Plumbing is essential, although seldom exciting. But when you get a clog or water leaks through your ceiling, you need a repair, often quickly. Even if you’re stressed, don’t panic-dial a number you remember from a radio jingle—big ad budgets don’t indicate great service. Take a few minutes to find a plumber who will get the job done right for a fair price.

Start by asking friends and neighbors for recommendations, and cross-reference with the Better Business Bureau. Visit Checkbook.org and search “plumbers” for ratings of plumbers (available in seven major metro areas) and advice (useful no matter where you live). After you have identified high-quality, reliable companies, shop for price. Ideally, you’ll get prices from three.

Nonprofit Consumers’ Checkbook has evaluated prices of plumbers for decades and finds big cost differences for the same work. For example, to supply and install an InsinkErator Pro Series 750 garbage disposer in the Washington, D.C. area, prices among plumbers ranged from $400 to $1,450. To supply and install a specific Bradford-White 50-gallon gas water heater in the San Francisco Bay area, prices ranged from $1,900 to $4,200. Even for small jobs, it’s worth your time to shop around.

Although it’s straightforward to get price quotes for plumbing installation or remodeling work, it’s often difficult to get accurate pricing for repairs in advance. Your best bet is to call a few companies. Then:

Provide an exact description of your problem.

• Ask each company how it computes its labor rates (minimum charge and what it includes, price per hour after the minimum, etc.).
• Try to get an estimate of how long it usually takes to do your job.
• When the plumber arrives, review the labor rates you were provided. This will eliminate misunderstandings and may enhance timekeeping accuracy.
• Clear the area. You don’t want to pay the plumber to remove junk from underneath your sink.
• Don’t let conversations with the plumber interfere with the work. While it is important to understand what the plumber is doing, there is a reasonable limit. The plumber is on the clock until he or she writes up the ticket.

For remodeling or other large jobs, get a contract that includes:

• A fixed price for all work.
• Exactly what you want done, including makes and model numbers of all fixtures. Also detail who will break up the floor, cut holes in the wall, patch floor and walls, hang the sink, perform the carpentry, and haul away debris.
• Location of fixtures and where pipes will 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 (ideally in a sketch or plan), you may meet a lot of resistance when you want your sink installed just a little to the left to make room for a wastebasket.
• That the contractor will secure required permits and inspections.
• When work is to begin and approximately how long it is to take.
• Warranty. For remodeling work, materials and workmanship should be warrantied for at least one year.
• Arbitration clause. While this request might put off some companies, a company accustomed to doing sizable jobs will see it as a possible cost-saver for both parties, should a dispute arise.
• Arrange to pay as little as possible until all work is completed to your satisfaction; this gives you leverage to require dissatisfactory work be redone.
• If possible, pay by credit card (but remember to pay your bill on time to avoid interest charges). If you are dissatisfied, you can dispute the charge via a chargeback through your credit card company.

About Consumers’ Checkbook
Consumers’ Checkbook is a nonprofit organization with a mission to educate and help consumers make smarter choices. It offers advice, price comparisons, and in select markets, unbiased ratings of local service providers. It is supported by consumers and takes no money from the companies it evaluates. You can learn more about Checkbook and keep up with its latest reports by visiting Checkbook.org/NFCC.