Find a Dependable Plumber in Chicago – The plumbing system is a huge part of what makes your home such a nice place to live in. Although you don’t see this system at work most of the time, it is toiling away every single hour to keep you and your family supplied with clean water. It also carries away all the wastewater generated in your home without any fuss.
What would happen if your home’s plumbing system suddenly stopped working? That’s not something you like to think about, but it is a very real possibility. There are two ways to keep this from happening. You can avoid damage to your home’s plumbing by using it in the right way, says Ocean Blue Management. Secondly, you can protect your plumbing by only hiring a qualified plumber to work on it.
If you live in Chicago, you know that finding someone to fix problems with your plumbing is not hard at all. However, whether that person has the training and experience to do a good job is another matter altogether. The cost of letting unqualified persons handle your home’s plumbing system goes beyond the money you pay the person and your wasted time.
Badly done plumbing repairs and amateur plumbers subject your home to a slew of issues. Long after the joy of paying a small fee to a non-professional is forgotten, the unrelenting pains of that bad decision will still haunt you. What are the steps you can take to make sure that the plumber you hire to work on your Chicago home is trustworthy?
10 steps for finding a dependable plumber in Chicago
Experience matters
There are things you can only learn from years of practice; that’s why experience often coincides with competence. Also, a plumber who has been practicing in an area for a long time would have built a reputation. That reputation is easier to verify. A new company, on the other hand, might be a bad plumber who has recently moved to your area.
Are they local?
Give preference to local plumbers over national chains. Nationwide companies may have all the sophisticated equipment, but they lack one key thing: the personal touch. Local companies are more responsive, they can adapt to your specific needs, and you can build a long-term personal relationship with the plumber.
Verify credentials and licensing
Most tradesmen are happy to display proof of their competence via their various certifications and the training they have done. However, you should not take the plumber at their word. Take the extra step to verify all claims. Also, ensure the plumber you are working with is licensed by the municipality and that the license is still valid.
Ask about memberships
In addition to certifications, training, and licensing, the plumber should be a member of the local chapter of their professional body. Professional bodies have a code of conduct they expect their members to follow. The plumber knows that he can lose his standing, or license if he fails to uphold those standards.
Insurance and warranty
What kind of insurance do they offer? What happens if one of their workers is injured on your premises while working on your plumbing? What about if they damage your home or belongings while doing their work? Do they have enough insurance to cover these and is there a warranty on their work?
Look at their team
How many people do they have on their payroll? Are they permanent or temporary employees? What are the qualifications of the people who work for them? Permanent employees are more committed to their work than temporary staff, since, unlike temps, they may have to work for that same customer again in the future.
Check their online reputation
Follow the company’s online footsteps by checking the comments and reviews left by past and current customers. How does the company interact with people on its social media pages? Pay particular attention to its response to negative comments and reviews. What are its Yelp, Google, and BBB ratings?
Ask for referrals
Can the plumber furnish you with a list of people they have worked for in the last 6-12 months? These should be people who live close to your location. Ask the plumber’s permission to contact the people on the list. Make the effort to speak with some of them about their experience working with that plumber.
Ask for recommendations
Skilled workers and technicians who have worked within a specific location for a reasonable length of time often know one another. Your plumber, HVAC technician, and the local hardware store know the best workmen in the area and the ones who are no good. You can ask them for recommendations.
Are they willing to put things in writing?
Ask the plumber for a copy of the contract they give to their customers? Let them also provide the estimates in writing, rather than over the phone. A plumber who is unwilling or unable to do these cannot be trusted. Having things in writing helps you avoid unnecessary disputes in the future.
