Complaints

This profile includes complaints for S and J Plumbing's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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  S and J Plumbing

  8 W College Dr unit e Arlington Heights, IL 60004

  
• 

  S and J Plumbing

  8 W College Dr Ste E Arlington Hts, IL 60004-1962

  

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. 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.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/27/2025

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On April 23, 2025, S and J Plumbing was contacted to fix my father's garbage disposal and broken pop-up assembly. My father is 80 years old, disabled, and speaks English poorly. The technician (*******) first tried to sell him a membership for $99/year. My father declined.Then ******* looked at the garbage disposal and pop-up assembly and determined that they both needed to be replaced. He went over options and my father said that we wanted the cheapest stuff. ******* then presented my dad with an estimate of $1950, which seemed excessive to my father. But, he is not a handy guy and did not know how much the parts cost and so he agreed to it. ******* finished the work in about two hours and my father paid him. After he left, my father called me and we looked up all the prices of the newly installed parts. The new 1/2 HP Insinkerator Badger 5 has an average retail cost of approximately $150. And after physically looking at the assembly he used, I determined that it was around $30.The breakdown of the costs according to the invoice were:Insinkerator install and parts: $1239 Pop-up install and parts: $739 Senior discount: -$25 If you subtract the retail costs of the parts, then the total paid for labor is $1770. Divided by the two hours he was there, S and J Plumbing charged $885/hour for labor costs. Even if the parts were double retail ($300 disposal and $60 pop-up assembly) the hourly would still have been $795/hour.I called S and J Plumbing and asked ***, the service manager, why the costs were so high (because my father doesn't know any better). He told be that those were the costs in the "book" and did not specify what book. He also refused to discount anything further because already gave a $25 senior discount.We feel that S and J Plumbing took advantage of a senior citizen who does not know any better. In doing further research about S and J plumbling, we can clearly see that this is their standard operating procedure.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/02/2025

  Hello, 

  Thank you for your feedback. It was a pleasure speaking to you over the phone after this complaint. I am glad we were able to better understand each others perspective on this situation. We talked about standard pricing out of our book that pertains to scope of work and not age of customer or any other demographic variables. I also understand how you felt your Dad has been taken advantage in the past and you keep an eye out for him. To avoid these situations we always give pricing upfront before we start which your Dad approved. We talked about pricing and how a business operates with direct costs, overhead, and profit in mind. You expressed that you have a handyman that can do the work except he was not available. We talked about the requirement of a plumbing license to do this work. We also verified the amount of time our tech spent there at the home was more then you realized. In the end I definitely understand your perspective and concern. I am glad we were able to resolve your concern. ***

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/02/2025

   
  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

  Date:02/28/2025

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On December 2, 2024 S& J Plumbing arrived at my house due to a bath tub that wouldnt drain. They rodded the drain and it didnt work. As Stated in the invoice, they found all piping to be in poor shape but did not attempt to create a long term plan to replace pipes gradually. They went into the crawlspace and took pics of my old pipes and spoke about waste and overflow which they said would cost a minimum of $8,000 or more to replace pipes, traps etc. They removed a drum trap and a lavatory drain. We agreed to a new pvc Pipe trap and they removed the old one. I was glad the bathtub was finally draining water .We noticed immediately after the work was completed, when we were using the washing machine or the sump pump was working, the bath tub and bathroom sink would start gurgling, making loud noises and emitting bubbles/air in the sink with a foul smell. We had Christmas in 2024, then a death in the family in January 2025, and I finally called ***** plumbing on February 25, 2025 and the owner *** was belligerent, accusing me of lying about the situation and waiting too long to report this. As a widow, I felt taken advantage of. They absolutely created the problem and the owner interrupted me, laughed at me, and spoke over me and called me a liar which has never happened to me in my life! He refused a partial refund of $1,500 to me saying they did not create this problem and I know they did! I do not trust S&J to come into my home as *** suggested to look at the problem. They would likely charge me thousands of dollars again if I let them in for a problem that happened immediately after they completed their work. The owner treated me very badly and was aggressive to me instead of attempting to deescalate the situation. I believe I am entitled to the $1,500 I am requesting from them.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 03/17/2025

