When you’re searching for a new plumber, it can be easy to search the internet and click on the first result that comes up. Especially if you’re in a bit of a fix and need to find a plumber quickly. However, choosing the wrong plumber could result in even more headaches. It’s important to get a good, experienced plumber who will meet your expectations both short and long term.
If you know what to look out for, you can still choose the right plumber quickly. Once you find the ideal plumber for you, hopefully you won’t have to search again. Finding a plumber you feel you can continue to rely on gives you long-term peace of mind.
Consider the following aspects when finding a plumber, so that you can find the right one.
Recommendations
As with any trader or service, you can’t beat classic word of mouth recommendations for finding a good one. Recommendations from people you know and trust, such as friends or family members, can be the most reliable way to find a plumber who will provide a good service.
Recommendations are particularly reliable when they come from multiple people, or people who have been using the plumber for a long time and had them attend to a variety of issues.
Where To Find A Plumber
If you have the name of a recommended plumber, they should be easy enough to find. If you don’t have any recommendations or you simply want to compare a few (which is a good idea) you will otherwise likely search online.
When looking for a local plumber, you might simply search ‘plumbers near me’ and return adequate results. Your search engine may even automatically make your search locally relevant, depending on your settings.
Websites like Checkatrade and Trust A Trader offer clear comparisons and ratings of traders in your area. They can help to clarify and simplify the process of finding a tradesman like a plumber.
However, there is a downside to comparison sites, in that many traders won’t be on them. This is because smaller businesses are more likely to suffer from one or two bad reviews. Though they may be well experienced and trustworthy, some plumbers don’t want to risk their name on such sites as a result.
Local Plumbers VS Large Plumbing Companies
Whether you go small and local or for a larger corporation, there are pros and cons on each side. Local plumbers may simply be a personal choice for those wanting to support local and smaller businesses, or who prefer more of a community spirit.
Local plumbers may also be more cost effective, as they are usually more flexible on prices. A local plumber will often be able to assess an individual job and tailor a specific price. Larger national corporations are more likely to have set rates and brackets to work within, which employees are unable to amend on a case-by-case basis.
On the other hand, there is more security and assurance with a bigger business. As bigger businesses can employ many plumbers, you are more likely to get the work you need done faster and without hassle. For example, if there are any complications it can be easier to resolve them through the dedicated customer services of bigger corporations. You can also trust from the get go that plumbers working for such a business will be fully certified. A large company’s brand will be dependent on the guarantee of qualified and certified plumbers.
Certifications
You should always check that the plumber you use is fully qualified and certified. Not only does this usually ensure a sufficient level of experience, it is also a safety issue. For example, a gas engineer is required by law to be certified on the Gas Safe Register. This is to ensure they are safely trained to attend to otherwise potentially dangerous systems.
It’s a good sign if a plumber is Gas Safe registered, as they may work sometimes with gas appliances and it shows their dedication to being a safe and qualified professional. Without this certification, a plumber should only ever tackle ‘wet work’.
Other qualifications a plumber should have could be CIPHE (Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering) or APHC (Association of Plumbing and Heating Contractors).
CIPHE and other reputable accreditations not only show the prospective plumber’s dedication to high industry standards but also provides a third party on which their reputation depends on. If a plumber didn’t meet the standards and ethics set by the accrediting body, they would be removed from their register and stripped of the certification.
Experience And Equipment
Any plumbers you’re deciding between should be certified. After that you should look out for their other experience, i.e. how long they have been in the trade and what jobs they have done. Finding a plumber with more years of experience is obviously a plus, as they should be more used to tackling a wider range of plumbing issues effectively. However, you may wind up paying more for those with more experience as a result.
Ideally you want to choose a plumber who has dealt with the problem you're facing many times. It will save you time and hassle with bigger or more complicated jobs to pay someone who has good experience with what you’re facing.
Having all the necessary equipment to get your particular problem fixed, and a wide variety of problems fixed generally, is also a massive plus. It may even be a deal breaker. If they don’t have the equipment necessary for a job you call them out for, they may have to outsource to a third party or you may have to find another plumber. To save from the hassle, choose a plumber with an arsenal of all the latest kit.
Customer Promises
If a plumber has customer promises in writing on their website, it is a good indication of their dedication to customers and customer consideration. It also provides a guarantee, as they can’t easily dispute such promises laid out clearly on their site.
Cost Transparency
For a smooth process and customer-plumber relationship, having as much clarity as possible on prices is paramount. Of course, it can be difficult for a plumber to make a proper quote until they come and see exactly what they’re dealing with.
However, the clearer they are beforehand the less likely there will be any frustrations or disputes on either side. It’s good to know whether they have a call out charge or not, before calling them out to assess the job and give a quote.
Shop Around
Once you have a good idea of the fees charged by each plumber, you can compare these prices or quotes to determine who offers the best prices. You may still prefer a more expensive plumber over another if they otherwise check more boxes, but of course, the cost is a major factor when choosing any tradesman.
How Are The Reviews?
Referrals by someone you trust may be the best way to find a good plumber, but reviews are an important indicator too. With reviews, you may not know personally the sources or what their preferences or personalities are, but you do get a much wider spectrum of feedback.
With a range of feedback from many customers, you can get a good sense of a plumber’s ongoing reliability, their average rating, and details on various aspects of their service that may be important to you.
Do They Offer 24 Hour Emergency Service?
It’s always good to have a 24 hour emergency plumber service. It’s not uncommon to have a problem that needs attending right away, no matter when it occurs.
It’s all well and good choosing the perfect plumber in your area, but if they don’t provide a 24 hour emergency service you might find yourself looking all over again. Not something you want to be doing in a plumbing emergency.
Choosing a plumber spur of the moment and in a hurry could lead to massive concessions on some of these other key considerations.
How Is Their Website?
A clear website that shows all the services, certifications, and other relevant information clearly and helpfully, shows a plumbing service that cares about providing an easy customer experience. If all the considerations here important to you are displayed on a plumber’s website, it saves you hassle and shows a high degree of professionalism.
Gastech
If you’re looking for a plumber in South Wales, Gastech has decades of experience providing a reliable, certified service. We have the latest technology at our disposal and are able to offer free quotes. For more information, get in touch today. One of our friendly staff will always be happy to help.
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