5 Pro Tips for Hiring a Plumber

Nobody likes having to hire a plumber to fix their plumbing issues, but the service is quite necessary from time to time. When you do have to hire a plumber, you should be aware of your budget and try to keep the cost to a minimum. In addition to that, you also want to find a friendly plumber who will do the job right. This week, we'll be taking a look at five tips you can follow to better the whole plumber experience.

1) Make a List of Plumbers

The first thing to do is make a list of quality plumbers that you would consider hiring for the job. There is no set number of plumbers that you should put on this list, but what you should do is comprise the list of quality plumbers you feel like could successfully fix your problem. To get the list started, consult Google and find local plumbers in your area. I would also recommend going on service websites like Angie's List to find reliable plumbers. When researching, try to build your initial list off of customer reviews and company authenticity. The golden rule for this list is to not list a plumber that you wouldn't want doing the job; only put plumbers you feel like you would trust with your plumbing needs.

2) Compare Hourly Rates

After composing a list of reliable plumbers, compare their hourly rates. If your list truly consists of quality companies you feel would be able to accomplish the task at hand, then the biggest factor remaining should be price.  Compare hourly rates that the different companies offer, and narrow the choices on your list down to two or three.

3) Choose Your Plumber

After narrowing the list down to two or three plumbing companies that offer the best prices, you now have a decision to make. You can base your final selection off of price, service, or a ratio of the two. You already know the hourly rates for each of the plumbers in addition to having seen reviews for their service on the internet.

4) Help Their Time Efficiency

Depending on the reason you are calling this plumber, you could just have one problem that needs fixing or you could have multiple problems. Make a list of each of the problems you have that you can give to the plumber when he shows up. That way there is less time talking between the two of you trying to identify the problem and more time that the plumber is working on the project. Having your mess together when the plumber shows up can save his time and your money.

5) Reduce Plumbing Needs

The last thing to do when hiring a plumber is reduce the number of tasks you need him to accomplish. In some instances, basic problems like clogs and leaky facuets can be simple DIY projects after doing proper research on the internet. Fixing smaller problems like these can also be a great way of saving money when hiring a plumber.