ComplaintsforJBG Plumbing

• Initial Complaint

  03/07/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  In fall of 2020 JBG Plumbing installed a new hot water heater with an expansion tank. When installing the expansion tank, they connected galvanized pipe to a brass fitting. A simple internet search will show that connecting these two metals will cause rapid corrosion. Water leaked from the corroded pipe into the electrical connection and fried the unit in February 2023. JBG Plumbing may be employing this same method of installation which will impact many of their past customers! When I asked JBG to compensate me for their mistake, they refused. They even charged me $99.50 for a service call to see the failed unit. I bought a new unit for $610 and installed in myself. (without using the brass fitting!)

  Business response

  03/22/2023

  Dear Better Business Bureau,
  
  We would like to address the customer's concerns regarding the water heater installation and subsequent service call. On September 16, 2020, our team at JBG Plumbing installed a water heater that the customer provided. An expansion tank was also installed alongside the unit. It is important to note that the water heater connections are made of galvanized materials, while the expansion tank is stainless steel. A direct connection between these two materials would lead to electrolysis, which can deteriorate the integrity of the tank and potentially cause leaks in both the water heater and the home's water system.
  
  To prevent this issue, we used a brass fitting as an intermediary between the dissimilar metals, which is a customary method in the plumbing industry. Another common practice is to use a dielectric fitting. Both dielectric and brass fittings are designed to minimize the risk of galvanic corrosion and electrolysis. While brass fittings can corrode over time, they still protect the water heater from more significant damage and can be replaced if needed.
  
  On February 10, 2023, the customer contacted us regarding the water heater tripping the electrical breaker. Our technician found that a leak from the brass fitting on the expansion tank was the cause of the issue. The water heater was deemed to have failed due to the leak, and we provided a quote for a replacement.
  
  However, on March 7, 2023, the customer called again, seeking a refund for both the February 10th service call and the initial installation on September 16, 2020. We were informed that the customer had already replaced the water heater with a new one and installed a new galvanized fitting instead of a brass fitting. This replacement method may lead to electrolysis, as mentioned earlier. Unfortunately, JBG Plumbing was not given the opportunity to provide labor or install the new unit, as the work had already been completed.
  
  We maintain that our installation of the brass fitting was in line with standard plumbing practices and codes. We hope this response addresses the customer's concerns, and we remain committed to providing quality service to all our clients.
  

  Customer response

  03/30/2023

  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.
  
  Regards,
  
  *********************

• Initial Complaint

  07/22/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I requested a plumber to be dispatched to my residence. I advised this company jgb plumbing , I have a leak outside, and I needed a new mixing Valve put in the master bathroom. Upon arrival a technician introduced himself, I showed him the fresh water leak. First of he insisted it was a sewer leak , I told him the sewer was on the opposite side of the home. He immediately began complaining about I dont work on sewer . After a while 10 minutes or so he finally put on rubber gloves and started to investigate where the leak may have bee around a valve. He asked me if I had a shovel and a spade. I gave him each. He started digging about 6 inches down. After 15 minutes we found the leak. It was at the slab of the house. He immediately stated this is a slab leak , they will call you with a bid to fix it . He texted several people. After 15 minutes someone called him back. He put the phone on speaker so I overheard the conversation. The guy said chip away the concrete and cut the pipi, splice a fitting there and fix it . He said he didnt have a chipping drill or any tools. He left and about 40 minutes later returned. He left 13 times throughout the day to get tools I didnt have and parts. By this time it was around 1:30 pm. I was unsure he was capable of completing the job. He was still trying to patch the copper line instead of cutting it like the boss told him to. The boss did drive by early in the morning and told him again cut the pipe and fix it. The tech ruined the copper pipe , broke my porch railing lifting himself up and then dug a 15 foot ditch beside my house. He continues to say I cant fix this. After 2:30 ish two other guys showed up and helped. This tech went in my house and began cutting holes in my sheet rock walls. He said he would have to put holes in the walls until he found a pipe. I stopped him when he said they dont fix sheet rock. After a while all the guys left and after 5 pm a on call guy came and completed the job in 1.5 hours

