Checklist 

At the time of our last full, published article, 36 of the 233 plumbing firms evaluated on our Ratings Tables were rated “superior” overall by 90 percent or more of their surveyed customers. But we get all too many comments from plumbing customers that include words like “dishonest,” “overcharged,” “unprofessional,” “incompetent,” “rude,” “messy,” “no-show,” and “tried to sell things that aren’t needed.” Some firms were rated “inferior”—our survey’s lowest rating—by more than one-third of their surveyed customers. 

The firms vary not only in the quality of their service, but also in their prices. When we shopped them for exactly the same jobs, even routine jobs, some firms charged more than twice as much as others. Fortunately, you can select a lower priced firm and get top-quality service—there is no relationship between price and quality. The ratings of firms on our Ratings Tables will steer you to some excellent choices. 

For installation and remodeling jobs, be sure to get multiple bids. On a job where your first quote is $5,000, you are more likely than not to save at least $500—and might save several thousands of dollars—by getting even one more quote. 

Get a fixed-price contract and be sure to specify exactly what will be done—makes and models of fixtures, what kind of pipe will be used, exactly where things will be located, who will do all the related tasks like carpentry, who will get necessary permits, and what the warranty will be. 

For repair service, explain on the phone exactly what is going wrong, and ask the firm how it figures its charges. Go over these facts with the plumber when the plumber arrives at your home. 

Introduction 

Maybe you’ve finally had it with that drippy faucet. Or that slow-running drain. Or that balky toilet. 

Or maybe it’s more urgent: your dishwasher flooded the kitchen, or there’s water coming down from the upstairs bathroom. 

Whether it’s routine or an emergency, there are times when you need a good plumber. Fortunately, hiring a plumber is not necessarily the ordeal many fear it will be; we’ve found dozens of excellent plumbing firms in the area, and many of the firms that rate best for the quality of their work also are among the lowest in price. But there are also a lot of unreliable, overpriced firms, so you’ll have to choose carefully. 

Finding the Right Plumber 

The information we have collected on area plumbing firms should help you find an outfit that will serve you well, at a reasonable cost. 

Ratings from Customers 

As one way to get a line on quality, we surveyed area CHECKBOOK and Consumer Reports subscribers and asked them to rate plumbers they had recently used. Our Ratings Tables show the results for the area firms for which we received 10 or more customer survey responses. (For more information on our customer survey and other research methods, click here.) 

Many of the firms received high percentages of favorable ratings. For example, at the time of our last full, published article, 36 of the firms were rated “superior” overall by 90 percent or more of their surveyed customers. But some firms were rated “inferior” by more than one-third of their customers. 

From other surveys, we know that what most consumers care most about is getting the work done properly, and fortunately, most firms actually scored relatively high on that aspect of service. But because we also got all too many comments like the following on some firms, you’ll want to check our ratings before picking up the phone— 

• “They have never shown up on time. They have repeatedly had to re-do or repair their own work. They are complete slobs when they work and don’t always clean up after themselves...” 
• “We hired them to replace the works in two toilets. Neither works properly since the repair and the company did not return our phone calls.” 
• “I called them to fix a bathroom leak through to my kitchen ceiling. The jerk that came couldn’t find the problem, said it wasn’t a plumbing issue and that since he couldn’t fix the problem would not charge for the service call. This seems fair and generous but then I got a very large bill... The problem turned out to be a pipe leak...” 
• “Plumber arrived much later than promised. Told me that it wasn’t my drain that was clogged but that my septic tank was full. I paid him for a service call then called to have my tank emptied; guess what? My tank was fine and my drain was still clogged...” 

To alert you to problems that might occur, we have included below a summary of the breakdown of the various types of complaints we received from survey respondents, ranging from surprise fees and charges to failure to do the work properly to failure to show up. 

Complaint Records 

In addition to ratings from plumbing customers, for firms that were evaluated in our last full, published article, our Ratings Tables show counts of complaints we gathered from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) for a recent three-year period and the number of complaints on file with local government consumer protection offices for a recent two-year period. 

