Rotorooter: Trusting the Pros

Being a homeowner can be scary business. There is so much to keep track of and take care of. And not all of us are natural handymen (or women), which means that there are times when we need to throw in the towel and call in the pros. Our nemesis in this house seems to be the plumbing. It's a mid-century home with a gigantic tree in the backyard, and we have a basement. In our area, this is a recipe for disaster. Sometimes Chris tries to figure things out for himself, or a friend will come over and help. And sometimes that is enough. But then there are the times when nothing will do but a trained professional, and it's time to make a call to a place like rotorooter. At that point, we need to muster up all the faith we can manage.

See, the problem is that when you know next to nothing about plumbing (or electrical, or carpentry, or whatever your issue happens to be), as a consumer you are called upon to place your trust in the company you have hired. This can be overwhelming and frightening, especially when there is a big job that needs to be done. It's one thing when a professional tells you that you need to drop a few hundred bucks. Nobody likes that, and it hurts writing that check. However, being told that you need a $4000 job done in order to prevent future disasters...well that is a whole different story.

After a string of plumbing issues, one on top of the next, we were recently advised that we need to have our main line in our backyard replaced, which comes with a price tag of approximately four grand. Where we live, this is not an unheard of issue. We know people who have had to have it done, and it wouldn't be uncommon of to be driving around our neighborhood in the warmer months, when the ground is thawed, and see somebody's front yard dug up. Pipes just weren't made to last back in the day. Tree roots sure don't help the situation either.

However, $4000 is a lot of money! Getting a quote like that kind of makes you feel faint and queasy, and it's not an amount of money we would (or could) spend lightly. Taking the word of one man who comes out, puts a camera down your line, and gives you a quote - well that could give anybody trust issues! So, what do you do in a situation like this?

1. Do your research. Search engines can make all of us feel like experts, so beware! But it is a good idea to have at least a basic idea of what you're up against! If your hired pro gets the feeling that you know what they're talking about, he might be less inclined to quote you for work that you don't actually need.
2. Ask around. Chances are, you know somebody who had to have a similar repair. Or they know somebody who did. Social media is a great tool for getting first-hand information. You might even find that you know someone in the field who can give you a real, unbiased opinion.
3. Get a second and third opinion. If you need some major work done to your home, don't sign on the dotted line until you have at least two or three quotes. You might find that different companies vary greatly in their rates, or that another professional will tell you about a less expensive alternative.
4. Have a little faith. When all is said and done, and you've done your research, talked to friends and neighbors, received more than one quote, and decided to go ahead with the work, it's time to let go. The fact is, someone else knows better than you, and you have to hand the reigns over to them at a certain point. That doesn't mean to follow advice blindly or allow yourself to be taken advantage of. It just means that, if you decide to hire someone, let them do their job and trust they will do it well.

Have you been faced with a huge home repair? How did you handle it?

This is a sponsored post; however, all opinions are my own.