THE DRAIN MAN

Let me begin, by stating my situation, for the sole purpose that you might understand where I am coming from. I am disabled, and my wife of 26 years passed in 2023. So, I was forced to take in two renters just to make the ends meet. I have to rely on my neighbors to take me to my regular doctor's appointments. I am on Social Security Disability, which means I have no extra money at the end of the month, and any time I have an unexpected expense, such as a $200 plumbing bill, I have to figure where I am going to have to move the money from. So, when I am given an estimate, and agree to that estimate, that is what I expect to happen. I spoke to Chuck yesterday, who seemed like a very nice person, about the replacing of the ball float in a toilet, as mine was leaking and would not shut off. Chuck quoted me $160-200, and said they would be out the next day. That seemed a little high to me, to replace a ball float, but what do I know. Today, Tom arrives, exhibiting a unjustified poor attitude from the moment he arrived, he looks at the toilet, says he is going to rebuild it, which is what was quoted by Chuck, and goes to the store for the parts. When he returns, I hear him in there working, and about an hour later, he comes and tells me that he pulled one of the bolts holding the toilet down, right out of the flange. I have no idea what a flange is, but I knew enough to ask him why he was even doing that, to replace the ball float. I explained to him that I have had this house since it was new, I am the only owner, and in 18 years of near daily use, nothing ever seemed wrong with that toilet, other than the now leaking ball float. He says the toilet was unsteady, and was shaking around. I have never experienced this, and when I said that to him, he said in the normal use of the toilet, a person wouldn't be shaking around. Well, I am not sure how, in the course of changing a ball float, one might be shaking the toilet around, either. But, I am not a plumber, so what do I know. Tom then goes outside, and returns with a jigsaw. I asked if he planned on cutting something, and he said he had to cut the other bolt. He cuts off the bolt, and then tells me that he has to go get more parts. By this point my toilet is entirely off of it's former perch, and parts are all over the place. I asked him how much this was going to cost me (mind you, I was never asked, if I wanted any of this work to be done, the first time any of it was mentioned to me, was when he told me he had pulled out a bolt, already). Tom stated, and this is important, that the original job was going to cost $250, and so this entire bill was now going to be $350. I explained to him that I had been quoted $160-200 for the initial work, and he simply said well it is going to be $350 now. I then sent a message to Chuck, asking him to call me, while Tom went to the store. When he finally responded, Tom was just returning from getting his other parts. I briefly spoke to Chuck, and he said he knew nothing about what was happening, and needed to speak to Tom. He said he would speak to Tom, and call me back. Tom finished his work, and returned from his truck with a bill for $350. I asked if he'd spoken to Chuck, and he said no. He then told me I could pay with cash, or check, but if I paid with a card, I would have to pay an additional 3%. I search for my checkbook, and am unable to find it. After my wife passed, things were moved around, for the new renters, and I have no idea where my check book has been placed, so now, on top of being charged more than double the initial quote, I now have the joy of being charged an additional 3%. I explained to Tom that I cannot find my checkbook, and will have to pay with a card. He says he won't charge me the additional 3%. Tom then copies all of the information from my credit card, to his ticket pad, and says he'll have to take it back to the girls at the office to run. So, now, on top of being charged $350 for a job I expected to pay $160-200 for, with no idea where I am going to take that much money from, and I have the joy of having to cancel my card, and having the bank send me a new one, once this charge goes through. You can take my comments as my truthful experience, and do as you see fit. I sent Chuck a second message, asking him to please call me, and still have not heard back, from either time. On top of everything, that toilet now leaks like a sieve, my bathroom is flooded. I have now retained legal counsel, this is going to go way beyond small claims, my bathroom is flooded! My attorney is sending out his guy, to document and fix it. Once I made him aware of the leaking, Chuck wanted to come back out to look at it. Firstly, this proves that his messages are working, and that he chose to not contact me back (this should be a huge red flag for anyone considering these guys for a job). Secondly, after the horrible job Tom did the first time, and Chuck's outright refusal to speak with me about it, I would never trust them to come back in my house again.

He is very meticulous in his installations and takes his time to get it right. I consider him my plumber after 3 separate calls for 3 different installations...other two were new main line shut-off and new sink/faucet/disposal.