Plumber Hiring Guide Everything You MUST Know Before Hiring a Plumber
You Do NOT Have the Right to Reprint or Resell this Report! You Also MAY NOT Give Away, Sell or Share the Content Herein If you obtained this ebook from anywhere other than our website, you have a pirated copy. Please help stop Internet crime by reporting this to us at our website. 2011 Our Website. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this report may be reproduced or transmitted in any form whatsoever, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any informational storage or retrieval system without the expressed written, dated and signed permission from the author. LIMITS OF LIABILITY / DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY: The author and publisher of this book have used their best efforts in preparing this material. The author and publisher make no representation or warranties with respect to the accuracy, applicability, fitness, or completeness of the contents of this program. They disclaim any warranties (expressed or implied), merchantability, or fitness for any particular purpose. The author and publisher shall in no event be held liable for any loss or other damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages. As always, the advice of a competent legal, tax, accounting or other professional should be sought.
Don t Worry You Can Find a Good Plumber! Plumbers have gotten somewhat of a bad rep and it s not quite fair. While there are plumbers that will overcharge and try to take advantage of their customers, that s not specific to plumbers and just about any type of home contractor has their own horror stories attached to them. But when it s time to get a plumber, you shouldn t be worried that finding one is going to be an extremely stressful situation. While there may be the slightest chance that you ll run into a plumber that s less than honest, there are more good plumbers out there than there are bad; and finding one can be easy if you re willing to do a little bit of homework. One of the most important things to remember when you re looking for a good plumber is to hire one when you don t need one. When you re knee-deep in water and you don t know why the toilet won t stop overflowing or how to stop that pipe from spraying water everywhere, you ll be at the mercy of the first plumber you call. Hopefully they re honest but if you haven t done your research, you have no way to be sure of that and you don t have any time to figure it out. So start contacting plumbers early, perhaps for small repairs or for an inspection, and you ll have lots of time to go from there and determine if they re the plumber to call when you have a really big job at hand.
Can You Do It Yourself? While calling a plumber in for a small job may be fine when you re testing out different plumbers, most small plumbing jobs you ll be able to do yourself, saving you lots of money and frustration when you re listening to that toilet constantly running but the plumber can t get to you until next week. Know which jobs you can do yourself, such as switching out hoses in a washing machine, unclogging a drain, changing a washer in a faucet, or even an entire faucet. Any home hardware store will be able to tell you whether or not you can fix the problem yourself, will be able to point you in the direction of the tools you ll need to make the repair, and might even tell you step-by-step how to do it. If you have a serious problem that you can t tackle yourself, then it s time to start calling around to different plumbers. So, where do you start?
What Type of Plumber do you Need? You may think that the only type of plumber you need is a good one. But in fact, there are two types of plumbers: new construction plumbers and home repair plumbers. The type of problem or project that you require a plumber for will determine which type of plumber you need. A new home construction plumber generally focuses on building entire new plumbing systems that have to be installed in a home or building that s yet to be built, or an existing structure. While this is the obvious choice to call when you re building a new home, these types of plumbers can also help when you re remodeling a bathroom or adding an extension onto your house that requires running water. The home repair plumber is the plumber that you should have in your contact list that can be called any time that you have a problem you can t conquer yourself. These plumbers can be called in at any time and they ll help solve your plumbing issue for you. Whichever type of plumber you re looking for, the process for finding one is generally the same.
