If you are like most Chicago property managers, you have an in-house maintenance team that provides timely repairs to your building’s plumbing system. Most of the time, these repairs involve fixing small leaks and replacing fixtures, but what happens when the job is larger than your maintenance team can handle? In this instance, you need to have a good working relationship with a licensed plumbing contractor.
What is a licensed plumbing contractor?
A licensed plumbing contractor is plumbing company that is licensed with the state and appropriately bonded and insured. They are familiar with all of the plumbing codes, rules and regulations for the cities and the state where they provide services. In Illinois, you can find contractor databases on the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and the City of Chicago websites where you can search company names and license numbers.
How are plumbers licensed?
In Illinois, plumbers are granted licenses by the state and the specific city where they perform plumbing services. The state of Illinois issues Apprentice and Plumbing licenses. The city of Chicago issues Apprentice and Journeyman plumbing licenses.
Apprentice plumbers must be enrolled in a qualified training program. They must be at least 16 years of age and have a high school diploma or GED. For each year they are in the program, they must complete a minimum of 144 classroom hours and 2,000 practical hours. They must also take courses in first aid and CPR and receive an OSHA certification.
Plumber’s licenses for the state of Illinois and Journeyman’s licenses for the city of Chicago have many of the same requirements. Applicants must be at least 18 years of age and have a minimum of four years’ experience as an apprentice. They must pass the state and/or Chicago plumbing examination and apply for their plumbing license within 30 days of passing the exam.
What is the value of hiring & developing a working relationship with a contractor Chicago?
Hiring a licensed contractor and maintaining a good working relationship can save you money and help get your repairs performed in a timely manner. This is because you will have a contract on file with the plumbing contractor. This can be a maintenance agreement or another type of contract that designates your Chicago property as a priority customer. Priority customers pay a certain amount of money each year to keep the plumbing contractor on retainer. In return, the contractor typically offers a certain number of plumbing inspections for free each year and a discount on parts and labor when repairs are needed.
How do I start the process of hiring a good contractor in Chicago?
You should start the process by viewing a list of licensed contractors for your area. Choose several contractors from the list. Then, search each contractor on the BBB website for Northern Illinois and Chicago. Make sure to view their BBB rating and read all the available complaints and resolutions. Once you’ve narrowed your list to two or three contractors, schedule a time for them to visit and inspect your property.
Will my tenants benefit from my agreement with a contractor?
Your tenants may benefit from your agreement with your contractor. It depends on whether your contract specifies the inclusion of certain discounts and services for your tenants. The biggest benefit, however, is that you can recommend your licensed contractor to your tenants, and they will not have to vet multiple contractors before they hire one to perform the work in their specific unit.
Can Nu Flow help me with my search?
Here at Nu Flow, we partner with Althoff Industries and their professional licensed plumbers in order to provide you with the highest quality plumbing services and multiple options to solve your plumbing problems. Althoff is a bonded contractor that is registered with the City of Chicago. Their license number is 058-194325, and they provide all types of plumbing repairs, pipe restoration and pipe replacement services, including high-rise re-engineering as well as 24-hour emergency services.
To learn more about our pipe lining services and our partnership with Althoff Industries, call us at 815-790-9000.