Asked with wet socks, mostly.
Straight answers to what Portland homeowners actually ask — including the questions other plumbers dodge.
Water is actively leaking — what do I do right now?
Shut off the closest fixture valve, or the home's main (usually where the water line enters, often near the water heater or in the crawlspace). Then call. Knowing your main shutoff location BEFORE an emergency is the single best plumbing tip we can give.
Do you really show prices before the work?
Yes. Common jobs are flat-rate — you see the number, you approve it, then the wrench comes out. If we open something up and find more, work stops and you get a new number to approve first. No meter running, no surprise line items.
Tank or tankless — which water heater should I get?
Tankless wins on space, lifespan, and endless hot water; tanks win on lower upfront cost and simpler installs. The honest answer depends on your gas line, venting, and household size — the 3-tap check on the water heater page gives you an honest starting point.
Why is my drain slow even after I plunged it?
Plunging clears the fixture; slow drains usually live deeper — hair and scale in the branch line, or roots in the sewer lateral. A camera inspection shows exactly what and where, so you fix the actual problem instead of renting the same auger every spring.
How fast can you get here for an emergency?
Active-leak and no-water calls get routed first, metro-wide. Tell us what's happening and where; we'll give you an arrival window on the call and quote the visit before anyone rolls.
Is a $99 drain-cleaning coupon a good deal?
Sometimes — and sometimes it's the door-opener for a high-pressure upsell once someone's in your crawlspace. Whatever you choose, get the full price in writing before work starts. That's how we run every job, coupon or not.
Do you handle older Portland houses?
Constantly — galvanized supply lines, cast-iron stacks, quirky basement additions. Repiping older homes is one of our core services, and we'll tell you honestly whether a repair is solid or just postponing a repipe.
Will you give me options, or just one quote?
Options, priced separately, whenever they genuinely exist — repair vs. replace, standard vs. premium fixture, now vs. phased. You pick with the numbers in front of you.