Where to Start Looking The good news is that when you start looking for a plumber, there are lots of options and lots of names in a lot of places. Finding the names of different plumbers isn t difficult it s choosing between those names to find the best one for you that people often find a challenge. So, where do you start looking? The first thing to do is ask your family and friends whether they ve ever needed to use a plumber, and who they used when they did. Ask them if they re still using that plumber, if they liked the plumber, and if the plumber completed the job competently and in a timely manner. A good recommendation from someone you know and someone who s used the plumber is one of the best insights you ll have as to whether or not that individual will be good for you. In fact, word of mouth is one of the most effective forms of advertising that good plumbers use. Asking around will give you a few names to start with but if you want to add to that list, there are a few other places you can look too. You may not think that just going to the Yellow Pages and picking a name is a good idea but it s not a bad place to start. Again, it s not where you get the names from, it s how well you research them after collecting them that s important. And the same goes for online searches too. Doing a search for plumbers in your area online can be another great way to start compiling your list of different plumbers. This can be even better than looking in the Yellow Pages because plumbers will often have their own websites where you ll be able to check out what kind of work they do, testimonials, and other information about the company. You can often find other organizations in your area that will also be able to give you the names of some good plumbers. Plumbing associations and organizations, construction companies, and unions are all good places to ask if you want to know who the professionals recommend. Your local Chamber of Commerce will also have a list of good plumbers in the area. Don t feel as though you have to compile a list with the names of twenty different plumbers. Try to start with a list of about five or six. Among those you should be able to
find the plumber that will work for you and the job you need. Once you have that list can you can then start researching each plumber individually. Starting the Screening Process You ll need to get bids from at least three different plumbers before you ultimately decide which one you choose. But before you do that even you ll need to narrow your list down even further to get to those three. This is because there are very important issues such as licensing and certification that you need to be sure any plumber has before you even start discussing your project with them. That way when the time comes you can be sure that you re only dealing with qualified professionals, and not just someone with supplies from the local hardware store and a plumbing how-to book. The first thing you absolutely must do is make sure that any plumber you speak to is licensed. This is an easy step but an important one. Before plumbers can become licensed with the state they need to undergo an extensive background check, take a plumbing competency test, and be fingerprinted. Making sure your plumber is licensed will give you great peace of mind that they are a professional and that you will be satisfied with the job once it s done. Start by going online and visiting your state s licensing board. If you don t know what that address is, you can do a Google search for (State) contractor licensing board ; this will bring up the address that you need. Click on it and once there you ll see a link that says Check a License. You can check by license number but if you don t have it you can also search using the plumber s name or the name of the plumber s business. While you re online, you can also do a search for user reviews on the plumber or the plumbing company. Entering (Plumber Name), (Area) Reviews into Google will bring up a list of user reviews and testimonials about that specific plumber. Try to find reviews that come from third-party websites and from people who have actually used that plumber. These are likely to be more honest and objective in their review than testimonials that you might find on the plumber s own website, as these are subject to the approval of the plumber. The next step is to look for some basics that will tell you that the plumber or the plumbing company is legitimate and professional. Make sure that they have a business name or at least a business address and phone number. Many contractors operate their business simply under their own name, but they should at least have a dedicated phone line for their customers to call. A business address is also a good sign that you re dealing with a professional. This doesn t mean that it needs to be elaborate with a waiting lounge and tons of displays;
but a place you can physically visit when you have a plumbing concern always helps provide peace of mind. And, whether a plumber has an office or not, do make sure that they ve been in business in the area for quite some time. Your plumbing is not something that you want to leave to inexperienced contractors and those that have been serving customers in the area for a long time are more likely to have the experience you re looking for. Getting the Bids Once you ve done your basic research and have found some plumbers that are qualified and licensed, it s then time for them to start competing for your business! When plumbers are going to prepare a bid for you, they ll physically visit the location to have a look at the project so that they can gain a better understanding of it. Even if it s a small repair or you re just looking for a plumber that you can have on-hand for future reference, they ll probably still want to come have a look so that they can see the setup of your plumbing system and the hardware that you re currently using. Try to get at least three plumbers to prepare a bid for you so that you have many options when making your final decision. This is the time when you ll be able to meet the plumber, ask a lot of questions, and get to know the plumber and what kind of work they do. This may be the largest part of finding a good plumber, but it s worth it when you have several good bids that you just can t decide between! So start by calling around to the plumbers on your list and asking to set up a time with them when they can look at your project. Also make sure that you won t be charged for the visit when the plumber comes to prepare their bid. If there s a plumber that you really want to consider but they have a fee for having to come out to visit, ask if there is any way they could give you an estimate over the phone. Do be wary of any plumber though that s not willing to come out and look at the project for free, as it could be an indication that there will be more hidden fees in the future. Once you ve met the plumber but before you start discussing your project, ask the plumber if they have insurance, and what kind they have. Any contractor that works on your home needs to have liability insurance. This insurance will protect you in case the contractor should cause damage to your home while they are working in it. The other kind of insurance that any plumber must have is Worker s Compensation. This insurance will protect you should the plumber injure themselves on your property while completing your project. You should definitely ask the plumber if they have both
types of insurance, and you can ask them to provide paperwork to prove it, but there are better ways to verify that the plumber is insured. Simply ask the plumber for the name of their insurance company, their agent and their agent s phone number. Once they have left, either after giving you their bid or to prepare their bid, you can then call the agent and request a certificate of insurance. This is very easy, doesn t take a lot of time, and is the only way to fully verify that your plumber is in fact covered should something happen while working on your plumbing problem. Once you ve covered the basics, you can then get down to the nitty-gritty and start really asking your plumber some tough questions. Just making sure that a plumber is licensed and insured is simply not enough, and you ll have to find out a lot more before you can make your final decision on which plumber to choose, and it s not always the cheapest either. To get a really good idea of which plumber will work best for you, have a list of questions ready that will tell you more about the plumber, and give you more insight as to what it will be like working with them and how much it s going to cost you in the long run.
