What You Want and Don't Want in Plumbers

What You Want and Don't Want in Plumbers

There is no exact science in hiring plumbers. There are those who come to your house on time, do their job right with a cherry on top and leave you with a reasonable bill, a problem solved and a smile on your face. Unfortunately, there are also plumbers who show up late and turn in an effort that can be best described as getting the job done to get you off their backs. But in many cases, they don't get the job done after all and worse, tack on all sorts of hidden charges on your bill. So what are those things you should look for (or avoid) when searching for plumbers? Read this article and find out.

The individual that you select for the job at hand must be a certified plumber. He should have a license number you can refer to, as this would pretty much convince you of his credibility. The same would apply for a plumbing service, as they should also have some form of certification or license number available on request. If the individual or plumbing service they work for refuse to give this information out, then something's fishy. It would be safe to remove them from your shortlist and move on to other prospective plumbers.

You would also want to hire somebody that knows how to handle the type of repair or maintenance that you need to be done. We mention this because different plumbers offer different types of services, and while some specialize in certain areas, they may not be as conversant when it comes to other facets of plumbing work. Ask about their specialization and if they don't appear to have many, or are seemingly trying too hard to impress you by fluffing up their credentials and touting phantom specializations, then you might as well say "next" and strike them off the list.

Thirdly, you want somebody who knows what the word "transparency" means, or at least how to put it into practice. Plumbers may offer hourly or daily rates and you need to find out what they are. Understand how these rates work and be sure you have asked about extra charges - are there any, and if there are, when do they apply? A plumber who seems to be evasive when asked the latter question would, based on our experience, be the exact kind of person who would be more than happy to garnish your bill with all sorts of additional, "hidden" costs.

The last item in this list may be the shortest, but it is certainly the most important. You want somebody who offers a warranty. Not just any warranty, though. Plumbers who offer an in-depth, complete warranty are much preferable over those who offer a standard, run-of-the-mill warranty, and definitely over those who don't. When problems arise following repairs or maintenance, you want plumbers who will honor the terms of their warranty, not those who will act as if you never existed.




By Ricardo Colindres 
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6826896

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When A Plumber Is A Good Plumber

What Makes a Plumber a Good Plumber

Most people fix dripping taps as a matter of urgency. Economy is one reason, professionals usually charge a lot for their time that a householder may save a considerable amount of money by doing the job themselves. The second reason might be the thought of having to find a good plumber, then having a complete stranger in their homes. Beyond that chore, plumbing is generally left to plumbers. But, does the plumbing industry deliver the goods? Recently, there has been a revolution in plumbing techniques and requirements. Water supplies are under constantly increasing demand, and care and economy has become essential.

Having a carefully planned plumbing system, every household can enjoy the many convinces it offers and at the same time can keep its water consumption down.

-Repairing a dripping tap while it is still in the drop-by-drop stage saves an amazing quantity of water- a slow trickle wastes a bathful of water a day, and a steady stream wastes enough water to meet all the family's daily needs.

-Repairing a faulty float valve in a W.C cisterns will prevent an incessant overflow that can be irritating to hear as well as extremely wasteful of water.

-Replacing an old W.C cistern with a new pan and a cistern designated to save water can reduce water consumption by many litres a day. The double flushing type makes it possible to choose whet ever to use all or only half of the water in the cistern.

-If you have a shower fitted, you can use a fraction of the hot water required for a bath, giving savings both in water consumption and in fuel required for heating

-During winter, turn down the heating just a few degrees and just put a jumper on, happy in the knowledge that you have done the right thing.


By Dan Bic
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/597596

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How to Find a Good Plumber - We All Need Them in Some Point

It's all very well accepting an offer of help from your next door neighbours best friend's dad who used to be a plumber before he retired, because you'll probably get the job done fairly inexpensively and you may not have to wait for weeks to book him, either. But if something goes wrong in a case like this, you won't be able to wave their guarantee at them and demand they fix the problem. And remember as well that products are always changing, so a plumber who is retired may not be up to date with modern appliances. Although an offer like this is tempting, it's usually better in the long run to go with a registered, genuine plumber.

CORGI or Not CORGI Registered?

CORGI stands for the Council of Registered Gas Installers and this organisation maintains a database of all registered plumbers in the UK. CORGI registered professionals tend to be a lot more safety conscious and can provide you with a certificate of compliance for any products that may require one. Although you may not need a CORGI plumber if you're only changing your bath taps to something a little more modern, you should definitely consider hiring one for any gas related products you want to update, like your gas boiler for example.

Recommendations

As with most trades people, choosing a plumber can be a minefield. Ask friends and relatives who they chose for any work they had done, because if you know that someone has had a good experience with a plumber, you'll be confident that you will receive the same level of service for your own job.

Price

Although the cost for plumber's services isn't a cast-iron guarantee of their standard of work, it's also a reasonably good way to determine what type of standard they will work to. Don't ever be tempted to choose the cheapest price because you may find yourself having to pay out again to have the work brought up to standard if it turns out they aren't that good. That doesn't mean that the most expensive plumber will be the best, either, it just means that you shouldn't decide upon a plumber based solely on their estimated price.

Local or Major Company?

It can be really tempting to go for big name plumber companies that are easily found in the national listings, but although they will have plenty of references and plenty of plumbers available, they may not always be the best choice. Large companies tend to charge standard prices for their jobs, regardless of the work required. They may have to take booking for a few days or weeks in advance, which won't be so good if your particular problem needs immediate attention, and you may experience a lack of personal service as well. There's a lot to be said for sourcing a reputable local plumber who will almost definitely be able to provide you with a fast and friendly service, and may be able to charge you less thanks to good links with local parts suppliers.


By Alex V
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8546390Jack 

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