Finding a plumbing contractor you can trust can be a daunting task. There are so many different plumbing contractors out there, how do you know which ones are honest, reliable and will not rip you off?
You know I have heard many people say "I use the neighbors guy because if he did them right he is good enough for me". This may be true to an extent but how do you know if that plumber is actually licensed & insured?
Or if he has even done a certain type of job that you need such as cleaning a sewer line, or replacing a water heater? Or how do they know he did not rip them off? These are questions people do not take into consideration when hiring a quality contractor.
There are certain things you need to look into before asking them to come to your house for a repair or estimate.
1. How long has the company been in business?
My general rule of thumb is not to hire any contractors that have not had at least 3 years of business experience
2. Are they licensed and insured?
You can check with your local Building and permitting department for that or if there is a licensing bureau in your city or county.
3. Call the Better Business Bureau.
See if they have had any complaints and if so what is the nature of the complaints as well as if the contractor tried to resolve the issue.
4. Get a written estimate.
When possible get an estimate. Sometimes if you know what the problem is you can ask the contractor over the phone what they charge for a specific item. Most plumbing contractors charge a service call as well so you will need to find out about that too.
5. Check their references.
You know a lot of people do not do this. Ask them for a reference list and actually call these people to see what they have to say. 4 or 5 should give you a general idea of their experiences with the contractor.
Ask some general questions too such as how much they charge to come out for an estimate. Is it refundable if you hire them? Do they have a camera for checking blocked lines?