What are the risks of using a plumber without a license?

Did you know California plumbers are only required to be licensed for plumbing jobs that cost over $500?

Your would-be quick-fix leaky-faucet could become a major headache if done by a plumber that is inexperienced and unlicensed.

As a licensed plumbing contractor ourselves, we understand the level of knowledge involved in maintaining our licensed status and we’re going to give you a brief breakdown of the risks involved in hiring an unlicensed plumber.

 

First of all:

If an unlicensed California plumber takes on a job over $500, they are breaking the law and should not be conducting business. But even for smaller jobs, you may be running the risk of hiring someone who is uninsured.

 

That’s right!

More often than not, an unlicensed plumbing contractor is also uninsured. That tiny leaky faucet could become an entire nightmare of water damages and you would have to pay for the damages yourself – or deal with a lengthy legal battle that no-one wants to get dragged into.

 

What can you do to make sure your plumber is licensed? 

You’ll often find a California license number on a plumber’s website. You can look up the legitimacy of this number online. Here’s a link to our own current and active CSLB number. If a local plumber doesn’t have a website or has failed to list their CLSB number on their website, make sure to ask for proof of license and if the license is expired or not.

 

You’ll probably get what you pay for:

Many times, an unlicensed plumbing contractor will under-bid more experienced, licensed contractors. The old adage “you get what you pay for” holds very true here. Make sure to calculate the risks that you’re willing to take before taking on any unlicensed plumber (we highly recommend using a licensed plumber).