Scared
of paying for a plumbing company? Putting of plumbing repairs? Need
some plumbing advise? Below are seven tips to help save money on
plumbing repairs.
#1. The first and most important tip is
maintenance. Some of the most common jobs handled by your plumber are
tasks such as dripping taps, blocked drains and hot water problems. A
lot of these tasks could have been prevented by some really basic,
simple, preventative maintenance. Dripping taps tend to get worse, so at
the first sign of a drip, replace the washer or cartridge yourself -
don't wait until the tap is damaged further by your family over
tightening the tap trying to stop the drip which can lead to damage to
the tap seat which may require an expensive tap replacement. Keep your
wastes clean, remove any hair, soap scum from traps and wastes, pour
some boiling water down your wastes occasionally. Outside your house,
keep vegetation and garden growth away from gulleys and waste outlets.
#2.
If you have to call your local plumber to do work such as renovating
your kitchen or bathroom, purchase the parts yourself directly from your
plumbing merchant. You can often save considerable money by buying this
way, and most plumbers are happy to supply you with the information to
enable to buy the correct fixtures for your job.
#3. Before you
hire your local plumber, make sure they are licensed to carry out the
work. A lot of plumbing work has to be carried out by licensed
professionals, you need to make sure that they are - ask to see their
license. Also, ask them their hourly rate, ask friends if they can
recommend a reliable, reputable tradesman. When carrying out large
renovations in your home, always ask for a written quote from your
plumber first, supply him with a set of drawings of the project and ask
him to price from the plans. Plumbers in Humble
#4. When your plumber arrives at your
house to undertake repairs, make sure you have done simple things to
reduce his time which will reduce his charge. If he is to be working on
the bathroom sink, make sure you have emptied everything out of the
cupboard. If he is working in your hot water cupboard, make sure all
clothes and everything stored around your hot water cylinder is removed.
#5.
Often a plumber is on a minimum charge out rate - for example a minimum
charge out of half an hour, if he finishes the job you have given him
in 10 minutes, you will still pay for the whole 30 minutes, so make sure
you have a couple of other jobs for him to do while he is there.
#6.
When planning major renovations, make sure you put a great deal of
thought into the design and layout of your work. Make sure you check
with your local council as a lot of work requires building permits
(including plumbing). Please make sure if your work requires a permit,
don't be tempted to get the work done without one, as you may end up in
court.
#7. Always get three written quotes for major plumbing
alterations and make sure you compare prices. Compare the prices on what
is and what isn't included in the quote. Always read the fine print.
Ask your plumbers to provide you with references, clients he has worked
for before, and contact them to check.
