Selecting an appropriate plumber for your residence is a profoundly important task. It can make a world of difference in how well and how long your plumbing systems work. When you think of "plumber," you surely think of "experience." And for good reason. The best plumbers have been in the business long enough to know the ins and outs of all sorts of plumbing systems. You also think of "certification." After all, credible plumbers have that and follow it up with "licensure." And speaking of good reasons, there's also the reason that your reason for choosing a particular plumber over another can often be distilled down to "reputation." You definitely want a plumber with a solid set of positive reviews and testimonials. By the time you're finished with all this reason, your plumbing systems, with any luck, haven't gone and caused any disasters.
Response time and availability are vital considerations in the selection of a plumber, alongside experience. When your plumbing acts up, the last thing you need is a time-consuming search for the right professional to stop the disaster. Ideally, you want to already have a go-to person (or team) who can come by quickly and do the necessary work to avert your plumbing emergency from causing even more serious damage.
A good rule of thumb is to choose a plumber who offers both coming-in-on-short-notice service as well as 24-hour emergency service. Also, think about how close to your home (or place of business) the professional is. Proximity can cut down on response times, which can really help if your plumbing has staged a coup.
One more thing to consider is the pricing and transparency of the plumber's service charges. Having a candid conversation about costs and asking for detailed estimates can help avoid nasty surprises when the service is done. You want a plumbing pro who will tell you upfront what the job is going to cost and will explain any line items that aren't intuitively obvious. And here's the thing: A "cost-effective" plumber should not only offer the kinds of rates that make you say, "Okay, my bank account can handle this," but should also back up the work they do with some sort of warranty. And while we're on the subject, the warranty should cover both labor and parts, and if it doesn't, you probably ought to ask why it doesn't.