Beacon Plumbing & Mechanical Inc

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because: The information given by the technician is untrue. We did provide information about the water heater. Phone records might be a more accurate measure of accuracy than the length of time spent on site.

[redacted],
Hello again.  I'm sorry to hear that since we last spoke your toilet has become loose.  That's very interesting.  Additionally I'm not sure if there's any sort of correlation between your toilet and the water you hear in another room.  If you feel the work we have completed for you is compromised in some way, you're welcome to call our main office and schedule a time when a plumber can take a look at the work that was done.  If a mistake was made, we're happy to correct it free of charge, however, if the issue is unrelated to the original work then it will be treated as a separate job.
Our main office number is 206.720.2040.  
Thanks, [redacted], I hope that helps!
Best,
Kasen

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because: Never did I say the igniter wire was the one that was burned. (Did You say You only replaced the igniter wire, or the igniter? Because I was charged for igniter replacement, not igniter wire replacement.)The wires in question are the wires going to the flame sensor and the limit switch. Both of which were in fact touched by the technician if he in fact did the "tune-up" we were charged for.. So either A.) he didn't do the tune-up we were charged for, or B.) After doing the tune-up and cleaning the flam sensor, he left the wires on the burners and caused damage to them. Which one is it?Most of the damage was to the red wire (going to flame sensor,) but the orange/brown wire going to the limit switch was also affected by the heat and had metal showing through. (See attached photos. Pictures were taken once wires were pulled up off burner. You can see orange/brown wire metal showing at the base of the connector, and the melted casing of the red wire with exposed metal.)White wire going to the igniter is not burned, but as I stated; could have very easily, over time, relaxed more than it did and could have been affected as well. Technician did nothing to secure wiring up out of the way of the intense heat of the burners. But potential future complications are not the reason for this complaint.You stated I did not give Your company a chance to fix the work, or call You out to continue diagnosis. That is untrue. I gave Your company a chance to fix the problem by calling them back out on 10/11/2017; one day after the initial replacement of the igniter and the tune-up, which is when we were told the issue was now the inducer motor and pressure switch and that was why we had no heat and the furnace would not light. (Again I state that that diagnosis is inaccurate. I know this, because with the simple repair to the wires the technician should have seen, everything is running just fine going on 11 days now.) You stated the technician left the wires in good condition, and there was no evidence of melted wires when he came out for the second visit. If you have photo evidence of this, please provide that. I continue to be very disappointed with Beacon plumbing's handling of this issue
Sincerely,
[redacted]

Complaint: [redacted]
I am happy to continue working through the Revdex.com.  The last email I received from Steve stated he would like to separate the issues and focus on whether Beacon was correct with respect to the status for the clean out location as well as finding out where to source and locate the blockage.  I am not sure why this is necessary because in his previous email, he stated the technicians told him they did find a cleanout beneath the house, even though on the invoice from Beacon it clearly states "Beacon proposes to excavate on the back side of the home...to install a cleanout" which supports my accusations I was told there was not a cleanout and there actually was one.  Further, the technicians did not scope or take any other investigative actions to determine where the line was blocked or why, so I am not sure why this is an issue now. 
Steve also restated he would like to look at the bill from the company I did have come out and scope and flush my line, which is not pertinent to my complaint with Beacon.  I am still asking for the refund of my money as resolution to this problem. Sincerely,[redacted]

[redacted],Hello again.  This is Kasen from Beacon Plumbing.  You and I have spoken at great length regarding your concern.  As we discussed, of the $2,000 down payment you we are happy to issue out a refund amount of $1,542.75.  Seeing as we came out per your request, began the job...

you signed and agreed to, ordered parts, and began with the option you felt most comfortable with, there are costs associated with that. No one is threatening you or strong arming you into anything.  In fact if anything we've been extremely communicative and open with you.  We even negotiated with you and knocked off an extra $400 in respective costs on this job and you still hold to the idea that you should get a full refund and not have to pay for anything.  That's not something we're willing to do, unfortunately.  Best,Kasen

We were contacted by [redacted] regarding clogged drain lines near her garage.  We have signed invoices by [redacted] which authorized the line to be video scoped and her acceptance of the video scope work for the total amount of $394.29  As can be seen on the invoice, the work was to...

perform a video inspection to determine whether her sewer line ran from the front of the house that would allow for a new catch basin and drain line to be added.  It was determined that the sewer line went out from the back of the house and that this would not be feasible.  There was no snaking approved by the customer nor performed by our company but a quote was left for an alternate solution.
 
