Hiring A Plumber? 5 Factors That Will Influence Your Choice

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A plumbing issue can be a major headache. Hiring a professional you can trust to fix the problem is crucial. After all, you’ll be allowing this person to work in your home and relying on him to do a good job and do it right.

Mistakes can cost you money now and affect your home value in the future. Follow these simple steps when hiring a plumber to ensure that you get what you’re paying for — expert advice and excellent service:

  • Ask to see your contractor’s master plumber license from the city of Cincinnati or a suburb.
  • Make sure the master plumber license is current. It should begin with the letter “M” and be included in your contractor’s advertising.
  • Make sure the master plumber has a certificate of insurance on file. Hamilton County Public Health requires a $10,000 performance bond to ensure that jobs are completed and installed to code, but counties don’t license plumbers.
  • Check with the Better Business Bureau to learn about any complaints filed.
  • Ask if the work planned requires a permit and evaluation from the city. To contact Cincinnati’s plumbing inspectors, go to the American Society of Plumbing Engineers website.
  • Get written price estimates from three qualified contractors before you make your final choice.
  • Estimates should list an overall price for the complete job — or an hourly rate — and clearly state which pricing is used. Ohio does not regulate plumbing prices.
  • Each written estimate should list exactly what work is to be performed and how the company is to be paid. Make sure you understand the scope of the work.
  • Be sure warranties are in writing.
  • Ask for references, and check them.
  • The city of Cincinnati requires plumbing permits, along with health and safety evaluations, on new and replacement installations. This includes replacement of fixtures.

For expert plumbing assistance or more information about hiring a plumber, contact Apollo Home Heating, Cooling and Plumbing. Your peace of mind is our priority. We’ve been serving the area’s plumbing needs for more than a century, since 1910. Visit our website to learn more, or just give us a call.

Image via Shutterstock.com

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"Ernie & Mike did a superb job on my new furnace and A/C installation. Despite having more than a day’s work to do, they came in and stayed until the job was done. They were organized, efficient, and protected the rest of the house well. Got both furnace and A/C installed the same day. Ernie was courteous, informative, and clearly knew his job better than anyone I’ve encountered before. The units look so good guests now get The Tour of our new system. Apollo is clearly not a fly-by-night company. I would recommend them to anyone in need of a new furnace and/or A/C."
- Jerry A.
"I called Apollo because of a water leak I thought I had in our upstairs shower going into the kitchen. Robbie came and assured me everything was fine & looked at all the other plumbing. He ended up changing a few pipes for our washer & clearing a drain. He was very nice & knowledgeable with all my questions. I ended up signing up for the care plan & was very happy with my service."
- Cassandra B.
"The team at Apollo exceeded my expectations. As a business owner, my attention to the details and commitment to providing excellent service is high. From the sales rep. to the installation team, everyone’s performance was outstanding. For example, the installation team went to great lengths to protect our floors, placing floor runners and across the wood floors and up the stairs. They even were spot washing walls upon their departure. I highly recommend this company."
- Randy B.
"We scheduled an estimate AND a tune-up. We knew something was wrong with our furnace, but hoped we could make it through the rest of the season. Upon telling Bill what our furnace was doing, he warned us immediately what the possible outcome was going to be; a cracked heat exchanger. He watched the flames roll backward, tested carbon monoxide levels, which were so high they meter’s last reading was 5,600 before saying “high”. He immediately shut it down, tagged it, and explained that with levels that high and children in our home he wanted off right away. He continued his inspection and showed us via a camera that not only was it cracked in multiple places, but had holes all over it. He gave us a few options for repairing it; his knowledge as well as genuine concern was beneficial and refreshing. Luckily we also scheduled an estimator, Micah, to come too and we were able to get costs between repairing and replacing (with several options). We decided to replace with a much higher efficiency furnace and one sized properly to our home. Hands down, not only did they both provide us great service and knowledge, but without sounding dramatic, they may have saved our lives. This was our first time calling Apollo, but it won’t be our last."
- Sarah B.
"Apollo is an excellent company. I always receive great service. Alex A. was professional and friendly. He kept me informed during the process of checking my furnace and heat pump to make sure they were working properly. The company makes sure you are notified who is coming and when they are on the way. All my interactions with the company have been wonderful."
- Beverly S.
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