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  #1  
Old 06-18-2008, 12:55 PM
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What's the deal with plumbers nowadays?

Been out of town for a month. Wife had to call a plumber twice for faucet problems on some rentals. One was a stripped body on a single faucet, the other was a stripped stem on a kitchen faucet. Was told by plumber on the single faucet that it would take two weeks to get the part (a single faucet-$200) and another $200 to install. There's a hardware store 4 blocks away with single faucets for $24. On the stripped stem, plumber said whole fixture would need to be replaced. Took me all of 2 minutes to replace the stem after picking up the standard Price Pfister stem at the hardware store 4 blocks away.
Either these plumbers are incompetent or rip off artists.

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  #2  
Old 06-18-2008, 01:08 PM
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They are not incompetent and they do know how to rip you off.

A senior citizen neighbor was charged $500 to replace a toilet seat by a local plumber. Word got around and that plumber is persona non grata in my area. Whenever I see him in his big fancy truck I flip him the bird.
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  #3  
Old 06-18-2008, 01:25 PM
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Plumber saw you are not around and ripped off your wife because she doesn't know any better. Same happened to me fortunately wife called me first and I told her to forget the plumber until I get home.

Turned out a simple $1.49 washer (O-ring) was all is needed and saved me a $250 labor + part + travel fee.
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  #4  
Old 06-18-2008, 01:30 PM
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Locktight.
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  #5  
Old 06-18-2008, 05:44 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kerry View Post
Been out of town for a month. Wife had to call a plumber twice for faucet problems on some rentals. One was a stripped body on a single faucet, the other was a stripped stem on a kitchen faucet. Was told by plumber on the single faucet that it would take two weeks to get the part (a single faucet-$200) and another $200 to install. There's a hardware store 4 blocks away with single faucets for $24. On the stripped stem, plumber said whole fixture would need to be replaced. Took me all of 2 minutes to replace the stem after picking up the standard Price Pfister stem at the hardware store 4 blocks away.
Either these plumbers are incompetent or rip off artists.
I had a good laugh when I saw the title and your name beneath. Before selecting the thread, I'm thinking "He's the best GD plumber in the area.........why would he need one".

Yep, sign of the times. Why charge a fair amount of money ($100.) when they can charge double that amount of money to a person who has no idea of the real cost.

It's a sad commentary on society today..........from plumbers..........to home improvement contractors..........to auto mechanics............there's no desire to do a day's work for a day's pay. Better to work for three hours (on two jobs) and collect a day's pay.

I recently changed an entire kitchen faucet at a tenant location. Found it had bad stems (Moen) and the base was cracked. Two hours total time..........including the trip to HD and the additional step of changing the supply valves to the new 1/4 turn variety. $130. later........with new hoses, valves, and faucet.........we were looking good.
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  #6  
Old 06-18-2008, 07:41 PM
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The prices were ridiculous but I was prepared to be hosed. What pissed me off the most was that a plumber with a service truck couldn't accomplish the most simple task in one visit. And this happened twice.

Today I replaced the stem, replaced the bad faucet, then decided to replace its partner and snake out the drain. With three trips to the hardware store I accomplished all that in less than two hours.

Those 1/4 turn supply ball valves are the cat's meow, aren't they.
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1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
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1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
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  #7  
Old 06-18-2008, 07:51 PM
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You have to watch contractors like a hawk or they will rip you off. My uncle got screwed really good by the foundation guy on his house, he went on vacation as it was being poured so since he wasn't their they skimped on the slab and now its to thin and cracking.

My favorite was a $10k quote to do a cheap roof on a very small ranch. No stripping, nothing sticking out, just nail a new roof on a 980sf ranch. Two guys maybe two days work, I wish I made that kind of money!

Than their was the $150k quote to raise a little house. My uncle was like, damn I could build you a whole new house on stilts for that!

Some are good, but its the bad ones who stick out.

Now a lot of them are hurting too, so watch out. $500 truck and $500 gas payments need to be made and there ain't as much work to go around.
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Last edited by Hatterasguy; 06-18-2008 at 07:56 PM.
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  #8  
Old 06-18-2008, 09:14 PM
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dishonest plumber

Of course you reported him to the better business bureau ?
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  #9  
Old 06-18-2008, 10:10 PM
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Go one better than the BBB. File a report on Angie's List.
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  #10  
Old 06-19-2008, 06:43 AM
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Skilled blue collar jobs are raking in the money - more so than many/most white collar jobs these days. Motivated plumbers, auto mechanics, etc. can make more than $100K annually - without expensive degrees or outrageous liability/med malpractice insurance.

Your plumber can fill his exposed 'crack' with the hundreds he charged you...
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  #11  
Old 06-19-2008, 08:34 AM
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They must think they're service writers. The more business they write the better their bonus.
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  #12  
Old 06-19-2008, 09:09 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by el presidente View Post
Motivated plumbers, auto mechanics, etc. can make more than $100K annually...........
..........apparently, one doesn't need to be very motivated to earn $400. per day as a plumber...........

..............two faucet washer jobs would do it.
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  #13  
Old 06-19-2008, 09:17 AM
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toilet

Thenext time your commode backs up, go get a snake and do it yourself, That will save you some money ,no?
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  #14  
Old 06-19-2008, 09:35 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chilcutt View Post
Thenext time your commode backs up, go get a snake and do it yourself, That will save you some money ,no?
Thats what I do, when I bought my house I had to pull the toilet and snake it because the previous owner used the master bathroom toilet like a garbage can. It only took a couple of hours, much of the time was used cleaning. A new wax ring and time was my investment, probably saved a few hundred bucks.

Plumbers are not the only guilty party, any emergency home service will take advantage of the situation. I was out of town during a cold snap and the gas furnace failed at my old house. Wife had to pay $140 for a part (ignitor which really costs $25 and takes about 15 minutes to replace) plus with "emergency" service fee added up to $250. The worst part was I had a spare ignitor but could not remember where I put it.

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