  Thank you for your feedback. Our goal here at S and J Plumbing is to provide a 5-star experience for all our customers. We have over ************ reviews found all over the internet from satisfied customers. We are proud of those reviews! I was contacted by ******** Polka on February 27th, 3 months after her service appointment in which she left us a 5-star review. ******** and I spent 20 minutes on the phone together. Within the first 3 minutes of calling in she demanded that I refund her $1,500. I was shocked by this request because prior to this demand  she stated the work we did was fine but now there is another issue. She stated that she was unsure but that she had read online that it could potentially be related to the work we did 3 months ago. Naturally I offered for us to go back to the house to look at and help solve the new issue. ******** became irritated and stated that I should give her money back and she did not want anyone back to the house. During the remaining ***** minute conversation she continued to berate me and demand money back and accuse me of not providing her with satisfactory customer service. Since then ******** has gone on several review sites bashing our company in hopes of leveraging her request for a $1500 refund. As a plumbing provider to the community I always want to provide our customers with an Honest and ********************* Unfortunately based on the conversation with ******** I believe she is attempting to take advantage of us. I can also share a copy of the phone recording if needed.  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/17/2025

   
  Complaint: 23005150
  
  I am rejecting this response because:  I never once said I wasnt sure that the work your guys did was correlated with the ensuing plumbing problems.  I KNOW it was.  The guys were down in the crawlspace for hours sawing and replaced a pipe and put in a pvc pipe.  I was not down there to supervise.  I am not a plumber.  I called you on February and the work was done in December, a 2 month interim, not 3 month.  I gave a good review immediately because the bathtub drained!  But soon after, the gurgling and roaring began in my drains.  The ensuing drain gurgling when I wash clothes has never happened in 30 years!  Ive also heard it when it rains!  

  I dont want your business back in my house because you already charged me $3,000.  I dont need to be charged more for your mistakes.  I do not trust your business.  My first water bill after your guys did work was $275!  Thats also never happened in 30 years!
  

  YOU berated ME.  Your job was to ********** a customer who was unhappy.  Instead you accused me of lying repeatedly, YOU berated me, interrupted me, and talked over me. You treated me shabbily and unprofessionally.  Also, it is ILLEGAL IN ******** to record our phone conversation.  I did not give consent to a recording.  As a business owner, you should know that.  This situation remains unresolved.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *** Polka

  

  Business Response

  Date: 04/02/2025

  Thank you for your response. I do sympathize with any person who has plumbing issues as they are typically unexpected and expensive. However, I do not agree with the statements Jenn ***** has made here. While I feel obligated to honor her request of a $1500 refund, I can not do so out of principal. The information that Ms. ***** has provided has been inconsistent and inaccurate. Ms. ***** continues to criticize my efforts to gather the facts and resolve this situation. I recently offered her another solution to rectify this situation which she declined. We are not in the business of "paying someone off to make them go away", which is what I feel Ms. ***** is looking to do. Unless Ms. ***** can provide factual information that shows we caused her new issues (an invoice from another plumbing company rectifying and stating what caused the issue), I can not provide her with her request of a $1500 refund. At S and J Plumbing we are committed to providing a 5-star experience to all of our customers as evident by our over ***** positive reviews.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/06/2025

   
  Complaint: 23005150
  
  I am rejecting this response because:  I am not a plumber as I have stated.  My only resource is online and speaking with friends/family members.   Having said that, I am an educated woman. I have never stated misinformation or inconsistencies with my account of the aftermath of your plumbing work.  I have stated the facts as I know them.    Ive lived in my home for 30 years and have never heard the sounds that come out of my bathroom drains until S&J came to fix my non-draining tub.  Gurgling, roaring, and air coming out of the drains at one point popping up the strainer in my bathroom sink.  
  

  i dont want S&J coming back here because I know their work created this vent/air situation by them not installing a pipe right or clogging a vent. They know what happened but wont say it.  Also, I dont want to be hit with another $3,000 bill.

