10 Things You Should Do Before Hiring A Plumber
1. Get A Referral: There are a ton of options when it comes to plumbing, finding an honest one is like finding an honest lawyer… and us Las Vegas locals know how hard that is! It can often be tough to sort through reviews on sites like Yelp and Google Local because there are companies with big marketing budgets that can afford to outsource reviews, or hire reputation management companies to address, and even remove bad reviews. Yes, they exist and are growing exponentially with the advent of community based reviews.
My advice is to ask friends and family first, and cross reference their recommendation with the 9 extra tips below. Also, most people know about Yelp, but did you know that real customers often love to leave a “recommendation” on Facebook. When a customer writes a recommendation on Facebook, he’s letting each and every one of his friends know that’s he/she is giving this business his/her stamp of approval. See our Facebook recommendations here.
2. Check for the plumbing license: Most states (including us here in Las Vegas, Nevada!) require that a plumber be licensed! Plumbers require permits for certain jobs and need to complete coursework before obtaining a license.
PS. Courses and apprenticeship are actually a lot easier today than they were when our certified master plumber, Dino Etheridge, had to take them!
3. Business License, Liability Insurance and Worker’s Comp: We call this the “avoid the Craigslist handyman” effect. We love Craigslist, you can buy goods for way below market value. But for services, buyer beware! Their are a lot of people who are trying to make a little money on the side marketing themselves as a handyman, plumber, technician, etc. And while there’s nothing wrong with wanting a make a little extra money, inviting someone into your home can be a lot more expensive then you thought if an injury occurs and they don’t have liability insurance. Liability insurance not only protects the plumber, but you as the homeowner as well. Before inviting a plumber into your home, ask for physical copies of the plumbing license, business license, liability insurance and worker’s compensation insurance.
4. Years of Plumbing Experience: Dino has been a plumber for over 30+ years, when you call – you have the option of talking to him and not a customer service representative or salesperson. If you decide to call a major corporate plumbing service, make sure you find out more about the plumber they’re sending out and how much experience he has. If they do not have this information, that is a red flag.
5. Pricing: Look for a plumbing company without hidden fees and free estimates (like us!). Don’t be fooled by coupons offer “$100 off,” ask them “$100 off what?” Also, make sure the plumber is willing to warranty is work. If not, find another plumber.
Need a few more tips? The Better Business Bureau (BBB) has 5 additional tips for hiring a plumber. If you have any questions, feel free to call us at (702) 460-9426. Dino is a Las Vegas plumber with over 30+ years experience, there’s almost nothing he hasn’t seen. We’re located in Summerlin, but we will serve anyone in the Las Vegas valley.
