It’s inevitable, while owning a business, that you’d need to call a commercial plumber to fix a problem which you may not want to deal with. Things break, pipes tend to get clogged, installing fire sprinklers may be necessary, as well as regular maintenance checks need to be done in order to ensure the effectiveness of your plumbing system. Thus, having a commercial plumber on standby is always a great idea.
However, if you’re quite new to the game and not quite sure what to ask what type of questions to ask a commercial plumber, it may be handy to keep the following options in mind the next time you’re in desperate need of a commercial plumber:
1. “Do you have any references?”
Commercial plumbing companies with many years of experience will have a good amount of references from companies which they’ve serviced. Thus, it’s important to choose a commercial plumber with a few good references to determine the kind of work which may be delivered to you. If not, you could end up spending plenty more money trying to fix someone else’s mistake by hiring a new commercial plumber.
2. “What kind of warranty do you offer?”
Experienced commercial plumbers are quite confident in the work that they do, thus, they’ll offer some form of warranty. However, it’s your responsibility to read the terms and conditions in terms of the duration of the warranty offered and well as the processed involved when claiming a warranty.
3. “How long have you been in business?”
Let’s face it, the more experience you have, the better your quality of work will be (generally). Thus, if you are looking for quality work from a commercial plumber who you may not know, it’s always handy to determine their experience level. If not, you could end up paying a costly price for hiring an inexperienced plumber.
Read: Using a Commercial Plumber: How To Save Your Business Valuable Money
4. “Are you certified and insured?”
Always choose a certified and insured commercial plumbing company that has the knowledge and experience needed to successfully do the job on hand. Remember, anything can go wrong. Thus, you need to ensure that you won’t be held liable for any damages to your property while the plumber is working on site.
5. “Do you charge per hour or insist on a flat rate?”
Keep in mind that a project estimate can change, but it’s important to have a rough estimate of what you’d need to pay before commencing. Flat rate fees tend to be cheaper than hourly rates, which could mean the difference between being able to afford your chosen commercial plumber or not. Remember, commercial plumbers are professionals and must undergo hours of training, so although some fees may seem high compared the amount of time it takes to fix the problem, it remains a professional service that few unqualified individuals are capable of doing.
6. “Do you offer a free estimate?”
Although some commercial plumbers void this particular fee, there are some who charge a trip fee to visit the premises. Thus, you need to find out beforehand whether you’d need to pay a fee for them to have a look at the problem before even commencing work. Don’t get caught off guard with a fee you simply don’t expect.
7. “Do you offer a maintenance plan?”
In order to ensure that your commercial plumbing is kept in top-notch condition after installation, you may want to consider investing in a maintenance plan which includes regular checks, backflow testing, and general site maintenance and audits to name a few. If not, you may end up with a bigger problem instead of fixing a small hiccup.
Call us to enquire more about our Preventative Plumbing Maintenance Programs in Melbourne.
Established in 1955, our team of experts are on hand to guide you in the right direction when it comes to affordable commercial plumbing services in Melbourne. Thus, whether you need a pipe fixed or need to install a much-needed fire sprinkler, don’t hesitate to give us a call on 03 9397 1111.
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