Whether you want a new plumbing system installed or you have a plumbing problem you want to be resolved, the job can be quite complex and dangerous. If you decide to do it yourself, you might lose some money or even get seriously hurt. Therefore, you need to have a professional plumber you can trust to help you handle any plumbing situation you might face in your Fernandina, FL house. Unfortunately, although there are many plumbing companies in and around Fernandina, FL, finding a good one can be quite a daunting task. This is because most plumbing contractors lack what it takes to offer quality services and resolve more complex plumbing issues. But by understanding what makes a good plumbing contractor, you can make your search less tiresome and even increase your odds of settling for a good plumbing services provider. Below is a rundown of the most important qualities that a good plumbing contractor must have.
Licensed
Given the value of plumbing systems and the role they play in buildings, plumbing is a highly regulated trade. Indeed, plumbing service providers are required to be licensed by the relevant local authorities to offer professional services legally. It is only after receiving the necessary training and passing a series of tests that plumbing service providers receive their licenses. Therefore, if a plumbing contractor is not licensed, it is likely that they are not competent enough to resolve your plumbing issues as expected. Besides, hiring an unlicensed plumber might put you at the risk of losing your home insurance and service warranties. Therefore, if a plumbing contractor is not well insured, you should not consider hiring them.
Insured
Plumbing jobs can involve a wide range of risks. For instance, if you have slab leaks that need to be fixed, accessing it can put the structural integrity of your home at risk. Besides, if the job at hand involves accessing an overhead tank, it might put the person doing it at the risk of a fall accident that might leave them seriously hurt. Good plumbers prepare for such risks by taking insurance covers. In other words, a good plumbing contractor must be well insured and bonded. Hiring a plumbing contractor who is not insured could put you at risk of losing a significant amount of money in the event of serious injuries or property damage. On the other hand, by ensuring that your plumbing services provider is well insured, you can be happy that you will not have to deal with the risks of property damage or accidents as professionals work in your house.
Experienced
Of course, given the technical nature of plumbing jobs, plumbers get better at their work with experience. In any case, a plumbing contractor who has been in the industry for many years is likely to be conversant with more complex plumbing issues than an inexperienced plumbing contractor. Therefore, a good plumbing contractor should have an experience of more than a few years in the plumbing industry. If you make the mistake of hiring an inexperienced plumber, you will be taking the risk of wasting money on substandard services. On the other hand, more experienced plumbing contractors are more likely to do a quality job, and they will be in a better position to decisively resolve even the most complex plumbing issues. Therefore, before you can decide to hire any plumbing contractor, you need to be sure that they have been providing plumbing services for more than a few years.
Positive Reputation
Given the value of your plumbing system and your home, you cannot afford to hire a quack masquerading as a professional plumber. Generally, good plumbing contractors should have a positive reputation. Therefore, before you can hire a given plumbing contractor, you need to find out what other people have to say about them. To this end, you can talk to the people they have served in the past. Alternatively, you can go to online review sites, such as Yelp, to read customer reviews. Of course, it is hard to find a plumbing company without some negative reviews, but if a plumbing contractor has received so many negative reviews that their public image is irredeemably tainted, you should avoid hiring them.
Always Available
Of course, you never know when you might need the services of a plumber. Indeed, you can wake up one early morning only to find that your water heater has not been working. If this happens on a weekend or a holiday, it might be difficult for you to find a reliable emergency plumbing services provider. Good plumbers understand how serious some plumbing issues can be and are always available to respond to them. In other words, a good plumbing contractor should offer 24/7 emergency plumbing services. If you hire a plumbing contractor who is not always available, you might be forced to live with a nasty plumbing situation for many hours or several days waiting for a plumbing expert to come. To avoid such an experience, you need to ensure that the plumbing contractor you are about to hire offers 24/7 emergency services and they have a fairly favorable response time.
The Bottom Line
Overall, it is apparent that when you are hiring a professional plumber, there are many factors you need to consider to avoid settling for incompetent people. This is because although there are many people calling themselves professional plumbing contractors, finding a good plumbing company can be a huge challenge. The good news is that by understanding the qualities of a good plumbing contractor as explained above, you can avoid the plumbing contractors who are not worthy of your attention. If you are looking for a dependable plumbing contractor in Fernandina, FL, Bert Norman’s Plumbing is your best bet. We have been providing plumbing services for a long time, and our track record is above board. Feel free to contact Bert Norman’s Plumbing today to learn more about our company and the services we offer.