What Questions Should I Ask a Plumber? 

Oh no! Your kitchen tap won’t stop dripping and it’s getting on your nerves, or your toilet won’t flush which isn’t only annoying but potentially embarrassing too, so what do you do? 

 

Call a plumber, obviously. 

Or maybe not so obviously if you happen to be a plumber or are married to one and can have the problem fixed not only quickly but cheaply too. But not everyone is a plumber or is married to one. That would be weird. So how do you go about finding a good one? In the olden, pre-internet days, people would simply turn to the Yellow Pages or other local directory, phone a plumber and ask them to come round. Nowadays, people are more likely to turn to their local Facebook group and ask for recommendations. A good plumber ensures proper installation and repair of plumbing fixtures and pipes, leading to long-lasting results. 

Personal recommendations are great and word-of-mouth is undoubtedly the best way to find a trusted, reliable San Jose plumber. Whichever way you choose to find a plumber, whether you fancy going old school and sticking a pin in the Yellow Pages or you go down the ‘Can someone recommend a plumber for me please?’ route on Facebook, there are certain questions you should ask before setting a plumber free on your pipes.

Is it actually a plumber you need?

First of all, before asking a plumber anything, ask yourself if it’s actually a plumber you need. Just because you’ve got a problem to do with water, if the issue is further down the system, it might be a local drainage company you need, not a plumber. 

Are they licensed/qualified? 

If you just want someone to stop that dripping tap that’s spoiling your enjoyment of Eastenders with its constant drip drip drip that you can even hear over Kim Fox’s screeching, you might not be that bothered how many NVQs the plumber has. 

But you really don’t want someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing messing around with any complicated plumbing. 

For example, if you get a dodgy tiler and a kitchen tile falls off the wall, or your exterior painting’s not as neat as it could be, it’s annoying but not the biggest inconvenience in the world. If you get a dodgy plumber who causes more problems than you had before they walked through the door, this can be a very costly mistake. 

Water damage can end up costing you thousands of pounds to put right. Not to mention the inconvenience of having your bathroom or kitchen out of bounds while a bodge job is rectified. 

Even more importantly, if your plumber is doing something that involves gas, it’s imperative they’re on the Gas Safe Register. 

Have they got insurance? 

Even the most qualified plumbers can cause damage. This is where their insurance comes in. All plumbers should have public liability insurance in the event they cause damage or injury while working at your property. This insurance also needs to cover anyone else they have working with them. 

What do they charge? 

You’re not going to get a cheap plumber but, let’s face it, would you really want someone on minimum wage being responsible for ensuring your bathroom is fitted to a high standard or for safely installing your gas cooker? 

But because plumbers aren’t cheap, you need to know exactly what you’ll be charged before they begin. All plumbers will give you an estimate before starting the job but be sure to get a final figure and ask if it includes the call-out fee, labour and parts. 

Is there a guarantee? 

Ask them if they’ll be happy to come back if you have any problems in the future and, as above, if they are happy to come back to fix something that’s gone wrong, will there be an extra charge or will they fix it for free. 

We all hear scare stories of rogue traders and a dodgy plumber is one thing you definitely don’t want in your house. Asking a few questions should ensure you get a qualified one and hopefully nothing will go wrong (but if it does, they’ll be insured).