Plumbing is a topic that keeps many homeowners on edge.
Few people understand the intricacies of how their home’s plumbing works,
but they’re all too aware that a minor plumbing problem can cause major damage.
The real challenge begins when you have to hire a dependable plumbing
contractor to make an emergency repair.
How do you go about choosing a great plumber?
ASK YOUR FRIENDS FIRST
The best way to find a plumbing service in the Salt Lake City area is to ask around. Your friends and family members can usually give you recommendations based on their experiences in the past. Make sure you ask for more than one recommendation and ask if they have any plumbers that they would specifically avoid for any reason. If you have recently purchased the house, your realtor may also be a great place to get recommendations. Realtors usually have a list of recommended vendors to give to their clients with several trusted names.
DO SOME DIGGING
Once you have a short list of recommendations from your friends, you’ll want to follow up by doing some research on your own. Visit popular review sites and see what other people have said about those plumbers in Sandy, UT. Also, check for the most recent reviews. Even if your family member gave you a raving review of a company, they might not have used that company for several years, and things can change over time. The BBB is another useful resource for looking at how the company has handled complaints in the past. Social media sites are also an excellent place to interact with local plumbers, learn more about their history in your area, and see what kind of community involvement they have. If you’re looking for a family-operated, local business, you will definitely be able to tell from their social media pages.
GET THE FACTS
Who will actually be doing the work in your home? What are their credentials? What kind of insurance does the company have to cover this work? These are all questions you need to be asking up front. You will want to make sure that all of this information is written down in your contract as well. This will protect you later on if there is a problem with the work that was done. You should always insist on hiring a properly licensed and insured plumber to do work on your home and ask for copies of all relevant licenses ahead of time to verify their accuracy.
BE PROACTIVE
The best time to be picky about your plumber is not when your basement is filling with water. If you really want to utilize these tips for hiring a good plumber, you must start looking sooner rather than later. Don’t wait until there is a dire emergency before you start rate shopping because you likely won’t have much of a choice at that point. Instead, make a list of contractors you trust, and keep that list in a drawer or on the fridge so you’ll know where to look when you need it.
ASK SPECIFIC QUESTIONS
Just like anything else, each plumber will offer an array of standard services, and a smattering of additional services. If you have a recurring plumbing issue, you’ll want to ask each company if they have the tools or resources to treat that problem specifically. Some companies may not be able to deal with certain types of plumbing repairs. Some companies are willing to come out and do part of the work before telling you that they can’t complete the job, so you need to be sure that they can handle the entire problem without having to call in backup.
GET MORE THAN ONE BID
The best way to save money and protect yourself against bad plumbers is to speak to multiple professionals. During the quote process, you should seek to understand exactly what is causing your plumbing problems and the recommended fix. The experts should all have roughly the same idea of what is causing your problem, or be able to demonstrate exactly why their diagnosis is correct. If you have one company that is giving you erroneous quotes or information about the problem, you can see that something isn’t right.
With these tips, you should be able to confidently select a plumbing contractor that can cover all of your home’s ups and downs. The sooner you start speaking to plumbing experts, the better off you’ll be. We invite you to contact us today to schedule your service appointment before it’s too late. Utah Heating and Air is the industry leader in plumbing, electrical, and HVAC services!
