How To Spot a Cowboy Plumber
There are many tradesmen and organisations out there who may claim to be pertinent plumbers or extraordinary engineers but you should always be cautious when trying to find that engineer who can competently fix your boiler or gas appliance.
So, how can you tell your cowboy plumber from your gas heating experts? Read our handy little guide and find out:
1) Always ensure your gas engineers has the correct certification
This takes our hotspot because this is the most important. It doesn’t matter if an engineer or plumber has been recommended to you or has an apparently good reputation: if they aren’t RGII certified, then they don’t have the know-how to work safely on gas appliances. A gas appliance in untrained hands can be a lethal. Always ensure anybody you employ to carry out services or repairs on any gas appliance(s) has certification you can see and check.
2) Prices That Are Too Good to be True
We all love a bargain but anything too cheap should raise alarm bells. Most engineers and companies will work at a similar rate, taking into account labour and part costs and the current economy; being a competent gas engineer takes a certain level of skill and most good engineers will appreciate they should justly charge for their time: If someone is offering you an extremely cut price you have to ask what else they may be cutting corners on. If your potential gas engineer is being evasive or vague about prices, then that is a definite no. All tradesmen should have clear guidelines on how much a gas boiler service or repair should cost.
3) Unrealistic Timeframe(s)
A majority of our gas boiler services here at G.S.L. take an hour and – dependant on the time of year – will take up to a week to get booked in. If an individual or company is telling you they can fit you in that day and it will only take half an hour, be very cautious about employing their services. Of course, there may be insinuating circumstances such as a last minute cancellation, which are common, but it’s always worth:
4) Checking Other Credentials
Aside from checking certification, it’s always important to carry out a bit of light research where you potential gas engineer is involved. If they have an online presence, do they have good customer testimonials and Google reviews? Are their customers happy and satisfied? If they don’t have an online presence, ensure they have good recommendations from trusted word of mouth sources, such as close friends and family.
5) Do You Like Your Gas Engineer?
Maybe it sounds unimportant or maybe it sounds obvious, but employing somebody to come into your home who grates on you or has a bad attitude can cause unwanted stress and friction. If the individual in question is rude or aggressive on the phone, then you have to ask what their behaviour could possibly be like employed in your services. It’s always important to give the company/individual who’s services you want to employ a call so you can gauge if you’re the right fit for each other.
Like What You Hear?
If you’re in need of the know-how of competent, hard-working and professional gas heating experts, then give G.S.L. a call today. We carry out gas boiler services and repairs in a friendly and efficient manner, with as little impact on your life as possible. We have offices in both the North and South of Dublin, so why not give us a call today?