DIAL-A-SEWER-MAN INC

The original estimate to snake a clogged main sewer line from the house trap to the street was $50.  A nice young man showed up and tried to snake the line for about 2 hours.  He told me that he was going to call in a more experienced operator with a better machine which he did. The next day 3 men showed up, they snaked for another hour or so with no results, they tried compressed air which I believe is very bad for the pipe joints, no luck, then they used the water jet for another hour or so.  At this time the more experienced operator said " I can get this line open no matter what it takes for $950 or I can leave now and it's going to cost you $250."  I should have said get out and here is your $50 as per your estimate, but I was stupid and had no waste facilities for a day and a half so I agreed.  2 hours later the line was clear but my basement was a very big mess.  2 months later the drain clogged again and they used a water jet  to clear the line at no additional  charge as per the 3 month warranty.  Now, 10 months later the line is clogged again and it appears that my house trap joints are now leaking. I assume due to the compressed air.  My advice: DO NOT HIRE  UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES!!!!!!

   Two days before we were leaving on vacation, the sewer was clogged and began backing up into the basement.  We tried to clear the block - but had to call in someone.  I have to admit they were very prompt and showed up immediately but from there on it was a bit dicey.  We had twenty-four hours to fix the issue and they took complete advangate of us.  They used a camera to look at the pipe and discovered a small crack that was supposedly the root of all our issues.  The crack was allowing sediment in and blocking the line to the street.  The ONLY solution was to spend $5500 and install a lining in the line.    But not to worry - it was guaranteed for a good number of years (I think it was 15 or 20 - if not lifetime)  The total included the lining and the fees for clearing the clog and using the camera (which apparently is costly but necessary)  According to them - we would end up digging up the entire lawn because the pipe could collapse at any moment.   Truth be told - we didn't have alot of time and with two college age kids at home - while we were away - we needed to be certain that the plumbing was operational.  So we didn't have time to get estimates or examine the issue further.  We negotiated the price down and had the process completed.  It's been 2+ years and the pipe is fine - however make sure you read the fine print on the job and the pipe liner.   You must pay for a maintenance agreement in order for the warrenty to remian in effect.  So giving them tons of money apparently is not enough for them to stand behind thier work.  

The date listed above was the last time I used them. Initially, they were very good. They came to the appointments on time and were neat and courteous as they went about their work. Then, under a subcontractor, a video was done because they suspected that something was wrong with the joint to the city sewer line. However, although I paid for it, I never received the video. Finally, although I was a warranty holder, whenever I called their office to make an appointment for an annual cleaning, no one answered the phone. I have since learned that some key valves were broken, valves that they were the only ones to use.

The service man was punctual explained that the job would be $99.95 per drain. He explained that some stubborn drains might involve a $695 power water treatment to clear sediment. I told him that I did not want that service done. He went to the cellar of the building and attempted to find the main sewer trap. He called his supervisor who began pressuring me to have them perform a $2500 "exploratory" investigation of my main sewer line. I told them both that I didn't want that done. The mechanic cleared a first floor bathroom sink with a snake. He was unable to clear a kitchen line on the second floor with a snake and performed the high pressure procedure anyway without informing me. This cleared the line, but broke a pipe in the wall of the house. The mechanic cleared a shower drain somewhat; it empties very slowly, but is usable. When I told him that his work caused a leak, the mechanic informed me that his company doesn't repair "in line" plumbing. I now have a mess to clean up, and still need to bring in another plumber to repair the broken pipe. When presented with a bill for $753.00, I was surprised to find out that the mechanic had performed the procedure without my consent anyway. The mechanic called his supervisor ("Victor") to request that I be charged half price, since they caused damage and two of the drains were still not functional, Victor refused. The mechanic implied that I was going to give them a "bad" check because I was angry.