Plumbing problems have a talent for showing up at the worst time: Sunday night, guests arriving, water where water shouldn’t be. When you’re stressed it’s easy to say “just come” without asking anything. A two-minute phone call first can save you a nasty surprise on the invoice.
On the phone
- Do you charge a call-out fee, and is it taken off the bill if I go ahead?
- Is it a fixed price for the job or an hourly rate? When does the clock start?
- Are evenings or weekends charged at a different rate?
- Are you licensed for this kind of work here?
None of these are rude questions. A plumber who gets cagey about pricing on the phone will probably be cagey on the invoice too.
While you wait
If water is coming out where it shouldn’t, find your main shut-off valve and turn it off. It’s often near the water meter, under the kitchen sink or where the main line enters the house. Knowing where it is before an emergency is one of the most useful bits of household knowledge there is.
When they arrive
Ask them to explain what they found and what they’re going to do before they do it. For anything beyond a small fix, ask for the price in writing, even if it’s just a text message. If they recommend replacing something big, like a water heater, it’s fair to ask whether a repair is possible and what each option would cost.
Finding someone local
Our Plumbing and Plumbers category lists plumbers by town with their phone number right on the listing. If the trouble is with heating or hot water rather than pipes, try Air Conditioning and Heating as well.