Questions to Ask Any Plumber Once you re discussing your project with your plumber, it s time to dive in and ask some questions! Don t overwhelm or interrogate your plumber. After all, both of you only have so much time, and you ll be interviewing a few different plumbers. But there are some key questions that you should make sure you get in so that when you re comparing bids, you can make an informed decision about which plumber will work best, and hardest, for you. How long have you been in business? Just because a plumber has only been in business for a year doesn t necessarily mean that they are a bad plumber. But if the plumber you re talking to doesn t have a lot of experience under their belt, it is something you ll want to consider. By the same token, if you re talking to a plumber that has a lot of experience, you can take it as a good sign that they know what they re doing and have had many happy customers that have kept them in business. Do you have a website? Most plumbers today have a website and just looking through it will give you a good idea of what it will be like to work with that plumber. It can be helpful to look through the different websites at the same time you re looking through the bids from different plumbers. Do you work alone or with a staff of plumbers? If it s a large company you re dealing with, there are probably many different plumbers on staff and you re likely to deal with any one of them when you have a pluming problem. This can work to your advantage because it can help increase response time. But you won t get that personal feel that you ll have working with one plumber alone, and large companies with lots of staff also tend to be more expensive than independent shops. Are all plumbers in your company insured? If you are speaking to a larger company that has more than one plumber on staff, you ll need to make sure that each contractor has their own separate insurance. Do you provide 24 hour emergency service?
A plumbing disaster can strike at any time and you don t want to have to wait for a plumber s doors to open while your basement fills with water. Make sure that any plumber you use has an emergency number that you can call to speak to an actual person about any plumbing problem that might arise at any time. What is your response time after you receive a service call? It s very important to know that once you call your plumber, they ll be there ready to help you with your problem, and fast! Comparing response times is very important when comparing the bids from different plumbers. Does this need to be repaired or replaced? Sometimes a plumbing job will require old parts to be taken out and new parts to be installed. Other times though, just patching up the parts that are currently there is enough, and can save you a lot of money. You may not be able to tell whether or not the answer a plumber gives you is correct; but if you re interviewing several plumbers you ll be able to tell which ones are being honest and which ones are not. Will I need permits for this job and who will obtain those? Certain jobs, such as additions or kitchen remodels, will require a permit for the work to be done. If there is no permit and work begins, this could mean big trouble for you and the plumber. Ask whether your project will require a permit and if so, who will be responsible for obtaining it. Most plumbers will obtain the necessary permits for you. What kind of materials do you use? Be wary of plumbers that tell you they use refurbished or second-hand parts. While this could save you money, it could also mean that parts break down and need repairing or replacing more often, which will cost you money in the long run, not to mention the hassle of living with more plumbing problems. Make sure that any parts the plumber is going to install are new and are brand name, recognizable parts. How do you handle cleanup? It can be great once your plumbing project is finished, but not so great if you re stuck with a room that has nails, broken pipe parts, and other materials and trash lying around. Ask the plumbers you speak to how they handle cleanup, so you don t end up doing their job for them. How do you charge for your services? Plumbers generally charge by the hour for their services, and you can expect to pay for the cost of any materials or parts needed to complete the job. The prices different plumbers charge varies greatly from contractor to contractor and state to state. What s
