Don’t let an untrustworthy plumber do an untrustworthy repair on your sewer
Bad contractors are everywhere. No one wants to pay a great deal of money to be taken advantage of. Homeowners should be leery when it comes to large-scale home repairs. If you’ve ended up at this article, it’s probably because you’re having some doubts about your sewer repair. Are you wondering if your sewer was fixed incorrectly? Do you find yourself wondering what you paid for? Are you stuck with the same old problems from thanks to a plumber who “fixed” your sewer incorrectly? Are you trying to figure out how to pay off the incorrect sewer repair you just had done, AND the repair you’re going to have to get as a do-over?
If you’re skeptical that your plumber “fixed” your sewer incorrectly, this article is for you. We’ll touch on warning signs of a sketchy plumber, symptoms of a bad sewer repair, and why you should consider C.A. Taciak & Sons for a second opinion of your sewer or any replacement work in the future.
Be on the lookout for reputation, presentation, and communication
How do you spot a plumber that you can trust? How do you choose someone who will fix your sewer correctly? When searching for any home improvement contractor, there are a few key traits you should look for. You want to look at your potential plumber’s reputation, how they present themselves, and how they communicate with you, their client.
Reputation
Hopefully, you are not your plumber’s first client. You want to research their track record and reputation with previous customers. Check out their web presence. Do they have good online reviews (that look like they came from real live people)? Have they worked in your neighborhood before? If so, what do your neighbors have to say about the quality of their plumbing repair? A respectable plumber will have a variety of honest positive reviews, references you can contact, and a stellar reputation in your neighborhood. If your plumber lacks a good reputation, you should be wary of their work.
Presentation
Actions speak louder than words. It’s easy to say that you will do good work, but your plumber’s presentation should back that statement. Your plumber’s website may be your first impression of them. Do their online profiles all match up or do they have several different online listings and accounts that lead to different addresses and a suspicious amount of phone numbers? Do they have a real business address? You may also want to research if there are any outstanding lawsuits against them.
What sort of image did your plumber present when they were in your home? Were their equipment, vehicles, and workers neat? Cleanliness is a good indicator of how your plumber will treat your home as well as the pride they take in themselves and their business. How was their sales presence? Were they high-pressure sales-people or did they clearly explain why certain parts of your repair needed to be done? Did they have clear answers to your questions and concerns? A great plumber is proud of their work, their brand image, and doesn’t need to use fear tactics to pressure you into signing a contract with them. Go with your gut! If your plumber seemed shady, it’s probably because they were.
Communication
A plumber you can’t get in touch with is one that you shouldn’t use. If your plumber is hard to get ahold of before the work is done, it will be much more difficult to contact them if a problem arises. A responsible contractor always returns phone calls as soon as they are able. If you are finding it impossible to get ahold of your plumber with questions about the sewer repair they performed, it could be because they know there is trouble with their work.
What would indicate that your previous plumber didn’t fix your sewer correctly?
Speculating on the character of your plumber is all well and good, but how can you really tell if your sewer was repaired incorrectly? Destruction of property, continued – or new – plumbing problems, the potential for new problems, and failure to do the work up to code are all symptoms that a sewer was not repaired correctly.
Destruction of property
Sewer repairs and replacements require a lot of digging if they aren’t performed trenchlessly. Without tamping and sodding, the excavation of your yard will be noticeable. However, that doesn’t mean that your yard should look like a war zone when your plumber is finished with it. A quality plumber minimizes the disturbance of your property. Work should be contained as much as possible to the immediate location of your sewer line. The trench should be backfilled at minimum, and look relatively tidy. Holes in your yard, haphazard digging, and significant damage to your sidewalk, stairs, etc would indicate that your plumber was not careful with their excavation.
No change – or worsening – in your plumbing’s condition
So your plumber has already cashed your check for their sewer repair but you’re still having issues. If you’re having the same sewer problems you paid to have fixed, or worse, new sewer problems, your plumber didn’t do a good job. Did your plumber promise you a complete sewer replacement, but only repair a small section? It is common while working underground to run into obstacles that require changes to what was originally put forth in the contract. It is important though, that you be informed of these changes. If you weren’t, something is fishy.
Potential for future problems
What type of warranty did your sewer work come with? Is the warranty long enough to protect your new investment? Any problems with a new sewer or sewer repair will likely be present within months, or at most, a year. It doesn’t take years for the problems with poor workmanship to rear their ugly heads. That being said, don’t be fooled “lifetime” warranties. They are often sold by companies that won’t be around long enough to fulfill them. The Toyota Land Cruiser is one of the most reliable cars of all time, with a track record of half a million miles of life in them. But even a Land Cruiser doesn’t come with a lifetime warranty.
C.A. Taciak & Sons for trustworthy sewer repairs in Baltimore
What do C.A. Taciak & Sons offer that other Baltimore plumbers do not? It’s simple. We have an unprecedented level of communication, specialization, and we stand behind our work.
Level of communication
When you call C.A. Taciak & Sons, you aren’t speaking with a manager or a dispatcher. You’re talking to Frank or you’re talking to Sam. These are the people doing your project. They are the people who pick up the phone. There are no layers of bureaucracy here. If you have any questions, the first person you talk to has an answer.
Specialization
C.A. Taciak & Sons exclusively does underground plumbing. Sewers, septic systems, drains, and stormwater are our bottom line. We don’t fix leaky faucets or garbage disposals. We’ve performed 1,000s of successful installs for sewers, water services, septic systems, and rain leaders since 1940. Each generation of our family has grown up around heavy machinery operation. So not only are we experts at underground plumbing, but we’re experts at excavation. Not many plumbers can say that.
Pedigree
We stand behind our work. C.A. Taciak & Sons has been in business for over 75 years. Since 1940, we’ve been helping Baltimore area homeowners put their plumbing problems to rest. Most of our work is referral based, and we are happy to offer references from past clients upon request.
Your next steps
If you suspect you’re plumber didn’t fix your sewer right, we’ve got your back. Put your suspicions to rest with a camera inspection. This will enable us to check the condition of your sewer, pinpoint any issues, and put your concerns to rest. The peace of mind from inspecting pipes is better than dealing with more backups. Especially when you thought you’d never have one again. We specialize in giving second opinions. You can research more about camera inspections here.
If you struck out with your plumber the first time, know that you have options the next time you need one.
If you’re looking for more information on your home’s sewer, check out these resources:
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