How You Can Avoid Common Plumbing Scams With A Reliable Plumber | Knoxville, TN
Friday, August 27th, 2021
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As a homeowner, it is expected that you are going to need the services of a plumber at some point. Good plumbers in Knoxville, TN are able to assess the nature of the plumbing issue you are facing and give you a fair quote for the job that needs to be done. However, not every plumbing professional is honest, and therefore, you need to be skeptical when dealing with plumbing professionals. Unfortunately, common plumbing scams do not always seem obvious, and it is not necessarily hard for you to get reeled in before you can realize that something fishy is going on. To make the matter worse, these scammers can cause extensive damages to your plumbing issues in addition to taking thousands of dollars from you. Below are some signs of an unfolding plumbing scam and how you should respond to it.
Elusive Estimates
Your plumbing system is quite complex, and therefore, it is not realistic for a plumber to give you accurate estimates of what a plumbing job will cost without visually inspecting the problem. Of course, some plumbers charge a flat rate for simple plumbing jobs, such as removing grain clogs. However, if a plumbing job is more involving, a good plumbing professional can only give you rough estimates before coming to your house in person. Therefore, if a plumbing company is giving you firm estimates via a phone call, you need to be worried. You should be even more worried if the quoted estimates are too low to be true. But even if a plumbing company comes to your house, you need to remember that a verbal estimate is not enough. A plumbing professional who is not willing to provide a written estimate is probably doing it on purpose with aim of overcharging you. Therefore, if a plumbing professional is not willing to come to your home, assess the work at hand visually, and itemize the quotation clearly, it is wise for you to avoid them completely.
Dodging Details
When you are looking for a plumbing professional, there are several credentials that you will need a plumber to have to be certain that they are capable of solving the plumbing issue you are facing. For instance, you need to ensure that the plumbing professional is well licensed and insured. A good plumbing company will know that you are looking for these details, and they be willing to let you see them. If a plumbing company seems hesitant or unwilling to show you their credential, it is likely that they don’t have these credentials, and they are just scammers who will take your money and fails to deliver according to your expectations. In fact, they might leave your plumbing system and property in a worse condition.
Unnecessary Assistants/ Subcontractors
This scam is common in more complex or multi-day plumbing projects. After you and your plumber have signed the paperwork to get the job started, extra people show up and start working alongside your plumbing company. In some cases, the extra person may be an apprentice or an assistant doing legitimate work. However, you should never assume anything. When you have unfortunately settled for a shady plumbing company, the extra person could be the plumber’s friend who has come to do some basic plumbing tasks only to charge exorbitantly for it. Your plumbing company will then tell your that the extra person is a sub-contractor who sets his/her own rate, and there is nothing they can do about it. To avoid losing money in such a scam, you need to ask why the extra person is necessary and ensure that the cost of their work is covered in the written quotation.
False Promises
Many homeowners are usually happy to pay top dollar for high-quality plumbing products and services because they want their plumbing system to last. Unfortunately, some scammers take advantage of this and use substandard plumbing products to pocket the difference. For instance, a dishonest plumbing company can promise that they will install durable PEX pipes and end up installing PVC pipes. To avoid getting scammed this way, you need to ask your plumbing company to provide a list of the parts they intend to buy and confirm their prices from a hardware store. You can expect your plumbing company to make some profits, but if they are charging you several times more, you need to start asking why.
Pushy Plumbers
The aim of a good plumber is to solve your plumbing problems in the most efficient way possible. Therefore, a good plumbing company will not try to bully you into spending your money on unnecessary products or services. On the other hand, dishonest plumbing companies use scare tactics to pressure you to spend money on their services. For instance, they might tell you that your plumbing system is endangering the nearby homes, and your neighbors could sue you for property damages. If the pushiness of a plumbing company leaves you feeling uneasy, you should let them go and seek the opinion of another more reputable and experienced plumbing company.
The Bottom Line
Overall, it is apparent that when you are looking for a plumbing company, you need to do your due diligence to ensure that you settle for an honest professional. However, this is often easier said than done because some plumbing scams are not always obvious, especially in your initial engagement with a plumber. Therefore, you need to be extra careful even after signing the contract with your plumbing company. If you are looking for an honest plumbing company in Knoxville, TN, My Professional Plumber is an excellent plumbing contractor to consider. We have been serving our community for many years, and our reputation as a professional plumbing services provider is well established. Therefore, you can count on us to honestly advise you on the most efficient plumbing solutions. Feel free to contact us today for more information about our company and services.