How to Choose a Quality Plumber in Manitoba.
When choosing a quality plumber check a few key things:
Are they Red Seal Certified
Are they setup to solve your specific problem
Do they have a good online presence
Do you get clear communication when you call them
Can you independently verify their reviews
The bar is being raised for plumbing in Manitoba and these are the baseline boxes that every plumber should check before they ask you for your business.
Are they Certified?
The most important thing you should check when calling a plumber in Manitoba is if they are Red Seal Certified. This is a four level program ending in journeyman status. This program works through a combination of on the job and classroom learning. At Next-Gen we employ a combination of journeymen and registered apprentices. This ensures that we are sending certified professionals into the field while also training the next generation of plumbing and heating professionals.
The Red Seal program is recognized across Canada to ensure that every plumber educated under the program has the training and knowledge to be able to complete jobs safely and correctly across provincial lines. To check if a plumbing company is Red Seal Certified you can call and ask them or check their website. If their employees are Red Seal certified they should be able to answer with a confident: Yes We Are! Companies that participate in certification and apprenticeship programs are proud to be part of this great tradition.
Match the Business with the Need
There’s lots of plumbing companies out there with many different specialties. What we call plumbing is a huge scope of work. It includes everything from residential jobs like fixing a leaky faucet, to municipal jobs like installing main sewer lines, to specialty commercial jobs like cross connection controls. Not every plumber is going to specialize in every service. However, companies can have many specialists on staff.
When you are shopping for a plumber check to see what kind of jobs they have done in the past, and what kind of services they offer. You can do this by checking their website and reviews to see what work they do and what people say about their work. Many companies will have pictures and descriptions of their services listed on their website as well as on their social media.
What is their Online Presence?
When you are checking to see what kind of services are offered by your chosen plumbing company you should also check to see what their overall online presence is like.
How is their website, is it professional looking and up to date, or does it look like it hasn’t been updated in awhile? While you can’t always judge a book by its cover you do want to find someone who takes pride in their appearance. Plumbers don’t need huge fancy websites but their website should be informative, clean and current.
You can also check their social media. What platforms are they active on and how often do they post? Social media is an easy way for plumbers to show the kinds of work that they do and to communicate directly with customers to build trust. Plumbers don’t need to post everyday, but it is nice to know that they have posted something in the last month or so. This tells you that they are active and even on their busy schedule they prioritize communication.
Finally you should check their Google Reviews. Every reputable local business should take the time to set up a Google Business Profile. This is important because the reviews on this platform are totally independent. Read the reviews and see what people say. While it’s not realistic to have only positive reviews, the good reviews should outnumber the bad.
Clear Communication
When you call your plumbing company does a human answer the phone? If not, does someone call you back within a reasonable period of time? Clear communication is very important from the beginning of the job to the end. You do not want to start a business relationship with someone who cannot answer your calls.
Plumbers should also be able to provide upfront pricing and clear timelines for when the job will start. This does not mean they should give you a total price over the phone, plumbing jobs are often complicated and plumbers need to travel to site to understand the scope of work. But it does mean they should be able to provide an hourly rate and any other charges that you will incur for them to show up and diagnose the issue. They should also be able to provide a clear window of time when they will be able to come and help.
Ask a Friend
Manitoba is big geographically but it’s a close knit community. Leaning on someone you can trust in your time of need is a great way to get a referral for a quality plumber here in Manitoba. So don’t be shy about asking a friend for a referral. Who have they used in the past and what has the experience been like? Human to human communication is still number one.
We hope that you choose us here at Next-Gen for your plumbing and heating needs. But more than that we are part of a larger community of plumbers in Winnipeg. We have many friends who work for and own their own plumbing companies here in the city. Our goal is to see the quality of service, communication and customer satisfaction continue to increase across Winnipeg and Manitoba. Have a great day Y’all.