A verbal quote with a friendly handshake sounds like a good way to do business to some people, but true plumbing professionals will always provide a written estimate or work order for you to sign.
Written agreements protect both parties and help clarify expectations on both sides. Whether it is an estimate, a work order, proposal or contract, a written agreement should always include payment terms and a detailed description of the work to be completed. For small jobs such as clearing a cloggged drain or toilet, the description can be short and simple. The bigger the project, the more detail you should expect to be included on the agreement. The agreement should also be signed by the owner or authorized agent of the plumbing company.
If your plumbing contractor is an honest, trustworthy individual, why is the written agreement so important? Even when you have a plumbing contractor that you’ve worked with for years and that you trust completely, a written agreement is still important. No one’s memory is without fault. A written agreement protects you and your plumber from misunderstandings that could arise if one of the parties doesn’t remember the terms of the agreement in the same way as the other. Many good relationships have been destroyed over misunderstandings that could have been prevented by simply recording the details of the agreement in writing instead of depending on memories to hold the details correctly over time.
Why risk spoiling what could be a good relationship by ignoring this simple step? Get your estimates in writing. Have contracts signed by the plumbing contractor and yourself. If there are additions or changes to the original agreement, have those changes recorded in writing with dates and signatures at well. Avoiding verbal agreements in favor of written ones will maintain a positive, trustworthy relationship with your plumber.
