Choosing a Plumber

"Remember when you were a kid and you learned about all of the different jobs that people can have? Those basic jobs represent really important people in our lives, people that we often don’t think about until it comes time that we need them. Since most of us don’t live in a community like Sesame Street, we don’t have “the auto mechanic” or “the plumber” to turn to when we have a problem. Instead, we have a whole selection of people in our community who provide these services.

Choices are great to have but sometimes it’s difficult to know how to decide on the right person for the job. This is particularly true in cases where the service is important to you. You really want to make sure that you get someone who can do the job right. Since you aren’t neighbors with this person (at least not close ones), how do you decide that they are trustworthy enough to come into your home and resolve your problems?

Here are some tips to assist you in choosing a plumber that you’ll want to have come back again the next time that your home has a problem:

o Don’t wait until you have an emergency. You want to plan in advance to find a plumber that meets all of your needs so start looking before you actually have a plumbing problem. Then you’ll know just who to call when your toilet won’t flush.
o Look for a plumber that comes out for emergencies. Your plumbing problems aren’t going to always happen between the hours of nine and five. You want to make sure that your plumber has an on-call option in case of an emergency. Be sure to ask if any extra fees are involved in this service.
o Consider cost. You want to find a good plumber but you also want to find one that you can afford. You don’t necessarily want to choose the one that is least expensive (you often get what you pay for) but you should shop around enough to find someone that really fits in your price range.
o Ask about employee background checks. You’re letting someone into your private home and you want to be safe about it. This won’t guarantee that there will never be a problem but a place that does extensive background checks is more likely to have employees you can trust in your home.
o Determine what type of business is the kind that you want to work with. Some people are really comfortable working with a family business that’s very small. Other people prefer name-brand corporations that are franchised. Know what your style is to narrow down your choices.
o Meet the plumber. Your gut will tell you if you should choose this one or move on. Listen to it!

We may not live on Sesame Street, but we do live within a community. By taking the time to select the right people from that community to help us with our lives, we can develop a sense of society around us that makes our lives work more efficiently."