Can we talk about the plumber who charged me $180 to just tell me to flush less toilet paper?

I was in my basement last Saturday with water creeping up the drain after my third kid flushed a whole roll of two-ply, but the guy showed up, didn't fix anything, handed me a lecture, and still took my cash - has anyone else gotten burned by a service call that did nothing?

3 comments

3 Comments

lunah1224d ago

but honestly sometimes I wonder if plumbers have a secret handshake where they all agree to just show up and collect the minimum. my brother-in-law had a guy charge him $200 to say "your water heater is old" and then left without touching it. I get that they have to make a living, but a heads up on the phone that this is gonna be a "look but don't touch" visit would save everyone some grief.

the_fiona24d ago

Ugh, that's so frustrating, I feel your pain. I've definitely paid for a "diagnosis" that was basically someone telling me what I already knew.

susan_adams21d ago

In my experience, a good tradesperson will tell you upfront if there's a service call fee just for showing up. Your mileage may vary, but I'd rather pay for an honest opinion than someone who starts replacing parts they haven't properly diagnosed.