Ask Your Plumber: Plumbing Upgrades & Remodels

Are you wanting to do a bathroom upgrade?

Do you have questions about upgrading?

At Next Level Plumbing we have a lot of experience upgrading bathrooms and kitchens in the Sarasota/Bradenton area. From small upgrades to complete remodels, we have done it all. This means we are in a good position to be able to help you through the plumbing related portion of your project.

While every situation is different, there are a few tips that can help you in the planning stage.

One of the most important things to keep in mind is this: if you are planning on moving the fixtures (sinks, toilet, shower) by any significant amount, it will require a GC (general contractor).

• If you are really changing up your bathroom, plan on getting a GC involved, or choose to do the work of the GC and pull your own permits.

• If you only move the shower around, or change a tub to a shower you don’t need a GC. (Certain exceptions may apply).

• If you plan to remodel the kitchen with all new cabinets, this does not require a GC or even permits (in most cases).

• If your remodel is relatively basic and involves just installing new fixtures, faucets and/or painting, that is the simplest and usually cheapest way to update your bathroom without getting too involved.

Along with all the above advice, we want to remind you that each local jurisdiction makes their own rules and not everything said above applies in the same way to all jurisdictions. As always, this is general advice, and we recommend having us come out and give you a free quote and consultation on the best course of action for your particular upgrade or remodel.

Did you enjoy today’s Next Level blog? If you did, go ahead and check out these other blogs!

PSA: Look Under Your Sinks!

Next Level Tips: Smart Meter Savvy

PSA: Who Do I Call? City or Plumber?

Hope you enjoy!

As always, if you are looking for a plumber to help you out with a maintenance call or plumbing emergency, feel free to give us a call or text at (941)504-3578, check out our website, or email us at nextlevelplumbinginc@gmail.com. We’d be happy to schedule a free estimate for you and provide you with all the professional help you need!

The post Ask Your Plumber: Plumbing Upgrades & Remodels appeared first on Next Level Plumbing.

source https://nextlevelplumbingllc.com/ask-your-plumber-plumbing-upgrades-remodels/

FL Winters VS Northern Winters

Christmas In Florida!

(Blog Re-post)

What THEY have to worry about VS what WE have to worry about during this time of year!

As Floridians we gotta admit, we’re pretty lucky to be living in this tropical climate, especially when we take into account that around this time of the year many other areas of the country are freezing cold, and in my opinion, rather miserable outside! Florida winters provide various perks for us that we might not even realize unless someone reminds us about them.

For instance…

The Plumbing Up North VS The Plumbing in FL during the winter!

Plumbing differs depending where you live, and it makes sense because up north the weather effects the water, and that obviously effects the plumbing too! Pipes can freeze (which is why there are plumbing products made so as to minimize freezing pipes and so on) and because of that installation is done differently too!

The ground can also freeze upstate, which means it can be difficult to dig and do various plumbing jobs because of it!

If you happen to get snowed in, this can cause problems too! You’ll have to wait for that plumber to get to you until the roads are cleared!

If you plan to escape the freezing northern winters you’ll also need to take into consideration how long you’ll be gone, you don’t want the water inside your house to freeze up, so that might mean leaving on the heat or some other preparation.

What about the winter effects down here in Florida?

We asked Next Level Plumbing’s owner and master plumber Byron (who’s plumbed in the Sarasota area for over 15 years) and he’s never seen pipes freeze up in our Florida winters, so that’s something we can be thankful for!

On top of that, Byron’s glad he doesn’t have to shake ice off his boots when working at a job where he has to go in and out of the house often, for Florida winters- ice isn’t likely, but possibly mud! The only things that can really cause an issue to plumbing here are hurricanes or the occasional overwhelming amount of rain we can get!

Basically, we can be thankful for our mild winters and build sandmen at the beach in our bathing suits while our northern neighbors bundle up and experience the real winter weather! Props to you brave souls!

Though us Floridians might get a bit jealous due to lack of holiday cheer (aka no snow, Christmas trees to cut down, etc) we’ve got a pretty sweet gig going for us here! Don’t forget about the many blessings in your life this holiday season!

