When it comes to engaging a plumber, are you asking the right questions of those you interview before hiring? Sure, you’re probably asking the plumber – or his company – about his license, his years of experience, if he charges an hourly or flat rate, and so on, but there may be some questions you don’t even know you should ask.
Read below for four questions to ask a plumber (that you probably aren’t):
- Do you belong to any professional associations?
An affirmative answer to this question shows you that your plumber is dead serious about professional plumbing services. Membership in professional associations often means that members can take some kind of continuing education instruction, whether it be in plumbing skills particularly or in general business knowledge. An answer of no doesn’t mean you shouldn’t hire the plumber, but a yes answer definitely indicates a higher level of professionalism.
- May I contact your past 5 clients?
You can ask for references, of course, but you can rest assured the plumber will provide you with a list of satisfied clients (nothing wrong with that; all business do so). But to get a real idea of the plumber’s skills, ask if you can contact the last five customers. This should provide you with a more “real” idea of the plumber’s skills and customer satisfaction.
- May I see a copy of your license and insurance statements?
Never work for an unlicensed/uninsured plumber! Sure, you may get a lower price, but if his work doesn’t pass inspection (this would be usually for rehab or new-build work), you’ll have little in the way of recourse because you chose to engage him even though he’s unlicensed. Once you see the copy of the license, take down its number and the name the plumber used and call the licensing agency to check the license’s legitimacy.
- Do you have a guarantee on your work on failure, breakage and leaks? If so, what is the guarantee’s time frame?
Most plumbers or plumbing companies have some sort of guarantee on their work, but this guarantee will vary from plumber to plumber, in length of time, and in what is covered under the guarantee. Make sure you understand the guarantee completely (what’s covered, for how long, what happens if you need to call the guarantee in, etc.) before engaging the plumber.
A fifth question you may want to ask is “How long have you been in business?” Ask it of Plumbing Dynamics and you’ll see that we’ve been serving Dallas-area homeowners and businesses for more than 25 years. That longevity speaks well of our skills, our customer service and the quality of our plumbing repair and services.
Give us a call at 214-929-3431 whenever you need us. We look forward to hearing from you.
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