When you find yourself in need of a plumber, there are a lot of options out there. How do you know which one will provide great service at a fair price? To vet your options and find the best plumbing company for your needs, follow our list of tips to find qualified professionals you can trust. Hiring a plumber truly is not an issue to be taken lightly, especially in cases of major repairs!
Ask questions
From commission to licensing, there are several important factors to check before you hire a plumber. Skip the hassle and cost of unnecessary repairs or the fallout of subpar work and ask these questions of any plumber you are considering.
Can I fix a leaky pipe without a plumber?
Are they licensed?
The last person you want working on your home is an unlicensed plumber. Never forget to ask for proof of licensing and request their license number. The risk to hiring an unlicensed plumber is that their work is not required to meet inspection standards. If you receive a poorly done repair job, you are left with very few options for recourse because you chose to hire someone without a license.
When vetting plumbing companies, ask for their license number and run it online against your state’s licensing database. Here are the databases for Virginia, DC and Maryland. A license means that your company is registered with a governing authority at the state or local level.
Do technicians receive commission-based pay?
Ask plumbing companies if their service technicians are paid by commission, and if they are, whether commission makes up the bulk of their income. You want your service technician to apply their expertise to the repair, not try and stretch your bill to inflate a commission.
One of the strong predictors of a good experience is whether service technicians are paid by the job or by commission. If service technicians are paid at a fixed rate for every visit, you won’t find yourself with a repairman pushing extra expenses on you.
Are they insured?
Every plumbing company worth considering will carry insurance. Their insurance protects the company and you in case of worker accident or injury on the job.
Do they give price quotes by phone?
While getting quotes over the phone might be convenient and make you feel more confident in choosing a plumber, they aren’t necessarily very accurate. Unless you have a lot of experience with plumbing, it can be hard to identify exactly what needs fixing and if it has affected any other parts of your plumbing. By going with a price quote by phone, you risk having extra expenses pile up once the plumber assesses the issue on site — quickly negating the comparison quotes you collected.
The best plumbing companies will at least recommend having a service technician come out to inspect and diagnose the issue.
Plumbing problems and concrete slab foundation homes
How long have they been in business? Do they have any reviews?
Usually, but not always, the longevity of a plumbing business indicates satisfied customers and good work. Check out their social media accounts to see how they interact with customers. Facebook has a feature for written reviews that many small businesses utilize on their pages.
Do they have a work guarantee?
Most plumbers give some type of a work guarantee that generally covers parts and labor for about one year. If your plumber does, ask for a copy of the policy. You want a plumber that is confident enough in the quality of their work to stand behind it in case things go wrong. If they won’t give a guarantee, you’ll be better off working with a company who will.
It’s a good idea to get the guarantee policy in writing, whether the guarantee is money-back, limited, one-year or different.
What to know when you need a new HVAC system
Trustworthy and reputable plumbing services
If you need a trustworthy plumber that you can trust, count on John C. Flood of VA for the best plumbing service in the DMV. Originally founded in 1904, we’ve been in business for over 100 years. We are licensed and insured to work in Virginia, Maryland and DC, with office locations in Virginia and Maryland.
John C. Flood service technicians are paid by jobs completed, not by commission. You can trust our staff to look out for your best interests and those of your home. For the best plumbing repair in the area, call 703-214-5611 or schedule service for your plumbing today!
