Questions to Ask A Plumber You Are Hiring

If you are faced with a burst plumbing pipe or a damaged fixture and water is pouring through your wall, you surely want to find plumbers that can get to your home in the shortest time. While quick response is surely an important thing in any plumbing situation, there are many other qualities that you need your plumber to possess. Even if in an emergency situation, you might not have the time to evaluate the available plumbers, here are some questions to ask any plumber before hiring a contractor, whether for a scheduled plumbing project.

Licensing and Insurance

In most states, plumbers are required to study and practice for years before they can participate in the licensing examination and are allowed to work on their own only after they have passed the exams and have obtained their license. Liability insurance is also mandatory in many states. You should never work with a plumber who is not properly licensed and insured, so make sure to check the documents before hiring your contractor.

Specialty and References

If you are faced with an emergency, you probably don’t have the time to check specialization and previous experience, but if you are planning a major remodeling project that involves plumbing work, too, the plumber’s specialization is very important to check. You can ask the plumbers you are talking to to show you copies of their certificates and other credentials to prove that they are experts in the type of project that you have. It is also a good idea to ask the plumber to provide you with references that you can contact to find out the opinions that others have about the plumber’s work.

The Person or Persons Who Will Do the Job

Many plumbers work with a team or with subcontractors, so the question is very important – you should know exactly who will come to your home and work in your building. The team members or the subcontractors need to meet the same requirements as the plumber that will manage your project.

plumbing in Denver

The Work Process and the Amount that You Will Pay

Experts in plumbing in Denver can provide an accurate cost estimate only if they can perform a detailed inspection of the site that they will work on. Invite the plumbers that you consider suitable for your project, show them around and ask whatever questions you may have about how the work will be performed, how much disruption it will involve and how long the process will take to complete. Ask the plumbers to provide detailed cost estimates before you hire any of them. The document should contain itemized lists of the materials to be used in your project as well as of the procedures involved, along with prices and rates for each entry. Some plumbers charge an hourly rate, others work for flat rates – while evaluating local plumbers, you are likely to get cost estimates that follow either pricing strategy.

Warranties

Ideally, plumbers offer warranty on their labor as well as manufacturer’s warranty on the materials used. Make sure to get them both.