Plumbing costs can be a nightmare, but there are ways to minimize them if you’re careful. Having the right knowledge and information is vital, but few plumbers will take the time to tell you how to avoid having to call us out.
Here are 9 common-sense ways you can save money:
- Know where your main water source turnoff is. If your home is flooding for any reason, your first step is to turn off the water and you don’t need a plumber to do it for you. If you aren’t sure where to look, call us today and ask us—we can help you find it before you need to know.
- More toilets get clogged with “flushable” baby wipes than anything else. If your household includes a baby, don’t fall for that line. Dispose of soiled wipes in the garbage, not in the toilet bowl.
- Don’t tackle complex plumbing repairs unless you know what you’re doing. We get a high number of Monday calls to fix what the homeowner did themselves over the weekend! It usually works out more expensive than if we’d done the job in the first place.
- When you call a plumber, ask for an estimate for the whole job. That way, you’ll know exactly what plumbing costs to expect. It’s only under very unusual circumstances that we’d work on a per-hour rate without giving you a maximum number of hours, at the very least.
- Are you constantly struggling with a loose toilet handle? You probably need to replace the flap valve. The part costs around $5 and it’s easy to install. You don’t need a plumber to do it for you at $100 just to come out.
- Don’t get too involved in the cost of plumbing materials. They are usually less than 25% of the total job cost. It’s the labor that costs the highest rates, and inferior quality materials are more likely to result in the need for extra time. So buying cheap parts yourself might not be the solution you’re looking for.
- Make sure you turn off the water to your outdoor faucets, empty the pipes and disconnect garden hoses before the winter freeze. That will prevent your pipes from freezing and bursting, which will mean costly repairs with the first thaw.
- If you’re going away on vacation and turning off the heat in the house, be sure to turn off your water too and empty the pipes. If we hit a cold patch while you’re gone, your indoor pipes could freeze and burst, and you’ll come home to a flooded house.
- Don’t use “backyard” plumbers – they might be cheaper, but in the long term, your plumbing costs could be much higher if they don’t work according to Toronto’s strict building codes. Don’t pick one out of the directory either, based on the size of their ad. It’s about as accurate as picking lottery numbers!
Find yourself a reliable, licensed plumber who has contactable references that offer a range of services and provides written estimates for every job. Then keep his (or her) contact number in a convenient spot so you can call when you really need help.
