Red flags before you let a plumber in (North Carolina)

Check the license

North Carolina licenses plumbing contractors through the NC State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating & Fire Sprinkler Contractors. Ask for the license number and look it up on the board's public lookup before work starts. It takes about a minute.

Every plumber in our directory shows a license number so you can check it yourself.

Warning signs

1. No price until they're inside. A plumber should be able to tell you the service call fee and after-hours rate on the phone.
2. No written estimate. Get the price in writing (a text or email counts) before work starts.
3. Pressure to decide on the spot. "This price is only good right now" is a sales tactic, not a plumbing fact.
4. Replacement when you asked about a repair. Sometimes replacement really is right, but ask why a repair won't work and what it would cost.
5. No camera footage for sewer-line work. If someone says your main line needs replacing, ask to see the video.
6. Large cash deposit up front. Small deposits for special-order parts are normal; big cash-only deposits are not.
7. No license number, or one that doesn't match the business name.

Fair questions to ask any plumber

• What's included in this price, and what could make it go up?
• What warranty do you give on parts and labor?
• Will this need a permit? Is that in the quote?
• Can you text me photos of what you found?

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