Want to read more from us? Check out the blogs below to see what else we share throughout the year!

Winter in Florida: Plumbing Edition!

Next Level FAQ’s

Need 2 Know: County Sewer Connections!

Hope you enjoy!

As always, if you are looking for a plumber to help you out with a maintenance call or plumbing emergency, feel free to give us a call or text at (941)504-3578, check out our website, or email us at nextlevelplumbinginc@gmail.com we’d be happy to schedule a free estimate for you and provide you with all the professional help you need!

The post FL Winters VS Northern Winters appeared first on Next Level Plumbing.

source https://nextlevelplumbingllc.com/fl-winters-vs-northern-winters/

Winter in Florida: Plumbing Edition!

It’s getting cold in Florida and that means there are a few things to be aware of and pay attention to as it concerns your plumbing system.

The first thing to check is the water heater.

This is the most obvious one too. If the cold weather has hit and you are finding that you simply don’t have the same amount of hot water that you used to, you should have the water heater checked. It may need some parts or adjustments to get it working for the colder weather.

Another thing is to pay attention to your showers.

We find that when the cold weather comes the showers that only let the lukewarm water in and not all the way hot will be even more pronounced with the colder weather. Fixing these will help make sure you have hot water, and enough of it to have the hot shower you are looking for in the winter.

TIP! If you are concerned about the water freezing for the very cold Florida nights, you can leave a little trickle of water going at night. This will make sure the pipes don’t freeze.

If you do this, make very sure your drains are working well. You don’t want the water to trickle all night and overflow a stopped up drain and flood the house!

In the Sarasota Bradenton area it is rare to have frozen pipes, for the most part it just doesn’t get cold enough for a long enough period of time to really freeze them closed.

We hope this blog from Byron was a help to you! Curious to know more about Next Level Plumbing? Let us know! You can continue to read more of our blogs by clicking the links below.

Need 2 Know: County Sewer Connections!

Plumbing Prep for the Holidays

PSA: Plumbing Regulations

Hope you enjoy!
As always, if you are looking for a plumber to help you out with a maintenance call or plumbing emergency, feel free to give us a call or text at (941)504-3578, check out our website, or email us at nextlevelplumbinginc@gmail.com. We’d be happy to schedule a free estimate for you and provide you with all the professional help you need!

The post Winter in Florida: Plumbing Edition! appeared first on Next Level Plumbing.

source https://nextlevelplumbingllc.com/winter-in-florida-plumbing-edition/

Need 2 Know: County Sewer Connections!

N2K: Need 2 Know

County Sewer Connections!

Are you receiving letters from Sarasota County telling you it is time to switch from septic tank to new vac sewer lines? It probably sounds almost scary reading those letters if you have been ignoring them. They will say that they are going to put a lien on your house, tell you that you are in violation of code, and talk about steep penalties.

If this is the type of letter Sarasota County has been sending you then it is time for you to do what they say.

So what happens when you do?

When we are contracted to install a new sewer line and crush and fill the old septic tank, the first thing we do is get all the lines marked. All the utilities have to be marked so we know where they are before they dig. Over the next two days several utility companies will come out to your house and mark your lines.

We will pull the permits required for the work. Then you are able to pay the county your impact fees. This needs to be done BEFORE we connect you to the new sewer.

Once everything has been located and the permit is pulled, we can begin work. We show up in the morning with a backhoe and dig the new line from where it comes out from the house to the county tap location near the street. During this time you cannot flush water, but in most cases you will be back online for use by the end of the day.

The following day is usually scheduled for the inspector to come out, check everything, and sign off on it. After the job passes the inspection then we come back and fill the ditch in and rake it down so it is ready for sod or seed.

Then once all of that is done the septic tank gets crushed with a backhoe, filled with dirt, and raked down, then the job is finally completed!

The more you know, the better prepared you are for the future and any possible upcoming circumstances!

 

Hopefully this information helps point you in the right direction. While your unique situation might differ from the norm, this will hopefully lead the majority of people to the most efficient path of fixing the issue at hand.

Curious to know more about Next Level Plumbing? Let us know! You can continue to read more of our blogs by clicking the links below.

