There are likely hundreds of plumbers in your city and surrounding area that are actively taking on new jobs and looking for work. So what happens when you are having a plumbing issue like your toilet is flooding, or your frozen pipe just burst?
Whether you are hiring a Guelph plumber or a Toronto plumber, finding a good plumber for a fair price isn’t an easy job. You should do at least 15 to 20 minutes of research online before you decide to give a plumber a call. Vetting plumbers to ensure you get one that is skilled and experienced will save you a lot of headaches and money in your bank account.
Here are some signs that you have found yourself a good plumber.
They Are Licensed and Certified
This should be the first thing you confirm before deciding to go with a plumber to fix your issue or install a new plumbing fixture. Being certified means that they have gone through the necessary tests and proven that they know what they are doing.
This way you won’t get an amateur who claims they know what they are doing and then causes more damage in your home than before you hired them. Being fully insured also means that they can cover any damage they cause in your home.
They are reviewed highly
With the internet being the main mode of research for most people, good plumbers nowadays know that they need to have a website and good ratings online to bring in new business. Most people search using their phones and will take reviews from customers online seriously when deciding on who to hire for their job.
If you are going to hire a plumber you found in the phone book make sure you look them up online and ensure that they have some sort of reviews or testimonials to backup their skills.
They are experienced
You don’t want to hire someone who just got their certification last week do you? You want someone who has been doing plumbing work for years and has dealt with every different situation. Experienced plumbers will know how to deal with problems as they arise and understand what to do to fix your plumbing problems as quickly as possible.
They are dressed nicely and don’t get your place dirty
Appearances can say a lot about the work ethic and mindset of people. If your plumber is walking in with a big scruffy beard, tattered pants with stains on them, and smells bad then that could be a sign he isn’t a great plumber.
Although this isn’t true in all cases, plumbers who care about clients liking their work and giving them good reviews and repeat business will try their best to look and smell good and cause as little burden on the client as possible.
This includes taking their shoes off when walking in or wrapping some plastic bags around their shoes to prevent any dirt from being thrown around your house.
Who wants a plumber coming in with dirty, wet shoes and walking over your fresh carpet and clean floors? Having a plumber come over to fix your plumbing issue shouldn’t stress you out, it should be simple. Ideally you can just sit back and watch some television while the plumber goes to work on your problem, knowing you can trust them to handle the problem without any supervision.
They are punctual
Similar to being dressed decently and not smelling bad, being punctual is the sign of a good plumber. Just like any job, employees who are always showing up late usually aren’t as hard working or caring as the ones who show up on time or early.
Many of us live very busy lives and don’t have time to wait around for a plumber when we have things to do. This is especially important if the problem is urgent, like your bathroom is flooded or your pipe is leaking everywhere.
Some companies offer you the ability to book an appointment online for a specific time, just make sure that the company is highly reviewed and that they confirm your appointment, this is especially true for emergency hot water service and emergency jobs.
They give you a price upfront
Good plumbers will have enough experience to know how long a job will take and what they will need to charge for it.
Being able to get an upfront price from your plumber will save you from any surprises after they finish, and you can decide beforehand if you want to hire another plumber if their quote is too high.
Having so many choices for plumbers to hire isn’t a bad thing. You have the power to weed out the bad plumbers with the help of online reviews, and even find hidden gems of Lex’s Plumbing that charge low prices but do great work.
If you do your research we are confident you can find a great plumber to rely on for future jobs. Keep these tips in mind when hiring a plumber and you’ll quickly realize whether you found the right one or not.
