Are you frantically searching for licensed plumbers in your area? No one ever wants to need licensed plumbers, but plumbing repairs are a part of life and so licensed plumbers are as well. Licensed plumbers are responsible for more than just toilet repairs. Finding a good plumber means preventing leaks that could cause mold, mildew, and rot to the structure of your home, and protect the inhabitants of your home from dangerous exposure to waste. In other words, you definitely need to make sure you are entrusting your plumbing care and maintenance to the right plumbing contractor.
To help you get started, we’ve put together a guide to factors you should definitely look for in a plumber.
Five Things Your Plumber Needs to Have
- Licensing
Many states require that all plumbers are licensed; there are a few who do not. If you live in Kansas or New York, the plumbers in your area do not have to be licensed, so you should take extra care to check on this. If your plumber is licensed, you are able to (and should!) check and make sure that they do not have any complaints filed against them from other clients. You can find this information with the state board that governs their licensing. - Insurance and Bond
Being insured and bonded offers an extra layer of protection while the plumber is working in your home. If the plumber were to injure themselves on the job, their insurance will provide for any medical care they need. If they are not insured, you might have to file a homeowner’s insurance claim to cover it, or get stuck paying for it yourself. The bonding protects your property in case — despite following all of our tips — the plumber damages your property and then hightails it. The plumber’s bond will pay for any damage they caused. - Experience
When your plumber has been in business for years and years, it’s a good sign that they are good at their jobs and have a proven track record. If a plumber isn’t any good at making plumbing repairs, their reputation will quickly put them out of business. The longer a plumber has been chugging along with a good reputation, the better indication that they know what they’re doing.
Not to mention, every plumbing repair is as unique as a snowflake. Your plumber has never seen your exact issue in your exact home (unless they’ve done work for you before), but the longer they’ve worked in the industry, the more likely they know how to fix any sort of issue that you might be dealing with. - Reasonable pricing.
We add this point with an asterisk. We know that money is tight for everyone, but the price should not be the only factor you use when looking for a plumber. If you find a plumber who offers cut-rate prices, there’s probably a reason. You don’t want to hire a plumber who promises to do the work for a fraction of any of the other bids, only to find that you have to hire another person to repair their mistakes and then make the original repairs. If a plumber gives you an unreasonably low bid, there’s a reason for it. They’re using poor quality parts, cutting corners, or their bid isn’t going to match their final bill. They wouldn’t stay in business if they work at a deficit.
However, a reputable plumber will offer you a reasonable price, and will stick to their estimate unless any big issues arise along the way. It’s a good idea to the two or three bids and then choose the most reasonable (that isn’t too good to be true). - Warranty
Any plumber who is worth their rate is going to give you a warranty on their work. You should be offered a warranty of at least one year on work and longer on the parts you paid for. This is across the board. If the plumber you are considering won’t provide a warranty, for any reason, you should not use them.
Side note- a warranty isn’t worth the paper it’s written on if the plumber goes out of business. This is another reason to look for a plumber who has years of experience.
Do you have any other questions about finding a good plumber? Share below!