ComplaintsforDIRO Contracting

• Initial Complaint

  07/08/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Dear Better Business Bureau (BBB)I am writing to formally complain about the services I received from Diro Contracting Limited. On July 13, 2024, I Reported an issue with my faucet to *******, who works in our building. ******* checked the faucet and indicated it required a plumber.The next ********************** brought a qualified plumber who fixed the issue in approximately ten minutes and connected a water line for my refrigerator's ice maker, which I expected to receive in the feature. However, the connection was only completed on one side.Upon asking for the cost, ******* initially did not have the bill. On July 30, 2024, at 4:21 pm, I received a bill for $687,75. This amount is significantly higher than expected. According to consultation, the cost for such services should be around $200' Additionally, I discovered that the Moean faucet cartridge is available for free, and the water line that was installed, measuring 120 inches, costs only $24 Given these discrepancies, I believe the charges on my bill are unjustified and excessive. I request your assistance in resolving this issue and obtaining a detailed breakdown of the costs from Diro Contracting Limited.I look forward to your guidance on how to proceed.Thank your attention to this matter.Sincerely,*********************

  Business response

  19/08/2024

  DIRO Contracting is an independent contracting company licensed in North and ************** with WCB coverage and 3rd party liability coverage and in good standing. We have had no prior complaints at the BBB.  **** has done work for the strata and some of the units owners at ***************** over the past few years without any complaints. When it comes to plumbing and electrical, for liability reasons, we subcontract that work to approved professional licensed plumbing or electrical companies. 

  **** called me as he had a shower diverter that wasn't working. i attended on July 9. I needed to take off the trim kit to assess. It was determined that the internal cartridge needed to be replaced. I mentioned to **** that I needed to call a plumber. to do this and he authorized that. I called an authorized plumbing company for a short notice repair and to supply the part needed, which I sent photos of. 

  July 10 I returned with the plumber. He changed out the part and reinstalled the trim kit.

  **** asked me if the plumber had time to install a fridge waterline. He did and so the plumber started that. It required cleaning out the sink and adjacent cabinet and drilling holes to accomodate the new line. The plumber didn't have an adapter handy and so I went to the store to look for one while he scoured his truck for one. He eventually found what was needed and he completed the job. I returned to the site.

  **** was happy with the work. All was done as requested. The plumber left and **** said to send him the invoice. 

  On July 24 I emailed **** the costs. This was not an official invoice as this time. 

  "Good morning ****,
  Your recent plumbing service cost comes to $655 before tax.
  That is the plumbers labour and materials and my 2 site visits and **** up.
  If you would like to pay in person, I can meet with you."

  I received a call from him that he felt the price was too much. I assured hime this was standard pricing.  He told me to go and call the plumber and ask for a discount as the plumbing price "I should know" is too much. I told him I would not call the plumber for a discount as his price was reasonable. I would see what I could do. 

  On July 26, I emailed **** back and I offered him a 5% discount. He called me back. **** was very disrespectful on the phone reducing the plumbers price and mine to unreasonable numbers.

  On July 30 I issued and official invoice which now was full price with GST.

  On June 30 I received an email from ****...

  "Hi Diro contracting 
  Thanks, for changing the cartridge of my Moean faucet bath room shower  and instaled a connecting ice maker water line with a proficional plumber.
  
   ***************** as a represent of strata (contractor of building) visit the faucet and said he can not fix the carttridge,so brought a plumber who he was qualified and changed the catrige of moean faucet in a short time ( around 10 mintes). Appreciat his job. and thanks for the time who he spend to connected a ice maker water line.
  
  As you should know the Moean faucet is free and a 120 inches ice maker's water line value is $24 dollar in ihe ********** for individual person, so please let me know if there are any more materials cost, also the plumbers labour cost for the job that he was done.plus $50 for ***************** that he visited the shower faucet.
  
  I checked your invoice with a related companies and proficional persons who all belleive this price is higher than the price that should be.
  So,regarding the above mentioned, please recalculated the bill and send me the resonable bill including prices for materials, labour and so on. Nice to know sevreal time I left messages to ********************* cellphone who inform me the ******************* and he said he is not receving the plumber bill, so the due invoice was not due by me. Be advise the bill amount is ready if I receive the real cost'.Thank you for your attention. 
  Regards ****.   "

  I did not reply.

  Note: in my official invoice, I only charged **** for my first initial visit and not the second one which was approximately 2 hours.

  I will honour my discount of 5% to bring this matter to a close. If that is not sufficient for ****, I am already taking steps to send this invoice to collections and further to that, if not paid, DIRO Contracting will file a Builder's Lien against the property until the invoice is paid.

   

  Sincerely,

  *************************

  DIRO Contracting

  
  
  
  

  Customer response

  09/09/2024

   
  Complaint: 22107166
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  Dear *******, as I talked with you, I mentioned, the charges on my bill are unjustified and excessive.
  
