Tips on finding a reliable plumber

Date published: 2nd June 2013

Got a tap that just won’t stop dripping? Perhaps your pipes and drains are emitting odd sounds and smells. You’re not wrong in thinking that you need a plumber. Getting problems like these seen to quickly and efficiently is important to keep your household bills down and stop bigger problems emerging down the line.

But when you hire a plumber, you’re usually inviting them into your home. This is why it’s important to choose someone reliable, professional and friendly so that you get a good all-round service.

Experience

Probably the first thing you should check is how much experience a plumbing company has. You need a service that’s been running for at least a few years. This means that not only will they be well versed in all types of plumbing problems, they’re likely to offer a very reliable service. After all, an unreliable service is not sustainable over the years.

Competitive prices

You should look for a plumbing company that is going to provide you with a good service at competitive prices. But we don’t mean you should look for the cheapest option, nor should you go for over-priced plumbers. A cheap service might signal that they are not fully qualified or that perhaps they are using cheap parts or employing under-par engineers. And a service that is too expensive might be trying to rip you off. A good plumbing service will be frank and open about their rates and they should reflect the industry standard rates. Anything far higher or lower than these can signal a problem.

Friendly

An often-overlooked quality, it’s important to look for a friendly plumber. After all, this person is going to be coming to your house so you want to be certain they’re a decent person. Our industry is plagued with cowboys who go around performing poor-quality qork and giving the rest of the plumbers in Plymouth a bad name. But friendly plumbers can still be found!

Qualifications

There are certain qualifications and industry requirements for safe plumbing work. Any plumber that you employ should meet these requirements and will be happy to prove their credentials if you wish.

Efficiency

Your plumber should be able to respond to the work required within a reasonable time frame. Once they arrive, they should aim to complete the job as quickly and professionally as they can. This is mutually beneficial: it means that you save money on labour and that they can get off to the next job on their never-ending list. But watch out for plumbers that work too quickly. It could be a sign that they’re cutting corners.

Word of mouth

Perhaps the most reliable form of advertising, getting a recommendation is a great way to find a good plumber in Plymouth. Sign up to review websites to see how they’ve performed and follow them on social media to see their interaction with customers. This can give an insight into the way your plumber does business and how much importance they place on leaving a good reputation behind them.