The question of plumber or handyman has everything to do with sanitation and safety. Here’s why:
Permits are required to protect the homeowner from substandard installation practices and potential safety hazards. If your plumber doesn’t take out a permit for your job, there’s no way to know if his work is done to code and in compliance with Federal and State guidelines. If your plumber is skipping this significant and required step in their work, it should be a red flag to homeowners to question what else they are failing to do and where else they are cutting corners.
A plumber must be licensed and registered in your city in order to take out this permit and prove they have proper liability insurance in place before it is issued. A city inspector will then inspect your job to ensure code requirements have been followed.
A handyman is not licensed, and therefore cannot take out a permit. Likewise, no city inspector will follow up to make sure that the work performed is up to code.
Permits are required by law on all water line replacements, installations of water heaters, shower pans, etc., and gas installations to protect homeowners and plumbers by making sure the installations are done correctly and up to code.
So one way to determine whether you need a plumber or handyman is to answer the question: Do I need a permit?
Plumbers protect the nation’s health – Beware of unlicensed handymen offering plumbing services! Quality plumbing systems, installed and inspected by qualified individuals, truly help protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public. We take this responsibility seriously!