Where we were able to, we have also reported on our Ratings Tables a complaint rate for each firm, calculated by dividing the number of complaints by our measure of the number of full-time-equivalent employees who perform residential work for the firms. These complaint rates are intended as a rough way to take into account volume of work and the fact that firms that do more work are exposed to a greater risk of incurring complaints. 

You can check current BBB complaint information on any firm by contacting the BBB at 202-393-8000 or by visiting www.dc.bbb.org. For firms that were evaluated in our last full, published article, in the details under the firm’s listing, click a link to the local BBB to go directly to the BBB’s most up-to-date report on any complaints about the firm. 

Consumer protection offices in the District, Fairfax County, and Montgomery County also have available online databases that let you check complaint histories on any firm. See below for links and contact information. 

How Much They Charge 

When you have identified high-quality, reliable firms, you will want to consider price. Our researchers called firms (that were evaluated in our last full, published article) and, without revealing an affiliation with CHECKBOOK, got prices for five different jobs. The price index scores on our Ratings Tables (further described here) show how each firm’s prices compared to the average price for all firms that quoted on the same jobs. We adjusted the price index scores so that the average for all the firms is $100. If a firm’s score is $110, for example, this means that the firm’s prices were, on average, 10 percent higher than the average prices we found for the same jobs. 

As you can see from Table 1, prices varied dramatically from firm to firm for the same work. When our shoppers asked firms for their price to install a new bathroom faucet, prices ranged from $156 to $530—a difference of over 300 percent. These large price differences are reflected in the price index scores, which range from $63 to $159. 

For medium- or large-size jobs, you won’t want to rely just on our price index scores. Take the time to get several bids. Doing so is likely to result in substantial savings. Looking at one of our water heater replacement jobs, for example, we found that if we randomly selected firms to bid, getting three bids saved us, on average, about $150, or 14 percent, compared to the first bid. You can expect to save even more by getting more than three bids, but the likely benefits will get smaller with each additional quote since you’ll probably already have gotten a price from one of the lower priced firms. 

If a job is large, and especially if you are not sure whether it is needed or how it should be done, use the firms that quote as your consultants to advise you on the best solution. 

When comparing prices, it is essential, of course, to be sure that each firm quotes on exactly the same job, using the same fixture models. So if you don’t make up your mind on exactly what you want done until after you have talked to more than one firm, it makes sense to give each a chance to bid on your final job specifications. 

If you are considering a large remodeling job—a new kitchen or bathroom, for instance—it is especially critical that you get several bids. Not only is the amount of money at stake large, but we’ve found that the percentage variation in prices on such major jobs is larger than the variation on the kinds of smaller installation jobs for which we got quotes. For the plumbing work involved in a modest bathroom-remodeling job, for example, you might well get bids ranging from $5,000 to over $10,000. Unless you consider your time very valuable, even a fraction of that difference is well worth a few hours getting multiple bids. (Remember that saving $500 is better than earning $500 because you don’t pay taxes on what you save.) 

Even for small jobs, getting multiple quotes makes sense if you can easily do it by phone, as is true with many jobs. 

Getting plumbers to come to your home to bid isn’t easy. Firms don’t always show up when promised. We suggest that you set up more visits than you expect to want. Then, when you have all the quotes you want, call the remaining firms to cancel. 

Our Ratings Tables also report each firm’s “minimum charge for a service call” and indicates in parentheses whether you get a complete diagnosis or a certain time amount for that charge. These charges will be particularly useful to you if you need to hire a plumber for repair work, since the firm won’t be able to give you an exact cost quote until its plumber has examined your problem. Some firms don’t charge anything to come to your home, diagnose the problem, and give an estimate; others will charge you $100 or more just to diagnose a repair problem and give you an estimate. 

Tips on Dealing with a Plumber 

Whatever firm you choose, dealing wisely with the plumber can get you better work and save you money. 

Whether you need a remodeling job or repairs, if possible, try to get a written estimate before work begins. Among plumbing customers we surveyed, about one-half got a written estimate (rather than an oral estimate or no estimate) in advance. The customers who got written estimates were much more likely to be satisfied with their firm’s performance compared to the customers who did not get written estimates. 

