Get Recommendations

Ask friends and family for recommendations of people they’ve actually used in the past. Ask them what they liked about the person, were there any issues or problems at all.

Check Licensing & Registration

Once you have at least three or four recommendations and referrals check that they are licensed and registered. It’s very important that the plumber you choose has an up-to-date license and registration to ensure that the work is done correctly and up to code.

Ask for Written Estimates

Get estimates from at least 3 different plumbers or plumbing companies. The plumber should come to where the work needs to be done and physically evaluate what needs to be done. They cannot make a good estimate over the phone. They should be willing to do this free of charge. Also check that each estimate is based on the same work to be done.

Understand How Things are Priced

Ask the plumber to explain to you how things are priced. If you don’t understand the pricing method used by the plumber you might inadvertently do something that makes the estimate go up.

Check for Permit Requirements

Your plumber should take care of all permits for you, but you should make yourself aware of the requirements in your area of the country. If your plumber wants you to get the permits this is a questionable practice that you should not agree to.

Check that Your Plumber is Insured

Physically check that the plumber is insured. They can say they are bonded and insured and still not actually be bonded and insured. Ask for the information so that you can call their insurance company to verify insurance.

Get a Written Contract

The contract should describe in great detail exactly what work will be done, the type of materials that will be used, warranties, the timetable of the project, names of subcontractors used and the total price as well as a schedule for payments. If you don’t like the contract they wrote ask them to change it.

Understand Your Payment Options

Make sure you understand how payments should be made, making sure that you don’t pay a final payment until all work is verified complete. If you pay contractors all their money up front, you may have trouble getting them to be motivated to finish.

Beware Final Payments

Do not make final payments or sign anything that could indicate that you’re satisfied with the work until you are sure that they’re done and that all subcontractors and suppliers have been paid. Even subcontractors can place a lien on your home if they’re not paid by the contractor.

Pay With Credit

Using a credit card can give you some protection if you find later that the work was not sufficient and you are not satisfied. Credit cards often allow you to contest the charge until all problems are corrected.

By using this checklist each time you need to hire a plumber you’ll be sure to get the type of service you want and work up to your standards. It’s important that you take control of the situation so that you are happy with the final results.

Leaky Faucets

Wherever the leaky faucets are, bathroom, kitchen or laundry room it’s important to fix them while they’re small. Even if it seems rather insignificant any water leaks can cause problems such as mold build up, and they will get bigger and sometimes suddenly. Faucets can leak at the source where water comes out, and they can also leak at the base of the faucet. Check both areas and repair as needed. 

Slow Drains

Hair, food particles and other debris can build up in a sink or tub causing water to drain slowly. If you want to avoid a completely clogged drain it’s important to take care of slow drains as soon as possible. By removing built up hair (most common in the bathroom sinks) using a special tool called a zip it tool. You can also use a combination of baking soda and vinegar for each drain to freshen them up after removing the debris that is slowing down the drain to rid your drain of anything you missed.

Low Water Pressure

If you notice a change in water pressure coming from your shower or sinks the culprit is likely the faucet aerators being clogged with minerals. This is easy to clean using something like Lime-A-Way. Simply remove the aerators and soak according to package instructions to remove mineral build up.

High Water Pressure

If your water pressure seems super high, either suddenly or has always been super high this can also be a problem. You can check water pressure with a pressure gauge. If the pressure is showing as too high it’s important to replace the pressure regulator. It’s not safe to have super high water pressure, it can destroy your pipes and cause quite a mess if not taken care of as soon as possible.

Running Toilets

Nothing wastes water quite like a running toilet. If you find that you’re having to wiggle the handle too much to get the toilet to stop running it’s time to replace the works inside the toilet. You may only need to replace various parts like the flapper chain or the flapper seal. A great way to check to see if your toilet is running even if you can’t hear it, is to put some food coloring into the tank and see if the bowl water becomes colored without flushing it.

Sink Leaks

Check under all cabinets with sinks for leaks. If there is any moisture at all under any sink it should be taken care of. Try to locate the source of the leak and repair it using a patch or by replacing the pipes. Catching small leaks before they become large can save both time and money. 

