ComplaintsforRocky's Plumbing

• Initial Complaint

  02/14/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On Dec. 23, 2021 the water line that Rocky's Plumbing installed on my roof in Feb. 2021 began rapidly leaking. I both phoned and texted them that morning and explained I needed emergency warranty service (their website says they offer 24-hour emergency service). Instead of calling me back, I was sent a text stating that they wouldn't be open again until Dec. 27. Since I could neither shut off my water for at least 5 days nor allow the leak to continue and possibly damage my ceiling, I had to call ********* ********* to repair the leak, and they determined that the pipe-soldering work that Rocky's performed had failed. I had to pay them $265.00, and they said to be sure to get Rocky's Plumbing to reimburse me. It wasn't until January 4 that Rocky finally responded (in the meantime he sent an employee to wrap new insulation around the now-exposed pipe, but he didn't coat it with the required Aerocoat white emulsion paint). Rocky refused to reimburse me for the $265, but said he'd give me credit for 50% of that amount should I hire him for another job, which I find unacceptable. I told him that my warranty from his company doesn't say it excludes normal workday service such as on Thursday, Dec. 23 (and I spoke to 3 other plumbers on the 23rd, and they were all open for business). Rocky replied that if he knew I was thinking of hiring another plumber, maybe he would have done something! I also expressed my concern about the competency of the rest of the pipe work his company performed, and feel that the other pipe connections they soldered should be examined before they also fail. He said he'd come out "next Monday or Tuesday" and take care of it, then reseal the inspection areas and repaint them with Aerocoat, along with the strip of pipe insulation I mentioned earlier. As of this writing, it's been 38 days since he made that promise, but he hasn't shown up. My follow-up calls and texts have been met with either dubious excuses or non-responses.

  

  Business response

  02/14/2022

  I advised *** ***** that I would not reimburse the full amount of the $265.00 he paid another plumber to fix leak. I also advised him that my reason for not reimbursing him for the full amount was because our company was closed that day and I could not get anyone out there to fix leak. As a courtesy I told *** ***** that I would give him credit towards any plumbing work he may need in the future that being $132.50 in which he agreed. I told him that I would come out and inspect the rest of the line as he requested and apply the coat of paint to the section that we had insulated prior. The reason I had not been out to his residence is because I had to shut down the company for several days due to COVID 19. This put a strain on our company and we are now just getting back and catching up with all our work and employees. I will set an appointment with *** ***** and check his piping soon hopefully this week. All the workmanship was done correctly and approved by *** *****. with the exception of  that only one leak. I explained to *** ***** before we agreed to do the job, that I would only warranty it for one year due to the fact that all his water service piping is above his roof and exposed, also that no matter how well piping can be insulated it is very susceptible to burst due to freezing temperatures. So far as I can tell we have had some freezing temperatures and all the piping has been without any bursting incidents for almost a year with the exception on that one leak. Also the leak in which he is talking about was due to a solder joint fitting that My plumber did not solder correctly, so *** ***** is now thinking that all the other joints that were soldered are faulty. If they were faulty the pipes would not have lasted this long with out incident.

   

  Thank you,

  Juan R. Puga (Master Plumber)

  Customer response

  02/19/2022

   I am rejecting this response because:
  
  **** ****  reneged on his BBB statement that he would check my pipe line for other fittings that his plumber may not have soldered or otherwise installed correctly; but when he showed up on February 18, he said he "changed his mind," and didn't want to risk compromising the pipes. Under normal circumstances, I would have  agreed; however, since he admitted that his plumber performed the work incorrectly at the time of the installation, the other pipe fittings he soldered could be ticking time bombs. *** **** said if there hasn't been another leak by now, he doesn't believe a leak will occur, especially since we've had so many freezing nights. I pointed out that the initial leak occurred in December, when there weren't regular freezes anyway, and yet it still burst. In addition, I explained that I drip my pipes during freezing weather to prevent bursts, and that there was no way for him to gauge when another insufficiently-installed pipe fitting might burst. I also corrected an incorrect statement he made to the BBB: he claimed that he explained to me prior to the installation that my above-the-roof water line was an unwise idea. In fact, he was confident about the enterprise when we first discussed it. I should add that my insulated piping caused me no problems since its last section was installed in 2008 (which was approved by Horizon City's Public Works Department) until 2021, and that was due to a pinhole leak in the copper piping, which is why Rocky's Plumbing replaced it with pinhole-resistant PEX pipe. Basically, all *** **** did on February 18 was to brush some weather barrier paint on the long-unprotected insulation that he was supposed to take care of in early January (and he used a less-effective type than the Aerocoat that his company originally applied to the rest of the insulation in 2021). When I reminded him that the paint would require a second coat in order to be effective, he said he had no intention of coming back, but later said he might do so next week. Finally, I remain unsatisfied with *** ****'s refusal to reimburse me $265.00 for the plumber I called in to repair the December 23 pipe leak (for which *** ****'s company was at fault) because *** **** had decided to close up shop on what was a normal workday for every other plumber I spoke with (and his company's webpage promised 24-hour emergency service). I attempted to discuss these disagreements with *** **** and hopefully arrive at an understanding, but he refused to do so.
  

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