  I ask the quote from different companies, just three of them are as below;
  
  Please let me know quote for replacing the Bathroom **** faucet cartridge and install one side of a 120" water line for refrigerator ice maker (refrigerator is not ready).
  
  1- Local Emergency plumber *********, (Same Day plumbing) Tel: ***********. Provided an estimate of $250.
  
  2- Plumb ***** Plumbing and Heating. Tel ********** Provide an estimate of $120 per hour with a two-hour minimum.
  
  3- ****** Company Tel: ********** quoted a range of $150 to $200 for the job.
  
  The job could be done by shorter than an hour, therefore, the quote could be even less.  
  
  According my consultation, the cost for such services should be about $200, additionally, I discovered that **** faucet cartridge is available for free and the water line that was installed, measuring 120 inches, cost only $24. 
  So the charges on my bill are unjustified and excessive. 
                                                                  
  Regards ****
  

  Business response

  09/09/2024

  I received an email from BBB that my case is now closed as **** had not replied to my BBB reply and discounted offer.

  As I hadn't heard from **** either and as the invoice was now 30 days past due, I emailed the invoice again on August 30, ******************************************************** a builder's lien, that he pay the invoice forthwith. 

  I had not heard from **** by September 3rd, so I went ahead and completed the form to register a builder's lien on the property. This was mailed and processing takes about 10 days. I can stop this lien at anytime when **** pays his bill.

  Also on Sept 3, 2024, I called Torresan Plumbing, the plumbing company that completed the on site work to make payment for the bill they sent to me and to discuss the details of the bill. The costs, as yo can see in my notes on the bill, were for 3 hours of labour, $27 for the **** part that was picked up at the supplier's (it is not for free and **** has yet to prove that), $50 in other misc parts including the tubing and fittings. 

  I was told by ************************* that because I am a regular customer with this building, I was offered a discount on the first hour. The first hour should have been $125 with subsequent hours at $98, however they billed me all 3 hours at $98/hr. Although **** only saw the on site time clocked, there was added time billed to go to supplier and pick up the **** part, and also to go back to supplier to pick up the other materials used to restock the truck. There is also a $24 truck charge that covers fuel etc of the truck. These are standard operating procedures of Torresan Plumbing. We also can't forget taxes.

  As a contractor, I mark up my subcontractor invoices 20%. This is standard as I am using my network and contractor discounts to bring quality vetted subcontractors to the job site. As mentioned before, I also didn't charge **** for my second visit.

  As you can see from the initial quotes that **** received, the Torresan plumber was not far off in a charge of $294 for 3 hours. . WIth a rate of $98 / hr. ****'s quotes were mere estimates and did not account for all the actual time involved.

  If **** wanted to call a plumber directly himself and find the part for free somehow himself, and buy the tubing at **********, then he should have done that and not called for a General Contractor to attend to assess his leak. I don't work for free either.

  I feel I am being bullied and **** is using the BBB to try and strong arm me to a cheaper cost. This is very disrespectful to myself and the plumbing company that went out of our way to very promptly take care of ****. 

  I will not offer any more discount to ****. I will continue with the builder's lien process and if after the bill is 60 days past due I will engage a collections agency to collect the payment.

   

  Customer response

  11/09/2024

   
  Complaint: 22107166
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  Dear *******,
  
  As a handyman working in our building through Strata, I trusted you to address the issue with my shower faucet. You open two screws of faucet and followed instruction on your phone from internet, which made me realize that you are not a licensed plumber. I wonder why you proceed to open the faucet if you knew you were unqualified. If there had been water damage inside the walls of building, I would have responsible for hiring you instead of a certified plumber.
  
  I accept to pay you $50 for arranging the plumber. However, I did not agree to a contract with DIRO contracting **** the company that send me a $687.75 bill.         The invoice does not breakdown the costs for labor and materials, which is standard in any contract. Costs should have been discussed and agreed upon in advance, with a signed contract outlining the terms.
  
  The plumber who arrived had the **** faucet cartridge with him and replaced it about 10 minutes. As some plumbers have a minimum charge, I asked him to install one side of the water line for my refrigerator's ice maker, but the refrigerator was not available at that time.
  
  Any missing parts needed for the water line installation could easily have been purchased at Home Hardware, located just 3 blocks from my home (*****************) or in *************** depot which is 5 minutes driving from my place.
  Additionally our driving record does not indicate you went to get any missing parts for the water line. three hours of labor is not justified for such a small job when done by a professional.
  
  Regarding the **** cartridge, you asked me to prove it is available for free at **********. you can contact **********, the Kitchen and Bath section manager at *********** at **************************, she can confirm this information.
  
  Lastly, I have repeatedly asked you for the name and contact information of the plumber who worked in my home, along with a copy of the plumber's bill. I still have not received this information.
  
  Thank you for your attention to these matters.
  
  Sincerely,
  ****
  
  

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