Picking The Right Plumber

Even in an emergency, finding a qualified guy (or gal) to fix your toilet is not a decision you should rush

So the toilet’s clogged and you’ve tried plunging it; the tank’s running constantly and you’ve done everything conceivable to the handle. Every screw has been tightened and every washer has been replaced. You’ve contemplated fetching duct tape or even an exorcist, and still the commode won’t behave itself. You’ve tried repairing it yourself, but the time has come to admit defeat and call a professional.

Hiring a plumber is not a decision to take lightly. Shoddy bathroom work will not only cause more inconvenience; it could potentially lead to thousands of dollars in damage to walls and floors due to seepage--not to mention the legal costs of suing the jerk who did the poor job in the first place.

The most important tip to remember when hiring a plumber is not to wait until there’s an emergency to do so. If you are a first-time homeowner or new to the neighborhood, try nurturing a relationship with a plumber with some lighter, non-emergency work around the bathroom, and to do it during normal business hours. Build a rapport with him or her so that when your toilet does start vomiting raw sewage onto the bathroom floor at 7 p.m. on a Sunday evening, you won’t feel so awkward making a panicky phone call for help.

And while you’re building that rapport with the plumber, here are some other useful tips to follow:

• Ask to see a license. There is hardly a jurisdiction in the world that doesn’t require a plumber to be certified, and it should take just one phone call to confirm with local authorities that the plumber’s license is up-to-date. The potential candidate should also have a workers’ compensation policy and liability insurance.
• The work should be guaranteed, and backed up with policy that includes coverage should the plumber go out of business in the middle of a job.
• Three words: referrals, referrals, referrals. Talk to neighbours about who they use. Ask the plumbers themselves if they have references. And get your local real estate agent to suggest candidates. Most realtors can’t sell a house until the plumbing is in tip-top shape, so they keep lists of plumbers on whom they rely.
• Find out if the potential plumber belongs to an industry association. These groups have stringent codes of practice and have no qualms about booting out members who violate them.
• Finally, check to see if your plumber has had the proper professional development to fix your toilet should it be a high-tech model, such as a dual-flush toilet or one with automated flushing.