When a property manager collects bids for a pipe restoration project, price is usually the first thing compared. It is the easiest number to line up side by side. The harder questions, about who is doing the work and what happens if something goes wrong later, tend to surface after a contractor has already been chosen.
Those questions are worth asking earlier. Licensing, process, warranty terms, and documentation are all things a contractor should be able to state plainly. Here are our answers, and the questions we would put to anyone else you are considering.
Who Is Actually Licensed to Do the Work
Plumbing in Illinois is licensed at the state level by the Illinois Department of Public Health, which means a plumber’s license is something that can be verified rather than simply described.
We keep a licensed plumber on staff, and we are authorized to work on indoor and outdoor plumbing pipes in the state of Illinois and Chicago. We have been the Chicago area’s exclusive installer of Nu Flow’s epoxy pipe lining technology since 2012, and we work alongside Althoff Industries, which supplies fully licensed plumbers and supervisors to our projects.
For a building owner, the practical step is simply to ask. Any contractor should be able to say who on the crew holds a license, and we would encourage you to put that question to every bidder, including us.
Step by Step, Start to Finish
Epoxy lining is a sequence rather than a single application, and each stage sets up the one that follows.
Our process has four steps. The first is pipe system diagnosis and set-up, where we inspect the existing system for integrity and make spot repairs on worn joints and fittings where necessary. The second is pipe cleaning, where we dry the pipe runs with heated compressed air and distribute an abrading agent through the pipe to remove rust and corrosion products. The third is pipe lining, where conditioned air distributes the epoxy lining uniformly throughout the pipe segment. The fourth is system re-assembly and evaluation, where we return removed valves and fittings to their original locations.
The lining cures within 12 to 24 hours, after which we re-assemble the system and return it to service the next day.
A Guarantee That Stands Behind the Work
A warranty is one of the clearer things to compare across bids, because the terms are either written down or they are not.
We offer a 10-year warranty on parts and labor. If anything goes wrong with your lined pipes, we will come out and repair them free of charge. You will also see the same coverage described as a full 10-year installation guarantee.
For an owner planning around a building’s long-term maintenance, the length of that coverage and what it includes can matter as much as the installed price.
Tested Before, Tested After
Restoration work on potable water lines raises a reasonable question about water quality, and it is one that can be answered with results rather than assurances.
We test water quality both before and after lining, and we submit those results to the management staff, employees, and residents, as well as to city and state authorities.
That produces a record that sits outside our own reporting, which can help a manager who has to answer questions from a board or from tenants.
See It for Yourself
The last thing an owner can ask for is documentation, and this is where a camera investigation does most of the work.
We pair licensed plumbers with camera equipment to clean and scope the lines, confirm routing, and locate issues. The result is a report that includes high-resolution video footage, still images, exact location data, and recommendations. You can move forward with that report with or without us.
For a manager comparing bids, footage can turn a conversation about what might be wrong into one about what is actually there.
Ask These Questions Before the Work Starts
Every building is different, and the right restoration approach depends on pipe condition, materials, and how the system is used. What does not change is the short list worth putting to any contractor before signing. Who holds the license. What the process involves. What the warranty covers and for how long. What documentation comes with the work.
A camera investigation from us produces the footage, images, and findings that answer the last of those questions directly, and gives you a documented starting point for the rest.
Schedule a camera investigation with NuFlow Midwest to see the condition of your pipes, understand your options, and make informed decisions before work begins.