Without proper plumbing work, a house or an office building is neither hazard-free nor habitable. You need to choose the right plumber to ensure quality plumbing service in your building. But choosing the right plumber is never easy. Thankfully, qualified plumbing engineers share some general tips to help you choose the right plumber.
General tips for choosing the right plumber
- Always hire licensed plumbers – even if that requires paying a slightly premium price.
- Your chosen professional must have insurance coverage.
- Ask for a list of references before hiring.
- Consider the individual’s hands-on experience in the industry before hiring a plumber – the more experienced the better.
In addition to the general tips discussed above, skilled and qualified mechanics dealing in plumbing services across Battersea suggest you should ask the following questions to gain better clarity of the professional expertise of any plumber.
1. What is the estimated cost of solving the plumbing problem at hand?
You should better stay careful about quotes received from plumbers over the phone. Reliable plumbers prefer inspecting a site before giving a quote. They have to analyze a lot of things in order to compute the justified price for a job. On the other hand, plumbers who readily give away quotes over the phone before or without inspecting the site are much less trustworthy. Their quotations are often inflated in terms of the quantity of work required in a project.
2. Ask who’s going to do the work?
If the plumbing expert you talk to relies on subcontractors or helpers, you definitely ask about the technical credentials and practical experience those professionals possess. If those professionals are under-qualified or less experienced, it is your life and property that will be at risk. Therefore, it is better to clear out this crucial aspect right at the beginning.
3. Does the plumber have a license?
If your region requires licensed plumbers, you have to make sure the professional has cleared all the tests successfully and has been awarded a license to carry out plumbing tasks. As a consumer, it is your right to ask him or her to show you the license. It is common that newly licensed plumbers usually do not possess enough experience in the trade. But on the positive side, they often give you more reasonable quotes compared to their experienced counterparts.
4. Are they insured and bonded?
This is another valid question that cannot be skipped. A ‘yes’ answer implies the plumber is ready to provide evidence of his insurance coverage and bonding. Make it clear to the plumbing expert right from the first go that you do not want to be responsible in the eyes of law for any plumbing injury or damage to the property that may occur while on the job.
5. Do they have a fixed rate or charge hourly?
You should clarify the estimate received in order to avoid any unwanted surprise when the job gets finished. If the professional is charging you on an hourly basis, ask him how much time it should take to complete the work. This is where the experience of a plumber comes in handy. The more experienced a plumber is the more likely he is to give you an accurate time estimation.
Qualified and trained engineers dealing in plumbing services in battersea suggest you should ask the questions discussed above to get a clear understanding of core technical expertise and professional commitment of any plumber before hiring.