ComplaintsforK & G Plumbing & Heating, Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  11/27/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Called K&G out to tear roots out of the plumbing under the house. They quoted $150-$300 depending on labor. They sent 2 people even though it seemed only one was working at a time while the other watched. They were there for- I want to say only about 1.5 hours (I have yet to see the actual GPS time stamp to prove otherwise) and billed 6 man hours. While they were there they broke the cap to my water main and had to replace it. Apparently didn’t get it on right or brought a bad replacement because after my first toilet flush the cap went flying across my basement and my toilet started flooding into the basement as well. After they left everything got worse because where I wasn’t having trouble before suddenly all water use resulted in my basement flooding. After calling for two weeks to get the cap put back on correctly- it was made clear by their receptionist that they don’t guarantee service so if I needed them to do the job again I would be billed accordingly. I informed her I would not be requiring their service again but to just please send someone to replace the cap correctly. After 2 weeks they finally sent someone out to replace the cap again and I was billed for this as well. Also paying 2 other plumbers to investigate and finally finish the job they started but in fact only made worse. After getting a third plumber out with a scope to figure out the problem we discovered they (K&G) somehow dropped the broken cap into my pipes and failed to mention anything about it. Originally I called to get a head of the problem by having the roots torn out so I could pour copper sulfate into the lines and have it attack the exposed roots. I wasn’t actually experiencing problems until after they came. They billed excessively for their time, billed for each mistake, wouldn’t guarantee service was finished or done correctly and failed to mention they added a massive blockage by dropping the cap in there causing me to pay 2 other companies to fix the problem K&G created.

  

  Business response

  11/27/2023

  Customer came into office contesting the hours billed.  After review of paperwork, timecards, GPS and talking to plumbers onsite, I determined billing was accurate, and actually they had been undercharged for the first visit when the sewer line was run with the sewer machine 120’ pulling back tree roots and also ran the floor drain.
  It is more efficient to use 2 people when cleaning a sewer line, especially that distance.  Customer complained she was billed for 2 people.  This was explained to the customer when she was in the office.  Other companies may do things differently.
  As sign of good faith I did adjust invoice, giving credit for 1/2 hr helper and the full $90 service all charge for the 10/26/23 visit to replace the cap, and charged only for a new cap.  I also provided a more detailed description of the work provided after speaking with the plumbers onsite.  We cleaned out both the sewer and the floor drain and applied cleaner to floor drain flushing with buckets of hot water.
  In total customer was billed for (3) hours @ plumber rate and 2.5 hours @ the helper rate, cleaner and a cleanout plug.
  I called customer back with my findings and sent out a letter date 11/7/23 along with a revised invoice.  Customer did email a video picture that I placed with the other paperwork.

  

  Business response

  12/08/2023

  K&G has already responded to this on (2) different dates November 27, 2023 and December 1, 2023.  Response is the same as previously, they called for service & we provided the service.  We also responded when they reported the cap had come off after line cleaned and needed replaced. (We were not aware of anything in the line.)  As stated by the customer in her complaint, she told us would not be requiring service again but to just send someone to replace the cap.  We did replace the cap as our scheduled allowed, unaware of any other issue at the time. We had to return again to replace a defective cap.  We did not charge anything for this.  Customer was billed for (3) hrs @ $90.00 and (3) helper hrs @ $65.00/hr to auger sewer 120' pulling back tree roots, auger floor drain and apply cleaner to floor drain flushing with hot water.  We will often used (2) people on long drain runs as it is more productive and safer.  These jobs can range significantly in the amount of time needed.  I checked everything, including our GPS system & spoke with the plumbers onsite.  We use GPS as a referral tool and nothing I can really provide to the customer.  We have already adjusted the billing once.  I am willing to discuss additional one time discount for the helper hours.

  Customer response

  12/12/2023

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  You left a drain cap in my septic line. This created further need for other plumbers to come and remedy the problem your company caused. I spent nearly as much on calling in other plumbers as you are trying to bill for. Money I wouldn’t have needed to spend if a) you guaranteed your service or b) at the very least had the decency to mention the problem you created so it could’ve been remedied the first time I needed to call someone else. You left me with no plumbing for a month, left me and my child unable to flush the toilet, shower or do laundry in our own home and you want to bill $600 for leaving us in this state without the decency to simply say you had made a mistake- never mind doing the truly right thing to just fix the mistake you made. I have photo evidence of what was left behind from your company that caused the problems I suffered after they left. I can very easily get a written statement from the plumber who found the cap stating how much roots were left in there as well clearly indicating that you not only caused me more problems than I had before I called you but that the job they claimed to be doing was simply not done. Your company cost me more than what you are billing for and that’s not including the condition you left me, my home and my family in- in the process of doing a job that you don’t guarantee- for very obvious reasons. If you think wreaking havoc on peoples homes is due cause to bill $600 I have a whole bunch of reasons to say you are mistaken. Please strongly reconsider your counter offer in attempt to make this right. Yes, you knocked some money off the initial bill but that was before you were made aware of the grave mistake your people made by putting that cap into my lines. A cap that almost caused me to have to completely redo all plumbing under my home. It easily could’ve cost me my home and you seem to believe it’s simply not your problem but worthy of my further expense.  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** ******

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