Plumbing emergency? Burst pipe, no water, sewer backup. We respond day and night. Call or Text (706) 669-5727
From the Field
What to Expect When a Plumber Comes to Your Home
A few small things you do before the truck pulls in make the visit faster and cheaper to sort out. Here is the whole visit, start to finish.
Short answer: the plumber looks at the problem, explains what he sees, gives you a price before any work starts, and does the job once you say yes. You help most by clearing the way and knowing where your water shutoff is.
- Before: clear access to the problem, find your main shutoff, and put pets in another room.
- During: the plumber explains the problem and gives a free estimate. You approve it first.
- After: the work is tested, the area is cleaned up and you pay by cash, check, card or Venmo.
- In an emergency: shut the water off if you can, then call or text Ryan.
Before the plumber arrives
You do not have to do much. These few things help the most.
- Clear a path. Move boxes, laundry and storage away from the water heater, the sink cabinet, the crawl space door or whatever the plumber needs to reach. Mountain homes often have tight crawl spaces and basements, so a clear route saves real time.
- Find your main water shutoff. If something is actively leaking, close it. Our guide on how to shut off your water main shows where to look. If you are on a well, the shutoff may be near the pressure tank.
- Secure pets. A friendly dog still trips a plumber carrying a water heater. Put pets in a room with the door shut, or outside if the weather allows.
- Take photos. Photograph the leak, the label on the water heater, the area under the sink, or the stain on the ceiling. Text them to Ryan before he comes.
- Note what changed. When did it start? Did anything happen just before, like a storm, a power outage or a hard freeze? That detail often points straight to the cause.
Texting first helps
Ryan prefers text. He works in the mountains, where cell service drops, and a text reaches him when a call may not. A photo and two lines about what is going on lets him ask the right questions and arrive knowing what he is looking at. If it is an emergency, call too.
Not sure how to describe it?
Send Ryan a photo and say what you are seeing in your own words. He is a licensed Master Plumber and answers his own phone, day or night.
When the plumber is at your door
Show him the problem and tell him what you have noticed. Then expect these steps.
- He looks first. A plumber should check the problem and the area around it before talking price.
- He explains it in plain words. You should hear what is wrong, why it happened if that can be known, and what the choices are.
- You get an estimate. With Ryan the estimate is free, with no trip fee and no diagnostic fee, and you know the price before any work starts. Read what a free plumbing estimate should include if you want a checklist.
- You say yes or no. If you want to think it over or get a second opinion, that is fine. You have not paid anything.
- The work begins. If he finds something that changes the job, he stops and tells you before going on.
What to ask while he is there
This is a good time to ask about the warranty. For Ryan's work it depends on the job, and the terms are given in writing at the estimate. It is also a good time to ask what you can do to prevent a repeat, and where the shutoff for that fixture is. Our page on questions to ask before you hire a plumber has more.
If you are not home, tell the plumber ahead of time who will let him in, and share photos or a text thread so you can approve the price from wherever you are. This comes up a lot with cabins and vacation rentals. See the vacation rental plumbing checklist for ideas on setting that up.
After the work
- Testing. The plumber should run the fixture, check for leaks and show you it works before leaving.
- Cleanup. Expect the work area to be left tidy.
- Payment. Ryan takes cash, check, all major credit cards and Venmo.
- Paperwork. Keep the invoice and the warranty terms. You will want them if you ever sell the house or have a question.
Special cases in this area
On a well, expect questions about the pump, the pressure tank and whether the water has been cloudy or has air in it. On septic, expect a question about when the tank was last serviced and where the cleanout is. Our page on what a sewer cleanout is helps you find it. If a gas smell is the reason you called, leave the house first and call from outside. Do not flip switches or light anything.
If the problem happens at night or on a weekend, Ryan is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
“The determination that Ryan displayed to get my septic system operational on a Sunday is just about unprecedented these days. Not afraid of hard work at a good price. Job two: Ryan installed a new bladder tank for my well. He showed up promptly and finished quickly at a better than fair price.”
Marty R., November 2024, Google review
Common Questions
Do I need to be home when the plumber comes?
It helps, because you can show the problem and approve the price. If you cannot be there, arrange who will let him in and talk through the estimate by text.
What should I do before the plumber arrives?
Clear access to the problem, find your main water shutoff, put pets away and take photos. If water is leaking, shut it off first.
Will I pay before I know the price?
No. Ryan's estimate is free, there is no trip fee and no diagnostic fee, and you know the price before any work starts.
What payment does Ryan accept?
Cash, check, all major credit cards and Venmo.
Can I text Ryan photos before he comes?
Yes, and it helps. Text photos to (706) 669-5727. Ryan prefers text because cell service drops in the mountains.
Ready to set up a visit?
Call or text Ryan. Tell him what is going on, and the estimate is free.