Plumbing Prep for the Holidays

Ask Your Plumber: Toilet Differences

Next Level Upgrades: Shower Draining Slow?

Hope you enjoy!
As always, if you are looking for a plumber to help you out with a maintenance call or plumbing emergency, feel free to give us a call or text at (941)504-3578, check out our website, or email us at nextlevelplumbinginc@gmail.com. We’d be happy to schedule a free estimate for you and provide you with all the professional help you need!

The post Need 2 Know: County Sewer Connections! appeared first on Next Level Plumbing.

source https://nextlevelplumbingllc.com/need-2-know-county-sewer-connections/

Thankful on Thanksgiving

Have you ever noticed???

There’s so much to be thankful for! And Thanksgiving is tomorrow!

As we prepare for this Thanksgiving we wanted to write a blog devoted to all of the blessings in our lives, and the many reasons we have to be thankful!

This has been a difficult year for us, and for everyone else! We’ve struggled during the pandemic, but we’ve also experienced growth and wonderful blessings amidst the turmoil of life! We’re thankful that the business has continued to move forward rather than pause or take a step back during this difficult time; and amongst the craziness of 2020 our family has grown which is an amazing and exciting blessing! Regardless of 2020, we have countless things to be grateful and thankful for!

Do you have any traditions for Thanksgiving?

Our families always get together for a huge Thanksgiving meal, the boys/men of the family often play football afterwards, and it’s just the most wholesome, enjoyable time! Then we spend the day after Thanksgiving celebrating again with the other side of the family!

Though this year (due to COVID) we wont be having such a large gathering, and will be taking all the necessary precautions for our healthy and safety… we still are looking forward to celebrating and keeping to our traditions!

 I have a personal tradition of watching the seasonal Charlie Brown shows, so “The Great Pumpkin” was for Halloween, the Thanksgiving episode will be played this week, and soon “It’s Christmas, Charlie Brown!” will be playing! I love the classic feel that those shows add to the holidays!

During all the hectic moments we still need to remember to pause and take the time to reflect on what is important in our lives. Family, the business (Next Level Plumbing), making steps towards our future as a family, good weather, great customers, the adventures we get to go on, and our health are just a few priceless pieces to the puzzle of our life! If I were to try to sit down and write out each blessing I was thankful for, I could be here all day!

Whether you’re celebrating the season, or doing something different, it never hurts to slow down and count your blessings. Especially amongst the craziness and negativity 2020 has tossed our way! Finding things to be thankful for, even when times seem tough, can be a great perspective changer! Give it a try today and see what blessings surprise you!

Looking for more blogs like this one? Check out a few more we’ve shared below!

Black Friday During A Pandemic?

Plumbing Prep for the Holidays

PSA: Plumbing Regulations

As always, don’t hesitate to give us a call or text at 941-504-3578!

Whether it’s a last minute emergency, or something you want to schedule for later in the year, we’ll be more than happy to help you with any plumbing problems you may have!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

The post Thankful on Thanksgiving appeared first on Next Level Plumbing.

source https://nextlevelplumbingllc.com/thankful-on-thanksgiving/

Black Friday During A Pandemic?

Black Friday is Coming Soon!

For those of you who love the craziness of the people, the deals, and the sale hours, This year’s classic shopping experience of going out and fighting the crowds to find the deals you want may not be the same…

However, for the introverts, or people who don’t want to wake up super early to go join the hordes of deal driven shoppers, the situation changes very little! The very cozy and convenient option of online shopping is still available- though many more people may be opting for this shopping style, you may have to be more prepared! Having grown in popularity for obvious reasons (see terrifying gif above) cyber shopping has expanded beyond offering savings only on cyber Monday, many deals can be found throughout the week now! Yay!

I’m a BIG fan of good deals and saving money. But since I’m a newer addition to the plumbing business, I started wondering, “Are there plumbing deals out there too? Deals for fixtures or plumbing accessories that you might not find on a regular basis except on Black Friday?” Well I did searched the web, asked around, and…

There’s Not.

Let me clarify, the hardware stores like Home Depot, Lowe’s, etc. have plenty of sales going on this year. But if your aiming to find plumbing fixtures that are built to last and are plumber approved, you’ll want to skip over those hardware store sales!

