Professional plumbers are certified plumbing technicians who have undergone extensive academic and technical training in the plumbing industry. Plumbing professionals must undergo three main training levels before they can apply for a practicing license. The lowest professional rank in the plumbing industry is the apprenticeship level. Plumbing apprentices are new plumbing trainees seeking a career in the plumbing industry. It is important to note that plumbing licenses are issued by state contracting boards. As such, different states have different academic and technical requirements for their professional plumbers. But basically, an apprentice plumber must undergo at least three years vocational training before sitting for the journeyman exams. And speaking of journeymen, this is the second rank in the plumbing profession.
Before you can become a journeyman, you have to complete the training period under a master plumber and also to pass the requisite exam. After becoming a journeyman, you can now practice as a semiprofessional plumber under a master plumber. You will have to train for at least three years before you can sit for the master plumber exams. After graduating as a master plumber, you can now apply for a practicing license from the state licensing board. The state licensing board considers several factors including your criminal record and your insurance and bonding status before issuing a practicing license. The following tips will come in handy when hiring a professional plumber.
Check Academic And Technical Credentials
Before hiring a professional plumber for your plumbing project, you should take some time to check and verify the academic and technical credentials of your prospective plumbers. You can verify the training credentials of any plumber from the state licensing board. You should always remember that different states require different academic and technical training credentials. As such, you should always ensure that the prospective plumber is well qualified in your local state. Advisably, you should always hire a plumber who has attained the highest professional level in the plumbing industry — the master plumber level.
Conduct A Background Check
Another important tip for hiring a professional plumber is to always conduct background check or research on all prospective plumbing professionals in your locality. You can easily use the internet to research the background of any professional plumber in order to determine their industry reputation and credibility. Visit various customer review platforms like Yelp and Angie’s List to view the rating of all the plumbers in your locality. You should also consult your friends and colleagues regarding the best provider of San Diego plumbing services. Testimonials from past clients and word-of-mouth referrals will help you make a wiser choice when selecting a plumber for your project.
Ensure Proper Licensing, Insurance And Bonding
And last but not least, you should always ensure that your choice plumber is properly licensed, insured and bonded. You can easily verify the licensing status of any plumber by visiting the website or the offices of your state licensing board. You can ask the plumber for his license number and then verify it on the state licensing board’s website. You should then enquire about the insurance and bonding status of any plumber before entering into any contractual agreement with him.
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