During uncertain economic times brought on by a pandemic it can be common for home owners to make efforts to save money on home improvements whenever they can. However, professional tradespeople want you to know that sometimes saving a buck can mean long term losses in the future.
That’s especially true when it comes to your plumbing.
“One of my favourite sayings is, we like to fix what you tried to repair,” said Anthony Davis, owner of Greater Sudbury Plumbing. “Plumbing isn’t something to take lightly. There are consequences to doing it wrong. I don’t just trust anyone to change the brakes on my car because I don’t want to find out on the highway that there is a problem. If you have a loose waterline and it lets go a month down the road you’ve just flooded your basement and ruined your new renovation.”
Davis says there are five good reasons why people in need of plumbing services should hire a professional company over unlicensed technicians.
“The first thing is that it’s illegal,” said Davis, who opened Greater Sudbury Plumbing in 2016. “No one other than the homeowner or a registered plumber can legally fix plumbing because plumbing is a licensed trade. There is a reason why only homeowners and licensed tradespeople can pull permits. There could be harsh consequences to hiring an unregistered company could be doing illegal plumbing which could lead to future property damage.”
Hiring a professional ensures all the working being done meets proper regulatory standards according to Davis.
“As a registered plumber, we have routine schooling and we have to keep up to current standards and building codes,” said Davis. “We have to pull permits as well. Someone who is un-trained may not be keeping up with codes and standards so they may not doing the work properly.”
That gives rise to the third reason not to hire unlicensed plumbers: insurance concerns. Davis said a typical “unregistered or unlicensed person” probably doesn’t have the proper liability insurance to cover any work he or she does in your home. As a result, your insurance company may not cover you should issues occur, which leaves you with costly repairs down the line. A professional, licensed plumbing company will also offer you warranty and stand behind all work they do, which is the fourth reason to not allow unlicensed people to work on your home.
The fifth reason is all about getting peace of mind. When you hire a professional plumber, you get service and support long after the job is done.
“Let’s say you have an emergency at two o’clock in the morning,” said Davis. “The guy you found on the corner probably isn’t going to answer his phone. Greater Sudbury Plumbing will, and we’re going to come take care of your issue. An unlicensed person probably won’t be properly equipped and might not have the parts and supplies he needed at two in the morning. We have a stocked warehouse and stocked service vans to take care of emergencies.”
Davis says he supports DIY homeowners who try to complete projects and save some money, but only if they have the skills to complete the job.
“If you get halfway into a project and realize you’re in over your head, no problem, we can take it from here. Sometimes with proper guidance we can facilitate a way for the homeowner to save money while doing some of the work themselves.”
Check public register to make sure licensed trade has valid license under public registrar.
No matter what plumbing service you need, consider the professionals at AGEMECHANICAL.CA