  Business response

  08/02/2022

  Our tech came out to the customer's home on 7/21 to diagnose the leak in the front yard. Unfortunately, the tech was not better prepared for the call and was lacking tools in order to diagnose the issue and make a repair. When he needed further help two techs came by and assisted. The main water line to the house needed to be replaced. There were a few options discussed due to the difficulty with sleeving a new water line. In an effort to not cut holes inside the home the tech began routing a new water line around outside the home. This option after being tried was not going to be the best fix and sleeving the existing water line under the slab became the best option. To make this repair a hole in the sheetrock did have to be made and water lines cut to determine which one needed to be rerouted. This process was a lengthy one due to the state of the existing water line. The new line was run though and tested and work completed and the hole covered up at a later date to ensure the repair held. This job took place over the course of a whole day and techs did have to be changed out to complete it later in the evening to get water service back. This call could have been completed in a more timely manner and the initial tech been more prepared. JBG reached out the customer and refunded half of the **** and emailed with the customer to do our part and correct the customer's concerns with the work and length of time it took to complete. JBG Plumbing believes the customer's desired settlement has been met with this refund.
  
  Thank you,
  
  Jordan Camerino 
  Project Manager/Senior Estimator
  www.JBGPlumbingTx.com
  o. ************
  d.************
  

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  06/01/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On May 1st we called due to our washer drain and sink drain backing up. It was a Sunday, so we were warned that it would be $250 an hour. They arrived and worked on our plumbing for quite a while even cut a hole in the wall and we thought he had taken care of the problem and he charged us $736.55. The following day, we ran the washer and the drain was plugged and water flooded the room again and sink drain also backed up. We called JBG and left a message. They did not call back. I emailed them when we could not get in touch. When we finally were able to speak to them, they informed us that it would cost another $450. for them to find the clean out and another $400 above that to do the clean out. Needless to say, we did not have THEM come back to our house. I have never had someone charge so much for plumbing much less lead us to believe it was fixed when it wasn't. I have kept copies of our emails. We then called another company, they came out and fixed the problem without even trying to find the clean out and as of today May 31st we have not had another issue. I would have expected JBG to guarantee their service which didn't last for 24 hrs. I will gladly provide the emails that were exchanged prior to hiring another company.

  Business response

  06/20/2022

  Our company was called out for a clog at this address. The owner was informed of the pricing and fees associated with a weekend call and agreed to our service. The owner was informed that there was a possibility of future backups without further investigation and those services were outlined to the customer who declined a follow up appointment. Unfortunately clogs can reoccur and there is no warranty on this situation. Our policy is to advise a camera inspection would be a good idea if a clog does reoccur. That service was declined and no further service was requested.

• Initial Complaint

  05/10/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On Thursday 04/21/2022 JBG Plumbing installed a new sink for me, which I provided. They said the rate would be $99.50 an hour. The work took **** hours. JBG Plumbing billed me for 2 full hours (a 60% markup) and a $65 flat fee for an additional helper. I was not informed that they would charge 2 hours for **** hours of work, nor was I told that there would be a fee for an additional helper. I gave them a check for the full amount, $307.70, which I later cancelled. After the installer left, I discovered that the top left corner of the sink was bent and there were gouges in my granite countertop near the bent sink corner. The faucet baseplate was also loose and unsealed which caused it to leak. I notified them of these issues, and the billing issues, on Monday 4/25. Two weeks later on Friday 5/6 they sent the same technician out to inspect the damage. He tightened and sealed the faucet baseplate but claimed the sink damage was not his fault.They said they would remove the $65 fee but have not done so. They also added a 20% late fee to the invoice on 5/6 even though it had only been 2 weeks since the service, not 30 days. They refuse to replace the sink, but did offer to install a new one if I purchase it. Ideally, I would like for them to pay for and install a new sink and also to repair or pay for repairs to the granite countertop. They are unwilling to do so. I've offered to bear the cost of a new sink and its installation with a different plumber if they will void the original invoice, but they have stopped responding. The last I heard from them was a threat to place a lien against my property for non-payment.

