The Most Important Questions To Ask A Plumber | Florence, SC

The value of a residential plumbing system can account for over 10% of the value of the average home. Therefore, you cannot afford to be casual when choosing a plumbing contractor to install or repair your plumbing system. Indeed, since there are many incompetent people posing as professional plumbing experts, you need to be extremely careful when shopping for a plumber. Therefore, once you have identified the plumbing companies you can consider hiring, you need to be ready to do your due diligence and find more information about each of them so that you can make an informed choice. In addition to browsing the internet and asking your friends and neighbors to refer you to the plumbing companies they know, you need to be ready to ask the plumbing service providers some questions for you to get to know them better. Below is a rundown of the most important questions you should ask a plumbing contractor before you can trust them with something as valuable as your plumbing system.

Are You Licensed?

Plumbing service providers are usually regulated by local authorities in charge of water and sanitation. This is because some plumbing jobs have the potential to cause serious property damage and injuries. It is only after undergoing the necessary training and acquiring some experience that plumbing contractors receive the licenses that allow them to offer their services legally. If you hire a plumber who is not licensed, their competence might be questionable, meaning that they might end up disappointing you. Therefore, before you can choose to hire a particular plumber, you need to ask them if they are duly licensed. A good plumbing service provider will be happy to show you their license. Therefore, if a plumbing contractor seems reluctant to show you their licenses, you should not be afraid of walking away.

Are You Insured?

Some plumbing jobs can involve serious risks or accidents and property damage. In other words, when a plumber is working in your house, they might get hurt or even put a section of your home at risk of getting damaged. Good plumbing contractors protect their clients against the financial burden of such risks by being adequately insured and bonded. If your plumbing contractor is not insured and bonded, you may be held financially liable for the injuries or property damage they might sustain and cause while working in your house. On the other hand, if your plumber is adequately insured and bonded, you will not have to worry about such risks since their bond and insurance companies should take care of them. As such, as you consider hiring a given plumbing service provider, you need to ask them if they are insured and bonded. If their answer is negative, you should not accept taking the risk of trusting them with your plumbing system.

For How Long Have You Been in the Business?

When you are shopping for a plumbing contractor, experience is one of the most important factors to consider. This is because plumbers seem to get better at their work with experience. Indeed, the more experienced a plumbing service provider is, the more likely they are going to be conversant with the plumbing situations you might run into. This means that more experienced plumbing service providers are in a better position to handle even the most complex and rare plumbing problems. As such, when considering hiring a particular plumbing service provider, you need to ask them about their experience. If they have not been in the business for more than a few years, you should avoid hiring them.

Do You Have Any References?

The fact that a plumber has been in the business for many years does not necessarily mean that they have been doing the right thing. Therefore, it is important for you to get to see some of the plumbing projects they have handled in the recent past. To this end, before you can trust a plumbing contractor with your plumbing system, you should ask them if they have any references. If they do not have any references, or they are unwilling to refer you to some of their recent projects, it will be hard for you to determine what you can expect from them, and therefore, you should not risk hiring them.

Do You Offer 24/7 Emergency Services?

Plumbing emergencies can strike at any time and on any day. Therefore, you need to have a plumbing contractor you can trust to be there for you anytime you need them. Indeed, a good plumber should offer 24/7 emergency services. This is because some plumbing emergencies can cause serious discomfort and inconveniences in your house, meaning that they must be resolved as soon as they have been spotted. Therefore, even if your current issue is not an emergency, it is a good idea to ensure that you have an emergency plumbing contractor on speed dial. As such, before you can settle for a particular plumbing service, you need to ascertain if they are always willing and able to respond to plumbing emergencies with the urgency they deserve.

Will You Give Me a Warranty?

Even after settling for a seemingly reliable plumbing contractor, there is a good chance that they may fail to meet your expectations. To protect yourself against the cost of getting the job redone in the event of poor workmanship, you need to ensure you get a warranty for the services offered. As such, before you can settle for a given plumber, you need to ask them if they will offer a warranty for the services and products offered. If the answer is negative, you should not risk hiring them.

The Bottom Line

If you are looking for the most reliable plumbing contractor to handle any plumbing issue in your house, Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Florence is an excellent choice. Call us today for more information about our company and the services we are best known for.

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