When you have a plumbing issue, you are concerned about getting the problem fixed, how long it will take, and how much it will cost. When calling the plumber, you want them to tell you “Sure we can fix it, we can do it today, and it will cost X amount of dollars.”
It’s great to find a plumber who is confident that they can handle the job and that can start on it immediately, but be wary of any plumbing company that gives you an exact quote for any job over the phone.
As much as you would like to comparison shop and know in advance how much the plumbing job will cost, no reputable plumber will guarantee a price over the telephone without having first seen the problem.
There are simply so many variables that it is impossible to tell what the job will cost without coming out to your home and taking a look at it. For example, if the problem is a clogged drain, there is no way of knowing whether it is a simple clog in a single drain line, a clogged caused by tree roots in the sewer line, a collapses sewer line, a backed up septic system, or any other possible cause.
Even if you are able to get a quote over the phone for plumbing work, invariably what happens is that the plumber starts making excuses for increasing the price. The plumber will claim that it was difficult to get access to your clean outs, there were two clogs instead of one, and so on.
Your best course of action is to call a reputable local plumber and ask for a quote after the plumber has come to your home and looked at the problem.
