Homepoint Plumber

Years ago I was successful in buying a modest home at the shore, by modest I mean a unimproved Cape Cod style home, two bedrooms one bath, but it was on the water. The years passed quickly and family and friends helped us fill up our pleasant memories file at the “Beach House”. My wife and I enjoyed receiving the tax bill every year and laughed when we saw that our municipality evaluated our home being valued at 10% of the market value…with the land making up the rest of the valuation.

As grandchildren came along we reevaluated our needs and decided to build an addition.

(Step 1 ) We proceeded down the call small builder, call medium builder, call large builder route, all to no avail. Small builder said our joists were not 16″ on center as they should be, Medium builder said our foundation would not support a additional level, and our ceiling heights were too low to accommodate 42″ kitchen cabinets and on and on.

( Step 2 ) Call in the high priced architect, which we did and after preliminary elevations and budget discussions we put it out to bid with a handful of local builders.

( Step 3 ) Bids came back four times the budget. Upon architectural review the architect said “well what do you want to do”, my response was “nothing” for now!

Apparently my timing was way off, every builder on the island had more than enough work and their pricing was reflective of that simple fact along with the fact that everything in our zip code came with a surcharge, if you know what I mean. However, I put my time to good use by investigating modular design and construction. I discovered that most modular companies lived up to their collective “old” reputations of being cheaply constructed and designed with site work to match.

After many Goggles, phone conversations and tours I was successful in finding everything I was looking for by way of a modular company. I marveled over the many and varied options available to me in the modular design process. The modular company used “green” building technologies, and was designed with my input via CAD/CAM. I have what is referred to as a Superior Wall foundation formed in precast sections with steel rods inserted along with foam insulation and aluminum joists. The plan also included a Unico HVAC high efficiency air handling system, 9ft. ceilings, 12″ on center floor joists, 2″ X 6″ exterior framing, screwed and glued flooring, a elevator, etc., and came in on budget.

The house was set on the foundation the first week in February and we moved in the first week in July, plus my home has never been rained or snowed in! I’m glad we went modular.

Every so often, there comes a time in every person’s life where they must succumb to the age old task of finding a worthwhile plumber. Whether it’s an issue with the kitchen sink, the toilet, or any other plumbing-related device, the time will inevitably come where each and every one of us must make this decision. But where should you look? Where can you find a properly trained professional in the field? In this article, we will outline the system for weeding through the potential candidates and choosing a real winner.

Be Specific

Figure out exactly what kind of service you need. Is the issue one that you or a family member might be able to tackle yourselves? Or perhaps it is something a bit more complex, requiring the attention of a seasoned professional.

Outline the problem at hand. If your water heater is broken, you should know what type of unit it is and be able to specify the problem. The same rule applies to any appliance or issue.

Sources

The Phone Book: Taking a look-see through the local service pages can help narrow the field. These directories are generally listed by specialty in order to help you find the exact service you’re looking for.

Internet: Try your luck online. With an abundance of reviews and information, the internet is a wonderful place for consumers to sort through potential hires.

Referral: Perhaps the best way to find a reputable service man is through asking. Talk to friends and family to figure out who they’ve used in the past, and whether or not they’d recommend them.

Things to Consider

- What will it cost?
- How long have the plumber been working in the field?
- How long will the issue take to solve?
- What condition will the plumber leave your home in?
- Is the cost determined by a flat rate, or by the hour?
- Are there contracts?
- Are there available references which you can call from past jobs?

There are instances when finding a plumber simply cannot wait. Issues like a broken water pipe, clogged toilet, or leaky water heater are problems which require quick results. Finding an emergency plumber is not the best situation to be in, however you can eliminate the problem by being a little pro-active and finding professional before an issue occurs. Having the right contact numbers and reaching them on time makes your work easy and feasible.