Assuming our technician verbally quoted her the cost to hydrojet the line, then the estimate of $1,200 was correct, including sales tax.
 
[redacted] didn’t specify or request any form of action on Beacon’s part to which we can respond.

Complaint: [redacted]I am rejecting this response because: Kasen,I know I talk to you at least twice and a couple times through email over at a five-week period. In addition, all that time while you were reviewing the case with Eric you indicated that there was no mistake in the pricing. Therefore, I find it interesting that you have decided to find a $200 mistake.  If there was a mistake on pricing why was this not brought up the first time I talk to you. You stated that the cost of a sump pump is $1267.75 this is the very reason why I filed a complaint against your company. I went online to Home Depot and they have a very fine sump pump three-quarter horsepower for $144.94.I included a picture and model number. Your company is taking advantage of people in a bad situation by gouging them with extremely high prices. There is no way that you can justify charging over $1200 for a sump pump that you can buy for under $200.00 or justify charging $1,467.75 for roughly 2 hours of work. I don’t care if it is 2 o’clock in the morning. I want a 50% refund on the bill I was charged. I do not intend to let this go away.BrittSincerely,[redacted]

[redacted],
Hello again.  I'm sorry things didn't go how either of us would have wanted.  Jon happens to be the most experienced heating tech here at Beacon.  He has decades worth of experience and we have full confidence in his abilities.  Working on heating systems is a lot like...

working on a car.  Even the most experienced mechanic has not worked on every car ever made, however, because they have seen, troubleshot, and repaired tens of thousands of automobiles, they understand more than enough to be able to fix just about any issue they come across.  Jon is no exception to this example.  He has worked on countless hydronic heating systems and is extremely knowledgeable in how they operate.  For that reason he gave you two quotes.  The first was to replace your system entirely with a boiler.  The second was to replace some key parts in the hydronic system you already had.  Both solutions would have solved the issue your heating system had at its root.  Nevertheless, you declined and pursued your own path, which is perfectly fine.  However, just because you found a temporary solution to the issue you were experiencing does not negate the time and effort our guy put forth to make a trip out to you and diagnose your unit.  He gave his time and his professional opinion.  You have every right to disagree with it, but we do not feel that merits a refund.
We're sorry your experience has not ended on a more positive note.  We wish you the best and I'm happy to answer any additional questions you may have.
Best,
Kasen

[redacted],
Hello again.  My name is Kasen and I was the one that initially took your call when you had first brought your concern to us.  Our decision hasn't changed since we last spoke, however, we did find an error on our part.  As we had explained, our techs use a price book to price...

out all their jobs.  That way the price remains the same for everyone.  Eric had use the price book but misquoted the job by $200.  The cost for the sump pump you received was $1267.75, not $1467.75.  When I spoke with Eric about it, he admitted he must have made a mistake.  In his defense, I've never seen that happen.  I don't know if it was because it was 2:00 am and he was still waking up or what the reasoning was.  Nevertheless, that was our mistake and we're happy to issue a refund for the difference.
Aside from that mistake, Eric performed the job as he should have, which is why we feel a 50% refund is not warranted.  Please contact me at your earliest convenience and we'd be happy to return that to any major debit card.
Best,
Kasen

[redacted]
Hello again.  This is [redacted], we had discussed your concerns previously.  Like I had mentioned during our conversation, it sounds like there must have been a miscommunication somewhere during the phone call.  For starters, the $325 you reference is no where on our invoice. ...

Just that alone has to make you pause and ask, "Why would our guy tell you one thing and write down another?" This invoice/charge is going to make it's way to you (the customer) at some point in time.  Our techs know that they'll be held accountable for whatever is written on the invoice and ultimately charged.  Our tech has every reason to give you the cost of the task ($305.75) and notify you of the service charge and applicable tax upfront.  Our tech told us step by step how the conversation went, he told us that he told you all the costs associated with the job and you said you wanted to consult with your wife.  He was put on a brief hold, you came back on the line, and gave him the green light. 
During our conversation you had mentioned that what our tech said really isn't relevant because you're the customer.  While we hear frequently that "the customer is always right" that's not a rule-of-thumb that can be applied to every situation.  If a customer feels they deserve their money back on a $10,000 job, we can't just cut a check and call it a day, we have to weigh things out.  The customer has a voice and we always want to hear that voice, but so does our tech who spends long hours, late at night, helping those customers.  If there's ever a dispute between what a customer says and what our tech says, we look at our techs history.  Is there a frequent pattern of miscommunication?  Has the tech bid jobs incorrectly before?  In this case, our guy's record is clean.  He's a great tech and has a wonderful history with us. 
I'm sorry we could agree on this matter, but no refund will be issued for the work that was performed.

