Quick Answer
Ironclad Plumbing put this list together because the best defense against a bad plumbing experience is asking the right questions before anyone shows up at your house. Print this page or save it on your phone. Ask these 10 questions on the phone before you book. The answers tell you everything you need to know. Print this page or save it on your phone.
| # | Ask This | Good Answer | Walk Away If |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | “Do you charge a service call fee?” | “No” or “Yes, $XX, waived if you proceed” | They won’t tell you until the tech arrives |
| 2 | “Is the person who gives the estimate the same one doing the work?” | “Yes” | “Our team handles it” (sales-tech model) |
| 3 | “Are your techs on commission?” | “No” | They dodge the question |
| 4 | “What’s your license number?” | Gives it instantly | Can’t produce one or gets vague |
| 5 | “Can you give me a ballpark for this type of job?” | Gives a range with caveats | “Can’t say anything without seeing it” for a common job |
| 6 | “Will I get a written estimate before work starts?” | “Yes, itemized” | “We’ll figure it out once we start” |
| 7 | “What’s your warranty, specifically?” | “X years parts, Y years labor, in writing” | “We stand behind our work” (not a warranty) |
| 8 | “What happens if you find something unexpected mid-job?” | “I stop and talk to you before the price changes” | “We’ll handle it” |
| 9 | “Do you pull permits for work that requires them?” | “Yes, included in the estimate” | “Permits just add cost” |
| 10 | “Can I see your Google reviews?” | Shows you without hesitation | Gets uncomfortable |
That’s it. Ten questions. If they answer all ten cleanly, they’re probably legit. If they dodge more than two, keep calling.
The Detail Behind Each Question
(Keep the detailed good-answer/bad-answer format from the previous version, but only for readers who scroll past the TLDR table. The table above is the primary tool.)