What to look for when hiring a plumber in the Caribbean
License, insurance, response times, written quotes — the seven checks that separate a tradesperson you can trust with a midnight emergency from one you'll regret calling.
Editorial··6 min read
Most people hire a plumber the same way they pick a movie at the airport bookshop — quickly, under pressure, by whoever's available. Then they pay the price for it the next time something goes wrong.
**1. Licensed.** Every Caribbean territory has a plumbing licensing body. Ask for the license number. Look it up.
**2. Insured.** Public liability of at least US$100,000. Get the certificate emailed to you, not just promised verbally.
**3. Written quote, line-itemed.** Labor, parts, callout fee, disposal — broken out. 'It'll be about $400' is not a quote.
**4. Response-time guarantee.** For non-emergency work, 48 hours. For emergencies, 90 minutes in their service area. Real plumbers will commit. Cowboys won't.
**5. Warranty in writing.** 12 months on labor minimum. 24 months for installations.
**6. References from this calendar year.** Old reviews on a website don't tell you whether they still show up. Three customers from this year is the bar.
**7. They'll tell you what's wrong without quoting on it first.** A plumber who diagnoses then quotes is solving a problem. A plumber who quotes then diagnoses is selling a service.