  The owner took a dislike to me from the first phone call.  Instead of deescalating a problem, he went on the offense, accusing me of lying, berating me, etc.  He calls this a shakedown. That is ridiculous.  I have a stellar reputation in my community and dont need this aggravation in my life.  I also dont appreciate being recorded on a phone call without my consent.  And no, a message saying the phone call may be recorded did not happen prior to us speaking.  

   

  And so the situation remains unresolved.  If anyone was a victim of a shakedown, it was me.  He received $3,000.  I received zero and roaring/gurgling noises that happen throughout the day and night.  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *** Polka

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/13/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Yard hose bib and valve replacement during regular business hours was quoted at $ 1405 ( included $ ***** discount for review and $ ***** discount First time customer). *** was completed in ***** min. I was taken advantage and was scammed as the price of 2 small parts and plumbers hourly services do not add up to the price I was charged. No breakdown if the cost of labor and material.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/09/2024

  Hello,
  
  Thank you for providing feedback to better service our customers. ********************** is committed to providing a 5-Star experience on every job. 
  
  I have tried to contact ************** on two occasions before this BBB complaint was opened to try to resolve the issue but ************** has been unreachable. 
  
  On 6-12-24 at 1:12pm ************** called in to S and J Plumbing requesting service for a leaking hose ****. At 1:41pm her plumber was dispatched to her home arriving at 2:42pm. In under two hours we arrived at her home because we value our customers' time and needs. ****** the technician spent time investigating the issue and came up with two options to rectify the problem. ****** proposed a premium option and a very good option with the price for both. ************** chose and signed for the premium option. Because ****** came in a fully stocked truck ready to get the job done he began the work immediately. ****** being an experienced service technician was able to complete the job flawlessly at the time of the appointment. ************** signed off for satisfactory completion of the job and paid the invoice. 
  
  It is disappointing to hear that ************** said she was taken advantage of and scammed. ************** was quoted and she approved this quote before the work was started. We find our customers love this process because they know what the cost of the work is before and they can make their decision to either have the work done or take some time to think about it. 
  
  ************** also states two small parts and plumbers hourly services do not add up to what she paid. With all due respect I think there are some missing numbers to this equation. The parts that we stock on our trucks and that were installed in Ms. ****** home were of the most reliable quality. These are not parts that are picked up at the local big box home store that are made of foreign quality. These are handpicked from American made manufacturers that have a proven track record and will last for decades. Our customers find this to be a benefit as they know that once work is completed by us they can expect it to last. Secondly this specific job came with a 5 year warranty, parts and labor. This is in place to bring peace of mind to our customers that the work is guaranteed. Lastly, every business has overhead that must be figured into the price of work. Here are some examples of these costs: fully stocked trucks, advertising, rent, office employee salaries, inventory, electricity, fuel, etc. Then there is profit, a goal of any business. We figure a 10% profit margin into our jobs. For this job as a company we profited $140. This figure seems reasonable to me considering all the work it takes to provide a 5-star service that our customers have come to appreciate and trust.  In conclusion the cost of the work reflects not only the wages that the plumber makes while on the job and the parts they use but also the other expenses and profit needed to operate a plumbing business that puts their customers first and provides an honest and professional service.  
  
  I hope ************** understands this perspective and can reconsider her complaint. It is unfair in my opinion to agree to a price, have the work completed and then ask for money back not because there was an issue with the work. I think it is also unfair that she has gone on multiple review sites to speak negatively about our company when we provided a 5-star experience from the moment she called in for service till the job was complete.
  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/14/2024

   
  Complaint: 21842943
  
  I am rejecting this response because given the amount of time that the company spent on the job, which was no more than an 1 hour 45 minutes, their final price for the installation of the hose **** was unreasonable (especially since other firms in the area have standardized prices for these services upon inquiry in the $500-$600 range). In this manner, they did not provide a price for the service that was in line with other services from comparable companies. 
  
