If you have a plumbing emergency you've come to the right place. Handy Canadian has a great directory of Vancouver plumbers and plumbing contractors many of whom have emergency service available 24/7. Each listing will provide you with a description of the service, their service area, phone number and email address; links to their site and many have reviews and ratings from past customers who found the plumber here on Handy Canadian.

But...

Before you pick a contractor make sure you confirm that:

• The plumber or plumbing contractor has a valid Vancouver Business License.
• All plumbers in Vancouver need to have a Certification of Qualification (C of Q). Ask the contractor for a photo copy.
• Even small jobs can go wrong. Ask to see the plumber's Certificate of Insurance.

Okay go find a plumber for your emergency service.

But if you have some time...

Now if you don't have an emergency but you are considering a plumbing project for your home like a bathroom renovation or a room addition and you have the time to really check out contractors, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• In all probability you will be using a plumbing contractor rather than C of Q plumber. This particularly true if your project involves a permit as only a Certified Plumbing Contractor can apply for it. Make sure you see both the contractor's Vancouver Business License and his or her Certified Plumbing Contractor license.
• Ask the contractor if he intends to use any plumber apprentices on your job. In theory apprentices can work on your project if they are under the direct supervision of a journeyman with a C of Q, however you sacrifice experience and skill when lower paid apprentices are on the job.
• In addition to the liability insurance mentioned earlier, confirm that the contractor has insurance that will cover any injuries sustained by his workers or subcontractors. You don't want the liability portion of your homeowners policy to come into play should there be an accident.

Now that you have confirmed that all the licenses and insurance are in place, it's time to confirm what kind of job your contractor does.

Checking out your plumbing contractor

Plumbing contractors aren't like auto mechanics. You'll see your mechanic every time your car needs servicing. You develop a relationship of trust. You aren't likely to see your plumbing contractor for a good long time after the job is over if ever. As a result, you have to rely on the words of others to get a feel for the contractor's quality of work and business practices.

You can get a jump start on references right here on Handy Canadian if your contractor has reviews. But beyond that you want to check the Vancouver Better Business bureau for any complaints lodged against the contractor. You also should get references from the contractor and not be surprised when they all sing the praises of your plumber. It's still worth a call to those references because sometimes they will have a bad case of buyer's remorse. Lastly, try running the contractor's name through search engines and see what comes up. Search results can't be trusted as 100% true but that can show a pattern or trend if the contractor has significant problems with his customers.

When your project starts you can either stay in the house and stress over the work or you can take a break and enjoy any of the wonders of Vancouver. Head out to Granville Island for fresh sea food, or if you're the athletic type to the Grouse Grind up Grouse Mountain. When you're project is over, and it's to your satisfaction, you'll be happy you put in the extra work to check out your Vancouver plumbing contractor.

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