ComplaintsforHydromax Plumbing Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  12/23/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We had water backing up in our basement. Has been a ongoing issue for a while. Finally we wanted to use someone else so we called Hydromax. They came out and scoped our sewage lines. And found roots growing into our pipe causing water to back up into the basement They then went out to the backyard it located where the problem pipe was. They explained to me that they would have to dig a hole and repair a pipe cost would be $1900. came out in beginning of September this year To repair a sewage line. However about a month or so ago we had the exact same issue water backing up in the basement. I called another company to come out and inspect what is actually going on. They found the immediate problem before the Line that hydromax fixed was very bad.(did not fix the correct pipe) my wife reached out to ****** that works at your company. He Explain to her that he would send a crew out To inspect what happened. ****** then called her back. He said they will credit us the amount that we paid and would repair line. They even acknowledge that the wrong line was fixed. Saying there was a second line apparently that bad to Then They ran into an issue that the AC unit Has to be moved because the correct line that was stopped up with roots is directly underneath the AC condenser unit. That's when I got involved. So it will be on $700-$1000 to move the Condenser. Bottom line is they fix the wrong line. This is a huge inconvenience for us because we are trying to sell the house. And I'm not paying another dime for something that should've been fixed the fist time. And I get it if they would have correct line we would've had to pay the additional amount to move the condenser unit. But that didn't happen. It did not get fixed that I just wanted my money back. And now it's been about two weeks. I've reached out to him and he says he needs to talk to you been going back-and-forth for about two weeks and finally he reach out to me yesterday. Not paying

  Business response

  02/07/2022

  Business Response On September the 3rd Hydromax did a job at **** ***** ****** Road for the customer ****** *******. A drain cleaning technician had previously been at the property and found a stoppage and broken pipe approximately 3' outside of the ac unit. Our crew arrived on site and excavated the area in question. Once excavated down to the sewer pipe we found the area where an old cleanout had been installed improperly by cutting a square hole in the sewer pipe and setting another pipe perpendicular to the sewer pipe to act as an access point or cleanout for the line. In this area there were multiple breaks in the pipe and roots that were inside the pipe. Our crew repaired the section of pipe and used the camera to inspect downstream in the sewer out to the main where we found no other issues. The line was tested by running water and flushing toilets and all water flowed as it should. On or around the 26th of November we received a call from the homeowner stating that there was another issue that was found by another company, and we responded to go look and see where this issue was. When locating the second issue in the sewer line it was found to be closer to the home under the ac unit. I contacted the homeowner, apologized for not finding it, but explained that with that issue being before the section that we repaired we did not think to look back towards the house because the drain cleaning technician that came before us passed that spot up already. I assured her that I would get it taken care of before we found that the ac condenser did not have sufficient slack in the freon lines to safely move the unit out of the way to make the repair. This unit would have had to be moved regardless of if we had found the second issue at the time that we repaired the first issue. I offered to not charge for time or material for our company to dig up and repair the second issue but would have to either charge to have a HVAC company come and move the unit or let the homeowner call a company to have it moved. The second repair that if found at the time of repairing the first issue would have needed to be estimated again because it went beyond the scope of work that I had quoted over the phone with the drain cleaning technician. It was verbally accepted by the homeowner normal charges for the extra work would have totaled approximately 1300 + the removal and replacement of the ac unit to complete the job properly and safely. I offered to do the repair for free with the exception of removal and replacement of the ac unit. The homeowner was not willing to accept my offer and fought with me for multiple day even while agreeing that they understood that the ac unit would have had to have been moved regardless of the time of repair. The result were multiple angry text messages and refusal to pay to have the ac unit moved. Then I was contacted by the husband about the issues and when told our deal to do the repair for free he also became angry and threatened to come to my office every day until he found me. Not stating what his intentions were with coming to the office. The original bill was $1900.00 to excavate with a machine to the sewer pipe and repair a broken section of pipe with roots in it. That scope of work was completed we have pictures of the broken pipe and the repair that was made. I feel that we were more than generous in offering to repair the second sewer issue for free and only having to charge for the moving of the ac unit. At this time, we have done all we can to accommodate the homeowner but they are not happy with the decision Consumer Response (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) They did not fix anything. They are stating that there was another damaged pipe. How is that possible if they use the camera Before digging. If that was OK as it should've been brought up then. Also they have to go in the house with the camera And snake it outside to the backyard. The pipe is still damaged is right at the foundation of the house. Where the metal pipe meets PVC pipe. That one should've been fixed. But instead they fixed a pipe after that one? Here's what happened. They clearly marked it wrong and fix the wrong pipe and is trying to cover it up. Add this point I don't want them to credit my account back 1900. Because now they're saying I have to fix another pipe but it Will require to move my outside AC unit. Which will be about a grand. I want a full refund Since they did not fix anything. This is a big inconvenience because of something that was missed and not done right the first. Cost of doing business I will not except anything other than a full refund. Business Response They stand by their response. On September the 3rd Hydromax did a job at **** ***** ****** Road for the customer ****** *******. A drain cleaning technician had previously been at the property and found a stoppage and broken pipe approximately 3' outside of the ac unit. Our crew arrived on site and excavated the area in question. Once excavated down to the sewer pipe we found the area where an old cleanout had been installed improperly by cutting a square hole in the sewer pipe and setting another pipe perpendicular to the sewer pipe to act as an access point or cleanout for the line. In this area there were multiple breaks in the pipe and roots that were inside the pipe. Our crew repaired the section of pipe and used the camera to inspect downstream in the sewer out to the main where we found no other issues. The line was tested by running water and flushing toilets and all water flowed as it should. On or around the 26th of November we received a call from the homeowner stating that there was another issue that was found by another company, and we responded to go look and see where this issue was. When locating the second issue in the sewer line it was found to be closer to the home under the ac unit. I contacted the homeowner, apologized for not finding it, but explained that with that issue being before the section that we repaired we did not think to look back towards the house because the drain cleaning technician that came before us passed that spot up already. I assured her that I would get it taken care of before we found that the ac condenser did not have sufficient slack in the freon lines to safely move the unit out of the way to make the repair. This unit would have had to be moved regardless of if we had found the second issue at the time that we repaired the first issue. I offered to not charge for time or material for our company to dig up and repair the second issue but would have to either charge to have a HVAC company come and move the unit or let the homeowner call a company to have it moved. The second repair that if found at the time of repairing the first issue would have needed to be estimated again because it went beyond the scope of work that I had quoted over the phone with the drain cleaning technician. It was verbally accepted by the homeowner normal charges for the extra work would have totaled approximately 1300 + the removal and replacement of the ac unit to complete the job properly and safely. I offered to do the repair for free with the exception of removal and replacement of the ac unit. The homeowner was not willing to accept my offer and fought with me for multiple day even while agreeing that they understood that the ac unit would have had to have been moved regardless of the time of repair. The result were multiple angry text messages and refusal to pay to have the ac unit moved. Then I was contacted by the husband about the issues and when told our deal to do the repair for free he also became angry and threatened to come to my office every day until he found me. Not stating what his intentions were with coming to the office. The original bill was $1900.00 to excavate with a machine to the sewer pipe and repair a broken section of pipe with roots in it. That scope of work was completed we have pictures of the broken pipe and the repair that was made. I feel that we were more than generous in offering to repair the second sewer issue for free and only having to charge for the moving of the ac unit. At this time, we have done all we can to accommodate the homeowner but they are not happy with the decision

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