From what I’ve learned, plumbing supply stores like our local store- Gorman Gallery -provide what looks to be the same type of fixtures that Home Depot sells, but they can be at a more expensive price!

Why? Here’s a Pro Tip!!

Because many popular brands like Moen and Kohler often create two versions of the same series faucet, however, the parts inside it can vary in quality depending on where you buy this fixture! So the ones you find at your local hardware store are made of parts that are not as high quality and will often fail you sooner rather than later.

Byron rarely recommends buying fixtures this way, and often will recommend buying them at a supply house like Gorman Gallery or through him (though the source is the same!)

Just like choosing good, high quality foods to sustain your body, or maybe buying the more expensive shoes because you know they were made well and will last longer; choosing to invest in the high quality fixtures instead of the lower priced, basic version will get you the best bang for your buck! In other words, what you put into it ($ vs. $$) directly influences what you get out of it! (A fixture failing faster vs. Better usage for a longer time)

While you prepare for you Black Friday shopping deals, consider the quality you want and if it matches the cost you invest in it! This goes for fixtures and so much more! Plumbing service included!

Hope your shopping & saving is successful this holiday!

Curious to know more about Next Level Plumbing? Let us know! You can continue to read more of our blogs by clicking the links below.

Plumbing Prep for the Holidays

Ask Your Plumber: Toilet Differences

Ways to Help Your Plumber: Part 1

As always, don’t hesitate to give us a call or text at 941-504-3578!

Whether it’s a last minute emergency, or something you want to schedule for later in the year, we’ll be more than happy to help you with any plumbing problems you may have!

The post Black Friday During A Pandemic? appeared first on Next Level Plumbing.

source https://nextlevelplumbingllc.com/black-friday-during-a-pandemic/

Ask Your Plumber: Appliances

-APPLIANCES-

Do you call the plumber or an appliance technician?

When something goes wrong with the dishwasher or the ice maker or the disposal, who do you call? Is it an appliance technician? Is it a plumber?

We run into this question fairly often. Nobody wants to waste time calling out the wrong company first!

So how do we handle it? What ways can we share to help you figure it out?

At Next Level Plumbing we want to do our best to explain clearly before booking the call to save everyone’s time.

For instance, we usually are the correct ones to call about a disposal. While sometimes an appliance technician is the proper response, the overwhelming majority of the time it will be the right decision to call out the plumber first.

Usually with the washing machine problems it will be with the appliance itself and not the plumbing unless it is overflowing the drain in the wall. With ice makers in the fridge it is often the appliance as well, as long as there is water going to the unit itself.

But with appliances, it is not always that clear.

For example, if the dishwasher is not draining it is sometimes the drains fault, and sometimes the dishwasher fault. The dishwasher is the most difficult to know for sure until we see it. We can try to guess over the phone, but this one can really be 50/50 on which one to chose.

So what is the best advice for dishwashers? If it isn’t progressing through its cycle properly, call an appliance technician. If it doesn’t have water, it is more likely to be an appliance issue. If it is a drain issue, unfortunately, we don’t have the best advice other than that we are happy to come out and assess if it is plumbing or the appliance that is causing the problem.

Hopefully this advice helps point you in the right direction. While your unique situation might differ from the norm, this will hopefully lead the majority of people to the most efficient path of fixing the issue at hand.

Curious to know more about Next Level Plumbing? Let us know! You can continue to read more of our blogs by clicking the links below.

Plumbing Prep for the Holidays

Next Level Upgrades: Shower Draining Slow?

Ask Your Plumber: Toilet Differences

Hope you enjoy!
As always, if you are looking for a plumber to help you out with a maintenance call or plumbing emergency, feel free to give us a call or text at (941)504-3578, check out our website, or email us at nextlevelplumbinginc@gmail.com. We’d be happy to schedule a free estimate for you and provide you with all the professional help you need!

