Things to Consider When Hiring a Plumber
Choosing the right plumber can be the difference between a job well done and your home being trashed.
What are some of the things you should consider if you don’t know much about your plumbing options? The first thing you can do right away and with ease is to compare the hourly rates of the plumbers that you want to use. While this is a very easy thing to compare, that doesn’t mean the cheaper plumber is the right one to go with nor does it mean that you should use the most expensive plumber either.
Don’t necessarily go with the plumbing firm that you recognize the name of. Recognition only means that have done a good job advertising. What do you friends and family say about the plumber? Do they have a good reputation? That should be much more relevant than their hourly rate or whether they have a commercial on television.
You should always try to get references from anyone you want to do work for you. Especially old job references, which will tell you whether the plumber treated them fairly and what the plumbers work ethic was like. Comparing hourly rates can also be confusing because some plumbers will bill things differently. Their experience may also factor into that cost.
If you live in the sticks, away from a close plumber, you should expect to pay a travel fee for the plumber to get to you. Driving from job to job takes a good portion of a plumber’s day and they should be compensated for this time.
So what should you really get from all that? It’s probably best to choose your plumber based on the overall customer satisfaction that they have provided in the past. It’s hard to fake satisfaction, as most people will shoot you straight if they feel they have been taken advantage of.
A very outside the box view on choosing the right plumber is to avoid plumbers altogether. This is easier said than done, because even though preventative maintenance is easy, some things get out of hand fast. When they do get out of hand you can have a Plumber in Salt Lake City ready to help you with you plumbing needs.
But what are the basic preventative maintenance measures you can abide by to make sure your plumbing runs as smoothly as it should, barring emergency?
1.First, be wary of what you put down your drains. Remember that if you have a septic system, this includes lots of things like, grease, sanitary napkins and most food stuff. Most chemicals and things that will set your bacteria balance out of whack should also be avoided.
2. In the bathrooms you should have drain covers to keep all the soap scum and hair from going down your drain and causing clogs. Wash the drain covers on a regular basis to keep them flowing freely. It’s much easier to clean a drain cover than it is to unclog a drain.
3. Another concept to consider is keeping your pipes from freezing. Letting the water trickle to keep certain pipes from freezing can be beneficial. Other pipes that have a chance of freezing might need to be shut off if the weather is going to get too cold. Another option to save some costs is to purchase the fittings that your plumber is going to use. They may pay a higher price from their distributor than you pay at your local hardware store. Some things might not be able to be purchased however, and you should listen to your plumber’s recommendations.
4. Another thing to consider is what the plumber will charge you for. A Plumber in Salt Lake City will do all the work you ask them to do, but if you could have done some of the work before hand, as long as it is easy for you to do, you should do it.
Having a list ready for your plumber when they get there will also save time because they won’t have to go around your home searching for every problem, as you have already inventoried all the issues and have the list handy for the plumber when they arrive. It might still be wise to allow a Plumber in Salt Lake City to check your home for other plumbing issues that you might not be aware of.
If you do have a good grasp of the plumbing problems in your home, a list will help the plumber tremendously and save you billable hours in the long run.
With the thought of saving money, you may ask your plumber about water-saving plumbing fixtures. Your water and sewage treatment costs you money every month. If you reduce your consumption of water, you are saving on both ends. If you have a toilet that is in need of repairs and isn’t very efficient, you might be wise to consider purchasing a new toilet outright.
You will save on repairs when you purchase a new piece of equipment that shouldn’t need to be repaired for a long time. When you are remodeling, you can save time and money by doing the remodel in an efficient and logical manner. Make sure that you get more than one quote for the work you are planning on having done. Having more than one person give their perspective on the work you want done can put some things into perspective.