  
  Naturally, any customer in a situation where they are getting plumbing work done will not be an expert in the field and may not know what is an acceptable price for a job; thus, it is imperative that a company prioritizes offering and charging a fair price for their work. For example, while they emphasized the "high-quality" of the parts they used and underscored the seemingly trivial fact (as far as price goes) that the hose **** and associated parts were "made in *******", the vast majority of parts (also made in *******, such as by large plumbing suppliers, like Arrowhead), are found for less than $60.

   

  For this reason, charging these amounts while also stating that the price is due to the high quality of the parts or the ostensibly unique quality of parts being made in the *** on a job amounting to over $1400 dollars is frankly disingenuous. 
  
  
  Likewise, although the business complained about my complaint, the reality is that many other customers have offered up similar complaints on public forums, thus suggesting this is an underlying problem with their business model and not solely an issue with one disgruntled customer.
  
  
  Given these points, I cannot accept the justification for the price charged. I urge S and J Plumbing to reconsider the final price and align it more closely with industry standards and fair pricing practices.
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/05/2024

  Thank you for the follow up reply. 

  With all due respect we quoted the job to you before we started and received your authorization to begin the work. It doesn't seem fair that now the work is complete that you state now you do not agree to the price. Furthermore using examples of other estimates for the same job for labor or material without providing evidence is misleading only to help further your point which is also unfair. We have over ***** five star reviews across multiple platforms that prove we are highly regarded an trusted. We are well aware what are price for services are compared to other companies like ours. We are aware there are people out there who claim to be a licensed plumbing contractor that offer very low prices. We have found that those "companies" have given us a lot of business over there years because their materials and craftsmanship match their low price and need to repaired or replaced in the near future  We are not the cheapest nor the most expensive. We do not price our services based on our competitors but based on our business costs. 

  I have reached out again via phone call to speak with ************** to understand specifically what would be a satisfactory resolution, I await her call back.

   

  Thank you,

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/09/2024

   
  Complaint: 21842943
  
  I am rejecting this response because: After reviewing the business's response, specifically with regard to his comment that its prices are not the most expensive, I have not been able to find a realistic quote for this service that aligns with this statement. In order to be satisfied, I firmly believe the total expense of the job should not exceed $1000. In this sense, lowering the total price of the work completed to $1000 would be a fair compromise.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/14/2024

  I am willing to speak with ************** about her request. It is company policy to not publicly comment about potential refunds. Please reach me at ************ or ***********************************    Thank you.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/26/2024

   
  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

  Date:05/12/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  S and J Plumbing repaired 2 leaking pipes (laundry room and crawlspace). I later found out that the laundry room work was purposely not included in the work order details which was concerning. Later that day the laundry pipe continued to leak so they sent the same tech the next day. I was now being told that it will cost more but the type of repair that the technician proposed was the same repair he proposed the previous day. I refused.The following day the pipe in the crawlspace also leaked and damaged our sump pump which was now soaked with water and beeping indicating a failure. A second technician from S and J came back to fix the leak and saw the damage to my sump pump.I emailed S and J to cancel the agreement and asked for a full refund. Both the pipes that was initially fixed leaked so I had very little confidence on the quality of their workmanship. I was contacted by the owner (*********************). He accepted liability for the damage to our sump pump and agreed for me to get a quote for the repair from the original installers of our sump pump. *** rejected the quote ($3707) to replace my sump pump with the same exact model. He instead offered to send me parts ($301) that he thinks I need so I can fix the sump pump myself. *** also rejected to refund the laundry room work which I paid for them to fix but continued to leak. He said that this work was not on the work order even though his technician worked on it.I replied asking for half ($401.25) of what I paid them since they only fixed one of the two leaking pipes. I also asked for half ($1853.50) the cost for my sump pump to be replaced. *** responded telling me that all he is doing is to give me $301 to buy the sump parts so I can fix it myself. He also offered $100 for inconveniencing me. I replied to *** to let him know that I did not agree to these terms and that our transaction is still open. Im seeking for half refund of the work performed and half of the cost of a new sump pump for a total of $2254.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 06/03/2024

