Find a local plumber - “No stress No Fights…
I’m leaving it all behind…” wise words from Mariah Carey, let’s heed her advice and follow our top tips to find the right plumber for the job.
It can be a stomach churning moment when you realise something has gone wrong at home, especially where water or heating are concerned. Compounding that sinking feeling is the worry about who to call. How do I find a local plumber in Aylesbury and the surrounding area who I can trust, who will do a good job to the highest standards and who will charge me a fair price?
If you haven’t used a local plumber before, it can be overwhelming trying to figure out who to call. Well read on, follow our tips and you should start to feel the stress ebbing away…
Recommendations from Friends, Neighbours & Family
For the best way to get recommended plumbers Aylesbury, who better to give an honest and reliable recommendation than people you know and trust who have done their own checks & research?
Chances are most people have used a plumber at some point and will be able to give you an honest view of their experience with a local plumber, good and bad. As well as good recommendations, it is also important to know about anyone you should avoid.
Online Trade Directories
Checkatrade.com or TrustATrader are useful tools when trying to find a local plumber and are the next best option to personal recommendations. They are free to use (for consumers), trades people are carefully vetted before they can become members and they agree to feedback from their customers being published online for all to see. At Checkatrade, members have to sign up to The Checkatrade Standard
Online Search Engine
Probably the most common tool for searching for any information these days is a search engine such as Google, simply entering your search criteria, e.g. plumber in Aylesbury will return you a number of local firms offering you the service you are looking for.
Because this is not coming from a personal recommendation or been vetted by an impartial 3rd party, you would be well advised to carry out some of your own checks (see below).
If the plumber has a website is a good place to start to understand how they work, get an idea of prices, quotes, timing of payment and any accreditations they may hold.
An online search is often the best way to find a 24hr plumber in an emergency when there may not be time to seek the advice from friends. You need to ensure your search specifies emergency plumbers Aylesbury for a 24 hour service.
Local Directories
Local directories can be found online or are dropped through your door from time to time which often list local businesses operating in your area.
The parish magazine or other local publications are often used by local trades people to advertise their services. When you give them a call, ask them for at least three references that you can speak to directly, if they are not keen to share this information, you might be well advised to see this as a sign to try someone else.
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Essential Check-List before Hiring a Plumber
Doing your own vetting:
- Check Qualifications
It is important to know that the tradesperson you are booking to carry out work in your home or property is fully qualified and has a valid (in date) certification to perform the work.
For general plumbing jobs, plumbers should hold NVQ Level 1 & 2 qualifications to legally operate.
To work on gas appliances, including gas central heating systems, heating engineers need to be Gas Safety Registered and you can check the Gas Safe Register beforehand to be sure your engineer has a valid certificate. Many plumbers are qualified to do both but it is not a certainty they will also be a gas engineer so do your homework.
It is also important to know that your chosen plumber is fully insured.
- Get References / Check Online Reviews
Some plumbing companies have comprehensive websites where you can get a sense of how reputable they are, they are also likely to have been used by your neighbours or local friends who can provide recommendations.
But for the smaller operations, you may want to do some additional checks to get references and the reassurance you are looking for.
- What Guarantee is Offered?
Is there a guarantee? Is it money back? Do they come back to resolve it for free? Is it limited? Does it appear on their Quote?
- Get a Written Quote for Specified Works to be Carried Out
It is important to be really clear about the work to be carried out and the price you are expected to pay for it.
For a specific project, the plumber will usually come out to give you an obligation quote first.
For a leak, or issue that has come up, there is usually a call out fee for the first hour with a sliding scale for additional work.
The engineer will then be able to diagnose the issue and either fix it there and then or arrange to come back to carry out the work identified. A new quote should be issued for the return visit.
This level of transparency removes any nasty surprises.
- How long have they been in Business
Knowing a business has been operating for a long time accruing many years experience in the plumbing and heating industry is a pretty good indication of reliability in a plumber you can trust.
Find a local plumber - What next…?
So all that remains now that you have done your research is to book your carefully selected local plumber to carry out the works.
It can seem daunting but having followed the tips above, you should feel reassured that you have taken the right steps and can expect a good service and level of workmanship from a friendly, local Aylesbury plumber who you will want to use again.
Don’t forget to get your boiler serviced annually and if you are a landlord with gas appliances in your property you must ensure you have a valid Gas Safety Certificate for each of your properties. These should be booked to happen ahead of the current certificate expires. General maintenance can help to prevent major unexpected breakdowns by identifying any potential issues before they arise.
If you want to find a local plumber in Aylesbury to see how we can help you with a range of plumbing services, please visit the website or call one of friendly team, we would be happy to hear from you, we are here to help with both emergency plumbing and planned projects!
What services can we help you with today?
- Boiler Installation from accredited installers
- Central Heating Installation
- Boiler Repair & Service
- Power Flushing
- Leak Detection
- Wet Room Installation
- Bathroom Suite Installation
- Kitchen Appliance Installation
- Landlord Certificates
Got an emergency?
We offer a responsive 24/7 Call Out Service