimonials and reviews on a company when you’re looking for the leading provider of plumbing services in Bloomington, as an example.
You have quite a few resources at your disposal, including:
- Yelp
- Angie’s List
Google Reviews will also be a point of reference for reviews and testimonials. All American Plumbers have testimonials listed on their site, and you can be confident that these testimonials are real. Fake testimonials on a company website can be considered false advertising, which is illegal.
3. Estimates and Quotes in Writing
Plumbers can estimate and quote easy jobs, but they will need to come to your home and provide a thorough estimate for larger jobs. Ballpark ranges can be provided in some cases, but when it comes to a job, always ask for a written estimate. Small jobs can be complicated, too. If a job is going to be complex, always ask for a written estimate for your own protection.
4. Consider the Bid and Shop Around
Plumbers charge a hefty price for a lot of the services they offer. And a major red flag is when a plumber sends in an estimate that is well below the competition. Make sure to call 2 – 3 plumbers for estimates to understand pricing better. The goal is to weed out the plumbers who may be offering too low of a bid – not in the plumber’s best interest. Consider all bids and be willing to haggle to see if there is any wiggle room on prices that are too high.
You’ve got great tips for finding a plumber. We need one to put our new faucet in, so this is great. I’ll be sure to get some estimates in writing, like you said.