What To Know Before You Hire A Plumber | San Antonio, TX

5/15/2021

Photo By visiostyle at Shutterstock

Hiring somebody to work on your home is a big deal. Not only can this kind of work be expensive, but it’s also important to have everything in your San Antonio, TX, home functioning properly. This is why it’s so important to know what you’re getting into before you hire a plumber, which is something you’ll have to do at some point if you own a home. If you want to make sure you get the best plumbing work, here’s what you should know before calling a plumbing company.

Licensing

Licensing is a tricky thing when it comes to plumbing because the requirements vary based on the state in which you live. While most states require a plumbing license for residential work, there are a handful of states that don’t require any sort of plumbing license. In the state of Texas, however, plumbers are required to carry a license.

Make sure you’re hiring a licensed contractor from a reputable plumbing company. Not only does a license ensure you’re getting legal work done, but it also reduces the odds of you paying for shoddy work. Any large shop in Texas with a lot of reviews should only employ licensed contractors, but you might want to do a little research to make sure the plumbing company you hire is licensed.

Experience

Experience is another important factor to consider when you’re trying to hire the best plumber. A new plumbing company might have inexperienced employees who don’t know how to handle your problem, which is why it’s a smart idea to look at how long a plumbing company has been in business before you call them.

Ideally, you want to hire a plumbing company with several years of experience. While there’s a lot of education on the path to becoming a journeyman, there are also a lot of things plumbers learn on the job over time.

One of the best things you can do if you want quality plumbing work is to ask your plumbing company about their experience with the work you need to be done. If you’re remodeling your bathroom and need a custom tile shower installed, make sure you ask if they know a tile installer who can handle that portion of the job.

You can usually find information about how long a plumbing shop has been in business on their website. Take some time to look around at various companies’ “about us” pages to learn a little bit about each company and how long they’ve been in business.

Reviews

You shouldn’t put too much stock into what others have to say, but looking at reviews is a good way to weed out the bad plumbing companies from the good ones. These reviews give you a general idea of a company’s reputation, which allows you to make a more informed decision when you’re hiring a professional.

Another benefit to reading reviews is learning about what companies do well and what they do poorly. Most reviewers will offer fairly detailed compliments and criticisms, which helps you decide if a plumbing company is right for you. Make sure you look at the little details of reviews.

Speaking of details, don’t take star ratings at face value. Some reviewers either don’t understand the star rating system or have a personal gripe with a plumbing company. If you notice complaints that don’t seem to be business-related, you can generally just ignore those reviews.

Insured and Bonded

Just like licensing is important for plumbers so is being insured and bonded. The last thing you want is to hire a plumbing company that does shoddy work and is uninsured, meaning you have no recourse.

If a plumbing company is insured, that means they have a way to pay for any incidents that may occur while the work is being done. If somebody is injured at your home, the insurance will take care of it. If your home is damaged as a result of improper plumbing work, that damage will be covered. This is crucial when you’re hiring a contractor, so always make sure you’re hiring an insured company.

Bonding is also important. A bonded company ensures that you can get your money back if the work isn’t completed or your home is damaged in the process. Hiring an insured and bonded plumbing company is the only way to ensure you have some recourse when something happens to your home.

Finding the Best Plumber

The bottom line is, there are a lot of things to consider when you’re looking for a good plumber. It’s important to hire a licensed, insured, and bonded contractor, but you should also consider factors like experience and customer reviews.

Fortunately, finding a licensed plumbing company is easier in Texas than it is in most states. If you’re hiring a plumber from one of the big San Antonio, TX, shops, you can rest easy knowing they’re insured. The same is generally true for bonding and insurance.

Ultimately, it’s up to you to do your research and look for the best plumbing company. As long as you’re willing to put forth a little effort, you can find a top-notch plumbing company to handle all your plumbing needs.

Call bluefrog Today

Just because finding a good plumber isn’t easy doesn’t mean it’s impossible. At bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of San Antonio, we make it easy for customers to get the best plumbing work, even if time is of the essence. Our team of licensed professionals has years of experience handling plumbing service calls, so we can get your home’s plumbing back to normal in no time at all. If you’re looking for a top-notch plumbing company in San Antonio, call bluefrog at (210) 876-1629 today.