Particularly today when the cost of living is on the rise and energy prices are skyrocketing, it’s never been more important to find reliable tradespeople who can deliver you exceptional service at a fair and affordable price.
While we certainly wouldn’t recommend that you use price alone as the defining factor when choosing a local plumber, you should certainly make sure that you are getting a reliable service in exchange for your hard-earned cash.
In this article, we’re going to share some top tips for finding a local plumber that you can rely on and feel comfortable investing in. Here’s what you need to know…
1 – Ask another tradesman
If you are friends with a tradesperson, whether they be a carpenter, plasterer, or scaffolder, there’s a good chance that they will know plenty of reliable plumbers that they can recommend to you.
2 – Always trade on reputation
As mentioned above, you shouldn’t shop around for a plumber on price alone. Reputation is the most important currency if you are looking to get the most out of your money.
Whether you hire a plumbing company on a self-employed plumber, do plenty of research before making any commitments.
3 – Explore plumbing trade associations
The most knowledgeable and well-established plumbers will likely be members of a trade association. Being a member of a trade association it is a clear sign of quality and dedication to their industry. This is because membership requires a heavy focus on technical ability, customer service, and the delivery of consistently positive results.
The fact is, being a top-quality plumber isn’t just about being skilled in their craft, but being able to communicate well, be relied upon, and inspire trust.
4 – Ask your friends and family for recommendations
Another great way to separate the proverbial wheat from the chaff is by relying on friends and family for recommendations.
You could do some research and gather a list of potential plumbers yourself and then see if any friends or family members have had dealings with them.
That way, you can rely on reliable first-hand experiences from people that you can trust.
5 – Don’t forget the directories and rating pages
It’s also definitely worth doing some research and browsing the various directories and rating pages in the UK. This is the most effective way to look at genuine social proof from customers who have had dealings with the plumbers in question, before. Some examples are:
- Google My Business
- Yellow Pages
- Trustatrader
- Trustpilot
- Yelp
- Threebestrated
6 – Read their reviews and testimonials
As with most businesses, you’ll always hear things like “we’re the leading experts in”, “the finest plumbing services available”, “the best in the biz”. While this all sounds great, as the saying goes: “self-praise is no recommendation”.
In other words, you can’t rely on their words alone. Instead, look to social media and their website to read reviews and testimonials from unbiased sources.
7 – Compare quotes
It’s always worth getting a few quotes from different companies and then comparing them. When you have reviewed all of their testimonials and service benefits, you can then weigh up the pros and cons of each – including affordability.
Always be wary of suspiciously low rates. If something feels too good to be true, in the trade world it almost always is.
The fact is, most quality plumbers will know what their service is worth and charge accordingly.
Other important factors to look out for are:
- Public liability insurance
- Are they licensed?
- Do they have any service guarantees?
- How are their services charged? (e.g., per hour or a fixed rate).
- Is the quote in writing with detailed service descriptions?
- Are there any additional costs involved?
The best plumbers will ensure that they fully understand your needs and concerns. They will also be able to clearly explain how they plan to fulfil your requests to the highest standards while explaining how the price adds up and what’s included. Additionally, they should be friendly, patient, and highly professional. You should never settle for less than the best.
What do you do in a plumbing emergency?
Of course, when disaster strikes and you find yourself in an emergency situation, you won’t have time to shop around, comparing quotes and burying yourself in testimonials. So, what do you do?
For a start, you should try and research your plumbers in advance and have a few potentials lined up in case of emergency, this will save you a headache in such an eventuality.
However, here’s what to look out for:
- Ask for a guarantee and rough expected costs in advance.
- Any reputable plumber should be able to offer you a call-out price (although additional costs will depend on the nature of your problem).
Common plumbing scams to be aware of
The sad reality is that there are plumbers out there who will try to scam you out of as much money as possible whilst delivering a substandard service. The good news is that this can be avoided by keeping an eye out for the following ‘tell-tale’ signs:
- Always ask for identification and proof of their licencing and insurance
- Request a company address and all other relevant information as proof of their authenticity
- Do not give money ‘under the table’ and always demand a receipt for every single payment you make
- Never rely on door-to-door plumbers unless they have a proven track record and reputation
- Always request a detailed, written quote with all of the required information
- Never sign any blank documents or any overly vague contracts
Final thoughts
All in all, finding a reputable local plumbing service that you can rely on is highly achievable; you just need to do your due diligence and try not to rush the process.
Particularly so that you can be prepared in plumbing emergency situations, we highly recommend that you do your research in advance and have a few quality plumbers lined up so you don’t find yourself taking any unnecessary risks when you discover a burst water pipe or a blocked toilet.
We hope you’ve found this article insightful and wish you the best of luck with finding a local plumber that you can comfortably put your faith in like these guys https://www.0800homefix.com/
