the Price of Plumbers

We received a letter from our water provider that we had a leak in our system and it was on our side (meaning we were responsible for the repair). We called a plumber who lives the area that was recommended by our local corner hardware store. He was able to come out that day. To give us an estimate, he had to dig to see where the problem was. It turned out that he had to dig nearly twenty feet to find the broken pipe. Since everything was already dug and he had the parts on his truck, he replaced the pipe that afternoon.

He did not charge for the time that it took to find the problem since that was considered part of his free estimate (we live in the desert and have extremely hard ground so this was a huge savings for us). The costs included $100 in parts, the rest was labor. It took about five hours to complete the job and refill the area that had been dug up. We were also able to use a small business owner/neighbor instead of a large corporation, which is something that we look for.

He arrived promptly at the time he said he would, was courteous, kept the area clean, and did not block my driveway. The work was done quickly and efficiently. As a result of the work, our water bills are now about 20% cheaper, and our water pressure has never been better.

Since we were charged only for the time to fix the pipe (and parts) and to refill the hole, we saved considerably. It was definitely worth the charge for us to have it fixed. Not only was he able to come the same day, he was able to fix it the same day. We had called for estimates from several other companies and most of them would not have been able to come that day (or charge more if they did), and they would only be able to give us an estimate instead of fixing the problem. Since we have a large yard and the water meter is located on the outside of our fence, we had no idea it was leaking. However, when we took him out to show him where the meter was, it was evident that it had been leaking for some time. Had we waited, we would have surely had a huge water bill.

My father had always taken care of the household maintenance. What he couldn't do, he knew someone who could. However, after he passed away, my mother and I were clueless. However, we had been to our hardware store often enough to know that they have a bulletin and keep cards of local plumbers, handymen, and maintenance men. Once we could not find someone to come out that day (without extra charges), we called the hardware store. They provided our plumber's name and also gave him a good reference.

If you don't know who to call, call a local hardware store (not a large, box type) and ask if they can recommend someone. IF you are friendly with your neighbors, as them for a reference. If you see a sign listing a service that you may need, take the number down. You might not need it today, but may need it in the near future.

Also, be sure to ask your plumber if he knows someone else who does maintenance, landscaping, or whatever else you may need. Often they work together and know each other so can provide references.