ComplaintsforB & L Plumbing Inc

• Initial Complaint

  12/21/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  To attempt to charge someone $1,000+ to disconnect and later reconnect a water supply valve and cap the water supply line is simply unconscionable. I had B&L Plumbing come out this morning to shut off a water valve/supply line in advance of a new kitchen counter and sink removal. I also previously scheduled their return visit in two days to reconnect after the new counter, sink, & faucet are installed. I was quoted $1000+ ($364 for todays visit to shut off the water supply valve and cap the water supply, and $300 to reconnect water supply line to homeowner-provided faucet, and $350 to reconnect water supply line to owner-provided sink & basket in two days). Upon hearing these charges, I canceled the appointment for Thursday informing him that the $1,000 total price and even the $364 for the 3 minutes it took him to shut off the water supply line and cap it today was excessively high. I informed him that the price he is quoting me is over $700 higher than the national average, Home Depots estimated pricing available online, and what had been told to me by the granite counter companies who work with licensed plumbers daily, as well as many home flippers who likewise do the same. Upon calling a family member who has flipped homes for over 40years and having a conversation about being ripped off in his presence, B&Ls plumber then agreed to lower the price for the 3 minute water shut up (10minutes total home visit) appointment to $264. Again, to attempt to charge someone over $1,000 to disconnect and later reconnect a water supply valve and cap water supply line is unconscionable. I shared my above concerns with *******, who, in my two interactions with her was very professional. She simply asked that I include in my review that her plumber eventually lowered the price AFTER I told him it was excessive.

  

  Business response

  12/22/2022

  The **** was advised it would be 89+ repairs to come out &the trip fee for re-connect trip is waived.Upon arrival the ****& tech determined what was needed &the price for the disconnect. The **** agreed to the work needed &the tech began the work. He disconnected the 2 supply lines to the faucet, removed the garbage disposal &the throat(as the customer requested to reuse the parts on the return visit)Once the work was completed the **** had expressed she was dissatisfied with the original quote & felt the pricing was unfair. The tech at that point had decided to drop the charges down to the min charge we offer to try & work with the **** (as well as the work was already completed).The H.O  did pay & canceled the reconnect appt for Thurs.She called the office & discussed this with me. She began by saying i am not looking for anything but wanted to give you a heads up i am going to file a complaint with the BBB as well as ****** & ect. (she was very nice, this was not a rude encounter).
  

  B & L Plumbing feels the **** could have declined the work & we could have left with the trip fee. We have a business model in which we go over all pricing up front to avoid issues like this and allow the customer to really choose how they like to proceed forward. We pride ourselves on this model and really allowing the customer to go over options and make the best decision for them.  She had agreed & signed off on the work to be complete. I know that the homeowner referenced the national average in her complaint but we never advertised our pricing was based off of the national average, B & L plumbing has not advertised that we are the cheapest plumbing in town and feel our pricing is competitive with other companies in our are. Our certified tech was at the home for more then 10 min(as she had implied) &got the job done as requested with high quality work & professionalism. B & L Plumbing hires high quality & certified tech & charge fairly for the services provided.
  

• Initial Complaint

  08/18/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  On 12 August my wife and I contacted B and L plumbing to clear a blockage in our toilet that was draining into our bath tub. They came out 13 August, had to pull the toilet and 500 dollars later the plumber ran water through it and told us it was clear. Fast forward to 17 August when I contacted B and L plumbing to inform them that the toilet was clogged and still emptying into the bath tub and talked to a ******* who said she would call me back after talking to the plumber. Two hours later she got back to me and told me they would not warranty the repair since there is no way to know what was flushed down the toilet between now and then. I told her the toilet had not been in use as none of us had used it or were home that week due to a family outing and my birthday. She told me that she could only do something with the information provided and that it would be another 300 to 500 dollars. I am a disabled veteran going to college and am on a massively fixed income and can not afford another 500 dollar bill from a predatory company like B and L Plumbing.

  

  Business response

  09/12/2022

  "As stated above the customer called and scheduled an appointment for August 13,2022 for a toilet that his step son had clogged by flushing " tons of paper towels down the toilet". My technician arrived during the scheduled appointment and tending to the toilet. He did clear the line and flushed the toilet with toilet paper down it several times with no issues. After 4 days passed the customer called and said that the toilet was backing up again. I explained that since the technician unclogged it and that it had been 4 days there would not be any warranty. I explained that it worked well for 4 days so it sounds like it has be reclogged and not still clogged. the customer did not feel that this was fair and felt as though he should not have to pay. I explained again if it had backed up the same evening or even the next morning it may be a little different however after 4 days i couldn't do anything other then treat it as a new clog. 

  Customer response

  09/13/2022

   
  Complaint: 17734348
  
  I am rejecting this response because: As per my complaint I was the first one to use the toilet, nothing had been flushed down the toilet until I used it, a fact I had made very clear to the businesses receptionist I named in the complaint. Due to the smell and not having a second toilet with a family of 4 I was forced to hire Roto Rooter last week who in fact fixed the toilet for half the price and at this point I just want a refund for the lousy service.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *********************************

  

  Business response

  09/15/2022

  We do understand your frustration with this situation. As a company we believe that we cleared this toilet on the original call, however we are welling to split the call with you and issues a refund in the amount of $250.00 

  Customer response

  09/15/2022

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *********************************

