When plumbing problems strike, the last thing people need is more chaos and complications. It’s very easy to say yes to the first person who comes up on a quote request because stress is overwhelming, and the nicest website goes the longest. But with a little investment of some questions, one can avoid the crappy ones who are only going to make it worse.
These are not extensive vetting questions—just a few simple inquiries that easily reveal to the consumer if someone is on the up and up, knows what he’s talking about, and wants to do the job properly from the start.
Are you licensed and insured?
This is the first question that should be asked. A reputable plumber should be licensed (active at the time of call), should have liability insurance and workers’ comp. If they get ruffled or defensive about the question, hang up.
Plumbers who have their licenses are mandated to attend training and work for an agency that holds them accountable. Plumbers without licenses (for cheaper work) are more likely to cut corners, and they’ll never be available for additional jobs down the line.
Insurance is also critical because all plumbing means change, which could otherwise be destructive. If a plumber floods your basement or breaks something while fixing a pipe, their liability insurance covers it. Without insurance, you’re stuck with it.
Finally, don’t take their word for it—ask for license numbers and verify them. Most states/territories have databases for real estate professionals to double-check whether or not a license is active or if any complaints exist against them.
How long have you worked here/Are you from the area?
There are general plumbers who work across regions for years; there are other plumbers who work in specific areas for just as long. Someone who’s worked in the suburbs for years knows more about why certain problems exist in certain locations (the age of homes in one part, the pipe composition in another); they know where certain troubled piping is buried.
Usually, plumbers adelaide northern suburbs will probably diagnose issues faster because they’ve seen similar homes with similar complications. They know which 80-year-old homes have galvanised piping likely in need of replacement and which neighbourhoods have hard water due to the soil conditions.
Someone who’s been around for a long time has a reputation to uphold—they want to ensure their work is worthwhile because every referral means business for them down the line, and every recurring client means cash flow.
Can you provide an estimate before the work starts?
This question helps gauge whether or not a plumber will even attempt to give you costs beforehand. Generally, good plumbers should be able to give quotes upon assessment before working (unless, of course, they need to jump in right away with emergency work).
Some plumbers charge a call-out fee to assess the issue. That’s fine as long as they’re transparent about it and offer to apply it towards labour if something else gets done.
Be wary of those who hem and haw about giving quotes, saying they’ll have to take things apart first (which only to an extent makes sense—at least ascertaining some costs first would help).
It’s also important to get these quotes in writing, if possible, so there are no discrepancies as to what was discussed initially versus what the actual charge ends up being.
What’s your warranty?
Insurance is one thing, but good plumbers offer some sort of warranty with parts and labour—with 30-90 days or even up to one year—with a warranty reputable plumbers stand behind for free should anything go wrong.
Ask what goes wrong with the warranty—if it’s only for materials or full materials covered; if they cover reinstallation of parts but charge labour; if they do it at all, but require another trip, for a call-out fee extra. Knowing this now saves headaches later down the line.
How fast can you get here?
In an emergency situation, no one wants more plumbing issues—they want a good resolution as quickly as possible. How fast can you get here? Is there a call-out fee?
In a non-emergency situation, it doesn’t matter as much (if someone says they can get there in another day, that’s fine, but if it takes two weeks, they may be too busy to give you attention anyway).
If there are too many emergencies, you may not have time to focus on yourself anyway, but be wary of plumbers who say they’ll “get right there” right away for non-emergency situations; either they’re lying about their skills, or they’re not busy enough to mean anything worthwhile anyway.
Do you do this type of job often?
Not all plumbers do all types of jobs—those who do renovations do not mean that another excludes gas fittings (while others don’t do gas fittings at all). If you know what specific job needs to be done—a hot water system replacement, bathroom renovation, gas appliance installation—ask if it’s something they do regularly.
Chances are, a plumber who does hot water systems every Thursday will do a better job than one who only does them once every three months. This isn’t at the disservice of general plumbers, but it’s merely going to be faster than someone who does everything once in a blue moon, when someone has more comfort doing one area frequently without any hesitation.
Can you explain what you think is wrong?
Plumbers are experts—not just workers. A good plumber won’t mind explaining what’s wrong and what they plan on doing about it—they don’t need to give lectures on technicalities, but they should attempt to get a homeowner on board with what’s going on for their own home.
If someone gets defensive that they’re asking questions/tried explaining things poorly—or worse, can’t explain what’s wrong—is clear that they don’t know what’s going on anyway. Feel free to ask questions afterwards.
What happens if there are additional problems?
Sometimes, once something is started, it reveals additional issues—a pipe leaking could be corroded piping needing replacement; drain issues could mean venting issues; ask how they would handle this—stop service and give a quote or will they work up a new price before starting?
Good plumbers should say they’ll let you know and justify what was wrong before assuming anything, because it’s unfair for both parties for there to be additional costs without actually asking in good faith first.
What These Reveal Are Red Flags
If someone’s annoyed by these questions as annoying, then you got your answer right there. They are professionals; potential customers are just trying to vet out skills and fees, and if someone gets defensive, they’re hiding something.
Vague answers associated with simple questions are red flags more than enough—”we’ll figure it out when we get there” or “Don’t worry about it” are not acceptable comments.
Plumbers who answer clearly with details without provocation and seem happy to explain themselves are better—they understand customers want clarification before they figure out how best to spend their money.
What Good Answers Sound Like
Good answers from good plumbers—yes, I’m licensed; here’s my license number; I’ve been working here for twelve years; this generally will cost x; here it is broken down further if you care—the sound fair. They offer info without prompting—from this is step one, and if that doesn’t work, here’s step two down the line. They’re realistic versus promising things that sound too good to be true: anyone looking for proper fees during tough times just wants honest help saving all parties time down the line, instead of future visits charging them more elsewhere.
How To Use These Questions Effectively
You don’t have to go through every question for every plumber; just asking a few during your initial call gives red flags quickly while allowing for good intentions of good workers still on the table for quotes. Those stonewalling good answers can be cut much faster than anticipated.
For bigger jobs, it’s recommended to ask more questions/research multiple quotes; for smaller jobs, it’s fine just to vet through licensing and general estimates so you know who’s competent enough to help you out. The point is finding someone who can help replace your problem with good intentions now and fix it enough so you won’t have to worry about it later down the line. Everyone wins, nor everyone loses, which should never happen when potential stressors can be eliminated with some vetted questions that can be easily answered for everyone involved anyway.
The sooner you can find bad plumbers through your simple questions easily answered, then your stress goes down quicker because all you need is someone reputable enough with fair charges amid tough times who will stand behind good work every time—and that’s all anyone ever wants from plumbing work anyway.
DISCLOSURE – This is a collaborative post.
