How to Identify the Right Plumbing Company for Your Needs

Choosing the right plumber is important and involves several key steps. First, make sure the plumber is licensed and insured. These credentials go a long way in offering you some level of protection and in assuring you of their professionalism. Next, seek the counsel of trusted sources and look for reviews and referrals that can shed light on their reputation and the quality of their work. It is also essential that you confirm their experience with the specific kind of plumbing problem you have. Check also to see if they provide clear pricing estimates up front and if they offer any kind of guarantee for their work. You will also want to assess their availability and responsiveness, especially if you find yourself in a plumbing emergency. Finally, choose a plumber who communicates clearly and well, and who is willing to answer all your questions and provide you some peace of mind during the whole process.

To identify a reliable plumber, first seek the advice of friends, family, or neighbors who have had recent plumbing work done. They can provide firsthand accounts that can help you gauge the professionalism and reliability of the plumbers they've used. Online reviews are another way to gather information. Look at the ratings and written accounts of recent customers for several plumbers you're considering.

The plumbing "135 rule" is a guideline that helps to determine the proper sizing and layout of plumbing systems. Following the "135 rule" helps ensure an efficient and effective plumbing system—in other words, it helps ensure that the plumbing does what it is supposed to do in a manner that is as close to ideal as possible. According to the "135 rule," for every unit of vertical rise in a plumbing system, there should be three units of horizontal run and five units of diagonal runu2014in laymen's terms, a slope. Knowing how to slope is a good thing for a plumber to know. Waste water needs gravity to work with it as much as possible, and if the system is not sloped correctly, the system may need more pumping power than necessary. Conversely, if the system is sloped too much, it may overflow.

To find out whether a plumbing contractor is of decent quality, first ascertain that the person is actually a licensed and insured tradesperson. Look the individual up online and see what former customers have said about him or her. A good plumbing contractor has a good reputation, and that means he or she will have virtually all positive reviews from customers who are satisfied with the work that has been done. Also, how long has the plumbing contractor been in business? A person who has plied this trade for many years has seen and handled all sorts of problems. You want a plumbing contractor with experience and a veritable toolbox of tricks; that is, you want a plumbing contractor who won't have to learn on the job and who certainly won't be practicing on your plumbing system.

It's good practice to obtain a minimum of three estimates from different plumbing companies. This enables a comparison of costs, services, and response times, and it also lets you identify any outliers in terms of pricing. The main thing you want to ascertain in this process, aside from securing a reasonable rate, is whether the plumbing company is reputable and whether it can meet the kind of demands you're likely to place on it. (These demands are, as a rule, of the urgent sort.)

The first plumbing rule is to be certain that you turn off the water supply before you do any repair or installation work.

The cost of hiring a plumber can add up because of several factors. First, plumbing is a trade that requires special skills and training. Second, tools and equipment for plumbing can be expensive. Then there are the costs for insurance and licenses. Plumbers also have to cover overhead costs—like transportation to and from job sites—that can add to the price of service. Finally, plumbing is often a "you've-got-to-have-it-now" kind of service that also can justify a higher price.

Indeed, negotiations with plumbers are possible. Not all companies might be open to it, but most plumbing contractors will discuss prices when they know they are up against another company's quote. This means you should first comparison shop and have a couple of plumbing quotes in hand before you attempt to negotiate with one of the companies you're considering. When you do negotiate, uphold the good and friendly manners that would be expected in any contracting conversation. Above all, make it clear that you're working with a fairly tight budget and that any plumbing company that wants your business will have to come closer to your figures.

How often you should have a plumber come to your house can depend on several factors. These include the age of your plumbing, the quality of your water, and any specific problems you might have. That said, the general recommendation is to have a plumbing professional come for an inspection at least once a year. The reason to do this is simple. Like any collection of pipes, your plumbing system is under constant stress. And like any system, it's prone to fail at the worst possible times. Regular inspections and maintenance can pay off hugely in the long run by catching and fixing problems before they become expensive, disruptive repairs.

Plumbers can charge a wide array of fees for their service, and this number can swing greatly depending on a few key factors. For starters, where in the country you happen to live can have a huge impact on the going rate for plumbing. Next, of course, there's the nature of the job itself. Some plumbing tasks are, quite frankly, much more involved and demanding than others. If you want to know how much a plumber charges on average, the number most commonly cited is between 45 and 200 an hour. Finally, level of experience is a big factor too. You can find lots of plumbers who can do just the basics (obviously a good thing, when it comes to serviceable plumbing). But if you want a master plumber, you're going to have to pay more.