On average, in Canada, the cost to have a plumber work in your home ranges from $58 to $260. While this may seem expensive, imagine how much it would cost if water damaged the structure of your home or your belongings. This cost can easily climb into the thousands of dollars.
The vast majority of plumbing issues catch homeowners by surprise. However, when they do arise, getting them taken care of as soon as possible is imperative.
To ensure your plumbing is getting repaired properly and in a timely manner, you need to work with the right Surrey plumbing company.
Read on to find out how to find the right company for whatever plumbing issue that might arise in your home.
Make Sure They are Licensed
The best plumbing company to work in your home will be licensed and insured.
Being licensed means that the plumber has completed the required training and is certified. A license is necessary for the plumber to legally work in the plumbing trade.
Having a license also means that they are knowledgeable about all of the current codes and best practices. This is important whether they are installing new plumbing or changing any plumbing that currently exists in your home.
Don’t Forget About Insurance
Not only should the plumber be licensed, but they should also be insured.
If they or one of their employees is injured while working in your home, you could be responsible for paying for their medical costs.
If they accidentally damage your property, you could be responsible for paying for that as well — unless the plumber is insured.
To make sure you and your property are protected, and to get reimbursed if your home is damaged, you should only work with a plumber that is insured.
You should be able to find licensing and insurance information on the plumber’s website. If not, don’t be afraid to ask for it. A reputable, trustworthy plumber will gladly share their credentials with you.
Check Into Their Experience
The longer a plumber has been in business, the more knowledge they have when it comes to various plumbing issues.
It also means that they are doing something right.
On average, a plumber should have at least 2 to 3 years of experience. If you’re looking for someone who has a lot of experience, then you’ll want to look for someone who has been around for at least 5 years.
This ensures that you are getting a plumber that knows how to fix a wide range of problems. They also won’t get rattled or frustrated when a new situation arises. They’ll be able to rely on their knowledge and skill to fix any problem that might come their way.
Make Sure They Offer Emergency Plumbing Services
Since plumbing issues can arise at any time, you want to work with a plumbing company that is able and willing to handle emergencies.
If you wake in the middle of the night to find ankle-deep water in your bathroom, you don’t want to wait until the next morning to get it taken care of. A lot of costly damage could happen to your home during that time.
Should your sewer system back up over the weekend, this needs to be taken care of immediately. Thus, working with an emergency plumbing company is in your best interest.
When it comes to finding the right plumbing company for you, make sure they are able and willing to handle emergencies.
Determine If They’ll Fit Into Your Budget
You don’t want to go cheap when it comes to your plumbing. On the other hand, you also don’t want to work with a plumber that will drain your savings account either.
Thus, to find the right plumber, you need to find someone who offers high-quality services and fits into your budget.
The plumber may have a different fee scale depending on whether or not the service call is during normal business hours or is an emergency call. This is pretty typical. However, you don’t want to feel like you are being taken advantage of.
Knowing what the average fees are for plumbing services can help. These normally come in a range, so finding a plumber that is near the middle means you’re getting a good deal.
Although, if the plumber comes highly recommended and always does an outstanding job when it comes to your plumbing, then you may have no problem paying higher fees.
You are the one who has to determine what is too expensive and too cheap.
Make Sure the Estimates Are Accurate
When it comes to determining if the plumber will fit into your budget, you need to make sure they are presenting you with an accurate estimate.
Things that should be included in the estimate include the following:
- Price of materials, including pipes and fixtures
- Hourly rate
- An estimate of how long the job will take
- Emergency fees (if any)
- Trip or call-out fees (if any)
In addition to these costs, there may be other fees on the estimate that are not as easy to understand.
These might include the cost of having a dumpster on-site. This isn’t something that would happen on a regular basis, but if you’re redoing your bathroom or have to upgrade your entire plumbing system, it will need to be included in the price.
Other fees that might occur include the cost to fix any plumbing code violations.
Again, this isn’t something that commonly occurs, but it could crop up. This is something you might expect if you own an older home or if the plumbing done in the past was DIY and needs to be corrected.
If you ever have any questions about the prices on your estimate, you need to ask. A reputable plumber will be happy to answer your questions and explain their pricing to you.
Ask About Warranties
Not every plumber will offer warranties, but some will. Some products that the plumber uses may also come with a warranty.
