Evaluating Plumbing Estimates

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Any time you need extensive plumbing work such as a bathroom or kitchen remodeling, a new water line installation, or a similar major plumbing project, it is an excellent practice to get an estimate from two or three reputable local plumbers before you begin the work.

Most people get estimates so that they can get the lowest price for a job.  The better practice is to get estimates for the purpose of getting a fair price for excellent work.  The reality is that the lowest bid is not necessarily the best bid.  The plumbing contractor who submits an unusually low bid may be inexperienced, or may have a bad reputation and be desperate for work.  The contractor may have a lower bid because they plan to cut corners on the job or use inferior materials.  Or maybe they just offer the best rates on high quality work.  You need to evaluate the estimates to be sure.

Once you have two or three estimates to compare, make sure each estimate covers the entire job and specifies materials of similar quality levels.  Most plumbing contractors buy their materials from the same sources so any unusually low materials costs are suspect.  Labor costs may vary somewhat between experienced plumbing professionals, but additional investigation is needed for any estimate with very low labor costs.  The contractor may be planning to use unskilled labor for some or all of the job.

All estimates should provide for clean up and removal of debris, obtaining any necessary permits, and any equipment that may be needed for excavation or any other purposes.  Use the estimate process as an opportunity to evaluate the estimates of Dunwoody plumbers and to make sure you get a fair price for quality work.

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