According to data kept by the Better Business Bureau, plumbers consistently have a high number of complaints filed every year. Of the thousands of industries followed by the BBB, plumbers ranked 33rd in 2011 with 4,729 complaints filed and 34th in 2010 with 4,419 complaints. Even more troubling about these numbers is that about 20 to 25 percent of these complaints are unresolved. Cell phone companies and cable television providers rank higher with many more complaints, but less than 5% of those complaints are unresolved.
The bottom line is that a lot of customers have not had a good experience with their plumbing contractors. Whether you need drain cleaning, a new water heater installed, or a clogged toilet cleared, you can you avoid this happening to you by taking a few precautions. First, choose a local plumber with a good reputation for customer service. A plumber with an established business as evidenced by a permanent business location and telephone number will work harder to keep customers satisfied in order to protect their reputation.
Second, before any work begins, get an estimate and go over the estimate in detail with the plumbing contractor so you are sure you understand the scope of the work to be done and the total cost. It is not always possible for your plumber to know in advance what sort of “surprises” may come up after the works starts.
Ask the plumber before the job starts what contingencies might arise and what the additional cost would be if they do. Many customers get very annoyed when problems arise during a job that require additional work, but the reality is that in many cases your plumber won’t know about these problems until he gets started.
Finally, don’t pay in full for the job up front. Nothing is worse than a half finished job waiting for the plumber to come back and finish it. Some plumbers may ask for partial payment in advance. A third is typical and never pay more than half. Pay the balance only after the job is completed to your satisfaction.
