Mindconnection eNL, 2005-06-08

And, my plumber has called on "slow days" about stopping by just to check things so I don't have nasty surprises. These visits are free, and seldom result in work for the plumber. It would not be a wild guess to say my plumber has saved me several hundred dollars.

How am I saving so much money with my plumber? And how can you save money, too? Here are some tips.

1. Ask for a referral from neighbors or a real estate agent who has sold homes in your neighborhood. You want a plumber who does a fair amount of work in your neighborhood. This gives you a bit of a "group discount" and also can result in low-cost service calls because the plumber is there anyhow. For example, many of my neighbors and I use KB Complete. I called one day about a concern and said it wasn't urgent. Chris, who sets up appointments, said a neighbor of mine had a service call slated for later in the week. She said she'd have the technician stop by if he had time left over. He did, and he did. His visit cost me nothing, but it resulted in saving me money.
    
2. Don't wait until you have a drain clog or a pipe break before calling a plumber. Call a full-service firm (preferably one that does plumbing and HVAC) and tell them you haven't had anyone look at any of your home systems. You would like an inspection of your furnace, water heater, and so on. They may find something that will save you money.
   
   My plumber, for example, knew my HVAC system was aging. When Trane ran a big sale on heat pump systems during a very slow sales period, Chris called and told me her boss wanted me to be available to talk with their engineer. I had already been shopping for systems, casually, and knew the prices. When the engineer quoted me the price on the high-efficiency system that met my requirements, I told him that was a couple hundred dollars too high. I had misunderstood. I didn't understand that was the installed price! When all was said and done, I saved about $4,000 and saw my winter heating costs cut in half.
    
3. Put off emergency repairs, if you can. Shut off valves, or just don't use stuff. For example, if a sink clogs, use a different sink. My kitchen drain clogged on a Saturday, and I called my plumber's weekend number. But, I made an appointment for Monday--they had an open slot. This reduced my repair costs by half, because I didn't have to pay weekend rates.
    
4. Combine things. If you have a leaky faucet and don't want to change it yourself, don't call the plumber out just for that. Make a list of things that should be done. Professionally clean that kitchen drain after the holidays, replace those shutoff valves to your washing machine with valves that twist 90 degrees instead of rotate forever, check your furnace, and replace the faucet. Just be sure the plumber does the most critical job (the faucet) first. You eliminate a series of "mobilization costs" by eliminating multiple trips to your place.
    
5. Schedule work for the off seasons. HVAC work is very slow during the first part of the year, because people don't think of their air conditioners until spring. Want a new system? Get it in the winter. Ditto for remodeling work, such as new sinks and showers--do it at non-peak times. Ask your plumber for the best time of year, unless your project is truly urgent (be aware that your plumber might not want to put off work you're willing to have done now--make it clear you are not going to do the work until the off season and you want to know what that is).
    
6. Don't buy your own parts. Some people think they save money by getting their own parts at Home Depot. This isn't smart. First of all, plumbers know the products better than their customers typically do. Second, plumbers can nearly always beat the retail price. Talk over the job with your plumber first, if you have a brand preference. But also be sure you specify the level of maintainability you want. For example, the typical homeowner can repair a Delta faucet but cannot repair a Kohler one.
    
7. Inspect intelligently. Inspect the work before the plumber has packed up everything and is ready to head out the door. In fact, ask the plumber to walk you through an inspection before preparing to leave.
    
8. Prepare the worksite. Nobody likes crawling under a sink when that space is dirty. Vacuum it--and mop it, if you must. Remove all dust. Clear things out of the way. Lay down paper or rugs for a path from your door to the sink (or whatever) so the plumber isn't worrying about dirty shoes on your carpet. Make your house as neat as possible. Remove any clutter on counter surfaces. For example, don't leave razors and mouthwash on the bathroom vanity if the plumber is going to work on that sink. Put all that stuff (if you do keep it out, which I don't) in a box and stow it in another room. I know one person whose house is one continuous clutter collection. He's complained to me about how long the plumber takes and how much the guy charges. I asked him if he might possibly be contributing to that.
    
9. Be polite. Your plumber is there to help you. Welcome this person to your home. Practice good hospitality. People who smoke in their homes when a plumber is trying to work often wonder why it's hard to get him back. Similarly, don't eat in front of your plumber as though that is somehow acceptable behavior. Offering to feed your plumber doesn't justify it. If you were working on a toilet, would you feel like snacking? Don't expect your plumber to play with your cat or dog, listen to your music, or enjoy listening to your side of a phone conversation. I know a lot of this is just common sense, but many people simply forget to treat their plumbers like people--and then wonder why the plumber isn't happy to see them.
    
10. Leave the plumber alone. Your plumber is there to do a job, and can't concentrate if you are yacking away at him or "offering to help." And, your plumber doesn't need you to explain how to do the work--you are paying your plumber to do it.

Every state offers courses--typically, if you get a certain number of points on your license, you will be required to take a defensive driving course. So, the programs are there. They aren't very expensive, and they aren't very time-consuming. But, they are very helpful. Taking one will usually result in an insurance discount that pays for the cost of the course. Some states even remove points from your driving record if you take such a course.

So, how do you find a course? Simple. Contact your motor vehicle bureau.

You can also contact these folks:

• AARP. You can join their Driver Safety Program, if you are old enough to qualify. See http://www.aarp.org/. They may have other courses available in your area. Look them up in your local phone book and give them a call.
   
• The National Safety Council. They have a course called "Defensive Driving Courses 8/6" and another called "Coaching the Mature Driver." See http://www.nsc.org for these and other offerings, including an online course. If you want to call them, the number is (630-285-1121.