Homeowners know that plumbing problems a headache to deal with. We put together 7 Questions To Ask Your Plumber because we know that if you get the wrong plumber, they may cause more harm than good.
You likely have experienced this or have a couple of friends who have gone through the horror of having an unqualified plumber handle their plumbing. You not only have to worry that they might not address your plumbing issue correctly the first time, but they can also make it worse.
At Tarpy Plumbing, Heating & Air, we rush to the aid of many new customers who often call us to fix the plumbing mess made by an unqualified plumber, which sometimes can cost hundreds of dollars. As a homeowner in San Diego and the surrounding areas, it’s time you start hiring a plumber the right way to avoid costly messes.
Here’s our expert advice on the seven essential questions to ask any plumber. This will help you find a competent San Diego area plumbing professional.
Are You and Your Company Licensed?
You should question your plumber about whether they are licensed or not and their company. In almost all states, whether a plumber is working as a freelancer or a plumbing company, they need to be licensed as professionals in their field. Keep in mind that plumbing services from an unlicensed plumber can be extremely cheap. This is because they didn’t have to spend time pursuing the government testing certificates of doing the annual re-certification tests.
A plumbing firm has to be licensed by both your local county government and the state government. Having a licensed plumber from a licensed company handling your plumbing needs means that you are getting the best services and what they are doing is in line with the updated building codes within your region.
Is Your Plumbing Firm Adequately Insured?
A competent plumber or plumbing firm should have adequate insurance for any misfortunes that might occur from their plumbing work. The first insurance policy they should have is general liability. This will cover any loss or property damage related to the work being done. General liability insurance is a must-have as sometimes such losses and property damages can cost upwards of $1 million to correct.
There is also the workman compensation policy which cover’s any injuries that a plumber might endure while working on sorting out your plumbing issue. Request for a copy of the certificate of insurance to be on the safe side. This will save you and the property owner from personal injury compensation legal proceedings if the plumber injures themselves while working in your home.
Do You Provide a Warranty on Your Work?
It’s critical that you have a plumber or plumbing firm that guarantees their services. Thus, if the work that they do does not hold up for a specific duration of time, they would redo it for free or try another solution for a significantly discounted fee. When a plumbing professional offers a warranty for their work, it shows they have confidence in their ability to provide a perfect solution.
The minimum warranty period you should expect from a professional plumber is 30 days. It’s best to avoid any plumber or plumbing firm that cannot back up the quality of their work with a written guarantee.
Can I Get Some References?
Ask the plumber to provide you with references to some of their previous clients so that you can get a first-person review of the services they offer. An experienced and competent plumber can manage to come up with at least five references of other homeowners whom they have served before. When speaking to the references, start by introducing yourself and explaining the reason that you are calling.
If you notice that the plumber or the plumbing firm is hesitant to give you these references, that’s a red flag. They likely have something to hide, and they don’t want you to find out before they have you committed as a client.
What’s Your Physical Location?
Thanks to the internet and e-commerce, many homeowners looking for a plumber or plumbing firms search online. This means that you, as the client, never get to know the physical address of the plumbing company you are dealing with. Therefore, it can be hard to follow up on things like warranty and insurance when something goes wrong with the plumbing services you received.
Therefore, it’s essential to ask the plumber or the plumbing firm for their physical location. A shady plumber can easily lie about their location; thus, take time to visit the address provided to confirm if it exists. Suppose you notice that the physical address provided was a sham; it’s best to avoid the plumber and the plumbing firm.
What Are Your Operation Hours?
You likely are looking for a reliable plumber or plumbing firm that you can have a long-term engagement with. Therefore, it’s vital to know the operating hours of the plumber that you are engaging with. Some top plumbing firms offer 24/7 services for emergencies, while others will have a technician at your home within 24 hours of you requesting their services.
Either way, knowing the operating hours of the plumbing firm that you are about to hire will allow you to find out whether you can rely on them for emergencies. Additionally, you will also know how soon they can be able to attend to your plumbing issue. Moreover, you can use this knowledge to better plan your schedule so that you don’t have to miss anything else in the account of fixing your plumbing issue.
Can I Get a Breakdown of Your Charges?
Some plumbers will charge an hourly rate, while others will charge a flat-rate fee. Most minor plumbing issues will incur a flat-rate fee. This means that no matter what other minor problems are identified while fixing your plumbing problem, you will likely not have to pay more. On the other hand, an hourly rate means that you will pay the plumber depending on the number of hours they spend fixing your plumbing problem.
Either way, you should always ask for a breakdown of your charges. This would be an itemized list of everything that you are paying for. The itemized list would help you assess the quality of services you receive and find out any overcharges if they exist.
Why Choose Tarpy Plumbing, Heating & Air?
As you might have noticed from the information above, choosing the right plumber is not as easy as it looks. We at Tarpy Plumbing, Heating & Air meet all the criteria mentioned above. Moreover, we also offer many other top-notch services to improve your home’s comfort, like the installation of heating systems, AC units, and air filters. We also do blow-in insulation, ductwork insulation, and air balancing.
We provide all our clients with free estimates for any services they need from us. Additionally, we offer various financing options to our clients, like through the Wells Fargo Home Projects credit card and Synchrony Bank Home Design credit card.
Tarpy Plumbing, Heating & Air also boasts of being among the few Mitsubishi Diamond Elite Contractors in California dealing with Mitsubishi and Trane ductless systems. Check out our site for further insights into our services, and call us for plumbing assistance in San Diego and the surrounding areas.
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