If the time has come to hire a plumbing company to take care of work on your home, you may be wondering where to begin your search. If you haven’t required the services of plumbers in the last couple of years, you may be concerned about finding a company you can rely on.
At Gastech Heating & Plumbing, we understand exactly what it takes to find a plumbing company you can trust - because we are one! Below, we’ve listed our top tips for finding the best plumbers in your local area.
Ask your friends and family for recommendations
Use the power of word of mouth to find great companies in your local area by asking your friends and family for recommendations. If they’ve had a bathroom or kitchen installed in the past couple of years or they’ve had to deal with a burst pipe in the home, they’ll have relied upon the services of a plumber. If they received particularly good service from the plumber in question, they’ll probably be happy to share their contact details with you.
Many plumbing companies rely on word of mouth to grow their client base, and will go above and beyond to satisfy their customers for this reason. Finding plumbers that have been recommended to you by people you trust is a great way to find tradespeople committed to professionalism.
Harness the power of online search
If you don’t know anyone who can recommend a great plumber, it’s time to take your search online. Searching for terms like ‘plumbers near me’ will pull up a list of all available plumbing companies operating near you, and from there you can browse their websites and do your own research.
When looking through plumbers’ websites, look for signs that they’re a trusted and professional company. Although a well-designed website doesn’t necessarily mean they’re great plumbers, a poorly-designed website doesn’t give a great first impression. Look for things like contact information, a list of the services they offer and customer testimonials to ensure you have all the details needed to make an informed decision.
Read previous customer testimonials
One of the most important things to do when finding a great plumbing service is to read what previous customers have had to say. If the company in question has lots of negative reviews citing horror stories of unfinished projects, unsafe behaviour or impolite staff, this is a sign it’s time to look elsewhere.
On the other hand, if the overwhelming number of testimonials are positive, this tends to be a sign that the company offers a great service. Lots of companies will display the best testimonials on their website, however, be aware that these will have been cherry-picked. For a more honest overview of the standard of their service, check the reviews listed on their Google account and their social media pages.
Check what services they specialise in
Before you commit to hiring a plumber, it’s important to double-check what services they offer. This sounds like an obvious point to make, but it’s surprising how many people hire a plumbing company that cannot provide all the services they require.
For instance, if you’ve hired a plumber to take care of a burst pipe, but you’re thinking of re-doing your bathroom in the near future and would like to use the same company, it’s in your best interests to find a plumber who can offer an all-in-one service. Otherwise, you’ll have to go through the same process of finding a reliable service all over again in a few months time.
Ask how much experience they have
When it comes to finding a plumber for a home project, you need to make sure you’ve hired the best of the best. Now is not the time to support a start-up company without much experience; you need to ensure the plumbers working on your property have the skills and expertise necessary to deliver exceptional results.
If the company’s level of experience isn’t displayed on their website, give the plumbers a quick call to check how long they’ve been in operation for. During the call, you can also gauge how confidently they discuss their experience and the services they offer. A plumber who doesn’t know much about the company they are working for or the services they provide isn’t someone you want to trust with your property.
Make sure they’re an accredited company
When you’re inviting a plumbing company to undertake work on your home, it’s imperative to make sure they’re qualified and authorised to do so. The most effective way of checking for this is to make sure they have been accredited by industry-standard organisations. This means their practices will have been reviewed to ensure they adhere to the relevant rules and regulations.
The first accreditation to check is whether or not they are a Which? Trusted Trader. Displaying the Which? Trusted Trader logo on their website is a sign that they’ve been endorsed by the UK’s leading consumer organisation, which is something you should expect from all reliable plumbing companies.
The other extremely important accreditation to check is whether they’re a Gas Safe registered company. If the plumbing company in question also offers heating services, you need to ensure they are committed to undertaking gas works safely and legally.
Ask what their response times are
There are some circumstances where you’ll require a speedy response time from your chosen plumbers. For instance, if your boiler breaks down, you’ll need them to arrive quickly to ensure your hot water is back up and running as soon as possible. Before you agree to hire a company, make sure you double-check what their response times typically are.
Give them a call to ask any questions you may have
One of the quickest and easiest ways to check whether or not you want to work with a company is to speak to them directly. Once you’ve narrowed down your search to a couple of great plumbing companies, give them a call to ask any questions you have. This is a great way to get a sense of how polite and friendly they are.
If the company in question is willing to answer your questions confidently and competently, and takes the time to explain anything you don’t understand, it’s a sign that they prioritise customer satisfaction. On the other hand, if they appear rude or disinterested on the phone, or simply can’t answer your questions confidently, it’s time to look elsewhere.
Request a free initial quote
Before you agree to hire a company, make sure to request a free, initial quote. You need to make sure the services you request are within your budget, otherwise you’re likely to find yourself in a tricky financial situation. All plumbing companies should offer a free, no-obligation quote, so be sure to give them a call to discuss how much you can expect to pay for their services.
To find the best plumbers in your area, we’d recommend comparing quotes from more than one company. This will allow you to compare the plumbing costs for different companies and make sure you aren’t being overcharged.
Gastech Heating & Plumbing: Reliable plumbers serving Blackwood and beyond
At Gastech Heating & Plumbing, we’re proud to specialise in a range of plumbing solutions, from bathroom leaks to kitchen installations, and are committed to offering our customers top-quality service every time. Based in Blackwood, we work throughout South and Mid-Wales, including Newport, Cardiff, Chepstow and beyond, offering professional plumbing and heating services to domestic customers.
From underfloor heating installations to boiler repairs, our heating engineers and plumbers are well-equipped to deal with a range of services. We understand the importance of delivering the highest standard of work, and are proud to be Which? Trusted Traders, Gas Safe-registered and OFTEC-accredited.
For more information about our range of services or to discuss our plumbing solutions, get in touch with us at Gastech Heating & Plumbing today.
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