In essence, all a warranty does is back up the great work that the plumber is capable of doing. They may take a lot of pride in their work and may be really good at what they do, but they are still human. Every so often, mistakes may occur, or things out of their control might happen.
If something should happen, the plumber should be willing and able to fix the problem. This is where the warranty comes in. Most reputable and trustworthy plumbers will back their work up, so don’t be afraid to ask if they have warranties.
Scrutinize Their Communication Skills
From the moment you place your first call to the end of your plumbing job, you should feel like you have been treated respectfully and courteously.
In addition, you are letting the plumber into your home. They should make you feel comfortable and explain in easy-to-understand terms exactly what is going on with your plumbing.
If you are calling a bathroom plumbing company to figure out why your toilet is clogged, you shouldn’t feel like you are being judged. They should come in, do their job, and give you some advice and/or tips on how to prevent the issue from occurring in the future.
Not only should the plumber have excellent communication skills, but their office staff should as well.
There’s nothing more frustrating or anger-inducing than talking to someone who seems angry or disinterested—especially when you have an emergency.
Thus, when it comes to finding the right plumbing company, don’t be afraid to scrutinize their communication skills.
Check Their Ratings and Reviews
If you’re looking for some insight into what it’s like to work with a particular plumbing company, then take the time to read their ratings and reviews online.
Since these are left by other customers, this will give you an idea of the services that were provided and if they made the client happy.
It’s important to realize that no company will have all positive reviews. It’s just not possible to make everyone happy. However, there should be more positive reviews than negative reviews.
You should also consider looking into how they handled the negative comments. Sometimes, people are just really difficult to satisfy. So, if the plumber went out of their way to make the customer happy or fix the problem, this could still be an indicator that they are a great company to work with.
Look at Their Name
When it comes to plumbing company names, there are certain franchises and businesses that you know you can trust.
They have built their reputation on only hiring or working with high-quality professionals that have customer satisfaction and service at the forefront of their mind.
That’s not to say that an independent plumber can’t be trustworthy. However, working with a plumbing company that is well-known and has been around for a while might be in your best interest.
Where Do You Find Plumbing Companies?
In addition to knowing which traits the plumbing company should possess, it’s also helpful to know where to find them.
One of the most convenient places to look is online. Consider typing in “plumbing companies near me” to bring up a list of potential plumbers to help with issues in your home.
Once you get a list, you can then apply the tips listed above to find the right one for the job.
Of course, the internet isn’t the only place where you can find the right plumber. You might also consider asking your friends and family if they have any recommendations.
Your local community might also have a business listing that highlights the plumbers in the area that you can call.
No matter which option you use, this can be a great way to find the right plumber for any issue that might arise in your home.
Common Issues that Require a Plumber
In addition to knowing what to look for and where to find a plumber, it’s helpful to know when you should call one in. Here are some of the common issues that might occur that will require a plumber:
Slow or Clogged Drains
Slow or clogged drains are one of the most common issues that might arise in your home.
You may be tempted to pour chemicals that you get from the store to take care of the clog, but this isn’t the best idea. You might cause more problems than you solve.
When you call in a professional, they’ll be able to quickly assess the problem and determine the best way to take care of it. Their methods will ensure that chemicals don’t corrode or damage your pipes. This will save you frustration and an emergency call in the future.
Issues with the Toilet
Whether your toilet keeps running or has become clogged, it’s in your best interest to call in a professional to get it taken care of.
If it continues to run, this may cost you a lot of money. A clogged toilet could back up into your home — and then you have a huge, costly mess to deal with.
Since you use your toilet on a daily basis, making sure it’s running optimally is imperative. Call in a professional to get this fixed as soon as possible.
Not Having Hot Water
If you’re trying to do the dishes or take a shower and notice that the water isn’t hot, call in a professional.
There are numerous reasons why your hot water heater might not be working, and they will be able to quickly diagnose the problem and fix it.
The Right Surrey Plumbing Company
Whether you are dealing with a common plumbing issue or an emergency, the right Surrey plumbing company to handle the job is Mr. Rooter Plumber of Surrey BC.
It doesn’t matter if the issue arises during the middle of the night, on the weekend, or during normal business hours, the professional plumbers at Mr. Rooter Plumber in Surrey will be at your house to make repairs and give you peace of mind.
Contact us today for any and all of your plumbing needs!