Something's wrong, but it can wait
If the water is under control, you have time, and time is what keeps a plumbing bill honest.
Updated .
These nine decisions are about who to call, how you pay them and how much proof to ask for before you agree to a big job.
- Plumber, drain company or handyman?
- Licensed plumber: pipe replacement, permit work, anything behind a wall
- Drain company: one stubborn clog with nothing else going wrong
- Handyman: small visible jobs, where your state and city allow it
- Flat-rate or hourly plumber?
- Flat-rate price: defined jobs where you want the number before work starts
- Hourly billing: unknown problems where nobody can yet say how long
- One plumbing quote or three?
- One quote: small, clearly defined jobs from someone you can check
- Three quotes: bigger, unclear or pressured jobs where you have a few days
- Free estimate or paid diagnostic visit?
- Free estimate: replacing something visible, where the job is already known
- Paid diagnostic visit: a mystery problem where someone must investigate first
- Camera inspection first or dig now?
- Camera first: anyone told to dig without seeing the problem
- Dig now: anyone holding video, written quotes, permit answers and an 811 call
- Repair the leak or repipe the house?
- Repair the leak: one known leak and no pattern anyone can show
- Repipe the house: a documented pattern, confirmed by more than one written quote
- Get a second opinion or go ahead?
- Second opinion: big, surprising or rushed recommendations with time to check
- Go ahead: small, clear work from a firm you have checked
- The plumber's parts or parts you buy?
- The plumber's parts: repairs where one answer for labor and part matters
- Parts you buy: fixtures you chose, agreed with the plumber before the visit
- Replace the water heater now or wait for it to fail?
- Replace it now: older units where a failure would do real damage
- Wait for it to fail: newer units in spots where a leak does little harm
