Choosing a plumber to perform services or repairs in your home is an important task that is not always easy. Many professional plumbers are excellent, reputable providers—but some overcharge for their services, provide low-quality services, or are generally untrustworthy. Unfortunately, it can be a challenge to differentiate between the reputable plumbers and the untrustworthy plumbers in your area. 

In the case of a sudden plumbing problem in your home—or worse, a major plumbing emergency—it can be easy to panic and you might be tempted to hire the first plumber whose name you see on a Google search. This is why it is important to prepare key questions to ask any plumber you are considering hiring before you actually hire them to perform any work in your home. 

Keep reading to learn 5 important questions you should always ask before choosing a plumber. These 5 questions are very simple but can make a world of difference in helping you avoid low-quality plumbers and instead point you toward some of the best professional plumbers in your area. 

1. Are You Licensed? 

It is not necessary for plumbers to be licensed in order to advertise themselves as professional plumbers. However, it is a much better idea to hire a licensed or certified professional plumber than to hire a plumber without any licensure or certifications. 

Licensed plumbers tend to have more experience with performing plumbing services and a wider skill set in the field of plumbing because they have received formal education and have passed key exams in order to earn their licensure. Licensed plumbers also know more about specific codes and regulations than plumbers who are not licensed. Overall, you are much more likely to receive top-quality plumbing services from a licensed plumber than from an unlicensed plumber. 

2. When Do You Provide Pricing Estimates? 

Some plumbers who overcharge for their services fail to provide any estimates on pricing for their services until they have already performed the services in your home—which can leave you stuck paying an unnecessarily high bill for relatively simple plumbing repairs.

While it can be difficult for plumbers to provide a guaranteed final price for their services right away—as they might not be sure exactly how much time or effort the repairs will require until they accurately diagnose and assess the problem at hand—most reputable plumbers offer pricing estimates before they begin to perform any services in your home. 

Reputable professional plumbers should also offer ongoing pricing estimates if their estimates change throughout the process of repairing the plumbing problem in your home. If a plumber refuses to offer any estimates for the work they are going to perform in your home, it is probably best to choose a different plumber. 

3. Do You Have References? 

Reviewing personal references is one of the best ways to determine which plumber you should hire. Any reputable professional plumber should be able to offer you a wide variety—or at least several—references from satisfied customers they have helped in the past. 

When you are in need of plumbing services, it is also a good idea to go straight to your friends and family members you trust and ask them which plumbers they have used and been happy with—or which ones they have been unhappy with—in the past. 

4. Are You Insured? 

When you hire a plumber, it is important to hire a plumber who carries liability insurance. If a plumber who is uninsured causes damage to your home or property while attempting to repair the plumbing problem in your home, you may end up liable for paying for the damages even though you are not at fault for them. 

On the other hand, you will not be responsible for paying for any damages caused by plumbers who carry their own liability insurance. Ask for proof of liability insurance before hiring any plumber to work in your home. 

5. Do You Have a Specialty? 

Many professional plumbers specialize in specific services within the broader plumbing industry—such as leak location or drain unclogging. 

While it is not necessary that you hire a plumber who specializes in certain services or areas of the plumbing industry, you will likely end up with better results if you are able to find a plumber who specializes in the plumbing problems you are experiencing in your home.

If you have questions about choosing a plumber that’s right for your plumbing issues, contact us today!