If you’ve ever been on the wrong end of a dodgy tradesperson you know how frustrating it can be in lost time, money and sanity. We’ve all had those annoying windows of time where we’ve taken a morning or afternoon off and waited around for a plumber or tradie to turn up, only to have them call and tell you they can’t make it.
We’ve heard some horror stories over the years of tradespeople that don’t know what they’re doing or are just downright dishonest and unreliable. (We’ve all seen those stories on A Current Affair, right?)
So if you live in Brisbane and are planning on hiring a plumber, here’s a list of things you can check, questions you can ask and places you can go to find out information about who you’re letting into your house to work on your biggest investment.
So without further ado, we give you How to make sure you get a decent plumber in Brisbane.
Ask Friends for Recommendations
This is by far one of the easiest methods to get a pretty decent plumber to your home. You can be certain that people will always be happy to give their opinion (particularly if they have a bad experience!) so it’s worth asking around.
You can call your friends and family to chat or you can ask something like “can anyone recommend a good plumber in Brisbane?” on Facebook. If you’ve narrowed down your options and have a few Brisbane plumbers in mind you can ask if people have used this company or tradesperson before. If they have they’re sure to let you know what type of service they got from them.
Check out their Google+Local Reviews
If you’re not sure what Google+Local is don’t worry, you’re probably already using it and don’t even know it. If you do a search in Google and get a localised map coming up with a list of suppliers that looks like this.
If you click on the local listing you will get a whole heap of information about the company (opening hours, address details, a map, etc) but you will also get their reviews. It’s good to read through these as you will get your usual nice ones… but you may also get an insight into how they might handle a bad customer experience or if they do shoddy work.
Look them up on Facebook or Twitter
A quick search of a person's name will enable you to find their social media channels (if they have them). Remember it’s always good to look at their personal profiles – not the company page, as this will give you a better indication of the type of person they are. If they conduct themselves on social media in a personable, friendly and polite way, chances are they’re going to do that in their business.
If they’re a not nice on social media, chances are they’re that too when it comes to business. Looking up a plumber or tradesperson’s details has never been easier!
Check how long they’ve been in business
If they’re an established business that has been around a long time and has a good reputation, there will be a very good reason for this. Usually businesses that have been around longer than 5-7 years are in it for the long haul and know what they’re doing.
In saying that, we all had to start our business too so don’t discount a new plumber or tradie just because they haven’t been around for long. They may have been working for a plumbing business or several plumbing businesses around Brisbane and decided to strike out on their own.
If you’re wondering, we’ve been in business since 1974.
Educate yourself so you don’t get ripped off
This is my last and final point. With a little research, you can find out a bunch of information about plumbing and pipes, etc. If you read up about the problem you’re having there’s a good chance you will be able to direct your plumber to the right place when he arrives to inspect or fix your issue.
It’s also great when customers get involved and help us out as it makes our day go quicker and we spend less time on the job meaning a cost saving for you. For example, if we need to get to an underground pipe to remove roots or a blockage, dig the hole or get your hubby (or a keen teenager) to help digging out an access point. This will save us time and you money.
The biggest thing here is to actually speak to your plumber and trust your gut when it comes to making a decision. Ask lots of questions and inform yourself and you’re pretty much on your way to getting a great company to come and fix whatever plumbing issue you have in your home.