1. Observe and protect
Write down what’s happening, stop further damage if it’s safe to do so, and gather whatever history you have on the fixture or line involved.
2. Evaluate the house and site
A real diagnosis walks through how the fixtures are behaving, what the pipes are made of, water pressure, drainage, venting, where the shutoffs are, and what access looks like.
3. Define a written scope
Get it in writing: prep work, what gets protected, materials, how the crew accesses the area, permits, testing, cleanup, restoring finishes, what’s excluded, and how a change order would work.
4. Compare providers
Check credentials, then compare the logic behind each proposal — not just the bottom-line number — including where each one draws the line on scope.
5. Inspect closeout
Before calling it finished, confirm what was tested, that cleanup is complete, get documentation and warranty paperwork, and clarify what maintenance is still on you.