Plumbers are a breed apart. You would think they use gold for soldering your pipes with the prices they charge. My grandfather was a plumber and I trustworthy drain leak repair was on the truck with him at nine years old. A plumber may or may not give you a free estimate. With a little digging, it can be done. Just give them the work if indeed you do buy the house.
Ask for an estimate for the total cost of repairs. Some 24-hour plumbers will not want to give an estimate over the phone, and would want to personally assess the plumbing situation first. But you may be able to get a rough estimate and an idea of the price if you come well-informed about the plumbing emergency. Picture out the scenario to your emergency plumber and ask for the usual or average cost of repair.
It is always a good idea to do some online research. For example, if you have a clogged drain and you live in the Atlanta area you should search for "Atlanta plumbers" or "Atlanta drain local water heater repair service". This will bring up a list of Atlanta plumbers rather than plumbers from across the country.
That is why it is good to use a less caustic combination of baking soda and vinegar instead of a harsh liquid drain cleaner. If there is standing water in the sink try to remove as much of it as possible. Then pour about 1/2 cup of baking soda into the drain followed by 1/2 cup of vinegar. When these two react together they will create a foaming action that will loosen many clogs.
Even if you have the money sitting in the bank or you plan to get it from a commercial lender, asking this question may result in some revealing information. If a builder provides financing it means local plumber that they have been around long enough to build credit and a good reputation with the banks. It is advantageous to have options for financing the construction of your pool. Another benefit of financing your pool is that in-ground pool construction is considered a home improvement and the interest payment on your loan is tax deductible.
Please remember that this does not guarantee that this part of the pipe will be leak free. This is just to minimize the water that's coming out before you call for plumbing services.
What you'll find is that the more home maintenance and minor repairs that you do, the easier it will get. Things no longer seem threatening and you're willing to try bigger and bigger things. Each thing you do on your own saves you the cost of hiring someone to do it and often the job will get done faster.