Plumbing Innovations

Jun 9th, 2019

May 9th, 2018

This individual/company was referred to me by a contractor that I've used for several other fixes around my house. I described to him my situation and he said that he typically quotes $300 for something like that because he may run into some problems along the way and wouldn't want to estimate the job low. I had him come over and look at it, and he said the job was way more extensive than he thought, and he said I would be looking at $500. Long story short, the guy comes out, fixes the problem, and calls me an hour and a half later. I ask him what I owed, and he said $500.... I couldn't believe the bill was so high. So, I thought he had to put in a bunch of parts or something else that may have caused such a high bill. So, I asked him to leave a detailed bill when he left and told my girlfriend not to pay it until I saw what he had done. After I arrived home to he did nothing more than use my old garbage disposal, put in a new piece of cast iron pipe to lower the drainage pipe, and used some PVC pipe to connect it. I looked at his bill and it basically said hooked sink back up.... $500. I'm guessing he used $50 worth of materials, and at 1.5 hours, that $300 an hour. Most doctors and lawyers don't even make that type of money. I called him and told him I didn't see $500 worth of work and I wasn't paying him until he gave me a detailed invoice of what all he did that sums to $500. He started screaming and yelling and saying that he has a special $400 saw that lets him cut pipes and he could have sat around my house doing nothing for 4 hours like other companies would to get their bill to $500. Then he said he was tired of clients thinking they don't have to pay him what he charges, and I have to pay him $500 or he will put a lien on my house. The next day, he kindly left an invoice that further described what he did: cut out cast iron pipe and installed new iron tee. Installed new p-trap and garbage disposal 90. Tightened faucets. Put dishwasher back in - $500. And a nice little note saying if I did not pay he would put a lien on my house. The sink works, but for $500 he could even spend another 10-15 minutes to clean up the mess he made and put things back properly? This guy/company is a joke. I learned my lesson. Always get an estimate in writing of the parts and labor they expect to get the job done.
Jan 8th, 2016