Plumbing is a far more skilled job than many people realise, and in fact requires a great deal of training to attain a high level of proficiency. A bad plumber, and there are many out there, can leave you with flooded rooms and thousands of pounds worth of damage. We’ve all seen the programmes on TV about large, countrywide ‘cowboy’ firms of plumbers who will turn up at a house, charge the earth for a bad job and then disappear, often leaving the unfortunate householder in a worse state than before.
If you live in a hugely populated area such as London there will be a large number of plumbers to choose from, but of course this increases the risk of happening upon a bad one. As an example: If you live in Greenwich, plumbers can quickly be found within your postcode by looking online where there are plenty of websites hosting directories of different service providers.
But why, if you live in Greenwich, is it better to hire a small firm of Greenwich plumbers than go for a large, nationwide firm for example? In other words, why go local? Well, many people prefer to hire a trusted, local plumber they can call in any emergency and know they will provide a skilled service without charging more than is fair. Building up relationships with skilled tradesmen is the best way to avoid being conned.
Another benefit of a local tradesman is that they will be more likely to take the time to give you a more personalised service and a few perks as they are probably keen to keep your business over the long-term – not always an issue with the larger, nationwide firms. For example, many plumbers with long-term clients will be happy to come and carry out a free inspection of their pipes if you think there is a problem or want something new installed. Larger firms will more than likely charge for this service, even if it turns out you don’t actually need any work doing. Also, a plumber you get to know and use all the time will be aware of any previous problems you have had with your plumbing system and its own idiosyncrasies, and so will be the best person to work out a proper solution.
As with anything that’s worth doing, though, you shouldn’t automatically go for the cheapest option when you are first deciding on which plumber to use. Whilst there are many who charge too much, there are also unqualified plumbers who will happily do a cheap, ‘cash-in-hand’ job but end up doing more harm than good. After all, you look for somebody you trust to cut your hair, provide you with medical services or service your car – so why should this not be the same for your plumbing?
If you live in a hugely populated area such as London there will be a large number of plumbers to choose from, but of course this increases the risk of happening upon a bad one. As an example: If you live in Greenwich, plumbers can quickly be found within your postcode by looking online where there are plenty of websites hosting directories of different service providers.
But why, if you live in Greenwich, is it better to hire a small firm of Greenwich plumbers than go for a large, nationwide firm for example? In other words, why go local? Well, many people prefer to hire a trusted, local plumber they can call in any emergency and know they will provide a skilled service without charging more than is fair. Building up relationships with skilled tradesmen is the best way to avoid being conned.
Another benefit of a local tradesman is that they will be more likely to take the time to give you a more personalised service and a few perks as they are probably keen to keep your business over the long-term – not always an issue with the larger, nationwide firms. For example, many plumbers with long-term clients will be happy to come and carry out a free inspection of their pipes if you think there is a problem or want something new installed. Larger firms will more than likely charge for this service, even if it turns out you don’t actually need any work doing. Also, a plumber you get to know and use all the time will be aware of any previous problems you have had with your plumbing system and its own idiosyncrasies, and so will be the best person to work out a proper solution.
As with anything that’s worth doing, though, you shouldn’t automatically go for the cheapest option when you are first deciding on which plumber to use. Whilst there are many who charge too much, there are also unqualified plumbers who will happily do a cheap, ‘cash-in-hand’ job but end up doing more harm than good. After all, you look for somebody you trust to cut your hair, provide you with medical services or service your car – so why should this not be the same for your plumbing?
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