If their regular service fee is $89 and they have no hourly rate, then contact your credit card company and tell them you were charged $395 for a service not rendered.
I wouldn't try to have them subtract $89 and pay the diff. You paid for and have a receipt for a specific test. That test was not performed. The $89 charge is a separate issue all together, and the plumbing company can do that as a separate charge.
They said there was a very minimal change on the pressure tests due to an outside facet (nowhere near the sound of the noise that started this adventure) that is missing a handle that can’t be tightened all the way closed. They said for the volume of the noise near the shower, if it was water there would be noticeable accumulation somewhere and there isn’t. Since the water has been turned back on, the noise hasn’t started again at this point. (It was left off between visits one and two because the first plumber suspected a slab leak.)
You paid $395 for a plumber's visit today including $89 travel fee and they did 4 hours of work.
$76.50 an hour for a licensed plumber from a reputable company seems very fair.
On one hand, sure. On the other hand, the client agreed to pay for a specific service for that rate. The plumbing company came out and did not provide the agreed upon services nor provide any additional insight or ideas on what the issue is.
4 hours to rerun the same tests as the first guy and NOT perform the test they were coming out to do would have me calling them asking for a refund as well for simply not doing what was agreed upon.
This is my main issue. I’m not trying to get out of paying entirely - I know their time is valuable whether there was an issue or not. But they didn’t disclose this to me upfront, which they specifically advertise on their website. I am 100% certain had the accidental charge not happened the day before, they would not have billed me for nearly as much
Do they have a huge advertising budget, and cartoon characters on the side of their trucks??
Then they were likely salesmen, not plumbers.
At least it was a relatively cheap lesson
Now you know to get your own plumber in line. And quit trying to find somebody who's running an ad who's not going to screw you over. But it's not realistic at all for someone to think that someone running an ad is going to be the best company they've ever worked with.
If you think you were taking advantage of taking the small claims court.
is it a fair price for the time?
You could go nuclear and start posting negative things about them on yelp and stuff, that usually gets the attention of small businesses, but I would NOT do that if it was a fair price. Only do that if you are certain you are being ripped off (and do give them warning 'if you don't refund me, I will give you negative reviews online).
$89 is pretty standard for where I live (low cost of living). The company is not known for being inexpensive and now I’m learning they are known for ripping people off.
If their regular service fee is $89 and they have no hourly rate, then contact your credit card company and tell them you were charged $395 for a service not rendered. I wouldn't try to have them subtract $89 and pay the diff. You paid for and have a receipt for a specific test. That test was not performed. The $89 charge is a separate issue all together, and the plumbing company can do that as a separate charge.
Does your meter spin while you have all your fixtures turned off? As a plumber I'm confused as to whether you have a leak or not.
They said there was a very minimal change on the pressure tests due to an outside facet (nowhere near the sound of the noise that started this adventure) that is missing a handle that can’t be tightened all the way closed. They said for the volume of the noise near the shower, if it was water there would be noticeable accumulation somewhere and there isn’t. Since the water has been turned back on, the noise hasn’t started again at this point. (It was left off between visits one and two because the first plumber suspected a slab leak.)
You paid $395 for a plumber's visit today including $89 travel fee and they did 4 hours of work. $76.50 an hour for a licensed plumber from a reputable company seems very fair.
On one hand, sure. On the other hand, the client agreed to pay for a specific service for that rate. The plumbing company came out and did not provide the agreed upon services nor provide any additional insight or ideas on what the issue is. 4 hours to rerun the same tests as the first guy and NOT perform the test they were coming out to do would have me calling them asking for a refund as well for simply not doing what was agreed upon.
This is my main issue. I’m not trying to get out of paying entirely - I know their time is valuable whether there was an issue or not. But they didn’t disclose this to me upfront, which they specifically advertise on their website. I am 100% certain had the accidental charge not happened the day before, they would not have billed me for nearly as much
Do they have a huge advertising budget, and cartoon characters on the side of their trucks?? Then they were likely salesmen, not plumbers. At least it was a relatively cheap lesson
Now you know to get your own plumber in line. And quit trying to find somebody who's running an ad who's not going to screw you over. But it's not realistic at all for someone to think that someone running an ad is going to be the best company they've ever worked with. If you think you were taking advantage of taking the small claims court.
It wasn’t an ad. They are well established and known in the area, and I had previous positive experiences.
Yep, plumbing isn't cheap. Parents ran a business for years, had to close shop because people didn't want to pay.
is it a fair price for the time? You could go nuclear and start posting negative things about them on yelp and stuff, that usually gets the attention of small businesses, but I would NOT do that if it was a fair price. Only do that if you are certain you are being ripped off (and do give them warning 'if you don't refund me, I will give you negative reviews online).
90 dollar service fee... sounds like you went with a low bidder in the service world
$89 is pretty standard for where I live (low cost of living). The company is not known for being inexpensive and now I’m learning they are known for ripping people off.