In Missoula, Montana, having a reliable, experienced and trustworthy plumbing contractor is critical for maintaining the plumbing in your home and making sure that you stay clear of water damage. If you are not sure how to shop for a reliable plumbing contractor in our area, here are a few tips that will help you choose a reliable plumbing contractor in Montana.
Make Sure the Plumbing Contractor is Licensed
Make sure your plumbing contractor is reliable by checking their licensure. If you cannot find proof of a plumber’s license on their website, give them a call and ask about it directly.
Licensed plumbing contractors should have no issues or hesitation in giving you proof that they are licensed to do plumbing work in your area. If they hesitate or make excuses as to why they cannot provide proof, you should be skeptical. Do not trust a plumbing contractor who is not licensed.
Make Sure the Montana Plumber is Insured
Licensure is just one step of the process. You also need to be sure that your plumber is insured. Even if a local plumber has a lifetime of plumbing experience, every plumber should be prepared for the worst-case scenario. Accidents happen. In plumbing emergencies, pipes can burst, plumbers can make mistakes, and thousands of dollars in damage can be caused in minutes.
Just as with licensure, any experienced Montana plumber should be able to provide proof of plumbing insurance. Once again, if you cannot find proof of insurance directly on the website, call or visit the office to confirm the plumber is insured by a legitimate business or plumbing insurance company.
Find out How Long the Plumber has been in Business
New plumbers or plumbing companies in Montana are simply not going to have the years of experience that veteran plumbers do.
You can usually find out how long a plumber has been in business by checking the website. Many plumbers will promote how many years they have been serving Missoula or the state of Montana. If you have trouble finding the number of years of experience on their website or directory listings, simply call and ask. If the plumber does not openly provide how long he or she has been in business, call someone else. Do not take the risk of hiring a new or inexperienced plumber. Call a plumber who has stood the test of time.
Ask the Plumber for an Estimate or Quote
Your plumber should ask you what kind of problems you are experiencing. To provide the most accurate estimate or quote as possible, the plumber will need to look at the area and test the problem. An experienced plumber should be able to provide a quote or estimate, only after they visit you at your home or job site.
If a plumber tries to give you a quote over the phone without even seeing the problem, that should be a red flag. In most cases, a plumber will not normally be able to provide a quote without seeing the problem and testing it themselves.
Ask for a List of References
Whether you are looking for a commercial or residential plumbing expert, a Montana plumber should be able to provide you with a list of references. They should have a list of happy customers who they have serviced in the past. Any great Missoula plumber should be posting references and customer testimonials on the website. Beware if you find a plumber who cannot provide a list of references or if they do not have testimonials posted directly on a website.
Check the Plumber’s Customer Ratings
One of the best and quickest ways to find out if a plumber is excellent or a fraud is to read the customer ratings online. Directories like Yelp and Google along with social media business pages on Facebook can help you get insight into the quality of work a Montana plumber is providing.
When checking reviews, look for:
- The total number of reviews they have.
- Their average review rating on each platform.
- What customers are saying about the business.Â
Using information from these key directories is one of the easiest ways to find a great plumber in Montana.
Garden City Plumbing checks all the boxes. We are the best choice for fixing your plumbing problems. If you are in Missoula, Montana and having plumbing issues, contact our experienced team of plumbing contractors at Garden City Plumbing.