When you own a property, there are dozens of small but important details that need thoughtful attention. One of those details is the plumbing system. While these pipes are hidden from sight, they’re still essential for the long-term health and usability of your home. When you need plumbing repairs, they can be costly and inconvenient. Fortunately, you can save yourself time and money by hiring a commercial plumbing contractor for your repair needs. However, hiring the wrong contractor can be just as costly as doing the work yourself or hiring a general contractor. There are several common mistakes that many prospective commercial plumbing contractors make that can lead to costly and inconvenient repairs down the road. If you’re in the process of hiring a contractor for your commercial plumbing needs, here are some things you should watch out for to avoid making these mistakes:
The first thing you should do when hiring a commercial plumbing contractor is read the contract. Contracts vary depending on the contractor and their specific services, but most will have the same general components. Typically, the contract will go over a variety of topics, including the scope of work, billing methods, warranties and more. Understanding the general contract is important because it gives you insight into what services are included and what the company expects from you. By reading the contract and understanding the various terms, you can avoid spending time and money on services that do not pertain to your needs and expectations. This will also help you avoid getting into a situation where you’re not receiving the services you paid for.
Another common mistake commercial plumbing contractors make is not knowing what needs to be done in your plumbing system. This can lead to costly and inconvenient repairs down the road. If a contractor comes out and determines that you need new pipes, but doesn’t know where they are, they’ll have to dig up your entire system and start fresh. This can be incredibly disruptive and costly. If you hire a contractor who doesn’t know the layout of your plumbing system, they may not be able to do the repairs correctly and may even charge you more for unskilled labor. This can also make it more difficult to schedule repairs, which can lead to inconvenient and costly disruptions in your business operations.
One of the best ways to avoid making these common mistakes is to have a professional on site who can audit your plumbing system. This will allow the contractor to not only audit your system, but also to identify potential risks and issues that could arise down the road. If the contractor audits your system and finds that there are issues, such as broken pipes or faulty shut offs, they can repair those issues before moving forward with any other work. This can save you time and money in the long run.
Another mistake commercial plumbing contractors make is hiring a general contractor who specializes in plumbing but also does landscaping, electrical work, and other services. This is a huge red flag. If a contractor is only doing plumbing, they’re not familiar with other types of construction and may not be able to do the repairs correctly. They may also not have the proper licensing to do the work. If something goes wrong, you could have a large and expensive mess on your hands. This can be incredibly inconvenient and costly. Hiring a contractor who specializes in plumbing only will save you time and money in the long run.
Finally, another mistake commercial plumbing contractors make is not having a contractor on-call every day. This can be incredibly inconvenient if there is a plumbing issue that needs attention right away. If you have a plumbing issue and call the contractor, they may not be able to get to you for hours or even days. This can be inconvenient for your business and can wreak havoc on your operations. Hiring a contractor who can be on-call every day will save you time and money in the long run. It will also allow you to avoid inconvenient and costly repairs down the road.
When you own a property, there are dozens of small but important details that need thoughtful attention. One of those details is the plumbing system. While these pipes are hidden from sight, they’re still essential for the long-term health and usability of your home. When you need plumbing repairs, they can be costly and inconvenient, but there are ways to save time and money. By reading the contract, understanding the various terms, hiring a contractor who specializes in plumbing only, and having a contractor on-call every day, you can avoid making these common mistakes and save yourself time and money.