  Business response

  06/22/2022

  Good morning ma'am,
  
  I received the notice for this complaint and we have unfortunately had to take this customer to court regarding this incident. 
  
  We were called out to install a customer provided faucet and sink. After the call was completed the customer paid the invoice and a few days later left a negative review regarding our billing without contacting us first or sharing his concerns witj the technician and office. We charged two hours for the call and materials. Our calls are billed hourly and this call went over an hour so two hours are billed. Several days after this review was left he called the office saying that the technicians had damaged the counter, sink and the faucet was installed improperly. Our disclaimer indicates that a customer is responsible to reach out to us about a concern with defective work before ********************************************** an effort to make things right we scheduled an appointment and sent out a tech. We evaluated the installation and tightened up the faucet. We could not however determine the fault with the sink being bent. One of the corners was bent up and it would not sit flush. This type of incident, if our fault, would typically be brought to our attention the same day and our tech would let us know. Sinks can come out of the box from the manufacturer with this type of a defect though as well. Our compromise was that we would un-install the sink and asked that if the customer could get the sink exchanged we would come back and install it for no charge. This was not accepted by the customer who then informed us that he had put a stop payment on the check for the original appointment. This, making his invoice past due, and continuing to create new totals he believes we should charge him, or owe him for this situation, and tarnish our name, has led to us adding late fees and filing in court against him. This situation includes multiple review updates on his part, a trip he recorded to our office with a customer created invoice with what he believes he owes, and a payment for the price he decided and filed complaints against us. Our resolution is to get this invoice paid for work we completed and go our separate ways.
  
  Thank you, 
  
  Jordan Camerino 
  Project Manager/Senior Estimator
  www.JBGPlumbingTx.com
  o. ************
  d.************
  *******/******/DFW/S.A.
  **********/***********/****
  Commercial & Residential 
  TXRMPL-39725; MMRF-17; BP0020424
   
   

  Customer response

  06/22/2022

  Complaint: 17186454
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  The business owner is wrong or just outright lying about several points. 

  I was never informed that billing would be in hourly blocks. They charged 2 hours of labor for **** hours of work. They also added a "second helper fee" that I was not informed about beforehand.

  I did notify them of the problems regarding both the billing and the damage to the sink within 48 business hours. The work was originally done on a Thursday afternoon. I contacted them about the problems the following Monday morning.
  

  Their terms and conditions that he is citing are not enforceable - I never agreed to any such terms, either through a signed written contract or even a checkbox or button indicating acceptance, and was not even aware of the service agreement until a few weeks after the initial service was done.

  In an attempt to compromise I paid them their invoice total, minus the overbilling for the labor, and minus the material costs of the damaged sink and a countertop repair kit. I had to do this in person and on my own initiative because up until the day before the invoice was due it was still incorrect. They added a "30 day late fee" after only two weeks and did not take it off until just before the invoice was due. They added a "second helper fee", agreed to take it off a few days after the initial service, but did not do so until just before the invoice was due. Either through incompetence or maleficence their billing practices made this whole situation much worse.

  I have paid them more than they deserve and have received nothing in return excepts threats and harassment. Their billing practices are unethical and they have continued to blame me for problems that they have caused.

  The only acceptable resolution at this point would be for them to drop the pending civil suit and agree that I do not owe them anything further.

   

  Regards,

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

  Business response

  06/28/2022

  Good Morning,

  Unfortunately the option to drop the suit is not an option unless ************ pays the past due and reimburses us the attorney fees that we have currently accumulated.

  Our disclaimer was created by our legal team for a situation like this. It is sent out in our initial text and email to a customer as ******** software.

  He received our disclaimer and notice for the scheduled appointment on 4/15/2022 at 10:32am. If he did not agree with those Terms and Conditions, he had every right to cancel.

   

  In regards to his claims. His initial call was recorded as is all communications at our company. We would be happy to share his logged timeline after our hearing.
  

  Customer response

  06/28/2022

  Complaint: 17186454
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

   

  The business owner continues to avoid resolving this situation through any sort of compromise. They damaged my property and drastically overbilled me. I have already paid them, minus the overbilling and material costs for the damages.

  
  
  Regards,
  
  *************************

*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. ↩