Like all businesses, it makes sense that a plumbing company would want to keep its customers around and keep them paying for plumbing services as often as possible — which is why many St. Louis plumbers will try to keep their customers in the dark when it comes to common plumbing problems that can be fixed quickly and small fixture repairs that don’t actually require a complete bathroom renovation.
But we believe that, as our customer, you deserve better than that. You also deserve better than the basic Google search results you’ll encounter when you decide to forego calling your other expensive St. Louis plumbing company because you know that they’ll overcharge you and you know there has to be a Do-It-Yourself solution out there.
Only the St. Louis plumbers who are completely and totally confident in their services will willingly tell their customers the secrets of the trade, so that’s exactly what you’ll find listed below.
Here are the top five things no other St. Louis plumbing company will tell you:
- ”Proactive plumbing solutions are much cheaper than repairing most plumbing problems.”
Most plumbing companies won’t tell you this simply because they won’t make as much money, in the long run, if they install long-lasting appliances and respond to small repair projects with preventative solutions.
But think about how much damage can happen if a pipe bursts or a bathtub overflows — not only will this water damage destroy personal items, but untreated water damage can actually endanger the health of everyone in the home (pets included!) because mold and mildew grows very quickly. Would a trustworthy plumbing company want to put its customers in danger like that?
- ”Make sure to ask every plumbing service if their plumbers are licensed and trained before you ask them to fix any plumbing problems in your house.”
Many plumbing services (even some St. Louis plumbing services) employ plumbers who learned everything while working as handymen.
While experience is definitely an important asset for any plumber, consider how much new technology is on the market today, especially in the home repair industry — isn’t it important to make sure that your plumber knows how a water-saving shower head is different from a regular shower head? Or why newer materials for sink and tile reglazing are going to last longer than the materials that general contractors used to use? You want to be sure that your plumber knows as much as possible before starting any work on your home’s plumbing system.
As far as licenses go — plumbers need them. An unlicensed plumber might be able to install a toilet, but they probably won’t know every safety regulation and local building code that licensed plumbers will know. If you end up with a plumbing system that breaks local regulations, you’re probably going to be the one who’s penalized. If nothing else, don’t you want to be absolutely sure that you’re letting a professional industry worker into your house to fix your plumbing problems? Don’t be afraid to double-check that your plumbing company employs licensed plumbers.
- ”You can contact any local repair store if you need good recommendations for plumbers or general contractors.”
Some plumbing services don’t want to say this because they’re scared that potential customers will choose to fix a plumbing problem by themselves, with the information they can glean from the home repair store employees. But local repair stores are actually the best places to go when you need a recommendation for a plumbing company, electrician, carpenter, and any other type of home repair specialist, because they know which companies provide the best services.
The home repair industry really is a community, and a good plumbing company will want to work with other experts in the industry and be able to refer their customers to the best services in town.
- ”Mondays are the busiest days for plumbers and we might not be able to fix your plumbing problems if you call in at the last minute.”
There are two important things to note here. First, this might sound a bit silly, but it really is true: plumbers are busiest on Mondays because they have to fix all the small repairs that homeowners and Do-it-Yourselfers tried to fix over the weekend.
Second, a plumbing company may not want to tell you that you’ll have to wait a day for service because the company doesn’t want to lose your business. But a good plumbing company will know that it’s better to have well-qualified plumbers fixing plumbing problems — even if it takes an extra day — rather than sending out a bunch of frazzled workers who are pressed for time.
Plus, to be honest, it isn’t just one individual plumbing company that tends to be busiest on Mondays; nearly any plumbing service in the St. Louis area will be busy on any given Monday. The company that can “definitely send someone over in under 20 minutes” may not be the company you really want to do business with — on a Monday or any other day.
- ”You can actually fix plumbing problems like this all by yourself.”
This is the classic secret that’s barely a secret anymore; the real surprise is that some plumbing companies actually still try to convince their customers that a professional plumber is needed for even the smallest of repairs.
Pure dedication and enthusiasm alone won’t help you fix plumbing problems if you don’t know anything about piping and drainage problems before you start unscrewing kitchen and bathroom faucets, but nearly anyone can take care of a moderately-clogged sink drain or a dripping faucet with a little help. A good plumbing company will always put its customers first and will be honest, even when it seems to disadvantage the company with one less sale. And if you’re ever unsure whether a problem requires professional help or can be fixed with a quick trip to the home repair shop, a good plumber will also be more than happy to talk with you over the phone and offer advice .
Let’s face it: there are plenty of questionable businesses out there that are trying to pull the wool over your eyes just to make a quick buck; you don’t need the extra stress of wondering whether your plumbing company is working for you or against you (especially during any plumbing disasters you might encounter). You deserve to know, before you even discuss services or payments, that you’re calling up the best plumbing service in St. Louis.