How To Pick The Right Plumber | San Antonio, TX
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If you have a sudden plumbing emergency, or just notice that something is wrong with your plumbing that needs to be corrected in San Antonio, TX the first thing most people do is jump on Google and search for a nearby plumber. However, a quick Google will probably reveal dozens of search results and you will quickly realize you have no idea how to choose the right one. After all, you don’t want to just choose a plumbing service blindly, but honestly most of the listings probably all look the same.
At some point in your life, you will need to pick a plumbing service, even if that time isn’t now, so it may help to have some guidance so that when you arrive at this particular Google search you know how to weed out a potential plumbing service quickly. There are certain things that you want to investigate fully and some boxes to check when choosing a plumber. Here are a few factors that can help you determine if a plumber is the right match for your problem, or if you should scroll on to the next one.
Check Out Their Credentials
To start, you want to make sure that any plumbing service that is on your short-list is properly credentialed. Even if you have read great reviews, you need to make sure that they have a business license that meets Texas requirements. In addition, each professional that works for the plumbing company should be properly licensed and/or certified. With any luck, you should be able to find a license number on their website, but if you can’t then this should be the first question you ask when you call them to inquire about services.
Check Their Insurance
The very second question you should ask when you call them is whether or not they are insured. Once again, you may be able to find the answer to this on their website, but if you can’t, you need to verify that they have proper insurance. Insurance covers any damages or losses that might occur while they are working in your home. While your plumber should not anticipate needing coverage, a good plumber will carry insurance because they know that unpredictable things can occur and they want their clients to be protected. That is the type of plumbing service you want to work on an issue in your home.
Ask for An Estimate
While a plumbing service can not offer you a guaranteed estimate (and they shouldn’t if they are working with a grain of salt) for all types of work because there are variables that can alter the outcome, they should be able to offer you a fairly approximate estimate before they begin any work. If they do suspect there may be a problem, they should be willing to give you an estimate that includes what will happen if the unexpected issue does arise and then what that would do to the price.
Not only does this indicate that they are realistic and experienced, but it also shows that they respect you enough that they aren’t trying to price gouge you with hidden costs. By offering you a clear and honest estimate you can feel comfortable with the work both before and after it starts. You can also compare estimates and see what other companies are offering to get an idea of whether or not a plumbing service is realistic in its pricing. If you really like everything about one plumbing service but their quote is slightly higher, you may be able to bargain a bit to get them to match the price match. It’s always worth a try, but keep in mind that you usually do get what you pay for.
Check If They Offer the Service You Need
Sometimes you don’t have a lot of time to waste, so you need to check if they have the service that you need. For instance, not all plumbing companies offer emergency plumbing services. If you have a plumbing emergency on your hands then you don’t have time to wait a few days for another service to come out to your home even if you like their reviews better. Other things that a service may or may not offer that you need to specifically inquire about including main water line repair, sewer line repair, and gas line repair. Usually, most major plumbing companies will handle these larger tasks, but a smaller local plumber may not so you need to always double-check.
Check Out Online Reviews
One benefit of today’s digital world is that it is easy to find online reviews about local San Antonio, TX plumbing services. That Google search we mentioned earlier that you probably ran is a great place to find reviews. Google usually lists review ratings right next to business listings in your area and that is a great way to start. You can also check for reviews on Yelp and various plumbing platforms. Facebook is also a great place because if the plumber has their own page they probably have reviews there as well.
At the same time, you can ask on social media whether your neighbors have used a certain plumber to get honest feedback from family and friends. Some business websites have testimonials on them as well, but keep in mind that they will probably only list the positive reviews so you probably won’t get a full picture by just relying on the website.
If you are looking for a reliable plumbing service in San Antonio, TX you can end your search right here. bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of San Antonio can offer you a free estimate and invite you to check out our reviews online. Give us a call and we can talk you through why we are the right fit for your plumbing needs.
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