Remodeling Jobs 

• Try to get a fixed-price contract. On small jobs, this may be difficult since it’s not always easy to estimate by phone and a firm may not want to incur the cost of sending a plumber out for an estimate. But give it a try. Even on larger jobs, firms may argue that they’ll have to bid high to protect themselves in a fixed-price contract, and that you might get a break if you pay by the hour and the job goes quickly. We don’t go for that argument. If a firm knows you’ll be getting several bids, it can’t take the chance of bidding high, and the fixed-price contract will spare you possible surprises later. With a fixed-price contract, you don’t have to monitor the firm’s efficiency—although you do have to be sure it doesn’t take inappropriate shortcuts. 
• Specify in advance exactly what you want done. If you get a contract, it should contain full specifications. If the work is to be done on a time-and-materials basis, just write up what you want on a sheet of paper, give it to the plumber, and keep a copy for yourself; then explain what you want orally as well. The specifications should include: 
• Makes and model numbers of all fixtures and appliances. Since nearly identical-looking fixtures sometimes vary in price by 100 percent, the firm may be tempted to substitute second-rate products unless you are specific. 
• What kind of pipe will be used. Copper pipe—which can be used for water supply lines, drainage lines, and vent lines—is extremely long-lasting, but is expensive. Cast iron pipe—which can be used only for drain lines—is also extremely long lasting, but is difficult to work with. If you want these materials, you should specify that you do. Otherwise, your firm might cut its cost by substituting steel pipe or plastic pipe. 
• Where fixtures are to be located and where pipes are to run. Sometimes a few inches can make a big difference in the difficulty of a plumbing job. If you have not spelled out what you want in advance (ideally, in a sketch or plan), you may meet a lot of resistance when you want your sink just a little to the left so you will have room for the wastebasket. 
• Who is to break up the floor, cut holes in the wall, patch floor and walls, hang the sink, do the carpentry, haul away the debris. Do not just assume any of these jobs is included in your agreement. Some firms will include them; some won’t. 
• Pick your fixtures with an eye to the availability of replacement parts. Fixing your faucet a few years from now will be cheaper than buying a new one. 
• Shop around to see if you’ll save money by buying parts and fixtures on your own. Some plumbers won’t install customer-provided fixtures; others insist that their customers provide them. A firm that gives you the option of deciding who will supply parts and fixtures ensures that you’ll be able to shop for the lowest prices for them. If you have a large installation or remodeling job, ask suppliers if they will give you a volume discount. 
• If you’ll be supplying your own fixtures, check to make sure this won’t mean that the plumber will charge higher labor rates. Also, be aware that the plumber won’t be responsible for the labor cost of replacing a fixture that proves defective if you’ve supplied the fixture. 
• Specify what permits you want the firm to secure. For several reasons, some homeowners do not insist on permits: to avoid alerting the tax assessor to new improvements; to save the cost of the permits and the time the plumber must spend securing them; and to save money by using an unlicensed moonlighter, who may simply be unable to get a permit. But there are strong reasons for getting a permit: it is often legally required; it buys you an impartial government inspection of the adequacy of the finished job; and it protects you, or a subsequent owner of your home, from having to have code deficiencies corrected if they are discovered during an inspection of other work at a later date. We’ve even heard of gas explosion cases in which insurance claims were denied because installations had not been inspected as required by the applicable codes. 
• Specify when work is to begin and approximately how long it is to take. 
• Negotiate for the best possible warranty. On any remodeling job, you should get at least a one-year written warranty on materials and workmanship. (Even on a repair job, you might be able to do that well if you explain that you are aware that some firms offer such terms.) 
• For a major remodeling job, try to get an arbitration clause in your contract. While some firms might be put off by the request for this provision, a firm that is accustomed to doing sizable jobs will see it as a possible cost saver should a dispute arise. 
• Ask the firm how much of the contract price it will let you hold back until the job is completed. If a firm will let you pay a substantial portion of the price of an installation job after completion, that tells you that the firm is confident that it can satisfy you and tells you that you’ll have leverage to prod the firm to do the job right if you are not satisfied. Such a payment arrangement also will cushion the blow if the firm happens to go under before completing the work. 
• If you do not have a contract, before you pay be sure to get a receipt describing what you are paying for. If you must have work corrected later, you will want to avoid any dispute as to what the firm was responsible for. 
• If possible, make all payments by credit card. If you are dissatisfied with the work or a fixture, you’ll have the option to dispute the charge under the Fair Credit Billing Act. 

