Your basement is flooding. Your toilet won’t stop running. You’re panicked, Googling “plumber near me,” and the first guy who picks up sounds reassuring. That’s exactly when you get taken.
Most people hire a plumber the way they hail an Uber — fast, little thought, just make the problem go away. But a bad plumber doesn’t just fail to fix the problem. They can create new ones, charge you for work that wasn’t done, and leave you with no recourse because you never asked the right questions.
Here are 10 questions to ask before you agree to anything. Each one exists because someone learned it the hard way — usually to the tune of hundreds or thousands of dollars.
1. “Are you licensed?”
This is question one for a reason. An unlicensed plumber working on your home is a gamble with your property and your insurance.
If an unlicensed plumber botches a water heater installation and your house floods, your homeowner’s insurance can deny the claim entirely. You read that right — you eat the full cost of repairs because you let someone unlicensed do the work.
What a bad answer sounds like: “I’ve been doing this 20 years, I don’t need a piece of paper to prove I know what I’m doing.” That’s a no. Experience is great, but a license means they’ve met your state’s minimum competency standards and carry accountability.
How to verify: Don’t take their word for it. Most states have an online license lookup — search “[your state] plumber license lookup” and type in their name or license number. It takes two minutes. If the database comes up empty, show them the door.
2. “Are you insured — specifically, do you carry liability and workers’ comp?”
A plumber slips on your wet floor, breaks their wrist, and sues you. No workers’ comp? That’s your homeowner’s policy on the hook. Liability insurance protects you if they damage your property — say, crack a joist while running a new line and your kitchen ceiling caves in.
What a bad answer sounds like: “Yeah, we’re covered.” Vague. You need to hear “general liability insurance” and “workers’ compensation” specifically. Ask for the insurance company name and policy number. A legitimate plumber won’t blink at this.
3. “Can I get a written estimate?”
Verbal estimates are worth the paper they’re not written on. A plumber tells you “probably around $300” over the phone, then hands you a bill for $850 because “it was more complicated than expected.” Without a written estimate, you have no leg to stand on.
A written estimate should itemize labor, materials, and any additional charges. It doesn’t have to be fancy — even a handwritten note on company letterhead works. But it needs to exist before work begins.
What a bad answer sounds like: “I can’t really give you a number until I see it, but I’ll keep it reasonable.” Reasonable to whom? Get it in writing.
4. “Is that a flat rate or an hourly charge?”
This one can save you hundreds. A plumber quotes $150 and you think, “not bad.” But is that $150 total, or $150 per hour for a job that takes four hours? Big difference.
Flat-rate pricing is generally safer for you — you know the total cost upfront. Hourly pricing incentivizes… taking their time. A job that should take 90 minutes can mysteriously stretch to three hours when the clock is ticking in the plumber’s favor.
What a bad answer sounds like: “It depends.” That’s not an answer. Push for clarity: “For this specific job, will I pay a single flat fee or an hourly rate? What is the total I can expect?”
5. “Do you warranty your work — and for how long?”
A plumber fixes your leaking pipe. Two weeks later, it leaks again. If there’s no warranty, you’re paying full price a second time for the same problem. A reputable plumber stands behind their work — typically 30 days to a year on labor, with manufacturer warranties on parts.
Get the warranty in writing. “Oh sure, I’ll come back if it leaks” is meaningless when the guy stops returning your calls.
What a bad answer sounds like: “If something goes wrong, just call me.” Call you and then what? Get specific: “What exactly is covered, for how long, and can you put that in the estimate?”
6. “Will you handle permits if they’re required?”
Major plumbing work — water heater replacement, moving pipes, sewer line repair — often requires a permit. If the plumber skips it, you get hit when you try to sell the house and the buyer’s inspector flags unpermitted work. You’ll pay to have it re-done properly years later.
A good plumber either pulls permits themselves (and includes the cost in the estimate) or clearly tells you which permits you need to pull as the homeowner.
What a bad answer sounds like: “Nah, you don’t need a permit for this.” Maybe. Or maybe they just don’t want the hassle and the inspection that comes with it. Verify with your local building department if you’re unsure.
7. “Who’s actually doing the work?”
The person who gives the estimate is polished and experienced. The person who does the work is their 19-year-old apprentice who’s never installed a gas line. This bait-and-switch is more common than you’d think.
Ask directly: “Will you personally be doing the work, or will someone else?” If someone else, ask about their qualifications. You deserve to know who’s in your house.
What a bad answer sounds like: “My team will handle it.” Who on the team? What’s their experience level? If they can’t or won’t tell you, that’s a red flag.
8. “What are the payment terms?”
Never pay the full amount upfront. A deposit of 10-30% to cover materials is standard. The rest gets paid when the job is done and you’re satisfied. If a plumber wants full payment before starting, they have zero incentive to finish — or to finish well.
Also: cash, check, or credit card? Credit cards let you dispute charges if something goes wrong. Cash leaves you with a handshake and a prayer.
What a bad answer sounds like: “We typically collect full payment at the start.” Walk away. Even half upfront is pushing it for most residential jobs.
9. “Can you give me a couple of recent references?”
Any plumber who’s been in business more than a year should be able to name two or three recent customers. Not their cousin. Not a review from 2017. Recent, local, reachable.
Call at least one. The ones who can’t produce references? They either haven’t been around long, or their past clients wouldn’t recommend them.
What a bad answer sounds like: “Check our Google reviews.” Online reviews are easily manipulated. A real person you can talk to is harder to fake.
10. “Is cleanup included?”
You’d think this goes without saying. It doesn’t. Some plumbers leave behind cut pipe scraps, old parts, water on the floor, and drywall dust. You’re cleaning up after someone you just paid $400.
Ask explicitly. “When you’re done, will the work area be cleaned up and returned to the condition it was in before?” If they say no, or act like it’s an unreasonable question, factor the cleanup time into your cost comparison.
What a bad answer sounds like: “We try to keep things tidy.” Trying isn’t doing. Get a yes or no.
When to Walk Away
You don’t need all 10 answers to be perfect. But here’s when you should absolutely walk away, no matter how urgent the situation feels:
- No license, or license can’t be verified. Full stop. The risk isn’t worth it.
- No insurance. One accident and you’re paying for their medical bills out of pocket.
- Demands full payment upfront. This is how scams work.
- Refuses to put anything in writing. If it’s not documented, it didn’t happen.
- Pressures you to decide immediately. “I can only do this price today” is a sales tactic, not an emergency. A real professional gives you time to think.
A plumbing emergency feels urgent, but hiring the wrong plumber turns a $300 problem into a $2,000 one. Take ten minutes to ask these questions. The right plumber will respect you for it. The wrong one will get annoyed — and that annoyance tells you everything.
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