  Thank you, ************, for your feedback as it is important to us to understand the situation better and improve our process where necessary.
  After speaking with ************ and the technicians that were at his home this is my understanding of what took place between ************ and our technicians. I share the writeups of each tech because they were presented to ************ at the end of each job for his approval and signature.
  Our technician was dispatched to your home on 4-25-24. My understanding is that ************ and the technician discussed a leak on copper piping above the water heater in the crawlspace and a leak on copper piping in the ceiling of the laundry room. Our records indicate that three options/estimates were given to ************. Option 1, that includes two tasks: 1st task, replace water heater due to age which would also include fixing the copper pipping above the water heater that was leaking.2nd task fixing the leak on the copper piping in the ceiling of the laundry room. Option 2, one task: replace water heater due to age which would also include fixing the copper pipping above the water heater that was leaking.Option 3, fixing the copper pipping above the water heater only. According to our records ************ agreed and signed off on option #3 at 10:27am. Our technician was at home for approximately 2 hours. After the repair to the copper piping above the water heater was completed, the technician showed the work that was completed to ************ who then signed off at 11:58am for satisfactory completion. Here is the technicians writeup for the visit: Arrived to greet *******. He called us out for an issue with a small drip leak on his hot water line coming out of water heater. Unit is a 38 gal lowboy electric water heater about 10 years old. **** was rusting top of water heater and seemed to be going on for a while. ******* opted not to have us replace water heater and just wanted the leak fixed. I ad used him of dangers of water heater leaking and going out. Informed him on how to shut it off in case this does happen. I will email him estimate so he can have due to age of water heater and not much life left.
  Repaired leak and tested.
  No warranty on existing plumbing.
  ************ called in to the office 2:11pm on the same day of service, 4-25-24. He indicated that there was a drip coming from the laundry room pipe that was fixed. A follow up visit was scheduled for 4-26-24.
  The original technician arrived back to the home on 4-26-24 where a discussion was had. Here is the write-up from the technician for that visit.  Arrived to greet *******. He called us out stating that the pipe in the laundry room had a very slow drip.He thought that the work would be covered under the pipe repair I performed in crawl space on water heater. I advised him that when we spoke yesterday I would only pipe the water heater leaks and if I had to cut out that fitting and pipe the 1 line in the laundry room I would have to charge and could not do that for free. He opted to go with the lowest option and only repair water heater hot and cold line leaks. He stated he thought that was included in the original quote yesterday even though I was very clear on what work I was going to perform.
  He does not want to pay for more work to be performed and wants work under warranty
  
  On 4-27-24 ************ called in to state that the copper piping that was repaired above the water heater in the crawl space was now leaking. We sent a different tech to his home on 4-27-24 who repaired the leak.Here is that techs writeup: Arrive to the home and spoke with *******. He showed me that recent work in the crawlspace is leaking. Had the homeowner shut off water to the home. Drained down the system from the water heater. Found that upstream side of the water heater ball valve had a leak at the solder joint. I was able to clean up this joint and re-solder it. Visually checked for proper seal. Reconnected piping to the water heater and have the homeowner turn the water back on slowly. Purged air from the system and filled. Everything tested fine, no leaks.  ******** also states that previously we had worked on a 1 inch T in the laundry room ceiling. Found that there is a incredibly slow drip on the attempted repair. Customer states that we quoted to do this work and yet didnt complete it to their satisfaction. I advised that the office will talk to all parties involved and reconnect with the homeowner on this issue.  For today, everything operating properly and leak free.Courtesy stop. AC
  
