Hiring a Plumber in Vancouver Without Getting Burned

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By Adam Miller, Red Seal Plumber and co-owner of Miller Plumbing & Drainage

I’ve been in the plumbing trade since 2002. In that time I’ve walked into a lot of homes where someone else had been first. Sometimes it was a DIY attempt that went sideways, which happens to the best of us. More often it was a hired “plumber” who left behind a slow leak, a code problem, or a bill that didn’t match the work.

Most homeowners only hire a plumber a handful of times in their lives. That makes it easy to get it wrong. Here’s what I’d tell a friend before they let anyone under their sink.

1. Ask about certification – and don’t be shy about it

In British Columbia, plumbing is a certified trade. A qualified plumber has either a BC Certificate of Qualification or a Red Seal endorsement. The Red Seal is the interprovincial standard, and it means the person passed a national exam after years of apprenticeship.

Ask directly: “Are you a certified plumber, and is the person coming to my house certified?” Those can be two different people. A real tradesperson won’t be offended. Anyone who gets vague or defensive has already answered your question.

If the job involves gas, like a range, a fireplace or a gas line, the person also needs gas fitter certification. That isn’t a formality. Gas work done wrong is how houses burn down.

2. Check that they’re insured and covered

Two things matter here:

Liability insurance. If a fitting fails and floods the unit below you, you want that on their policy, not yours.
WorkSafeBC coverage. If a worker gets hurt in your home and the company isn’t registered, you can end up exposed.

Any legitimate company can confirm both in a sentence.

3. Read reviews the right way

Star ratings alone don’t tell you much. Here’s what I’d look for instead:

Volume over time. Forty reviews spread over several years says more than ten glowing ones posted in a month.
“Fixed our running toilet in 30 minutes, explained what was wrong” is a real customer. “Great service!!” could be anyone.
How they handle a bad review. Everyone gets one eventually. A calm, professional reply is a good sign. An angry one tells you how disputes will go.
Check that the reviews come from your area. A company with reviews all over the Lower Mainland may be sending you whoever is closest that day.

4. Ask the right questions on the phone

A two-minute call tells you a lot. Ask:

“What do you think is causing it?”A good plumber will give you a likely cause and a plan, not just a price.
“Is this repairable, or does it need replacing?”You want someone who will tell you when a repair is enough.
“Who pulls the permit, if one is needed?”For bigger work, the answer should be “we do.”
“When can you realistically be here?”An honest “tomorrow morning” beats a “within the hour” that turns into four.

5. Watch for the red flags

Pressure to decide on the spot, especially “this price is only good today.”
Cash-only with no invoice.No paperwork means no warranty and no recourse.
A diagnosis that keeps growing once they’re inside the wall, with no photos or explanation.
No business name, no address, no reviews. A plumber you can’t find online tomorrow is a plumber you can’t call back if the leak returns.

6. Hire for the job you actually have

Not every plumbing company is built for every job. Some focus on big renovations and new construction. Others, like us, focus on everyday residential repairs: clogged drains, leaking faucets, running toilets, garburators, and kitchen and bathroom sinks.

Matching the company to the job gets you a faster appointment and a fairer bill. It also means the plumber has done your exact repair hundreds of times.

7. Trust the plumber who tells you not to hire them

Some of the best advice I give on the phone is “you can fix that yourself.” A loose aerator, a flapper that won’t seal, or a trap you can clear with a bucket and five minutes doesn’t need a service call.

A plumber who tells you that is one you can trust when the job really does need a professional.

Adam Miller is a Red Seal journeyman plumber and gas fitter, trained at BCIT, with more than two decades in the trade. He and his wife Heather run Miller Plumbing & Drainage, a family-owned residential plumbing company serving Vancouver and Burnaby since 2011.