Flow-Rite Plumbing

"On Thursday evening, January 14, 2016, Mr. [Removed Member Name] called me requesting help with the sump pump in his home that was not working. I told him I would come to his home to help him shortly after I picked up a new pump from the store. Mr. [Removed Member Name] told me that would not be necessary because he had a pump for me to install. Upon arrival at his home, I found his pump switched had failed and was stuck in the on position and was continually running. The city water powered sump pump backup system was installed improperly and non functional. To my surprise, the pump that he wanted me to install was previously used, an old pump that had no switch. By this time in the evening, the stores were closed and I had no ability to purchase a new pump to install. In over 25 years of plumbing service that was the first used pump I have ever installed, because this is something I would not do by choice. At that time, I informed Mr. [Removed Member Name] that his sump basin was too small for the large amount of water flowing into his sump basin, forcing the pump to turn on and off too quickly. In addition, there was not enough room to properly install the equipment. Consequently, I made four recommendations/options in order of effectiveness. 1. Install a larger basin with a dual pump system and controls that has alarms for both pump failure and high water and properly install the backup pump 2. Install a new pump with high water alarm and get the backup system functioning 3. High water alarm and get backup system functioning 4. Get backup system functioning Mr. [Removed Member Name] was not interested in the first 3 options but agreed upon the 4th. I said I could return as early as the next day to proceed with option 4. Mr. [Removed Member Name] would only allow me access the following Wednesday at 2pm (6 days later). I asked him to please arrange for me to have access to his home sooner so that I could do the job. He could pay me later, after he had an opportunity to inspect the job. He refused this and insisted on the following Wednesday and when that Wednesday come around, he cancelled. Again I explained the difficultly of having such a narrow time frame for an appointment and that I’m unable to control how long the jobs earlier in the day will take, asking again if he would allow earlier access. After he refused, I said I would try and make it the following Wednesday at 2pm, this now being 2 weeks. Shortly after this, I then had to cancel because I ran into a scheduling conflict. Mr. [Removed Member Name] then told me he would find someone else to do the work. I then received a call that the switched had failed and that he called another company to replace the pump and was wondering what kind of plumber puts in a used pump. It must be understood, that the decisions of Mr. [Removed Member Name] were the reason for his basement floor getting wet. It was his choice to ignore my recommendations I offered on my initial visit that evening. It was his choice to have me install the used pump. It was his choice not to allow me access to his home in a timely manner to get the backup system running. And lastly, it was his choice not to call me and let me try to rectify the situation. At the root of this problem is that Mr. [Removed Member Name] was NOT interested in a permanent solution to his problem, as he stated in his complaint. All things mechanical will eventually fail. With that in mind, a used pump and a back up system that has no alarm to inform of its activation is far from the description of a permanent solution. I have given customers my professional recommendations as a license plumber for over 25 years, informing them of the best options for their situation, but in the end it is the customer's decision to accept them or not and deal with the consequences that follow."