Selecting just the right plumber for your home repair and maintenance needs can be tricky. And frankly recommendations and online reviews are often bias. Need some help deciding? Here’s Carolina RES’s top 10 tip list for hiring the right plumber.
- Make sure they are licensed in the state of South Carolina. For any projects over $5,000 a South Carolina plumber must also be bonded. Ask for proof of insurance. Remember, if one of their workers gets injured on a job on your property and the company doesn’t have insurance, you can be held responsible for all costs involved.
- How long have they been in the business? Obviously, the more years of hands-on experience, the better.
- Are they willing to provide references from previous satisfied clients?
- A business practice that is becoming more prevalent is a large contracting service will meet with you and offer a solution complete with an estimate which you accept. But then they turn around and subcontract the job out to another company. A company that you don’t know anything about. Are they licensed and insured? Remember, you’re responsible if anything happens.
- Don’t accept an over the phone estimate. Eyeballs on the problem is the only way to get an accurate idea of cost.
- Always ask if the rate quoted is hourly or fixed. If the answer is fixed, then ask approximately how long they estimate it will take to complete the repair. Based on similar jobs an experienced plumber should be able to answer this with no problem.
- Don’t immediately reject a plumber who is recently licensed, especially if the repair is fairly simple. Though it may take a bit longer, the overall savings may just be worth it.
- Do they offer a warranty, and if so, what does it cover? For example, you hire a plumber to replace a leaking pipe in an upstairs bathroom. A couple of days after the job has been completed you notice a water stain on the living room ceiling. The plumber returns and discovers he forgot to adequately secure one end of the new pipe. Will the warranty cover the ceiling damage? Most standard warranties on general repairs are for a period of one year and cover both parts and labor.
- No one likes to consider an after-hours plumbing emergency but unfortunately these things do happen. You may really like the plumber you are currently using but will they be responsive to a middle of the night emergency? They may advertise 24/7/365 service, but will the phone be answered at 2 o’clock on a Sunday morning? This is definitely a worse case scenario situation but it’s best to have these questions answered just in case.
- Bottom line: go with your gut. The plumber you are considering may have impeccable references, a rock bottom price, and can be at your house in 20 minutes, but if something just doesn’t feel right, unless it’s a life-or-death emergency, take a step back and make a couple more phone calls before deciding.
Spring is right around the corner and perhaps you’re finally ready to take advantage of the hot housing market here in the Upstate. Before calling your Realtor why not call Carolina RES at 864-242-1099 to schedule a pre-listing home inspection? This way you’ll know in advance what needs to be taken care of to get top dollar for your residence. You can also email us at info@carolinares.com or simply fill out our convenient online form. Selecting just the right plumber for your home repair and maintenance needs can be tricky. And frankly recommendations and online reviews are often bias. Need some help deciding? Here’s Carolina RES’s top 10 tip list for hiring the right plumber.
