When searching for sewer and water contractors, there are a few primary factors to take into consideration. The initial factor to consider is experience. Find out how many years the company has been in business. If you are working with a company who has been in business for more than 50 years, there is less risk of the contractor performing illegal work as opposed to a company who has been in business for two years.
In NYC, there are many companies who continue to change the company name after spoiling their reputation. You should ask the employee you meet with how long he has been with the company, it is always best to work with a company who has long term employees.
Another factor to consider when choosing a contractor is their work history, does the contractor specialize in sub surface water main and sewer installations, or do they primarily work inside of the house and take on external excavation work when someone inquiries about it.
If you’re looking for sub surface sewer and water services, your contractor should specialize in sub surface excavations and installations since it is a specialty trade. Sub surface job should not be performed by an internal plumber who is looking to make a few dollars.
The next question to ask is if your sewer and water contractor holds the required insurance to perform sub surface installations in NYC. The construction industry is progressively being more regulated. As a byproduct, the developers are seeking more insurance from the contractor to perform any type of work at the worksite.
It is important to obtain an insurance certificate from your contractor prior to performing any work and confirm the details included in their insurance policy. In addition, you should also request to review a copy of the companies plumbing license. There are many “plumbers” who may be skilled. However, if the company does not have a license holder, they should not be performing any type of plumbing work for your property.
In many cases the plumbing work requires an inspection of some form. If something goes wrong, you want to be able to prove that you hired a licensed plumber to complete the work.
The final factor to consider is the type of machinery that the company is using to perform your work. For example, hen excavating a trench 3’-12’ deep there are several specific types of excavators, trucks, and compressors that are required to complete and avoid any future issues.
