Five Important Questions to Ask a Commercial Plumber Before Hiring

When your business needs plumbing help, hiring the right professional can save you major headaches. However, finding someone with commercial plumbing experience isn’t as simple as it should be. You’ll need to ask intelligent questions about plumbing upfront to ensure you’re hiring someone who knows how to tackle your project effectively. Here’s what to ask a plumber before signing a contract to ensure your commercial plumbing needs are met.

What to Know Before Choosing a Commercial Plumber

Commercial plumbing is more complex than residential work. Businesses require plumbing that can withstand high usage throughout the day. And often, commercial plumbing requires specialized equipment and stricter regulations than standard residential plumbing.

That’s why it’s vital to hire someone who knows commercial systems inside and out. Asking the right commercial plumbing questions helps you avoid delays, code violations, and costly do-overs.

Question 1 – Do You Specialize in Commercial Plumbing Services?

Not all plumbers are trained or licensed to handle large-scale commercial systems. Ask whether the plumber has commercial certifications and experience with businesses like yours. For example, if your business uses a grease interceptor, you’ll want someone who understands everything from code compliance to grease trap installation costs.

Question 2 – Are You Licensed, Experienced, and Insured?

One of the most important questions to ask a plumber is about their licensing, experience, and insurance. Licensing ensures the plumber meets local requirements for commercial work. Experience means they’ve likely handled similar plumbing setups and challenges. And insurance protects both your business and the contractor in case of accidents.

Hiring professional plumbers matters and could end up making or breaking your project.

Question 3 – What Experience Do You Have With Businesses Like Mine?

Having general commercial experience is good. But having experience that aligns with your industry is better. Plumbers who’ve worked in offices, warehouses, restaurants, or retail shops understand those plumbing systems. They also know what timelines to expect with permitting.

This is your chance to ask a plumber a question about past commercial jobs, specific services provided, and how they handled common challenges.

Question 4 – What Are Your Emergency Plumbing Services and Response Times?

Plumbing problems don’t always wait for business hours. Ask the plumber about availability and how quickly they can respond in a crisis. Do they offer 24/7 emergency services? Can they reach your location quickly if a pipe bursts or a drain backs up?

Roto-Rooter’s team is always at your service—ready to respond when your business needs help the most.

Question 5 – What’s Included in Your Estimate or Service Quote?

Understanding the scope of service avoids billing surprises. Ask what the estimate includes. Does it cover labor, parts, and follow-up visits? Will permits or inspections be extra? Get all pricing and service expectations in writing.

Estimates vary widely between companies, so this step helps you compare apples to apples and avoid hidden fees. Additionally, before the plumber comes out to your business, make sure you know whether or not you'll be charged for the estimate itself.

Additional Plumbing FAQs to Ask Your Commercial Plumber

How long has the plumbing company been in business?

Commercial plumbers that have been around for a while will be more likely to have favorable reviews from the community. In addition, an older, better-established company is more likely to have experienced plumbers with proven track records for good quality work.

What is the warranty policy?

It's important for plumbers to guarantee their labor when they are rendering services to your business. Learn what the protocol is for claiming a warranty before you sign on the dotted line. Most often, the plumbing fixtures are covered by the manufacturer’s warranty, but you should be concerned about how long the plumber will guarantee their labor.

Are rates hourly or does the plumber charge a flat rate fee?

Ask if the number the plumber quotes you is either all-inclusive of the labor and parts necessary or if you will be charged by the hour. You don't want to get nickel-and-dimed by the company for unknown charges. It pays to know exactly what they're charging you for and how they're levying those charges.

Be Prepared With the Right Plumbing Questions

There’s a lot to consider when hiring a plumber. That’s why you should have a list of plumber questions you want answered before you call anyone. Knowing what to ask a plumber—and how to call a plumber and ask for help—can ensure you get the services you need from a plumber you trust.

For help with any plumbing question, Roto-Rooter is at your service. Our licensed professionals handle everything from routine maintenance to large-scale commercial jobs. Contact us today to get your plumbing questions answered by the experts.