If you’re a homeowner, you’re going to be dealing with plumbers a lot. You might have already encountered a few while building your property. You need to beware of the risks associated with contracting these people and take measures to protect yourself.
Among other things, injuries might happen, the work might not be up to standard, unforeseen charges are also common, and then you have plumbing companies that will be sending juniors to work on your job. It’s vital that you keep these factors in mind.
To that end, before you give the plumber the job, ask them the following questions to determine if they are the right fit for the job;
- Are you licensed?
Many plumbers operate without a license. Some just wake up one day and decide that they can be plumbers. It is critical that you only hire a licensed plumber. There are two main reasons why. First, a license means that the plumber has passed a test, meaning he/she has the level of knowledge required to operate as a plumber. Secondly, is proof that a plumber is registered with a governing body and therefore adheres to established industry standards.
- Who is going to do the work?
Professional plumbing companies often employ many plumbers who are assigned to different projects based on factors such as availability and size of the job. Also, large companies sometimes hire laborers to help with large projects. You need to know this beforehand. Is the company planning to send actual employees to your home? Or are they sending laborers? Ask about the qualifications of the guys who’ll be doing the job and whether they have sufficient knowledge and experience to handle such a task.
- Is this the entire cost?
We’ve all heard about ghost costs. You hire a technician to work on a project, they give you a low quote, and later on come up with unforeseen charges meaning you end up paying twice the original quote. Plumbers have this habit too. In their advertisements, they’ll mention a low fee to appeal to potential customers. Then, later, you end up paying more. Always ask your plumber if whatever they’re quoting is the entire , including labor, materials, and other contingencies.
- When do I pay the fee?
Another issue is time of payment. First off, never accept a situation where you have to pay the entire fee upfront. It leaves you at a disadvantage should the plumber not deliver to expectations or if they fail to deliver at all. There are only two payment plans to consider; by milestone and time. For milestones, you pay after a specified task is completed. By time, you pay after an agreed period such as every week.
- What if something breaks?
Finally, always ask what happens if something breaks after the plumber has left. Some plumbers offer to come back and fix any damages that happen within a year of the plumbing work. Others may undertake to fix only certain breakages over a certain period. Whichever the case, you need some form of guarantee – in writing.
If you can take care of all these five situations, rest assured of a good relationship with the plumber.
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