The difference with having to choose a good Emergency Plumbers and having to choose a joiner, builder or painter is that a plumber is more often than not called when there is an emergency. This means that you might not have too much time to look around.
Anyway, here are some good tips on how to find a good plumber for all circumstances.
Unfortunately, it does seem that in the plumbing trade there are more horror stories of people being ripped off than from the other trades. Of course, every trade will have its “cowboys”.
Plumbing also entails work that most DIY enthusiasts also don’t have much experience in. Where some will enjoy putting cabinets together, or painting and decorating, not many will feel happy soldering pipes or messing around with fixing sewage lines.
So how can you be sure that you’re getting the right plumber?
Finding the Right Plumber
Usually the best route is a personal recommendation. This way you can at least vet the plumber beforehand and get enough information to make an informed decision.
Of course, if your pipes have sprung a leak, or your toilet is spewing its contents up, you might not have much time to ask around for recommendations.
What to do in an Emergency?
In a plumbing emergency the first port of call will probably be the internet or Yellow Pages. In the United Kingdom you can go to the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (IPHE). This is a charity whose goal is to “improving the science, practice and engineering principles of plumbing”. There you will be able to search for registered plumbers in your postcode area. These are plumbers who have been vetted and who meet certain criteria. The next step will be to start making some phone calls.
Before you agree to anything it’s essential to find out the following:
- How long they have been in business and if they have premises you can visit. A well-established plumber is won’t disappear during the job).
- Get some references.
- Have they done similar work before.
- Do they have insurance to cover your property (and that of your neighbours).
- Do they guarantee their work. Is this insurance backed? That means that if they go out of business then you are still covered.
- Is the plumber a member of a professional trade body? If you have time, then contact the trade body in question and to check out that they are currently registered.
Of course, if it’s an emergency then you might not be able to do all of the above. But it’s good to ask these questions anyway and you will get an idea of what kind of a plumber he is.
How to Hire the Right Plumber
Don’t fall into the trap of hiring the first plumber that you called. If it’s an emergency, describe in detail the problem and get a quote. Get quotes for three or four different plumbers so that you can compare prices. They questions that you need to find out from them are