Owning your house comes with its own series of headaches. Chief amongst these is finding a good plumber. Some people settle for a neighborhood DIY type guy, with no formal training. These people often end up regretting their decision later when the work has to be redone, or causes damage to their property. Instead of just settling, you should endeavor to find the best plumbers in your area.
The time spent locating and contacting the best plumbers more than pays for itself. A good plumber can field calls with common questions, maintain your plumbing on a regular schedule, and even come to your aid in the middle of the night when emergency strikes. You should be looking for the most knowledgeable plumbing contractor possible, with a large enough staff to accomplish any job in a reasonable amount of time.
A neighborhood plumber with only one or two employees may be ideal for the random clogged toilet, but if you end up in a situation where a large job needs to be done, and schedules must be kept, you want a true plumbing company. Look for a company that is licensed, as well as insured and bonded.
Where to Start Looking?
There is a lot of information on how to find great plumbers on the internet. Unfortunately, we’ll be rehashing some of it but it’s all to make sure you get the best possible plumber so I’m sure you won’t mind.
Start by searching the Internet, the Yellow Pages, and review sites such as Yelp! These will help you pick out a batch of likely contenders. Take the next step and call each of them. Make sure they service your area. Make sure that you can communicate easily with their staff, and that they understand you. Ask them if they have an emergency service. Ask if they are licensed and insured. Are they members of the Better Business Bureau? How many employees do they have, and what kind of training do they receive?
Asking these questions can help you weed out the lower-tier plumbers from the best plumbers. Once you have found a plumber, start out by scheduling a simple inspection. A common first inspection would be a CCTV camera inspection, where the plumber looks through your pipes with a camera and looks for any problems. If they say work is required, ask for an estimate, and tell them you will call them back. Get a copy of the CCTV footage if possible.
Take your estimate and get back on the Internet. Research the problem, and see if the plumber knew what they were talking about. Check on prices for similar jobs. Call competitors and ask their prices. If everything checks out, you have probably found a very good plumber. Once you’ve located your ideal contractor, keep their number handy in case you ever have a plumbing emergency, or are unsure of what could be causing a problem.
Check These Plumbers Out
For Toronto area residents, we highly recommend the experts from Absolute Draining & Plumbing. They meet all of the requirements listed above, and more. Their staff is responsive and knowledgeable, and they quote prices that are, on average, under the going rate. Grab the number of their site and keep it handy for all your plumbing needs.
