WATTMASTERS

When I set the appointment I was told that I would receive a quote before any work was performed.  I did not receive the quote but directed the technician to proceed after showing him the requested work (fan replacement, timer replacement and loss of power to sprinkler timer).  The technician discovered the sprinkler timer lost power due to an adjacent GFCI outlet which had been tripped.  When I scheduled service, Wattmasters directed me to check the GFCI in the garage as this is a common issue and I might save money.  I was unaware this outlet had a breaker separate from the one in my garage due to the very restricted location behind the heat pump.  The technician recommended replacement of the outlet due to age/exposure. 

The technician attempted to install the bathroom fan without going into the attic.  (I later discovered that attic installation is more expensive as Wattmaster jobs are priced by task rather than hours.)  Avoiding the attic proved impossible due to differences in the housing of the 20 years old unit and the new one.

The technician didn't have a light timer for the porch.  I hadn't picked one up because I was told he would have one with him.  The technician made a trip to the store to pick one up.

The work was performed satisfactorily but their prices are high.  When I saw the invoice/price list, I was surprised at the high prices on some jobs I would consider minor even if I were doing them.  I found the vendor on rosie's site (wasn't yet Angie's subscriber), which recommends pricing by the job.  The effective rate per hour was pretty high (after adjusting for parts they provided) but my previous experience has been with small companies with low overhead.