How to find a good plumber?

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Mila

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We recently terminated our relationship with our GC and plumber and are looking for a plumber to fix and repair what the previous one had done. We had such a bad experience with that plumber that I'm a little hesitant to just open the yellow pages and call anyone. We have already asked everyone we know and got the same answer "Good plumber? Mine sucks. Good luck!" So how do I find a good, honest and competetent plumber? Is there some kind of licensing agency/authority where I can start my search and then narrow down? What criteria should I look for? I know to look for years in business, professional license/insurance, but what else would tell me that the plumber is good and knows what he is talking about?

I hope I'm not offending anyone, but with our last plumber we had to call the manufacturers (boiler, heater, radiators, etc) so many times to verify the correct info because he was wrong about everything...

Thank you!
 

Terry

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I often check with friends and how things went for them.
BBB is one place to look. Oh yeah they give me an A+
When I was building homes, I asked my concrete supplier for leads on good guys to use for flatwork.
 

hj

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quote; I know to look for years in business, professional license/insurance, but what else would tell me that the plumber is good and knows what he is talking about?

Actually, none of that necessarily means it is a good plumber. Unless someone gives them a good reference, (and it always bothers me when they do, because that means it is probably going to be a job that goes wrong), you cannot tell ahead of time.
 

Tom Sawyer

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Folks will dispute this but you get what you pay for. I'd bet 90% of those folks unhappy with any contractor went with the cheapest one they could find. I would also avoid one man shops. Not necessarily because the plumber is incompetent but because they often get called away to do an emergency job, or for family or health reasons and they leave you high and dry or cause delays that put the other contractors on the job in a bind. You need a toilet fixed or a faucet changed then fine, go with the little guy but if you are doing major renovation, HVAC change outs etc, then find a good sized, reputable company that is licensed, insured andgives you a solidcontract.
 

Reach4

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You might do better with somebody who specializes in hydronic heating if you have more boiler and radiator work. Are you looking for somebody in Long Island? I think I remember a recommendation being made for there. I am not a pro.
 

Craigpump

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A few advantages to a small one man or family operation is

Usually their names are over the door and they have some pride in their work (but not always).

If there is an issue, there are only one or two people to blame.

You know who will be coming to your home in the future.
 

WJcandee

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I don't know where you are in New York, but if you are in the City or on Long Island, we have used Maccarone Plumbing in our old house on Long Island for years, and they are regularly used by folks on my block in Manhattan. I don't know if you have new construction or a renovation, but if you have an old place that you are reviving, one of the guys at Maccarone specializes in actually fixing/repairing old stuff. Jim Brown can look at a 50 year old faucet and tell you what make and model it is, and he will give you the option of him getting parts to repair it if you like it, or an alternative for replacement. He has rebuilt old Case toilets for folks who like that old warhorse, although he always tells them it's cheaper to replace. He just loves old houses and to repair stuff. Check out this thread from someone else I recommended him to: https://terrylove.com/forums/index....m-1930-desperate-to-repair.53439/#post-390011

For regular plumbing, other folks at Maccarone will do the job very well, at least they have for us. They aren't the cheapest, but they come once and it's fixed. They also get involved in construction in our locale, where a licensed plumber is strictly required.

I also have a very good friend and neighbor who is a GC. His bread and butter is building and rebuilding McDonalds, which requires massive organization because they can't be shut for long, but he too loves old houses, and has done amazing work on ours. He has also rebuilt a few houses in our neighborhood, and all you have to do is look at what he has done to his house, from the finishes to the quality of the workmanship to the elegance of it, to know that he is amazing. He's the kind of guy who just won't let himself take a shortcut, and his guys show up on time, start working, and don't stop until either they are done or the day is over. PM me if you want a referral. He is building a hardware store locally right now, so I don't know what his availability is, but I have seen his work and know how proud and meticulous he is.
 

hj

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quote; I would also avoid one man shops. Not necessarily because the plumber is incompetent but because they often get called away to do an emergency job, or for family or health reasons and they leave you high and dry or cause delays that put the other contractors on the job in a bind. You need a toilet fixed or a faucet changed then fine, go with the little guy but if you are doing major renovation, HVAC change outs etc, then find a good sized, reputable company that is licensed, insured andgives you a solidcontract.

I am a "one man shop" and have been doing ALL the things you mention with very good customer satisfaction for over 40 years. I'll bet you also recommend using Angie's List.
 

Tom Sawyer

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If you read my posts you will note that I have never recommended Angie's list, nor would I. However, I stand by my post which unless you are superman I can guarantee that you have had to leave jobs to attend to others or other matters, either that or you don't work much.
 

hj

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quote; I can guarantee that you have had to leave jobs to attend to others or other matters, either that or you don't work much.

Neither of which are true. It is all a matter of scheduling.
 

Craigpump

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I have never left in the middle of a job to go to another one, if there is a conflict, I use the cell phone, make a call and get there as soon as I can.

The most important job is the one I'm on right now.
 

Tom Sawyer

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If you are doing service work it's not a problem. If you're roughing a house in, or doing a heat or HVAC job that takes a few days or weeks, it's a problem.
 

OffshorePlumber

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One man shops usually won't over extend themselves into service work and new builds, they are either one or the other.
 

Tom Sawyer

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I can only speak for experience. Having never been a one man shop we have had too bail the little guys out on countless occasions when they get in over their heads. A typical situation is a one man shop taking on a renovation that ties him up for a week or so and right in the middle of it someone else has a major issue needing instant attention so the guy has to leave one job to go to the next which pisses off the GC because it screws his schedule up and we come in and save the day. Happens frequently. You can schedule pretty tight but when it's only one of you well.....crap happens. The other thing that happens a lot is a plumber just starting out will underbid everyone and get the job. The. Half way through he realizes that he won't make enough to break even so he starts putting the work off in lieu of other jobs hoping to get enough money from them to be able to continue the first job which of course, never happens so he bails, leaving the customer high and dry. My advice to anyone seeking a plumbing contractor for any job that takes longer than a day or two too complete is to find a bigger shop.
Ger
 

hj

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quote; The other thing that happens a lot is a plumber just starting out will underbid everyone and get the job.

I have always tried to be the one setting the price, and if they don't like the price, they can call someone else. As I told someone last month when they asked it that was my best price, I told him it was my only price.
 

DonL

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Around here if you can speak Spanish you can get up to a 50% discount.

The workers will do exactly what you tell them.
 

Asktom

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Politics aside, the best way to find a plumber you will be happy with is to ask sensible people you know who they are happy with.
 
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