  After these service calls ************ and I exchanged phone calls and emails. ************ stated that his backup sump pump was damaged from the leak that was in the crawlspace due to water hitting the system. When I spoke to the last tech that was at the job he stated that he did not see water getting onto the backup sump pump. The tech did say the water was leaking onto the ground where the sump pump system sat. ************ stated that he had the company who originally installed the backup system and they quoted him $3707 to replace the entire unit. ************ forwarded me the quote which includes a battery, two sump pumps, a charger, and a controller. After reviewing the quote I spoke with ************ whom said he had not gotten the work done yet as he wanted to see if would be paying for it.  I expressed my disagreement that the entire system needed to be replaced. I had also called the pump manufacturer JMI Pumps to enquire if the charger and controller parts could be replaced and where available for purchase without the whole system and they assured me that it could and that the parts were in stock. Here are the part number and their costs that were emailed to me from JMI Charger;AZP-ALP-CHARGER $91.00 and Controller; AZP-ALP-CONTOL $210.00. I also expressed to ************ that from the pictures that the other company took when recommending the replacement of the sump pump system was the first that I saw of the system. From the pictures which are attached it is clearly evident that the system took on sewage water at a prior time before we were there. The battery box where the controller and charger sit was stained with sewage. Also in the picture there is a sewer pipe above it that has been plugged with the wrong type of plug. Also the system looks to be in poor shape and is on the opposite side of the water heater. ************ expressed that he was not a sump pump expert and he just wanted his sump pump system to work like before. As a courtesy I gave him the option of purchasing the damaged parts and replacing them for him which he declined because he said he no loner trusted our workmanship. I then offered to purchase the parts and give them to him so he can have someone else replace the parts or refund him the cost of the parts plus $100 for the inconvenience. ************ declined both options. Here is the text from my email to him:
  *******,
  Again I want to apologize for the leak we had at the water heater, that is on us.  I don't however understand the justification behind requesting a full refund for the work performed. I had spoken with *** about your appointment. He assured me that he did not agree to fix the leak in the laundry room as part of the work at the water heater. I can confirm that with the estimates he had presented to you in our software program. We can argue there was miscommunication but that does not warrant a full refund. Yes we had a leak on the work performed which has a 90 day parts and labor warranty which we honored by coming back to fix the leak. The warranty does not say that then we also refund all your money. I am a reasonable man but when I step back and look at this scenario I can't help feeling as though we are trying to be taken advantage of. To request that we pay $3,700 for parts that cost $301 and are on a system that visibly has incurred water or sewer damage in the past and issue a full refund of $803 is unfair. 
  At this point I am only comfortable moving forward with a refund of $401. $301 and $100 to you for the inconvenience. 
  
  Here is Mr. ***** response:
  ***,
  My counter offer is to split the cost of $803 as the work on the laundry room was not completed and also to split the cost of $3707 for a replacement sump pump. This is for a total of $2255. 
  
  I believe that this is fair as im only paying for half the work performed properly and you are only paying for a damage sump pump that is halfway through its life cycle.
  Here is my response:
  *******,
  With all due respect this is not a negotiation. I looked over your concern, gathered all the information and concluded that we will refund you the $401. We have refunded your credit card, you should see it on your end in a couple days.
  Regards,
  
  Mr. ***** final response:
  For the record, I dont agree to your proposed resolution and this transaction is still open.
  
  In conclusion we had a leak on our work that we back out right away to fix.  I trusted ************ and his claim but after reviewing the information, my conversations with him, and his online reviews that he posted in attempt to sway our decision I have lost trust in what he said took place and the costs associated with them.
  
  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/04/2024

   
  Complaint: 21701061
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  -it is a false claim that my sump pump had sewer water damage. *he technician who came back to repair the pipe by water heater wouldve noted that on his report if indeed he himself saw or noticed that or if detected and sewer smell in the crawlspace. *hrough all my correspondences with the owner, he had not mention that he saw sewer water damage but he is now bringing it up.

  -*he technician initially said that to fix the laundry room pipe that he would have to replace a * connector/elbow. *he work agreement was to fix the water heater pipe in crawlspace and pipe in laundry room. When the technician finished work on the water heater pipe he continued work on the laundry room pipe. After he scraped the pipe and cut out a section of ceiling drywall he then said that to fix the pipe he just has to sweat it to seal the pipe and doesnt have to change the * connector/elbow. When he returned the next day, he is now saying he has to charge more for the part and labor but its the same work he quoted he would do initially.

