ComplaintsforLake Cook Plumbing Service, Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  05/17/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  They made us sign a promissory prior to work for $403.85 to fix a leak on 5/16/2022. The plumber only opened a hole in the drywall spending only an hour. He didn't fix a thing and still charged the entire amount. We contacted the owner, and he refused to do anything about it.Worst service ever.

  

  Business response

  05/31/2022

  My technician visited the home on 5/16/22 and the only person he worked with was the husband (***** was not home).  The husband reviewed the reason for the service call with our technician when he arrived.  He stated that he noticed a water spot that was on the ceiling below a 2nd floor bathroom.  He stated that he drilled 3 small holes in the drywall where the water spots were and there seemed to be some moisture by the holes.  My technician proceeded to inspect the 2nd floor bathroom for any obvious signs of a water leak there were no obvious signs.  He then proceeded to tell the husband that he would recommend to open the ceiling by the water spots to further investigate.  This of course would be a chargeable service.  He wrote up an estimate for the fee of $403.85 to open the ceiling and perform tests in order to diagnose the source.   The husband agreed to the fee and signed the agreement.  Our technician then started the work.  He had to open 3 sections of drywall (each aprox. 12x12).  The reason he had to open a larger section was due to no immediate plumbing pipes in the joist bay as well as no signs of water leaking.  After opening the 3rd hole, he was able to see the plumbing for the upstairs bathroom.  He began to test the shower valve, shower drain, toilet water line, and toilet drain. After utilizing the water and the drain for each of these plumbing fixtures,there were no signs of water dripping on the ceiling below.  Further review of the bathroom shower, our plumber noticed that the shower stall door system was closed the wrong way.  The left door was in the right position and the right door was in the left position.  This does create a gap in the door frame close the plumbing wall that can allow water to run out and down the side and pool up on the floor by the base.  After further investigation, and reviewing inside the joist bay from the ceiling below, the water staining appeared to be inline with the section of the door.  Without being able to recreate a leak and discovering the shower doors being in the wrong position,Lake Cook Plumbing concluded that water is leaking out of the gap in the door and spilling on the floor at the shower base finding its way into the joist bay below.  This leak only can happen when someone is physically in the shower.  The husband was appreciative of this investigation.  ***** was no part of our service call and called us after learning from her husband what we did.  She called and tried to minimize the work done and said that is was too expensive.  Our technician and myself spoke to her on the phone and explained everything that was done.  She still repeated that it was too expensive.  We also explained that we do not perform any work without prior written approval of the estimate in order for the customer to verify the amount to be charged for the work being performed.  She then said Well,thats just my husband and he will sign anything.  I explained that the fee for the work was agreed to prior to beginning the work and the fee was justified.

  Customer response

  06/02/2022

   
  Complaint: 17211628
  
  I am rejecting this response because: The estimate of $403 was to fix the problem.  The plumber told us that he would have to change pipes.  To perform that work, $403 is reasonable.  To do nothing, it is not.  The plumber did not fix the problem, and no pipes had to be changed.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

  

  Business response

  06/08/2022

  As stated in the original agreement, the original quote was to open the ceiling and expose where the issue was to determine what was happening.  In no way would we have been able to make the recommendation to change pipes when we had not even opened the ceiling to see where the issue was.  It would be impossible for us to have said the $403 included the repair because, at this time, we had no idea what was leaking.  The quote was for opening the ceiling to see what was going on in order to give a proper quote to make a repair.  After the ceiling was opened, it was determined no repair was needed due to the fact that no pipes were leaking.  We presented the quote to open the ceiling prior to any work being performed and it was agreed to by the customer (husband of the complainant).  After we opened the ceiling and if a pipe was found to be leaking, we would have quoted additional fees to make that repair.  This process was explained to the husband prior to us opening the ceiling.  Since there was no leak found (other than our determination the shower door problem as previously stated), our services concluded with the original agreed upon fee.

  Customer response

  06/14/2022

   
  Complaint: 17211628
  
  I am rejecting this response because: as stated in the prior complaint, the service provider never stated that the quote was only to open a hole in the ceiling and not fix the leak.  He stated that the quote was to fix the leak.  It's completely ridiculous to charge $400 just to make a hole in the ceiling.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

  Customer response

  06/21/2022

  Invoice is attached

  

  Business response

  06/23/2022

  Per the agreement sent by the customer, please review this  for acknowledgement of what the customer is stating she did not know.  Please keep in mind, the complainant *****, was not present in the home during the service call.    The first part states "Open Ceiling, Expose Leak Layout Drop Cloth, Cut Open Ceiling, Expose Leak Remove Debris." which is absolute acknowledgement that the customer was aware of what the fee was for and what work was going to be performed.  The second part states "Opened drywall.  Found no leaking coming from shower or toilet drain.  Found water staining on joist right below shower door.  Water likely getting on floor when shower is in use." which shows the results of our conclusion.  As previously stated, this agreement was signed by the complainant's husband prior to any work being performed.  It is the opinion of Lake Cook Plumbing that no refund of monies is due.  

  Customer response

  06/24/2022

   
  Complaint: 17211628
  
  I am rejecting this response because: No written document of the agreement was ever given to us.  The plumber who was at the house, only told us that he had to open a hole in the ceiling and that signing the document had us agree to allow him to open the hold and fix the leak.  The leak was never fixed.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

  

  Business response

  06/27/2022

  I am unsure as to why the customer is stating they never received a copy of the agreement.  We are a paperless company and all of our agreements are on a tablet that the customer reads and then signs.  Our software system also tracks a variety of information for each customer of ours.  One of the items it tracks is an email correspondence with the customer.  As you will see below, the customer was emailed the invoice for *********************** (aka the agreement that I previously attached). The timestamp also shows our technician emailed the invoice and that the customer opened the document. 

  "**** Eck emailed invoice to **********************:
  Status: Opened
  5/16/2022 10:13 AM"

   

  I am also confused as to why the customer believes the price including fixing the leak.  As previously stated, there is no way possible for us to have quoted that fee before opening the drywall.  At that point in time, prior to opening the drywall, we had no idea what was leaking.  It is impossible to quote a repair until we physically see the problem.  This is why we first quote for opening the ceiling in order to then visually inspect and recreate the leak.  Then at that point, we would have been able to quote the repair.  As previously stated, we would have gladly given a quote to fix the leak, however, when the ceiling was opened, there was no water or drain pipe leaking.  And as previously stated, it was found that the shower doors were in the reverse position, which causes the door to not seal properly.  This is when our technician concluded there was no leak and that the water staining appeared to be in the same location as the shower door.  It is literally impossible for us to fix a leak that was never quoted and never identified.  I still find no justification for any reimbursement considering everything was agreed to before performing work and the complainant was never involved with any of the discussions on site, her husband was our customer.

   

  Customer response

  06/29/2022

   
  Complaint: 17211628
  
  I am rejecting this response because:   The business states that ***** was not involved, only *****.  We are both part of these responses.  I, *****, categorically state that when the plumber asked me to sign, he gave me absolutely no documents.  He stated that the leak would be fixed for $403.  They never fixed the problem, they only spent a few minutes to open a hole in the ceiling.  We reject everything that this company says.  They are thieves, and we will not partake of any more of their continued lies through BBB.  We will take court action instead.
  
  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. ↩