How to Hire a Plumber in Lake Stevens, WA

How do I verify a plumber's license in Washington?

Start here, before you read a single review. Washington plumbing contractors must be registered with the Department of Labor and Industries, carry a surety bond, and hold liability insurance. Here is the two-minute check:

1. Go to lni.wa.gov and open the contractor lookup.
2. Search the business name or UBI number exactly as it appears on the quote.
3. Confirm the registration is active, with a bond and insurance on file. Expired or suspended means do not hire them.

No license number on the truck, website, or quote is itself a red flag — legitimate contractors publish it everywhere. Our position is simple: we publish our WA license number here when issued, and you should verify any plumber — including us — at L&I before work begins.

What red flags should make me walk away?

If you see any of these, hang up and keep looking:

• No license number. Not on the quote, not on the website, "we're working on it." A real contractor has one to show.
• Cash only, no receipt. Cash-only with no paper trail means no recourse if the work fails — and often no license behind it.
• A firm quote without looking. Ballparks by phone are fine; a firm price on a sewer line or repipe without seeing the job is a guess dressed up as a number.
• Pressure to decide now. "This price is only good if you sign today" is a sales tactic, not a plumbing practice. Real quotes hold for 30 days.
• Demands full payment upfront. Deposits on big jobs are normal; the full amount before a wrench turns is not.
• Suggests skipping the permit. Permits protect you at resale and with your insurer. Anyone who waves them off is asking you to carry their risk.
• No written guarantee. "We stand behind our work" means nothing until it is written down with terms and a time frame.

What does a good plumbing quote look like?

A quote you can trust has five things on paper: the full company name and WA license number, a line-item breakdown of labor and materials, the permit fee listed separately, the total as a fixed number (not "time and materials, estimated"), and the guarantee terms with a time frame. If a number lands far outside the others, ask the plumber to explain which line item is driving it. Honest plumbers can always show their work.

What questions should I ask before I say yes?

Ask these on the phone or at the door, and note the answers:

• What is your WA contractor license number, and is it current at L&I?
• Is this a written quote, and will it hold if the job takes longer?
• What exactly is included — parts, permit, haul-away, cleanup?
• Who pulls the permit, and will the work be inspected?
• What is the warranty on labor and on parts, in writing?
• When can you start, and how long will the job take?
• How do you handle it if you find something unexpected mid-job?

The last question matters most. Every plumber hits surprises behind walls and underground; the good ones stop, show you, and price the change before proceeding. See our process for how we handle exactly that.

What is the 135 rule in plumbing?

There is no widely recognized rule by that name in the plumbing codes. It appears to be a shop or fitting term referring to a 135-degree bend, which comes up in some drainage layouts. If a contractor cites a "135 rule" as a code requirement, ask them to show you the code section — real code citations can be looked up, and a pro will not mind proving it.

How much should the job cost?

Walk into the conversation informed: read our water heater services and sewer line services guides, and read our guarantee so you know what Eby stands behind in writing.