Repair Jobs 

• Before having a plumber out for a service call, explain exactly what the problem is. This will help the plumber bring the needed tools and parts and thus avoid extra trips. 
• When you call, ask the firm to explain how it figures its labor rates—what the minimum charge is, how much is included in the minimum, what time intervals are used to calculate charges (10 minutes, 15 minutes, half hour), how much is charged per unit, etc. 
• Let the plumber who arrives know that you are aware of the rates. This may enhance time-keeping accuracy. 
• If you need to know exactly when a plumber will arrive, try to schedule the first service call of the day. 
• Clear the area. You don’t want to pay $100 an hour for the plumber to clean out junk from underneath your sink. 
• Don’t spend so much time talking with the plumber that you interfere with the work. While it is important that you understand what the plumber is doing, there is a reasonable limit. Remember that you are paying for the plumber’s time until he or she writes up the ticket. 
• Be home for an appointment. A missed appointment may not cost you anything at the time, but these foul-ups increase plumbers’ costs, eventually increasing bills for everyone. 

Plumbing Do’s and Don’ts 

Following the list of rules below will help reduce the seriousness and frequency of plumbing problems— 

• Make sure that you and anyone else living in your home knows the locations of water shutoff valves and how to use them. If you’re unsure of valve locations, ask a plumber or home inspector to give you a tour and to label each valve with a tag that describes its function and how to turn it off. Shutoff valves will cut the flow of water to a single fixture, to a branch of the water supply system, or to the entire house. If a pipe bursts, quickly stopping the flow of leaking water can prevent extensive damage. If you have a problem with a single fixture, turning its shutoff valve off will allow you to continue to use fixtures throughout the rest of your home, letting you schedule a plumbing visit during normal hours. 
• Once or twice a year, check to make sure that the main water shutoff valve to your home is working properly. 
• Periodically check shutoff valves, exposed pipes, faucets, and your hot water heater for leaks. Regularly inspect ceilings and walls for signs of water damage. If you find a leak, have it repaired as soon as possible. 
• If you have a septic-tank system, have it inspected regularly by a licensed professional. 
• Install smoke and carbon-monoxide detectors near your water heater and furnace. 
• Keep all flammable and combustible materials away from your hot water heater. 
• To reduce the risks of fire or your health, make sure your water heater’s venting has been checked for proper draft and that there is enough ventilation in the room. 
• Dispose of grease or rendered-down fat in the trash; never poor it down a drain. 
• Cover bathtub and shower drains with a screen to help prevent hair from clogging up their pipes. 
• Chemical drain cleaners are extremely dangerous products—before using them, make sure you read package directions and warning labels. When pouring a drain cleaner into a drain, make sure to avert your face as far away as possible from the bottle and the drain. 
• If a drain is completely clogged, do not try to clear it using a drain cleaner—doing so will likely leave you with a large pool of highly caustic water. Also, once a drain is completely clogged, using a drain cleaner is unlikely to solve the problem, and may simply contribute to the blockage. 
• To prevent water pipes from freezing—and therefore possibly bursting—cover pipes that run through an attic, crawl space, exterior walls, or an unheated basement with insulation. If you know that a certain section of pipe is highly susceptible to freezing, consider using electric heat tape to keep the pipe warm. 
• During the winter, turn off the water supply to outside spigots using shutoff valves inside your home, remove any attached hoses, and drain any remaining water out of the pipe by turning on the spigot. 
• If you will be away from home during the winter, do not completely shut off your heating system—instead, leave your thermostat set to 55°. 
• Don’t flush anything down the toilet that doesn’t belong there. Paper towels, feminine products, disposable diapers, cat litter, hair, and other items can clog up the works. 
• Use care when operating your garbage disposer. Make sure that its on-off switch is in an area where it won’t be accidentally turned on. If you have children, consider buying a batch-feed model that requires you to use a stopper before turning it on. 
• Heed warnings in your garbage disposer’s operating manual. Many models can become clogged if you try to dispose of coffee grounds, uncooked rice, etc. Always run a steady stream of water into your garbage disposer when running it. 
• Before turning on your dishwasher, first run your garbage disposer for a few moments. 
• Periodically check the temperature setting of your hot water heater—most models should be set between 120° and 140°. Running the burner at lower temperatures will save energy costs and help extend the life of both the burner and the water tank. 