• Initial Complaint

  01/19/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On Nov 24, 2021 B&L Plumbing, who installed our initial water heater in our home built in 2015, quoted us ~$2000 to replace the water heater. When the installer arrived, he told us that codes changed and we needed another 'water retainer' and new venting and doubled the quote. Somehow he just remembered all of this after getting to our house. My wife had little choice on having them replace the water heater. When I found out the price doubled (~$4000) I was irate. This is incredibly unethical. Adding water retainer and some venting in no way should double the price.Unfortunately, this is just the beginning. Shortly after the install, which required ceiling cut-outs to provide venting, we noticed our window was broken right where he was working. He did not tell us. We reported it to B&L and after weeks of trying to get a response (we have a documented timeline), they said he had pictures. Well, they sent us pictures that doctored the dates. However, in their deceit, they failed to also update the file names which clearly show he took the picture of the broken window after he cut the ceiling. He had said he took pictures before starting work, but this is simply NOT TRUE. It is clear they tried to deceive us. The attached images show the filenames we received from B&L that include the date/time (oops) pics were taken and clearly show he took picture of broken window after he cut the ceiling.Also, they sent the pictures after they offered to split the new window 50/50 (weird, huh?).Other things that occurred with this technician:- when removing the old water heater he spilled water all way to door - put work materials on our nice new ping pong table - moved furniture and didn't put it back when he was finished - cut a hole that wasn't needed (one more hole we need to patch)- oh, and the work DIDN'T PASS INSPECTION!We are incredibly frustrated with how B&L treats its customers. We need the window replaced and a rebate for the price gouging.

  

  Business response

  01/25/2022

  see attachment

  Customer response

  01/27/2022

   
  Complaint: 16484866
  
  I am rejecting this response because we need agreement on the resolution below:
  
  

  FACTS:

  - We never said that ******* tried to 'doctor' ******************** It is clear that the images show that the installer DID break the window

   - B&L Plumbing said he took pictures before he started working

   - No picture showing both un-cut ceiling by window and the broken window

   - Broken window picture taken 45 minutes after the cut ceiling photo 

   - No reason for 'technician' to take picture of broken window after ceiling was cut, unless he planned to deceive us (try to deceive us)

   - Image ****'s ************* **** was removed from the picture showing the cut ceiling

   - Image ****'s ************* **** was NOT removed from the picture showing the broken window

   - These images were NOT just taken and forwarded to us as suggested

   - Their 'technician' provided images in an attempt to deceive us

   - The 'technician' did not change the filenames which clearly show the date/time the picture was taken (yes, he got caught!)

   - B&L Plumbing chose to simply forward these photos, without attempting to discern or clarify that indeed it was proof that the window was broken before work began

   - B&L Plumbing is COMPLICIT in trying to deceive us that their 'technician' did not break the window

  - All of the other concerns we have regarding their 'technician' are back-story showing the incredibly poor workmanship on behalf of their 'technician'

  
  

  RESOLUTION: In light of all of the above, we require the following to resolve this issue:

  1) Admit IN WRITING that the photos DO NOT prove that the window was broken before work began and as B&L Plumbing accept fault for breaking the window

  2) Agree to pay the full invoice provided by the Company we choose to fix the broken window based on the aforementioned estimate

  
  

  We no longer request any rebate as my wife signed the paperwork, however, we feel that the BBB needs to be aware of the deceptive business practices of B&L Plumbing in an effort to provide more info in the event other complaints are raised against B&L Plumbing and their business practices in the future.

  
  

  This has been an awful experience with B&L Plumbing and their ********** ******** We have spent much time and effort to get this issue addressed. Accidents happen, if B&L Plumbing would have just accepted their error and addressed the issue it would have been addressed long ago. Now we are forced to use any/all tools at our disposal to get an acceptance of fault.

  
  

  We want this to be done.

  
  

  Sincerely,
  ******* & *********************

• Initial Complaint

  11/15/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  They did not perform the task requested and charged 75 dollars for doing absolutely nothing!

  

  Business response

  12/15/2021

  Please see attachment.

  Customer response

  12/15/2021

   
  Complaint: 16141674
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  Unable to read the response. Please make it available to me via e-mail.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

  

  Business response

  12/16/2021

  RE: case #********: ***************************

   

  Mr. Borrow called in to B & L Plumbing on 11/1/2021 @ 12:37 PM.  He had asked if we could get a plumber out to help him with an issue he was having .  He requested we get our tech out to put a blow out in the "correct place" on the sprinkler system as he feels the one, he has existing is installed wrong.  I explained to him that I could get a technician out for on 11/5/2021 for an arrival of 2-4PM   I then stated what he can expect for that visit is a $75.00 "Trip Fee" and at that time my certified tech will look at the situation and go over any options available so he can choose the best option for him and confirmed that this would be ok, **************** replied that would be fine and we confirmed appointment time.  Our Technician, ****** went out at the stated appointment and found that the bonnet on his vacuum breaker was sticking.  Our technician went over the option over replace the vacuum breaker as well as put it on the invoice under suggested work.  **************** did not agree with this or choose this option as he feels we can just install a different part and it would fix it.  The part he had suggested to my technician is not a part that exists.  We could not fix it the way he felt we could have been able to.  My technician could have charged him an additional diagnostic fee but felt since we could not help him out the way he had hoped that only charging the trip fee was fair.  **************** felt since we did not fix it or do it the way he wanted we should not have charged him, but again we have a standard trip fee for every call that we go out on to cover the fully stocked vehicle, gas, insurance technician's wages for the time it takes to drive out to the call.  I explained this again to **************** when he called for his money back, but he still disagreed with this.   Thank You..  *****************************  

  Customer response

  12/17/2021

   
  Complaint: 16141674
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  The part they are talking about does exist. Bottom line they did NOT do what I asked. I am the customer and they ignored my request totally!
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