Looking for a plumber in Geelong, Torquay or the Bellarine?
Finding good contractors isn’t as straightforward as it appears, especially given how easy it is to make promises to potential customers without delivering on them. And unfortunately, while the basics of piping are essentially consistent, the quality of workmanship often is not.
This is especially relevant in terms of emergencies, where you need to find a plumbver you can trust. To help you find the right plumber near you, we’re systematically breaking down the anatomy of how to hire quality plumbers in Geelong and Torquay.
Finding the best plumber near you in Geelong
If you want to choose the right plumber, you’ll need to break it down and focus on the most important steps. It’s always better to focus on multiple criteria rather than just one or two strong points.
A company might be able to stand out on price, reviews, products, experience, warranties, or technology. But the best plumber will excel across numerous categories. Don’t let a small handful of impressive details overshadow missing qualifications that can make or break your decision.
The following list outlines what you need to think about if you want to find the right plumber near you in Geelong and surrounds.
#1 – Ownership and staffing
Ideally, family-run services tend to be more efficient and reliable than service providers that are not local. This is often largely because they have more skin in the game and have a personal reputation to maintain. There are also fewer hassles in terms of management and coordination as there is usually more trust among family members and carefully selected staff.
Another point to consider here is the number of professionals that are at hand. Despite the feedback and promises made, a one-man operation is not nearly as good compared to a bigger team of people. Smaller companies can be unreliable and miss deadlines due to overbookings and poorly estimated completion time frames. Larger teams will usually have better processes, more combined expertise, and the ability to get things done swiftly and effectively.
Franklin Plumbing are a local Geelong plumber, with a good sized, established and professional team of local Geelong plumbers.
#2 – Social proofs and testimonials
Nothing quite compares to social proofs and testimonials. In the modern era, no longer can service providers get away with poor service, at least not without other people hearing about it.
Customers will immediately post negative reviews if this happens. And a significant amount of negative reviews can truly ruin any business endeavour as others take to the internet to do their research on a “plumber near me in Geelong” or “plumber near me in Torquay”.
Generally, anything above 4.5 stars is likely to be reliable and trustworthy. This is a very powerful sign of a good service. The total number of reviews is also relevant here: it’s harder to get a higher rating when the number of reviews increases.
How do we know we are one of the best plumbers in Geelong? Our customers tell us! We have a 4.9 star review on Google.
#3 – 24/7 emergency response
Most people like to establish a relationship with one contractor that they can rely upon for years to come. But there is little point in settling in with a plumber who does not provide 24/7 emergency service with a maximum wait time. The emergencies can happen at all hours and need to be resolved immediately and reliably.
Make sure that the 24/7 service operates 365 days a year or close to it so you are truly covered. Again, it is unlikely that smaller companies with only a few people employed will be able to maintain a reliable 24/7 emergency service. You can rest assured that Franklin Plumbing offers 24 x 7 emergency support.
#4 – Service offering
Ideally, you will want a company that offers a wide range of services to meet a variety of your needs as the years go by. These services could include:
- Hot water inspection, service, and installation
- Leak detection using sophisticated technology
- Drain camera inspection
- Blocked drain repair
- Pipe relining
- Bathroom renovations
- Gas plumbing services
- Fireplace installations
- HVAC installation, service, and repair
- Gutter cleaning
- CO testing
- Plumbing inspection reports
- Pressure limiting valve
- Hydro jetting
- Backflow testing
- Residential, commercial, and industrial projects
Choosing a contractor that offers a lot of services is a great way to save money. You can take care of your gas, hot water, air conditioning, piping, and drainage requirements through a single service. They may also offer maintenance and testing of these products as needed.
#5 – Licensing and registration
It goes without saying that any business you hire should be licensed and registered to perform work in your home. Otherwise, they could be an illegal operation. At best, they are likely to be very inefficient. You can check for the Australian Business Number (ABN) at the bottom of the company webpage as a preliminary check.
Plumbing in Geelong is governed by the Victorian Building Authority (VBA). This authority divides this industry into 10 classes of plumbers and five classes of speciality plumbers. So licensing can be misleading in one sense. Ask yourself if the service provider has the correct licence for the specific task at hand. Special licenses are needed for HVAC units and for gas fitting.
The best service providers will go one step further than licensing and will also be members of Master Plumbers Australia. This association was established all the way back in 1891 and sets a high bar in terms of plumbing standards.
#6 – Compliance with international standards
There are basic plumbing codes that must be adhered to in Geelong on top of licensing requirements. But a step beyond this are the international standards that are not mandatory but really attest to the quality of a given business. These standards relate not only to piping but to areas including business management, sanitisation, customer relationships, and more.
One example of this is ISO 9001. It is an international standard used in over 170 countries relating to the quality of management. This standard assists customers to get consistent and reliable services from the provider. ISO 14001 provides for enhanced environmental management to increase sustainable services. JAS ANZ is active in over 120 countries and is an assessment body that assesses the relevance of the certifications themselves, making it an added form of security.
If you find a plumber in Geelong that is accredited through an international organisation, it’s definitely a major advantage. Aside from the substance of the certification, it shows that the company is willing to go above and beyond ordinary procedures to offer an enhanced standard of service to customers.
#7 – Philosophy and ethos
This is a little less tangible than all of the other elements listed above. But check out the About Us section of a given webpage to see what the philosophy of the company actually is. There are many questions you can ask to get a sense of the philosophy and culture of the service provider:
- Do they seem like a company that cares for customers?
- Do they actually have a written out ethos in terms of their daily affairs?
- Did they put a lot of thought into designing a good website that reaches out to customers?
- Do they focus on large or small clients?
- Are they local and friendly or professional and corporate?
- Do they have a clearly defined work execution process?
- Do they have a clearly defined quotation process?
- Do they seem eager and enthusiastic about doing this type of work?
- Do they project a coherent and consistent message?
You can also get a good sense of a service provider by calling them up and seeing what they are like on the phone. If you’re waiting until the next day for a callback, they don’t want or need your business. Keep chasing a service like this, and they could take you on but fail to prioritise you, meaning your new project can get delayed or your problems won’t get resolved in time.
How else can I choose the right plumber near me in Geelong?
While the main points are outlined above, there are some other elements to look out for. Ideally, the provider will offer a lot of payment mechanisms as well as flexible payment modalities. This makes it easier for customers to pay and to maintain their own financial affairs.
You may also want to take the price into account. This is not that big of an issue for minor difficulties like unclogging a drain, fixing a leak, or installing a faucet. These prices are usually quite standardised, usually between $120 – $250 for minor jobs. You will incur a callout fee and an hourly rate. But for larger projects, like piping a house or installing a hot water heater, it increases in relevance substantially.
When you have selected an expert, take note of how long it took them to answer your call, how swiftly and concisely your queries were answered, and if they arrived when they said they would. These are highly telling signs and are far from trivial.
Choose Franklin Plumbing
To make things easier on yourself, just get in touch with a service that meets all of the criteria listed above. Here at Franklin Plumbing we have:
- A team of 8+ experienced, licensed and dedicated professionals
- Rated 4.9 stars on Google
- Runs a 24 hour emergency response service 365 days a year
- Provides a large range of plumbing services in Geelong and regions such as Torquay and the Bellarine
- Is licensed, registered, insured, and a member of Master Plumbers Australia.
- Is internationally certified in ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and AS/NZS 4801
- Has a strong philosophy based on innovation and customer satisfaction