Top 10 Plumbing Complaints 

Some plumbing outfits make a lot of their customers unhappy. Below we list the 10 most common types of complaints we found in the reviews we received from surveyed CHECKBOOK subscribers for plumbers. 

1.    Price—Rater believed firm’s fees were too expensive. Mentioned in 44 percent of complaints. 

2.    Poor customer service—Firm’s office staff or workers were rude or disorganized, or communication was poor. Mentioned in 31 percent of complaints. 

3.    Subpar work—Work was not completed correctly on the first attempt. Mentioned in 19 percent of complaints. 

4.    Worker incompetence—Plumber sent did not know how to complete the work, suggested unnecessary or incorrect solutions, or did not correctly diagnose problem. Mentioned in 13 percent of complaints. 

5.    Promptness—Firm missed appointments or took too long to complete work. Mentioned in 11 percent of complaints. 

6.    Attempt to overcharge—Firm tried to charge more than originally agreed, added previously undisclosed fees, or unreasonably charged extra labor or trip fees to acquire parts. Mentioned in eight percent of complaints. 

7.    Workers caused damage to customer’s home or belongings. Mentioned in five percent of complaints. 

8.    Workers left a mess. Mentioned in four percent of complaints. 

9.    Unreasonable trip or estimate charges. Mentioned in four percent of complaints. 

10.    Reliability issues—Firm did not fulfill promises, would not promptly address problems raised by customer, or would not work with customer to satisfy billing disputes. Mentioned in two percent of complaints. 

Common Plumbing Problems 

Although most plumbing work is done right, mistakes do occur. The following are a few of the problems local inspectors find most often. 

• Drainpipes don’t have enough grade. As a result, waste does not flow with sufficient momentum and stoppages occur. 
• Pipes are not properly supported. This can result in loud “hammering” in the case of water supply pipes and in stoppages in the case of drainpipes. 
• The water heater or furnace flue connection has not been checked for proper draft. If a chimney is partially clogged, dangerous combustion products may accumulate inside the house. 
• There is not enough ventilation in the room where the water heater or furnace is installed. Again, this prevents a proper draft and causes dangerous combustion products to accumulate. 
• The water heater flue is dangerously close to combustible materials. A fire-resistant shield must be installed. 
• A gas or water shutoff valve has not been installed at a water heater, furnace, dishwasher, or other appliance. This means the home’s total gas or water supply will have to be shut down if the appliance needs repairs. 
• Electrical grounding has been eliminated. Water supply pipes serve as the ground for a home’s electrical system and as a ground in case of lightning. If plastic pipe is used to replace disintegrated steel water supply pipes from the outside meter, this ground is eliminated and a substitute grounding system must be installed. 
• A fixture trap leaks where it has not been properly tightened. 
• A toilet, sink, or other fixture is not tightly secured. 
• The hole where a pipe leaves the house through a wall is not properly sealed against moisture. 

Where You Can Complain 

State and Local Government Consumer Agencies 

District of Columbia Office of the Attorney General
441 4th Street, NW, #450-N
Washington, DC 20001
202-442-9828 

Fairfax County Department of Consumer Affairs
12000 Government Center Parkway
Fairfax, VA 22035
703-222-8435 

Howard County Office of Consumer Affairs
6751 Columbia Gateway Drive
Columbia, MD 21046
410-313-6420 

Maryland Consumer Protection Division, Office of the Attorney General
200 St. Paul Place, 16th Floor
Baltimore, MD 21202
410-528-8662 

Montgomery County Division of Consumer Affairs
100 Maryland Avenue, Suite 330
Rockville, MD 20850
240-777-3636 

Virginia Office of Consumer Affairs
Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
1100 Bank Street
P.O. Box 1163
Richmond, VA 23218
800-552-9963 or 804-786-2042 

Better Business Bureau of Metropolitan Washington
1411 K Street, NW, 10th Floor
Washington, DC 20005
202-393-8000
www.dc.bbb.org