  -I do not trust S and J to perform any more work at my property. *hey were unable to properly sweat a pipe properly which is a basic plumbing skill so how can I trust them to fix a sump pump system. 

  -S and J didnt evaluate the damage to the sump pump. *hey are making an assumption on how to fix it. *his is why I deferred to the original installers for their expert analysis which they said is to replace the sump pump system due to water damage from the leaking pipe.

  S and J performed work on my home that they purposely left out of the work order and deny details of the repair. Whatever their intentions was on doing this, its not proper business practice. Im asking for half of what I paid them originally since they only performed half of the work agreement. *he work they performed caused damage to my home and what Im asking for is to meet in the middle to have my sump pump system restored back to a proper working condition. 

  As of today, Im still seeking the following:

  -50% refund on what I paid since they only fixed one leaking pipe

  -An updated work order noting the work done in laundry room.

  -50% of the cost to fix my damage sump pump 

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

  

  Business Response

  Date: 06/11/2024

  -The sewer water damage claim is evident in the pictures taken,that have been attached that the company who came out to quote replacement of unit. There is a sewer pipe above the unit in the picture with a temporary cap on it. Our technician never acknowledged damage to the unit only ************ has.Sewer smell does not indicate a past sewer drip or spill.
  -The technician had a conversation about the laundry pipe with ************. As per the signed invoice there was never an agreement to have this pipe repaired.
  -A sump pump is made to be submersed under water so to claim that it needs to be replaced because water sprayed on to it is false. The original installers never indicated why the pumps need to be replaced.
  
  As a courtesy and to show good faith we refunded ************ $401. $301 for the only electronic parts on the system that could be damaged by water (the rest of the system is made to be submersed under water) and $100 for any  inconvenience.  We still have no proof of any of the claims made by ************. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/13/2024

   
  Complaint: 21701061
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

  Attached is email from *********************. *his email was sent after he reviewed all the notes from his technicians as well as the repair report from the original installers of the sump pump. In the email,  ********************* presents a remedy to fix my sump pump system and therefore accepts that the the sump pump was indeed damaged by S and J Plumbing.
  
  *here is no mention from ********************* regarding sewer damage claim from a temporary cap. He reviewed all the information that was presented to him and accepted responsibility for the damage.
  
  I have video of footage (timestamp 11:37:06 AM) of the technician saying to the other technician
  
  Let me get the channels locks so I can disconnect these hoses
  
  He was referring to the hoses connected to the laundry room pipe because he was about to disconnect them so the water will drain so he can replace the the  * connector pipe that he told me he was going to replace.
  

  In the video footage the S and J Plumbing technician can be seen scraping the pipe, disconnecting hoses, and cutting ceiling drywall. *hese are all part of the work that the technician said he was going to perform to replace the * connector.

  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/26/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On 10/12/23 I had a problem with a sewer backup. I called S&J Plumbing. They sent out **** and another plumber. They did not explain the charges to me. They just handed me a tablet to give an electronic signature. They said I needed to pay to drain the pipe, and then for a camera, and then to rod the pipe to remove tree roots. I was charged a total of $2060.30. When I told my HOA, neighbors, friends, and relatives of the cost they all told me I was ripped off and it should have cost less than half of that. This is what it says on a recent Forbes article for the cost of rodding a sewer pipe for tree roots: Sewer Line Repair Prices Tree Roots Removing tree roots from a sewer line costs from $300 to $1,100, in total. Snaking the line costs on the lower end of the scale, while the price of hydro jetting is on the upper end. This matches what I got as estimates from other plumbers online. This plumber did snaking, not hydro jetting, so should have been on the lower side. $300 to snake the drain, maybe another $300 for everything else combined. It took them literally like 3 minutes to drain the water and they charged me $653.08 for a few minutes of work. Then they charged me for the camera which I really didn't even want but they said was necessary. that took them maybe 15 minutes total and they charged me $408.45. I was ripped off and overcharged by $1400. The owner called me today 10/26/23. He asked me why I left a poor review. I explained to him that the rodding should cost around $300 and he said "Yes if that's all they did". I was charged $1048.77 for what he agreed should be $300. That was just for the rodding. The going rate is $300. He tried to BS me and tell me because they had to put a tarp down to keep the floor clean that is why the extra charges. He continued to lie to me about what happened so I hung up. I had thought he called with good intentions to adjust the costs.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/31/2023