The post Ask Your Plumber: Appliances appeared first on Next Level Plumbing.

source https://nextlevelplumbingllc.com/ask-your-plumber-appliances/

Plumbing Prep for the Holidays

Prepping For The Holidays

It is that time of year again. The holidays are getting very close. This year may not see the same amount of guests as a normal holiday season due to COVID, but that doesn’t mean we won’t be making our own holiday dishes for our small holiday get-together’s.

As a plumber I have found that there are times of the year when we can expect certain plumbing issues to happen. One of those things are holiday stoppages. When a drain system is subject to the extra grease from the cooking around the holidays it can be the proverbial straw that breaks the camel’s back.

What happens is that in a lot of houses the drains are already partially blocked when compared to their original size. This is even more common in houses that have cast iron pipes for their drains.

When the drains fail then you need a plumber, and it’s an emergency. But if you can take care of the problems before they fail all of the way you can do it on your own terms.

One of the biggest signs of a drain that is failing is when the toilet bubbles. This is a sign that the drain system is not working properly and needs to be addressed. If you wait to deal with a situation like this it is likely to fail under the load of company and extra cooking.

So to help your holidays go smoother, take care of the drains when you know you have a problem before they become a bigger problem.

And Happy Holiday’s from all of us at Next Level Plumbing!

Curious to know more about Next Level Plumbing? Let us know! You can continue to read more of our blogs by clicking the links below.

 

Next Level Upgrades: Shower Draining Slow?

Rate & Review Your Sarasota Plumber!

Ask Your Plumber: Toilet Differences

Hope you enjoy!
As always, if you are looking for a plumber to help you out with a maintenance call or plumbing emergency, feel free to give us a call or text at (941)504-3578, check out our website, or email us at nextlevelplumbinginc@gmail.com. We’d be happy to schedule a free estimate for you and provide you with all the professional help you need!

The post Plumbing Prep for the Holidays appeared first on Next Level Plumbing.

source https://nextlevelplumbingllc.com/plumbing-prep-for-the-holidays/

Halloween Horror Stories: Plumbing Edition- Part 2

Halloween Horror Stories:

Plumbing Edition 2020- Part 2

(Told by Next Level Plumbing Owner & Master Plumber, Byron)

It is October, and with Halloween around the corner that means spooky story time has arrived.

In the course of being a plumber, you find yourself having to get into some places you might rather not have to go. Sometimes you just sit there and stare at the place you have to fit yourself into and wish you had chosen a different occupation.

One such instance occurred to me several years ago. This particular place that I would rather not have gone into was under a home. As plumbers we often have to crawl under houses and fix plumbing drains and water lines. Sometimes we have to replace all of the drains and water lines under the home.

Whenever I have to crawl under a house, I open the access up and take a tentative look around with a flashlight from the safety of the outside. I then proceed to shine the light in and put my head into the hole. If all is clear, I start crawling into the dark and sometimes unsettling area.

So once I cleared the space like I normally do, I proceeded to bring my tools and materials under the house with me to perform the work needed to be done. I didn’t have enough room to actually crawl, so I had to scoot myself forward.

Everything was going fine…

until I saw in front of me the remains of what looked to be a mauled animal. It wasn’t fresh, but it didn’t seem to be from too long ago either.

I immediately looked around to see if the mauler was still under the house with me. Not seeing anything, I had to continue my work. But I was prepared with a tool for a club in case I had to face whatever it was that had done the mauling!

TAKEAWAY LESSON FROM THIS STORY:

The moral of the story is this: Always block off entrances to the crawl space below your home. You don’t want critters living under the house and getting into stuff. And if I have to go under there I don’t want it either. So put screens across any access to keep them out!

Did you enjoy this terrifying tale from Next Level Plumbing’s Owner and Master Plumber? If so, you can continue to read more of our blogs by clicking the links below

Halloween Horror Stories: Plumbing Edition 2020

Pumpkin Carving with your Favorite Plumbers!

Next Level Tips: Smart Meter Savvy

Hope you enjoy!
As always, if you are looking for a plumber to help you out with a maintenance call or plumbing emergency, feel free to give us a call or text at (941)504-3578, check out our website, or email us at nextlevelplumbinginc@gmail.com. We’d be happy to schedule a free estimate for you and provide you with all the professional help you need!

