Water supply system is not the most interesting part of your home structure. The attention we give to our home plumbing system does not even come close to our interest in home interior design, entertainment system, advanced security devices, and electrical fixtures that may potentially place us in danger if not taken care of.

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We lend an ear to news talking about latest home security devices and some fearless forecast on trendy interior designs for the year. In fact, we know the names of some home interior design pallets but we cannot even name a plumber to call when we need his services.

It’s pretty understandable though because plumbing and home water supply, together with the toilet, shower heads, pipes, and all those related fixtures are boring topics. But what if your pipe suddenly bursts or  your toilet clogs and a baking soda and hot water solution won’t solve it? Do you have a reliable plumbing pro to call? Now that there is high demand for plumbers in Singapore, you should know how to pick the right one.

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Believe it or not, there are those who talk to customers and prospective customers so well, claiming they know how to solve your problem and all kinds of plumbing concerns, but in fact have no experience at all. A reliable plumber is not so easy to spot these days. You can’t just pick the first one on your directory.

Today, we will guide you on how to choose a plumbing pro who will not only solve your current water fixture issue, but someone you can stick with whenever you encounter some other problems in the future. Here are the qualities that indicate a plumber’s competence.

Punctuality

Just like all the professions in the world, plumbing, although a blue-collar job, is something that should be respected. Not only the customers should learn how to respect this profession. Plumbers themselves must learn how to respect their profession by always coming in on time.

A punctual plumber who comes before or at the exact time he is supposed to be there indicates a certain level of responsibility and dedication to his work. It also means he won’t need to rush the work that needs to be done because he has enough time to do it. If he is responsible in handling his own time, making no excuses no matter what goes on, you can pretty much predict his attitude towards work.

Professionalism

In line with being punctual, a plumber whom you can trust does not make jokes about his job or about the work that needs to be done. There are so many shades of professionalism, one of which is the ability to focus on the task at hand.

A professional plumber does not look lowly of his job. In fact, he knows how important it is because a professional and experienced plumber understands that it takes years of experience to solve a problem like a leaking pipe, a severe toilet clog, or a water backflow.

A dependable plumbing company also imposes rules on their pool of plumbers to make sure they always work professionally. You know you picked the right business if its workers are concerned about accomplishing the task in the most efficient way and they don’t ask for a tip other than what you give them voluntarily.

Proper Communication

Lastly, reliable plumbers are those who understand that their customers have the least knowledge about the plumbing issue they are encountering. They also understand that customers can be a little fussy or suspicious when it comes to the work of a plumber.

A plumbing company that you can trust trains their employees to communicate properly with customers in order to address their concerns and to explain to them what needs to be done in their fixtures. They also have a system in place to discipline plumbers who do not communicate properly with customers and a feedback mechanism to ensure that their customers can communicate with them at any time.

After telling you about the qualities you must look for in a plumbing company and in their plumbers, we’re now going to guide you on your quest of getting the right pro by providing simple steps. Here they are:

Start your research

Even before you experience a difficult kitchen- or bathroom-related issue that requires the help of professional plumbers, we encourage you to do your research early on. Just like researching for an interior designer after you’ve decided to buy a new house, you should start researching for a reliable plumber to call when you move to a new place. Even without relocating, if you don’t have a plumber in mind, then it’s the best time to do your research.

The first thing to look at is their website. A serious plumbing company that means business will exert an effort and spend some cash to connect to those who need their services. This day and age, you can do that by putting up a decent website where people can browse for the company’s services, previous services rendered, and the team’s experience.

So first thing to ask when looking for a plumber is, “Do they have a website?” If they do, “Are the services they offer clearly explained in that website?” “Do they have a contact form through which you can reach them easily?” “What are the testimonials of  their previous customers?” These are the data you need to collect to connect to the right plumbing company.

You don’t really have to spend too much time on you research. When you have nothing to do in the office or you’ve just done your chores on a Saturday afternoon, head to Safari or Chrome and search for a plumber Singapore business that you can trust with all your plumbing needs.

Personally ask around

Although you don’t really need to leave your desk in order to find the right plumbing company, it will still be best to ask around personally. Ask your neighbor about the plumber he hired to solve his plumbing issues. Ask your friend for a trusted plumber he or she can recommend.

Be more proactive in asking what specific job was done by this plumber. It will serve you well if you take the pain of having to call or visit a friend who can refer you to the right plumbing company.

Have an organized list for plumbers

After doing your research by looking up on the internet and getting recommendations from friends and neighbors, you can now have an organized list of the names of plumbing companies you’ve gathered.

Some of your friends might have recommended a plumbing business that was able to solve their water backflow problem. Some of them hired plumbers from a company that specializes in bathroom fixture installations, while some asked for plumbing inspection and maintenance services from another business.

From this knowledge that you’ve gathered, make a detailed list of the plumbing company to call for specific issues. It’s good to have a list you can look at which contains the name of the plumbing company with its contact number. Better to have a 24/7 plumbing business on your list so you can call them at any time.

What service do you need at the moment?

If you followed the first three steps we mentioned and the day comes that you face an unexpected plumbing emergency, you have to first determine what kind of service you need at the moment.

We know that plumbing emergencies may startle you. You may not be able to think straight. But you have to gather your thoughts together and identify the plumbing issue you are facing so you can choose from your list of plumbers who to call. Better to have one that is able to handle all kinds of plumbing concerns based on your research and recommendations from friends.

Clearly discuss pricing

The moment you call the plumbing company of your choice, try to explain as clearly as you can the details of the incident. If it’s a bursting pipe or stubborn sink clogging, at least describe the magnitude of the problem so the plumber can give you the proper price estimation. Don’t worry, they don’t expect you to give an exact diagnosis of the problem, just clear details of what happened and what the condition of the broken fixture is now.

Some plumbing companies have the exact price for their services on the website. This is good because you will be appraised of  the price by merely visiting their website. But even then, discuss the price clearly with the plumbing business and ask if there will be additional fees or what the payment terms are.

All the details about pricing and payment should be clear because money issue is often a reason for an unnecessary conflict.

Trust your choice

Lastly, when you’ve done your research, you’ve asked for referrals from your friends, and you’ve discussed the price for the services clearly with your chosen plumbing business, it’s time you should trust these people to handle the task professionally.

Don’t jump to conclusions, make suspicions, or doubt the ability of your selected plumbing company if you can see the qualities of a dependable plumber in the person the company sent. Instead, treat them right. Establish a great relationship with this company so you can call on this business every time you encounter a plumbing-related problem.

If you want these professional plumbers to treat you right, you should do the same to them. As they say, “It takes two to tango.”