Flushing out great plumbers in the Philly area

Plumbers have been around since ancient times, with the Romans building aqueducts, marble baths, and bronze pipe systems to keep their bodies clean and their water potable. Flush toilets were born in 1596 when a godson of Queen Elizabeth I invented a primitively constructed water closet, which he called “Ajax”.

Nowadays we can indulge in hot tubs, sit in heated toilets, and cook spaghetti in pots filled with special pasta taps. Even so, even our modern pipes and equipment can leak, rise again, or simply stop working. Here’s a good plumber to get you out of the heat [or cold] Water.

Delaware Valley Consumers’ Checkbook surveys of local consumers found some excellent plumbing in the area. Some of the companies rated by Checkbook were rated “superior” by at least 90% of the customers surveyed. Fortunately, many of the service providers who best rate the quality of their work are also among the lowest in price.

»READ MORE: A Philly plumber found a bag of stolen items in a wall 20 years ago. Then he found his owner.

But as expected, Checkbook has also found many sanitary outfits that will inspire you: More than half of the customers surveyed rated them poorly overall, with reviews that often included words like “overpriced”, “unprofessional,” incompetent “,” rude “,” messy “,” not showing up “and” dishonest “.

Here are some tips for hiring a plumber. Full advice, including reviews of local plumbing for quality and price, can be found at Checkbook.org/Inquirer/Plumbers. Checkbook Inquirer readers have free access to its ratings from plumbers in the area through August 5.

Now that you have identified high quality and reliable companies, you need to consider the price. To evaluate companies for the prices they offer, our undercover buyers requested prices for five plumbing jobs. The prices varied dramatically for the same work.

For example, the cost of shipping and installing an InSinkErator Badger 5 garbage disposal ranged from $ 210 to $ 595. And prices for a Bradford White model RG250T6N 50-gallon water heater to ship and install ranged from $ 995 to $ 2,318.

If you have a medium or large order, it is especially important to get quotes from several companies. We find that for a typical installation task (e.g. installing a water heater), three bids save an average of about $ 250 compared to a price quote. For larger orders, such as B. bathroom remodeling, you will likely save thousands of dollars by getting just a handful of prices. While meeting up with three or four contractors can be a chore, it’s worth saving $ 1,000 or more.

Unfortunately, while it’s fairly easy to get quotes for installation or remodeling, it is often difficult to get accurate prices for repairs in advance. Your best bet is to call or email some companies – start with the ones that give Checkbook.org high ratings for quality and price. Then –

• Give a detailed description of your problem.

• Ask each company how they calculate their wages (minimum fee and what is included, price per hour after the minimum, etc.).

• Try to estimate how long it usually takes to get your job done.

• When the plumber arrives, check out the labor expense that you received. This prevents misunderstandings and can improve the accuracy of the time measurement.

• Clean up the area. You don’t want to pay a plumber $ 150 an hour to remove trash from under your sink.

• Don’t let conversations with the plumber interfere with your work. While understanding what the plumber is doing is important, there is a reasonable limit. Remember the plumber is on the clock until he or she writes down the ticket.

For renovation work, you will receive a contract that includes the following:

• A fixed price for all work.

• Exactly what you want, including brands and model numbers of all devices. Also, who breaks open the floor, cuts holes in the wall, mends the floor and walls, hangs the sink, does the carpentry work and removes rubble.

• Position of the fixtures and where the pipes run. Sometimes a few inches can make a big difference in the difficulty of a plumbing job. If you haven’t spelled out your desires (ideally in a sketch or plan), you may encounter great resistance trying to install your sink a little to the left to make room for a trash can.

• That the contractor will obtain the necessary permits and inspections.

• When to start work and how long it will take.

• Warranty. In the case of renovation work, a guarantee of at least one year should be granted on material and workmanship.

• Arbitration clause. This requirement may put some companies off, but those who are used to doing large jobs will see it as a potential cost saving for both parties in the event of a dispute.

• Payment schedule. Agree to pay as little as possible until all work is done to your satisfaction. A company where you can withhold a significant portion of the price gives you the opportunity to redo unsatisfactory jobs. You are also protected if the company leaves your job. If possible, make all payments by credit card. If you are dissatisfied, you can dispute the burden.

The Checkbook Magazine of Delaware Valley Consumers and Checkbook.org is a nonprofit that aims to help consumers get the best service and the lowest prices. It is endorsed by consumers and does not take any money from the service providers it reviews.