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.
Block homes can tell you very quickly if they are stressed out just by the appearance of the mortar joints. Those giant unsettling cracks can and do tell a story. This does happen and mortar cracks maybe 10-years old. You need to investigate further.
There are some distinct symptoms that indicate a sludge build up and you will need to hire the services of a reliable septic tank cleaning company to have it cleaned out once every few years. These personnel are trained in carrying out sewage treatment and pumping. You should call them the minute you detect foul odor in the vicinity of your home. local water heater repair service accumulation in the yard or above the container is another indicator that there is a blockage. Do not delay in calling them the minute you notice any of these indicators.
If you live in a small community then there may be a plumber who will do 'out of hours' emergency plumbing repairs without charging a massive call out fee. A plumber that is willing to help his neighbours out in times of need is worth his weight in gold.
Plumbers water conditioner arrive at a scene in many capacities. Each day is different. One thing many will do is make themselves available for major problems which can happen at any time of day or night. They advertise a call-out number. Like paramedics, they are twenty-four hour, seven days each week and like injury or illness, pipes burst at the most inconvenient times.
The first and most important thing to do any emergency is to CUT OFF THE WATER SUPPLY. Once this is done, you can take time to locate the problem and do something about it. Now, before you really have to, make a tour of the house and locate the water cut-off valves. Make sure everyone in the family is familiar with them.
The bottom line is: You and your plumber need to decide if you truly have an emergency plumbing problem. If the problem is serious and you really can't delay getting it fixed, then by all means have the work done as quickly as possible. It will probably be cheaper in the long run to delay repair on a plumbing problem that is "livable" for the time being. You will need to weigh your options and discuss them with your plumber after he has evaluated your unique situation.