I hired a plumber to move some sprinkler heads which had become overgrown with lilac bushes. I asked him to trench a new line out beyond the bushes and reset the heads. There were a total of 8 heads to be relocated. When I stopped up at the property I found that he had simply removed and capped the old heads and replaced the misting heads on the other side of the strip of lawn with rotors. He had completed 1/2 of the job that way. I came back the next day and they were nearly done doing the same thing to the other strip of lawn. Additionally they fixed a fitting which had broken in another location.
After they were done I went up to check up on the work. They had neglected to cap two of the old heads which I did in about 10 min. They had placed one rotor in with a zone of misting heads which is a no no. I removed and replaced it. They had not adjusted the throw of the heads – some were actually shooting over the bushes into the adjoining field.
Anyway, I received a bill for 16.75 man hours of labor (2 guys). I have done enough of this work to know that this is totally out of line. They did not do what I asked for but what they did should have easily been completed by one individual in 1/2 that time and I think I ‘m being quite generous here. By the way they charged $50 per hour which came out to $100 labor per sprinker head replacement. I questioned their bill (nicely) and was hung up on.
Do I have any other options or do I pay and just spread the word around the community that these guys are bad?
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Replies
Im not sure about the sprinkler work but where on earth did you find a plumber who will work for $50 per hour?? Plumbers around here usually charge from $90-$110 per hour. Maybe you got what you paid for. Not trying to be a smarta$$.
I don't have any problem with their hourly rate of pay. I just think that a job that could have easily been completed in 8 hours by one person ends up being billed as 16 is not right. By the way this is South Dakota where $50 per hour is a lot.Edited 6/8/2006 9:31 am ET by 5brown1
Edited 6/8/2006 9:33 am ET by 5brown1
So it's safe to assume from your initial post that there was no contract written in terms of work to be done or price for said work?
That is correct -see reply to frankie.
Well if this is the first time in 12 years you had some bad service maybe you should question it but not fight it. I also would have called a lawn care operation. If the father is 75 maybe he is just now realizing he needs some coin for retirement and is trying to make up for his lack of savings.
I wouldn't hire a general plumber for that kind of work, I'd hire a lawn sprinkler company.
These guys initially installed the system 12 years ago and have fixed various line breaks, etc. over the years.
Sounds like the guy - or at least this crew - doesn't do this kind of work often, enough.
The hang-up was totally unprofessional. Don't know if it was due to your approach, his frustration with the crew he sent out or something else.
You hired them carte blanch, without an estimate? When can I start working for you?
You corrected problems without having them see it or having an option to correct it themselves? Faster, yes. But now the onus is on you. Correcting errors should have been on their time, including materials.
Pay the bill. Maybe deduct for your efforts and material costs. Don't use them again. Keep your mouth shut, unless someone asks.
Frankie
There he goes—one of God's own prototypes—a high powered mutant of some kind never even considered for mass production. Too weird to live and too rare to die.
—Hunter S. Thompson
from Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas
This is a father son operation. They have done other work for me before and I have had them give me a price for most things. When I have them fix a break in the line I just tell them to fix it and send the bill.
The son is the one who does the labor the father is about 75 and basically is the gopher on a job like this.
As I have done business with them for the past 12 years I assumed that they would do the install as I requested and treat me fairly when they made out the bill.
You have done business with them for 12 years.One time... you are unhappy.Pay the bill. Stuff happens. Be more careful next time. But remember 12 years of good work/professional relations is nothing to toss in the dumpster.
The destination is not the point. The completion is not the point. Enjoy today. If you can't enjoy today, then what is the point ?
Why didnt you correct them after you saw them doing it wrong the first day? Tell him its not the work you asked for and he will either redo it or negotiate the price. Dont really know why you are complaining about hours rather than the fact that he did not do what you asked him to do.
I'm cornfoosed. Did you say that you wanted them to trench and move the heads, but they did it a different way?
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
I'd be ticked off too dude. Now I'm only hearing your side of the story, but if what you say is true then I'd call them back again and say, "look, I'll be more than happy to pay this bill in it's entirety but you need to complete the job I hired you to do, not the job you felt like doing".... or something to that effect.
BTW.... why wait until they are totally finished to inform them that they're not doing the job the way you wanted it done? The way I see it.... you're kinda on the hook for that second day's labor since you let them carry on with the job after seeing it part-way done.
As far as the hourly rate..... $50/hr for irrigation work is pretty low for my neck of the woods. Regardless, you can't complain about the rate after the work is completed... that's just not fair. (If you were even upset about the rate to begin with) As far as the amount of time it took them to do the job.... well.... I don't think you really get to gripe about that either. This is just part of the risk you take when you hire someone to do pretty much any hourly work. I'll bet it's happened to everyone at least a couple times.... whether it's a plumber, mechanic, carpenter, therapist :)
I think you have a legitimate gripe about them not completing the work you hired them to do.... but the rest is just sh1t luck. Your only recourse there is to not hire or recommend them again.
Hey man, where have you been? I imagine as always you are out making the big bucks while I slave for little or nothing. DanT
Your imagination is getting the best of you Dan.... no big bucks here bro. New construction has slowed tremendously here. I'm on my sixth addition frame in a row right now and would give my left testicle for a new frame.
Just been trying to spend a little less time in front of the computer and TV.... little more time outside and getting healthy. Back to the gym and I started running again.
But today was a rainy day....so..... I digress. :) Hangin' out at BT again.View Image
What is it about the addition frames that you hate so much? Is the money not as good?
Nothing like trying to match up new to old, takes a lot more time and head scratchin. You start where somebody left off.I only golf on days that end with a "Y".
I don't hate them at all Mike. I enjoy the challenge. But yes, the money isn't as good. And it usually involves some demo (some more than others), which isn't my favorite. I just prefer the flow of a new construction job to an old work job.
They're just two different animals. Additions are more of a PIA with their headscratching, demo, nightly tarping, dealing with a H/O, dealing with drawings that are close to working.... but don't really work, the hidden surprises, etc.View Image
with their headscratching, demo, nightly tarping, dealing with a H/O, dealing with drawings that are close to working.... but don't really work, the hidden surprises, etc.
I love it when you talk dirty.A great place for Information, Comraderie, and a sucker punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
:)
View Image
sorry to the Original Poster.
Been scratching for over 30 yrs. Lucky there's any hair left. I think it's even altered my persona. No real way to tell tho.A great place for Information, Comraderie, and a sucker punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time