5 things your plumber will never tell you

You are able to do it on your own

Not contacting a plumber is certainly the most effective way to save money. Some plumbing work can be done by yourself.

According to Jonathan Watson, a plumber for Seaspan, a shipyard in Victoria, B.C., installing a toilet is one of them. It saves about two hours of plumbing costs at the same time.

What about problems with clogged toilets?

You can forget about the plunger: Patrick Boulay, president of Wentworth Plumbing in Ontario, recommends the use of a disgorger.

This tool sells for $30 at hardware stores and will "unclog your toilet 99% of the time. A plumber would charge you $200 and would be happy to do it for you.

You can shop at our secret suppliers

Patrick Boulay says that many retail stores sell lower quality parts designed specifically for the public.

A good way to get around this is to go to plumbing suppliers.

They're often open to the public and you can get parts that will last longer," he says.

Don't call me on Fridays

Rumor has it that Monday is the busiest day for plumbers.

However, Patrick Boulay considers Fridays to be just as busy. "People want to get everything sorted out for the weekend," he says. So they often take Fridays off to get the work done.

My rate is high for a good reason

It's easy to ask a friend or neighbour for a plumber's phone number, but only properly licensed plumbers know the best practices and local bylaws that will save you time and money. To get good recommendations, just call a plumbing supply store.

Quebec residents can also consult the Répertoire des membres de la Corporation des maîtres mécaniciens en tuyauterie du Québec for a list of contractors licensed for certain jobs.

What you really need is a pipe cleaner.

Jonathan Watson and Patrick Boulay agree that homeowners often call plumbers to unblock a pipe when in fact they should be calling a cleaning company that specializes in this area.

Both will do the same job, but the first will charge close to $300, double the price of a cleaner.