DIY Plumbing VS Hiring a Professional Plumber – Pros and Cons

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Nowadays, with the accessibility of information, it has become much easier to find sources that will teach you how to do many things like a real professional. That trend is also popular for some home repairing services like plumbing. Why hire a professional worker and pay a lot of money when some basic actions can be done by the homeowner?

However, when planning to do some repairing jobs on your own, you should distinguish between those actions that are very simple and do not require any special knowledge and skills except for some brief information that can be found in the educational articles on the Internet and those that involve some risks. It is absolutely safe to learn how to install a new showerhead or to eliminate a small leak, but some major repair works might not be easy to deal with.

You might wonder why it is dangerous to solve serious problems on your own without the help of a professional plumber? The main thing is that these major defects maybe even more serious than you first think. It is extremely common that people come across one particular problem, like a leak, but then they realize that the problem goes way behind just a little place of the leakage. In these cases, it is not enough just to watch a couple of educational videos or read some articles since you will not know what to expect while repairing. Moreover, you will need to react immediately not to let further damage happen.

The Key Points

In this article, we will cover some advantages and disadvantages of both doing repairs on your own and hiring a professional worker. After reading the article, you will be familiar with some factors that you should think of when making a decision on how to deal with a plumbing problem in your house. According to popular websites, the question about how to decide whether to hire a plumber with a good reputation and many completed projects or to try solving a problem on your own is a very popular one. You can find dozens of articles on the Internet. Below we present a comprehensive plumbing guide that will help you to understand which works must be done by a professional worker and which are easy to do without any special knowledge.

Factors That Should Be Take Into Consideration When Facing a Plumbing Problem

1. Cost

For many homeowners, the cost is the main factor that they think of when deciding to hire a professional worker or not. They think that if repair works performed by a plumber cost too much, then they will better do them on their own. However, when it comes to plumbing, you should not try to save money at all costs. We can assure you that it is better to pay once you notice a problem for the first time than to do nothing or make repairs by yourself without the knowledge required. If you try solving a problem on your own, a little problem will possibly become even bigger because you might miss something that will cause further damage.

2. Experience

Another option that every homeowner has is to buy some tools and basic parts to change a part of the leaking pipe or use a sealant to eliminate a leakage near the bath or toilet immediately. However, having all the supplies does not mean that you will be able to deal with all problems. Remember that when calling for a professional plumber, you do not only pay for the tools and additional materials but also for the unique experience and knowledge that a good specialist has.

3. License

Another thing to take into consideration is that some repair works connected to the plumbing cannot be done without a license. The license is a document that proves that a plumber has completed the studies and has needed the experience to deal with serious problems. In addition, every professional plumber that has a license knows all plumbing regulations and codes.

4. Guarantee

If you usually decide not to call a professional plumber primarily because of the high cost, you will probably change your mind when thinking about the guarantee of the work done. A professional worker that has a license always provides a guarantee for their work. Even if it turns out that a plumber cannot solve the problem completely or makes some mistakes, you will get your money back for poor-quality work.

Now consider the case when you complete repairs on your own. You cannot guarantee the work, right? You might not even be sure how successful you will be because you might have never faced the same problem before. It is also likely that you will not be able to say which problem is dangerous because the reason lies much deeper than you can imagine. Of course, it will be great if you manage to eliminate the leakage or do other repairs successfully, but the chance that you will only make the problem worse is also high.

5. Professional Knowledge

Another advantage of hiring a specialist is the knowledge that they have. It might not seem to be the main excellence because all homeowners think of the price first, but it is a crucial point to consider.

A real professional knows how to react and what to do in hundreds of various situations. They have a solution for any problem since they have experienced a lot of scenarios, and now they are ready to share their knowledge and skills to help people. If you worry about the little budget, you will just need to warn a plumber that it is important for you to find a solution within a limited amount of money.

You can also find an excellent specialist and always call for him when a problem occurs. In this case, you will be sure that they will do the work successfully and that they will not ask for more money than you planned to pay for completing these repairs.

To make a choice whether to hire a professional or not clear and easy, we have collected all the information and made a list of advantages and disadvantages of both options. Find the list of points below.

DIY Repairs

Pros:

• You will not need to pay;
• It is easy to find all required guidelines on the Internet;
• You will acquire new skills and will be able to solve more plumbing problems by yourself in the future.

Contras:

• Not all issues are easy to deal with (you will not be able to solve major ones);
• Your knowledge and skills are extremely limited, so if something unexpected happens, you will not know how to act;
• Usually, homeowners do not know much about risks and further problems that might be caused by the unprofessionalism;
• Some mistakes made by you may lead to further problems;
• As a homeowner, you have no license to do some repairs;
• You cannot say how major the problem is and, therefore, might treat it in the wrong way.

Repairs Done by a Plumber

Pros:

• A professional worker has enough knowledge and experience to make all possible repairs;
• Usually, all professional plumbers provide a guarantee on the work;
• Cannot cause the occurrence of other problems because of unprofessionalism;
• A professional plumber has a license to do all works needed;
• Can prevent some problems from occurring;
• A professional plumber has insurance;
• A specialist understands your budget and offers a suitable solution;
• Professional is responsible for reducing risks;

 Contras:

• Some repairs done by a professional plumber may be too expensive;
• You might be asked to pay an additional sum for the materials needed.

We also want to give you a list of particular works that might be done by you as a homeowner and which are better to ask a plumber to complete. If you need more information and guidelines, please visit the 5StarPlumbing website.

Repairs That Must Be Done by a Professional Worker

1. Anything Connected to Renovation

Any remodeling projects cannot be done without getting permission. It is luckily that only a professional plumber will receive it. Moreover, the renovation cannot be started without a piece of advice from an experienced professional who knows building codes for your house.

2. Replacing Broken Pipes

In this case, it is a must to not only eliminate the leakage but also to find out what was the cause for the damage to occur. The reason can be found by a professional plumber only to prevent the same situation in the future.

3. Internal Plumbing Repairs

When the reason for the problem lies deep inside walls or ceilings, it is hardly possible for a homeowner to find it. Moreover, a plumber or another contractor might need to demolish the wall to make repairs. If you are not a professional, you will not be able to deal with a major problem like this.

4. Actions Connected to External Plumbing

External plumbing problems that are connected to the pipes which lie outside of the home in the ground. First of all, these pipes are owned by the State Government, so you need a license to repair them. Secondly, finding the problem and solving it might involve excavating the land.

5. Sprinkler Systems

To install a sprinkler system, you will need a piece of advice from both a professional plumber and landscaper since it is crucial to locate all the pipes in the right order and ensure their connection.

Repairs That Any Homeowner Can Complete

1. Unclogging Sinks and Showers

No complicated actions are needed to unclog a slow draining sink. All you need is to buy some cheap supplies like debris. Sometimes even using baking soda is enough to solve this small problem.

2. The Leaky Faucet Problem

To solve this problem, you will need to turn off the water valve, then cover the drain with a washcloth, then find the screw that connects the faucet handle with the stem and remove it. After that, pay attention to all the parts and their shape. You might need to replace old ones.

3. Repairing Parts of the Toilet

Usually, parts of the toilet can be removed and changed without any problems. Moreover, due to the high demand, you might find DIY kits that include all the essential tools to replace or repair loose toilet seats and wobbly toilets.

4. Installing a New Faucet

The amount and complexity of repairs usually depend on the type of faucet. You are extremely lucky if yours includes a kit or at least a booklet with directions. All you have to do then is just to follow the instructions accurately. If it is not your case, the research will take some time. But do not worry, all the repairs will not be difficult and will not take too long.