Everything You Need To Know About Plumbing Quotes

Plumbing Quotes 101

Sometimes receiving a plumbing quote for your clogged pipes can feel too good to be true. Other times it may seem as if you’re being taken for a ride. So how do you know when your local plumber is above board, or when they’re all talk? Consider the following tips to help you become a plumbing quote pro.

Licensed to Plunge

Plumbers must take the effort to receive a license from the state and be properly insured. This is to ensure a higher standard of quality as well as to help regulate things between companies and ensure some kind of accountability. Whilst it may be tempting to just accept that dream quote at first glance, your house’s pipes are too valuable to just cave in to the lowest bidder. An unlicensed plumber is that way for a reason, no matter what experience he might claim. Furthermore, a cheap job may address the symptoms but fail to solve the underlying problem, leaving you with a clogged tub all over again just a few short weeks after everything seemed fined. In contrast, licensed plumbers will typically offer some kind of after sales service or satisfaction guarantee. Most reputable plumbing companies will advertise their license on their website, so take the time to look it up. It may save you a windfall.

Vox Populi (Popular Public Opinion)

In this modern age of communication reviews have become commonplace for far more than your favourite restaurant. Just about every service you can name is subject to digital feedback. Many plumbing companies will have some degree of web presence and you shouldn’t have to search too far. Some will even maintain a place for feedback right on their own site. Whether from a dissatisfied customer, or an overly thrilled one, customer commentary is a vital part of making your decision. And whilst it is worth taking every comment with a pinch of salt (there are after all two sides to every story), feeling around the web will help you determine whether your plumbing quote is the real deal or a nightmare waiting to happen. You may be surprised at how many people have taken the time to share their experiences.

Knowledge is Power

If you feel like you’re being taken for a ride, don’t sit quietly. Ask ask ask! Most professionals won’t be hesitant to explain exactly what it is that goes into the plumbing quote you’ve just received. Costs all have defined tools and tasks, and while you may need to overcome a bit of jargon, these can all be readily explained. And if you really detect that something is amiss, get a second opinion. You may not know what some of those procedures are for or why they’re necessary, but a third party in the industry certainly will. However be sure to take advice with caution. Again, the priority should be to get the job done well, not as cheaply as possible, and an outside company may not have the full picture, or even worse could just be trying to undercut the competition. Still, it never hurts to get expert advice.

On the whole, the trick is to just be sensible. If something doesn’t feel right, keep these tips in mind and you should be able to suss out the reliable plumbing quotes from the swill. In all likelihood your plumber knows exactly what he’s doing. And at the end of the day a job done well is a job worth paying for.