Remodeling your home or fixing general plumbing problems can turn into a nightmare if you don’t have an expert you can trust. And very often, they can be difficult to find. The reason is that the industry has grown a lot, leaving more room for poor-quality plumbers to provide their services. The last thing you want to do is hire someone like that, as the lack of skill and experience often leads to additional problems or just short-term fixes. That's why you need to do everything you can to hire a professional plumber whose services are a great balance between quality and reasonable pricing. And if you think that's not easy to find – we'll help you out. Here are some tips on how to find a good plumber in your area and not worry about your home. 

Look at different sources

To make the right choice and hire a good-quality plumber for your new home, you should first have a selection of several professionals. To reach them, look at different sources:

• online – there are local websites where you can hire different experts. You can also try out Yelp and narrow your search to the location. However, the internet shouldn't be the only source;

• friends and family – there's probably someone in your environment who recently did similar work around their home. Maybe they can recommend a good plumber in your area, share their experience or warn you about someone unprofessional in the plumbing business;

• ask another professional for a referral – if you’re renovating the whole house, you probably have contact with other professionals and contractors, for example, an electrician, roofer, etc. Experienced experts often have a good connection with other craftsmen and may be able to recommend you a good plumber.

Be careful with online reviews 

As we have mentioned, the internet shouldn’t be your only source of information. Online ads can be deceiving, so be sure to read reviews of other clients. However, be careful with those, too, as there's a chance that some of them are fake, not objective enough, etc. Even though you shouldn't miss reading reviews, make sure you back them up with some additional ‘offline’ information. Finally, always go for trustworthy online databases when looking for professionals. For example, if you were looking for a moving company, you would probably begin your search on the Verified Movers website. This is the perfect place to start, as you can be sure you’ll avoid fraud and negative experiences.

Contact a couple of plumbers 

To find a good plumber in your area, you need to compare a couple of them before hiring. If possible, contact two or three different professionals and get information about their services, pricing, timing, etc. Comparing a couple of options will help you get a better deal and choose the most professional expert. Be sure to describe the problem and services you need in detail to get the most accurate information. 

Ask about their experience

Reputable companies have often been in business for a long time and have many satisfied customers. Even though this is not always the case, it's okay to ask the plumbers you contact for how long they have been in the business. Their answer will show you their attitude towards business and point you to satisfied customers. 

Telling the price

When contacting the plumber, you should ask about the pricing. However, a good plumber should not give a definite price before seeing the job they need to do. For this kind of service, giving out precise estimates is only possible on the spot. Therefore, if a plumber gives out exact pricing without inspecting your home – maybe they're not suitable for you. 

Try to get a guarantee 

When doing something important such as your home's water system, you need to have a guarantee that the job will be done well. Ask your plumber about it, and check if they give out a written warranty along with their quote or if there's another way to get one. 

The pricing should be clear and detailed 

If there's more than one thing they need to do, a good plumber will explain the process in detail and give you precise pricing. You should be able to know how much money you need to prepare. Furthermore, if there’s a possibility of some additional costs, you should know about them. This is an important task, as you will be able to plan your renovation and moving budget and avoid the typical stress caused by finances. 

Moving to a new home?

Remodeling before the move is a great way to adapt to your new home just the way you like it. However, the same way you look for a good plumber in your area, you need to make sure your moving professionals are also reliable and skillful. If, for instance, you are organizing a long-distance relocation in Illinois, you need the movers from the area. The only way to have a smooth relocation to another city is to hire a reliable moving company you can trust with your belongings. To do so, you will follow similar steps as with finding a good plumber. Get recommendations from people you trust, browse online databases, narrow down your options to a few companies, contact and interview each of them, and pick the one that offers the best value for your money. 

Store your items while the work is being done 

Once you have managed to find a good plumber in your area, it is good to prepare your home for work. Any kitchen or bathroom remodeling is much easier and safer without too many items around. For that reason, you should consider taking a storage unit to protect your belongings from water damage, dust, and other dangers. This will also make more space inside the house, which will help to do the work faster and easier. Happy renovating!

Guest Contributor: Sophia Perry