Plumbing is a very skilled occupation, and for domestic plumbing, extensive knowledge is required in order to deal with any situation, but in an emergency, everything changes and time becomes a key factor. Emergency plumbing situations call for a rapid response, and if you would like to know what makes a good emergency plumber, here are some things to bear in mind.
- Local is Best – Obviously, the closer the plumber is to your home, the quicker he will arrive, or at least that is the theory, and it does make sense to call out someone who is not too far away. One really should not wait until the emergency occurs, and with a Google search and a little web browsing, you should find an online emergency plumber, and if the prices are reasonable and their location is within a reasonable distance, store the number in your smartphone, and you won’t regret it.
- Reasonable Rates – Some plumbers charge excessively for emergency call outs, so make sure you compare before agreeing to anything. While it is unreasonable to expect the plumber to give you an accurate quote over the phone, he can quote you an hourly rate, which would not include the cost of materials. There are affordable emergency plumbers in Chelmsford who are very reliable and reasonably priced, and no matter the time of day or night, someone will be there within a short while.
- A Rapid Response – Ideally, the initial call would be answered quickly, and once the plumber knows the details and your location, he should be able to give you an estimated time of arrival. It isn’t just the time it takes for the plumber to arrive, you also want the job finished in good time. With most emergency plumbers charging an hourly rate, some might take their time to carry out the repairs, and this means a higher bill.
- A Pleasant Personality – No one likes to be called out in the middle of the night, but if that happens to be a person’s job, then they should be friendly and polite. Some might make the customer feel guilty, while others would immediately put the customer’s mind at rest and with prompt action, things will soon return to normal.
- Honest Appraisal – Ideally, the emergency plumber would be ethical in his business practices, and if there were choices, he should make the customer fully aware of all their options, even if it means the repair bill will be cheaper. An unsuspecting homeowner might have zero knowledge of plumbing, and if a plumber wished to take advantage of that lack of knowledge, the customer could end up paying a lot more than he should.
Of course, if you have a neighbour or friend who has used an emergency plumber, and they were happy with the service, then that would be the right choice, but otherwise, you can bear in mind the above points when searching, and hopefully, the problem will be quickly addressed.