  Thank you for your feedback as we are always looking to improve our systems and processes to better serve our customers. I have investigated this concern personally with diligence. I have spoken with both ******************** and ************** in length. Here is my understanding of what happened.  ******************** called in to our office on 10/12/23 to request service for his home due to toilet backing up and it overflows into the first floor when using the shower on the 2nd floor. Our tech arrived at ************************** home on the same day at 4:19 pm. Upon arrival the technician and his helper diagnosed the issue as main sewer backup. The only cleanout access in the home was inside the basement. Most homes have an outside cleanout, ********************** home does not have an outside cleanout. The technician verified that the sewer was charged (holding water). The technician then presented ******************** with 5 options and pricing. ******************** chose one of the options of Drain Charged Main and the cost associated with this and signed to accept on the tablet. This job entails using a special piece of equipment (zip drain, picture attached) to extract water from the sewer to prevent sewage from spilling all over the basement when removing the cleanout cap to rod the line. The technician completed this process then advised ******* from an Inside Cleanout with pricing which ******************** accepted and signed for on the tablet. The technician began to rod the sewer. During the rodding the technician pulled out a large root mass (picture attached) which was causing the blockage and not allowing water to drain from the house. The technician recommended a video inspection of the sewer be done due to his findings of this large root mass that is penetrating the pipe. The technician again presented this option and pricing to ******************** via tablet which was approved with signature. After video inspection (copies of the videos attached) was complete the technician gave ******************** an option with pricing for a permanent repair to avoid this situation from recurring to which ******************** declined. The technician and his helper cleaned up the area, collected payment and left. ********************** was very happy with the work and left us a 5-star review on Google.
  2 weeks later ******************** revised his 5-star review stating he was overcharged for the service on 10/12/23. In the review (picture attached) he explains that most plumbers charge a few hundred dollars for rodding. I do agree there are some companies that charge a couple hundred dollars to rod a sewer, from an outside cleanout. However, the scope of work needed for ********************** home was not just rodding a sewer. There was a charged main, rodding from an inside cleanout and video inspections with copies forwarded to ********************. The access point was inside the home which makes the job more difficult because the technician has to contend with keeping the inside of the home free from sewage while working. I believe ******************** comparing the scope of work that he researched on the internet is different from the scope of work we completed that day for him. I also believe that pricing on the internet does not reflect accurate costs of plumbing work in our market. I followed up and left a voicemail with ******************** as I promised him I would after speaking with the technician that was there at his home. I have not heard back from ******************** until this complaint filed here. I have also included the audit trial from our CRM software that outlines the steps the technician took while at this appointment. Thank you.
  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 11/07/2023

  Complaint: 20788715
  
  I am rejecting this response because: Hi, I never received a notice that the business had responded. According to the response it says I was given 5 choices of steps the plumber could do. This is false. The plumber would tell me what he was doing next and then hand me the tablet that basically only had a box to sign my name. I never saw any options. Second, this owner claims that **** removed a huge clump of roots and then decided to do the camera. That's false. He told me after he drained the water, which he said only took like 3 minutes, that he needed to do the camera next. I wasn't given an option. He said that was the next step. Also as far as gaining access to the pipe through my basement as opposed to through a clean out, it's much easier to access from my basement because it's a straight shot through the pipe. If he had accessed through a cleanout there would be a 90 degree bend. Nothing he type in his response would merit charging over $600 total for the service call. He charged me over $2,000 as shown on the attached invoice. If he doesn't wish to resolve this, that's on him. I will notify my HOA to remove his company from the recommended contractors list. Thanks,
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **********************; 

  

  Business Response

  Date: 11/14/2023

  Thank you **** for your response. While I disagree with your response please call me at ************ so that we can resolve this issue to your satisfaction. Thank you.