important to remember is that it s not necessarily the cheapest plumber that s the best plumber. Price is something to take into consideration, but it s not the most important thing. Do you charge trip fees? If the plumber has to travel out to your destination, they may include travel fees such as mileage. Ask any plumbers you talk to if they include travel time and cost into their fees, or whether they re added separately, so there are no surprises when the job is done. Also ask whether or not the plumber carries all of the supplies and equipment they ll need in their vehicle, or whether they ll need to be running out and buying parts. If they have to be going out to get new parts, not only will this take more time but they may also charge you the travel time for doing so. Do you provide warranties for both parts and labor? You don t want a plumber to leave a job, only to have the same issue two months later. Ask what kind of warranties will be provided, and make sure that they cover both parts and labor. Some plumbers will only provide the manufacturer s warranty for the parts, leaving you responsible for the cost of labor when they have to come back and correct the mistake. No one wants to pay for a job twice! Can you provide me with 5 references from past clients? You absolutely cannot hire a plumber without getting several references from them! Any good plumber will have a list of people that they ll be happy for you to contact. And, when they give you that list of names, make sure that you call the people on it.
How Much Do Plumbers Cost? Of course, as soon as you have any plumbing project, the cost is going to be one of the first things to cross your mind. Many people are under the mistaken belief that just getting a plumber to walk through your door costs well over a hundred dollars, but that s not always the case. In truth, the cost of plumbers and different plumbing projects varies greatly. For small jobs, you can expect plumbers to charge anywhere from $75 an hour to $200 an hour, depending on where you live. If you have larger jobs that require the installation of a new shower, tub, or sink you could expect to pay much more, anywhere from $1,500 - $3,000. It s also important to know that major work such as renovations and additions typically cost more in older homes than they do in newer homes. When there are repairs that require major new parts to be installed such as a new shower, sink, or bathtub, always make sure you get the receipt for the part. Sometimes plumbers will buy their parts in bulk and so they won t be able to provide a single receipt. Still ask that the manufacturer s name, address and phone number is printed on your bill so that you can contact them in case there s a problem. Also make sure that you always get a copy of the manufacturer s warranty, even if the plumber has already given you a copy of their own warranty. Getting a plumber may seem like an intimidating task, and you might automatically think that once you call one, you re going to be out thousands of dollars. But in truth, neither of those things is true. Finding a great plumber that will be there for both the big jobs and the small jobs can be pretty easy if you re willing to do your homework. You can also find an honest plumber that will be able to provide you with quality work at a reasonable price, even if it s not always the cheapest there is on the block. In the end, the time you spend finding a good plumber will save you a lot of headaches down the road, and a lot of money too.
Checklist of Questions o How long have you been in business? o Do you have a website? o Do you work alone or with a staff of plumbers? o Are all plumbers in your company insured? o Do you provide 24-hour emergency service? o What is your response time after you receive a service call? o Does this need to be repaired or replaced? o Will I need permits for this job and who will obtain those? o What kind of materials do you use? o How do you handle cleanup? o How do you charge for your services? o Do you charge trip fees? o Do you provide warranties for both parts and labor? o Can you provide me with 5 references from past clients?
Conclusion Thank you again for downloading this free report. We hope that you found it useful and that it has given you the confidence you need to find the right plumber for you. If you would like help finding a top-quality plumber please contact us at: Recommended Plumber Coming Soon... If you know of a plumber to recommend please contact us today at: you@youremail.com
Recommended Resources We understand that choosing the right plumber can be quite stressful. While we hope this guide has provided you with enough of what you need to make an educated decision, we understand that you may be looking for additional information. Therefore, we have included a list of resources that has been helpful for other people in similar situations. IMPORTANT! There are no Clickbank products... We suggest putting links to books on Amazon.com or other sources that have affiliate programs. Or simply just remove this page.