The post Halloween Horror Stories: Plumbing Edition- Part 2 appeared first on Next Level Plumbing.

source https://nextlevelplumbingllc.com/halloween-horror-stories-plumbing-edition-part-2/

Rate & Review Your Sarasota Plumber!

It Matters a LOT! Why? Keep reading below to find out!

Here are some common questions that might be asked when considering reviews and ratings for a plumber or other business in the Sarasota area…

1) Where can I rate/review my plumber and the experience I had?

2) When looking at reviews, should I check more than 1 site to verify a businesses reliability?

3) Why are reviews so important to businesses and customers?

Keep reading below to have these questions answered and learn more!

Reviews and ratings are becoming more and more important to businesses and consumers these days. Many people will choose one business over another based on popular reviews, or what the majority has to say about them. Others are willing to take a chance on something new, or prefer to find out how things are on their own.

When you’re about to let a stranger into your home to work on parts of your house that need a professionals attention (like air conditioning, plumbing, construction, etc.) it becomes critical to find someone who you:

1) feel safe allowing into your home, and

2) will do a good job for the price that you pay.

There are far too many horror stories out there of people using a friends handyman to do a job only to have it fall apart and the handyman disappear costing them so much more than if they had originally sought out a professional.

This is another reason ratings and reviews are so valuable to the consumer today. If you are in need of a plumber, pool guy, air conditioning tech, or contractor, heading to google to do your research is a fair a logical next step in the planning process!

However, today there are many places on the web that provide reviews and ratings for all kinds of businesses. Yelp, Google Reviews, Home Advisor, Angie’s List, Next Door, and The BBB (Better Business Bureau) are all options you might come across.

Problem is, which site is going to provide the most reliable and accurate information for you?

Some sites allow businesses to pay more in order to be the first business the consumer sees. Others charge businesses to even be shown on their site, and will display their business as “certified and recommended” for a fee. Not all rating/reviewing sites are unreliable, as they do provide the consumer with other consumers opinions and experiences with the type of business they are searching for.

If you’re wondering if you should check more than one site to verify whether a business is legit or not, we’d say go for it! You’ll find different reviews everywhere you go, and you may see a trend showing as you search for what you’re looking for. Looking at reviews across the board will only help you to make a better decision, rather than only checking on a site like HomeAdvisor and then being unhappy with the business you chose simply due to the reviews you read there.

One fact remains true, while there can be false reviews out there, the majority are going to speak out the truth, if you choose the business with 2,000+ reviews but with a 2.5 star rating instead of the business with a 5 star review but less reviews, you may want to consider the rating or the written reviews to be more valuable in the deciding factor.

Businesses WANT to be rated and reviewed, especially if they are guaranteeing a good experience AND delivering on the guarantee.

Here at Next Level Plumbing we try to ask happy customers if they would be willing to rate and review us, so that we can continue to grow and show new customers what we’re capable of. If a customer is unhappy we do all that we can to fix the problem and make sure we leave them satisfied with the job.

If you don’t think your rating or review matters, it truly does! It may take up a few minutes of your time, but in doing so, you’re helping the community to see what businesses are worth using, and which are worth avoiding.

Next Level Plumbing is thankful for all the wonderful customers we have and the reviews we’ve received from them. Our personal favorite form of review is from Google Reviews! We will continue to work hard for the customers happiness and strive to provide the best plumbing expertise, hopefully that will show in the ratings and reviews as well!

Interested? Curious to know more about Next Level Plumbing? Let us know! You can continue to read more of our blogs by clicking the links below.

Next Level Upgrades: Shower Draining Slow?

Ask Your Plumber: Toilet Differences

Next Level Tips: Faucet Fix!

Hope you enjoy!
As always, if you are looking for a plumber to help you out with a maintenance call or plumbing emergency, feel free to give us a call or text at (941)504-3578, check out our website, or email us at nextlevelplumbinginc@gmail.com. We’d be happy to schedule a free estimate for you and provide you with all the professional help you need!

The post Rate & Review Your Sarasota Plumber! appeared first on Next Level Plumbing.

source https://nextlevelplumbingllc.com/rate-review-your-sarasota-plumber/