Garbage Disposal Issues

Sometimes garbage disposals can leak too. Look to the manufacturer’s manual to learn how to maintain your garbage disposal. Check regularly for leaks even if the disposal seems to be working fine. It should be completely dry under the sink. If it’s not dry or there is condensation under the skin assume a leak and locate it and repair it.

Avoid Sewage Backups

If you have a septic system it’s important to follow the instructions you were given to care for it. It’s also important to be careful what you put in your sewer, down your drains, and in the toilet. Sewer issues can be very expensive. Know the signs of a sewer drain clog so that you can get to it before it becomes too serious.

By being mindful of all of these issues with plumbing in your home you can avoid problems becoming bigger and costing more money. Maintenance is always less expensive than massive repairs due to waiting too long. Remember that your home is likely your largest investment, keeping things working well can only improve your investment.

Is your license current?

Not only should you ask if your plumber is licensed but you should ensure that they have the right licenses. A business license is different from a plumbing license that permits the plumber to call him or herself a plumber. Each state will have a different requirement. It is a good idea to ensure that your plumber has every license that they need. It is dangerous to agree to work with an unlicensed plumber.

Are you bonded?

This means that the company has money secured with a third party usually in control of the state and not under control of the company that can be used to pay out certain types of claims like theft. For the company’s employees to be bonded is a bit different. They have to get fingerprinted, and a background check is done to ensure that they do not have a background of crime. This is a safety precaution that a lot of businesses take when their workers have to be around a large amount of money. You want the company to be bonded, whether each individual employee should be bonded is up to you.

Do you have workman’s comp for contractors?

If your plumber has employees or higher contractors do they pay workman’s comp insurance for them? In the case of plumbing businesses day laborers, contractors, and those that aren’t employees may be considered employees only for the purposes of workman’s comp in some states. If employees according to your state, then it’s best that the company provide for workman’s comp insurance. 

Do you have liability insurance?

It’s very important that your plumber answer this question in the affirmative. Typically liability insurance is purchased based on the average cost of the jobs that the plumber will do over the course of a year. There are a number of different types of liability insurance that the plumber or contractor has to choose from. Ask them for details to ensure that they are covered in the event something goes wrong on your job.

Do you offer free written estimates?

Many plumbers will offer free estimates but still charge a travel fee to go to the site. Be sure to ask whether or not the estimate and travel to the site is free so that you’re not surprised and taken off guard by getting a bill for something when you thought it would be free. Make sure to specify what you mean by free.

Do you charge a fixed rate for a job or do you use some other method?

Some plumbers charge hourly and some charge a fixed rate. An hourly fee can be scary because you don’t know how long it is going to take the plumber to do the job. If your plumber charges hourly you can ask them if they can limit the number of hours it will take. For instance: Work will be billed at XXX dollars per hour, no more than 10 hours. This can help you avoid invoice shock.

Do you charge extra fees for emergency situations?

You never know what is going to happen. Your drains could get clogged up 5 hours before a big party. You need a plumber now. Ask them if they charge for emergency situations and how much. More than likely they will charge extra, which is understandable since they are on call. Knowing the emergency fee can help you determine whether you really need it fixed now, or if you can wait.

Is your work guaranteed? 

Asking the plumber if their work is guaranteed and if they offer any warranties is an important question to ask. This way you know whether or not they stand by their work. Typically the work should be guaranteed for a certain amount of time and the materials used should come with their own warranties from the manufacturer.

Can you provide three references?

You need to have at least three references that you can call on if you did not hear about this plumber from a friend or family member. If you did hear about them from friends or family you can ask for just one more reference to be safe.

What is your schedule like?

Once you’ve pretty much decided on a particular plumber it’s important to inquire about their availability. They might be really busy right now and unable to work with you for months, or they might need to start work on it sooner than you want to get started. 

Asking the right questions and then listening for the right answer is an important part in ensuring that you find the right plumber to do your job. Without knowing what to ask you might end up with problems that could have been avoided.