What to look for when hiring a plumbing contractor

Most people hire a plumber in a hurry, from a phone search with water on the floor. That's understandable, and it's also when mistakes get made. A few questions take two minutes on the phone and tell you most of what you need to know.

Start with the licence number

Ask for the company's contractor licence number, then look it up yourself. The state publishes contractor records, so you can see whether a licence is active and what it covers. It takes a minute and gets you something a business card can't: confirmation. Burke's Plumbing, for example, holds Washington plumbing contractor licence BURKEP*795N5, which is the kind of detail any plumber you call should be able to read out to you.

Ask about insurance as well. If a pipe breaks on the job or a worker is hurt in your house, you want to know who's covered.

Listen to how they handle the first call

The first phone call is a preview. Does someone answer, or does it roll to a voicemail that never gets returned? Do they ask about the problem, where it is, how long it's been happening? A good dispatcher is collecting information so the plumber arrives prepared. If you're calling at night or on a weekend, ask directly whether someone can come tonight. Some companies list emergency service and mean next business day.

Look for patterns in reviews

Don't read reviews for the star number alone. Read them for what people describe. Look for recurring words: on time, explained everything, cleaned up, came back to finish. Look at how the company answers the occasional bad review, if at all. A handful of poor reviews among a long history of good ones is normal for any trade that works under pressure, and what matters is whether the rest of the pattern holds.

Names are a good sign. Customers who remember the plumber who came, and write that name down, usually had a good experience with someone who took time.

Ask for a clear estimate

• What exactly will you do, and what's included?
• What could change the scope, and how will you tell me before it does?
• Do you bring the water heater, fixture or parts, or do I supply them?
• Is there a charge for the diagnosis if I go ahead with the repair?
• What is the warranty on the work, and is it written down?

A plumber who gives you clear answers to those questions in plain language is showing you how the job will go. Vague answers now become surprises later. Be wary of anyone who will only talk numbers over the phone without seeing the problem on something that needs a diagnosis, and anyone who pushes you to decide on the spot.

Check the match between company and job

A plumber who handles toilets and faucets beautifully may not own a sewer camera. A water heater specialist may not dig. Think about what your job really is. Drain problems call for a company with a camera and a jetter. A re-pipe calls for people who do re-pipes routinely. A commercial restaurant has different needs from a house. Ask directly whether they do this kind of work regularly.

Longevity counts, with limits

A business that has been in the same place for decades has a reputation to protect. Burke's Plumbing was started in Selah in 1981 by Dick Burke and is now owned by his son Lance, with the fourth generation on the crew. Time alone doesn't make a company good, but it means customers have been coming back and the same name is still on the door. Ask any company how long they've served the valley, and pay attention to whether the person answering seems to know the area.

Watch for red flags

• No licence number, or one that doesn't check out.
• Cash only, with no paperwork.
• A price that arrives before anyone has seen the problem.
• Pressure to sign today.
• Nobody who can explain what they're doing and why.

What a good first visit feels like

The plumber arrives when they said they would, looks at the problem and the area around it, explains what they found, and puts the options in front of you without hurrying. You should understand what's being done and why when they leave. If they find something else, they tell you and let you decide. They leave the space clean.

Burke's Plumbing serves residential and commercial customers across Selah, Yakima and the surrounding valley, and takes calls 24 hours a day at (509) 697-6574. Ask them anything on this list. It's what the call is for.