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Finding The Best Plumber For The Job

Frances Lange • November 19, 2019

Whatever you do, DON'T just call any "plumber near me". Do your homework.

With so many plumbing companies popping up, it's hard to know who to call. These are some things to compare and consider when choosing a plumber to work at your home:

  • How long has the company been in business?  A long business history will tell you the plumbing company must have at least a decent reputation, sound business operations, and good customer relations. Ask how many years a company has been in business, not just how many years experience they have.  Lanco Plumbing was established in 1973, and mostly likely already service many residents in your neighborhood!
  • Is the company operating legally? State law requires that the company must hold a responsible master license and have the proper insurance in place to offer plumbing services to residential and commercial customers. Look for the RMP license listed in their advertisements, it is also supposed to be visible on their vehicles. The RMP # for Lanco Plumbing is 7040.
  • Are they sending out LICENSED PLUMBERS to do the work? An apprentice is NOT a licensed plumber. If you are requesting residential plumbing service, typically a tradesman plumbing license is sufficient. If this is for a commercial building, a journeyman plumber is required. ALWAYS ask to see the plumber's license when he arrives to do the job. While it is against state law, many plumbing companies (sadly) send out apprentices (without a licensed plumber), who have not completed the required training and successfully passed the plumbing exam. Lanco Plumbing is VERY serious about training the plumbers on our team and ALWAYS sends a the properly licensed plumber for the job.
  • Affordability... While you should expect to pay a reasonable rate for the value of the plumbing service provided, be very careful about getting ripped off.  Many companies won't quote pricing over the phone and you have to wait for them to show up to give "free estimates". While there is no way around this on larger jobs, it's fairly easy to gauge price ranges on most standard repairs and drain cleaning (we even quote water heater replacements over the phone). Other times scare tactics are used or customers are being told they need more done than actually necessary. It may be hard for you to gauge what is reasonable for a particular plumbing service if you are not in the industry, so be sure to do your homework on the company and be careful with too much "flat rate" pricing. A lot of "flat pricing" business models in the plumbing industry nowadays pay their plumbers on commission...we don't do that in our shop but it isn't hard to imagine the serious cons in place for the homeowner in that scenario. Lanco Plumbing provides reasonable rates for quality work and we are more than willing to openly discuss your plumbing needs by phone and what costs might be involved before you even schedule a job with us.
  • Experience and skill level. This is a big one obviously. You don't want a plumber installing pipe incorrectly, making a faulty connection, or just flat out can't find the source of the problem. Many apprentices that hire on with companies to receive their training are actually put on their own truck to perform work (which is against the law as previously mentioned) instead of riding with experienced plumbers through their entire apprenticeship. This keeps them from being exposed to many types of plumbing problems and how to troubleshoot and repair those issues correctly. The result? Licensed plumbers that really don't have the experience necessary to perform the job well, but that were able to pass an exam after they obtained the required "hours". Another thing to keep in mind, there are many facets to the plumbing industry. Similar to a doctor or a lawyer that may specialize in certain medicine or a certain area of the law, a plumber who has most their experience in new construction many times has not had enough experience to know how to troubleshoot problems on an existing home. Every plumber on staff at Lanco must meet a certain knowledge and experience standard prior to being assigned to their own service truck.

If you need an affordable and experienced plumber...

We would LOVE the opportunity to earn your business and referrals. We strive to be the best plumber in League City, Dickinson and the surrounding area and we take what we do here at Lanco seriously, we call it "plumbing with a purpose." What is important to you is important to us when it comes to building relationships...

We are constantly evaluating the level of service we provide as well as what our vision is as a team and how our company can bless our employees, our customers, and our community.
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Gas flames burning on stove top. When as gas test is needed for service, a plumber must do it.

Getting A Gas Test To Turn On Your Gas Service

By Frances Lange • December 5, 2019
We get calls all the time from customers saying they called the gas company to get service turned on at their home and the gas company told them they won't set up service until a gas pressure test is performed by a plumber with the proper permit pulled and city inspection. Many people don't realize that plumbers are the ones that work on natural gas and they don't know why they need this test or what is involved.
Shows our dedication to our plumbing customers in League City, TX.

Lanco Plumbing Is THE Plumber In League City, TX

By Frances Lange • November 21, 2019
Mark Lange (founder) lived in League City for many years growing up and attended Clear Creek High School where he played varsity football (#23). After graduating, Mark served in the Army before returning home and establishing the company in 1973 with his wife, Cheryl. For 46+ years, Lanco has serviced many League City families who have lived in the area for generations along with thousands of our new neighbors who have moved to the community as it has grown. Lanco Plumbing has been recognized many times for giving back to the community and for providing an honest and dependable plumbing service. We are THE League City Plumber! While the current shop is located in Dickinson, League City is (and always has been) one of our main service areas, and its citizens have a special place in our hearts here at Lanco. Some years ago, our primary location was in League City before we consolidated to our larger building. Mark and Cheryl are now retired, however they are still a constant presence at the shop. Two of their six children now own the business and run the shop with the same "old school" business values that focus on community while delivering a high quality, skilled plumbing service.
Water heaters, how to know when it's time to replace them.

Top 5 Signs Your Water Heater Needs Replaced

By Frances Lange • November 19, 2019
We hear this question, A LOT. Just like any other appliance, your water heater will not last forever and at some point it will need to be replaced. It is always better to replace it before your water heater actually goes out. It's one thing to need a repair, which can be performed in most cases when the water heater stops heating. However, when the tank starts leaking it will (in many cases) cause major water damage, so avoiding the issue all together is obviously ideal. That being said, the number one sign your water heater must be replaced is...
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