Questions to ask a plumber in Harford County before Hiring

A plumbing license is basically a stamp of approval that shows a plumber is qualified to work on your home. Without a license a plumber does not have any higher governing body to report to. Inevitably his work may not even pass inspection. Worst of all you may be scammed out of money as they could create fees halfway through a job or upcharge out of the blue. Remember not just to ask but also to get a license number which you can check through your state’s license board. 

This is another important question to ask. A plumbing company or plumber should have an insurance policy which will cover any damage to your home. If for any reason a pipe were to burst and water started flowing inside your home for example the amount of damage caused could be very serious. Without a proper insurance policy, you could be liable for the cost. The other part of insurance to look out for is if they have a workman’s compensation policy. If for example a company does not and someone gets hurt while working in your home they could come after you for compensation. Workman’s compensation or workman’s comp is just another layer of protection to ask about.

Most professional plumbers will give free estimates when you inquire about a job. When you do receive a quote make sure the estimate received covers the entire job as some quotes may not account for any extra work that could arise or materials. If these variables are not included ask about what costs will look like in the event something comes up and any good plumber or plumbing company should be able to walk you through what might come up.

Ask who will be coming to your home to do the work. Many individual plumbers will simply do the job themselves but some companies have a team especially for larger jobs. Ask who will be doing the work and their qualification for being put on the job. If you aren’t happy with the answer provided or they seem to not want to give you a satisfactory answer then it might be time to look for someone else.

It seems like a basic yes would be the answer to this question but it doesn’t hurt to ask. For one it will make sure that after you ask it will make sure that any debris or extra materials are cleaned up and on the flip side if they honestly provide a no for the answer then they might not be the right fit for you. If you don’t ask at all though you may be stuck with quite a sizable job to clean up after when nothing is properly cleaned up. 

What will happen if the same issue or even a new one pops up in a few weeks or months? One good question to ask is if a company stands by the work that they provide. If they are a company out to scam then they may complete a job and you will never be able to properly contact them again. If they have a warranty or guarantee make sure that you not only hear this verbally but it is also in any contracts that you sign before having work started.

Always not only look up online reviews for a plumber or plumbing company but ask if they can send over reviews, testimonials, or references. If a quick search shows many negative reviews you may want to steer clear. If they are unable to provide references again it may be time to look into a different person or company for the job.

A good honest plumber or plumbing company should have a payment system that spreads payment installations throughout a job. Usually the system will work as an initial deposit and final payment upon adequate completion of the work. For smaller jobs it most likely will just be payment after the work is done. Be very cautious of any company that asks for payment in full ahead of doing any actual work as this could be a scam. If this is the case it would be better to just walk away from this contractor.