[redacted],You received an itemized bill.  All the charges are plainly listed and were agreed to there on the invoice.  You claim that our guy gave you a price over the phone but (1) our guy denies that and (2) the invoice doesn't say anything along those lines.  It's worth mentioning that our tech, Brom, is probably one of the best communicators we have.  I've never received a complaint like this on Brom.  What happens in most cases is there's a misunderstanding on the customer's end but that's why we have the invoice to clear up any misconceptions.If our guy did in fact tell you that the cost would be between $400 - $500, why would he change it?  Does he think you're not going to see the charge on your statement?  Does he think it's worth the risk to try and get an extra $200 on the job?  It just doesn't add up.  There was a misunderstanding of some sort, I apologize for that, but there will be no refund.Best,Kasen

Mr. [redacted],Hello there!  My name is Kasen and I handle all the customer concerns for Beacon Plumbing.  I'm sorry your experience didn't go how either of us would have wanted.I'd like to look further into your price concern but I need some information to do so.  Please let me know any...

or all of the following:- The date the job was completed- The address where the job was performed- The name(s) of the technician(s) involvedOnce I receive that information I can better answer your questions regarding the price.While you are more than welcome to reach out to me over the phone or through my personal e-mail, my primary method of communication will be through the messaging service provided by the Revdex.com.  This ensures that your complaint stays open and active until it is properly resolved.Thank you for reaching out to us, Mr. [redacted].  It is my hope that we can satisfy your concern and end your experience with Beacon Plumbing on a more positive note.Best,Kasen

[redacted],
Hello again.  Here's the e-mail that Steve had sent you way.  It summarizes our stance on the matter:
- - -
Dear Mr. and Mrs. [redacted]:
 
I have been able to confirm the following facts:
1.       A call was placed to our dispatch after normal business hours on Thursday, Jan. 28th for a problem with a tankless water tank.  As there were no tankless technicians available that evening an appointment was scheduled for the next morning on Friday the 29th.
2.       We dispatched our technician, Walter, and his apprentice, Evan on Friday the 29th to go to the address  of [redacted].  There was an error code “38” flashing on the Navien tankless unit.
3.       According to our GPS we were onsite a total of 34 minutes and they arrived at 9:45 am.  You were out of town and your mother was on site to let Walter and Evan in.
4.       Walter did not leave any paperwork with your mother when he left that morning.
 
I have been told the following facts by you that:
1.       Your mother received widely varying quotes ranging from $500 to $4,500 from Walter.
2.       You advised your mother to decline any service and that you would deal with the problem Monday evening, the 1st, yourself when you returned home.
3.       Upon your arrival Monday night, you discovered water had escaped the tankless water heater and had spilled on the floor, soaking some carpeted area and wicking up onto some drywall. You also found the circuit board had been removed and was left dangling by its connection wires outside of the unit.
4.       Your mother was never warned or advised not to use the cold water system as it would leak.
5.       The parts that were needed were not available on Friday and overnighting the parts would not be a feasible option.
 
I have also been told the following facts by our technician Walter:
1.       When he arrived at the job site, he found the cover to the water heater had been removed and that there were tools inside of the water heater.  He confirmed that error code “38” was flashing and that two parts would be necessary to compete the repairs (a sensor and another part that would be required if the sensor was replaced).  At that time, he did not know if the parts could be obtained from a local supplier.  He advised your mother that he would try and locate the parts but if he could not do so he would let her know later that day.
2.       Walter was very clear to me that he did not touch any of the components in the water heater (including the circuit board) nor did he connect or disconnect the water supply line inside of the water heater.  Upon his arrival he noted that the circuit board was hanging outside of the unit and that there were towels and rags on floor near the unit evidencing some sort of water leak.  He mentioned the water specifically to your mother before he left.
3.       I asked Walter why he did not prepare any paperwork.  His response was that he couldn’t quote you a firm price until he knew what the parts would cost.  He also told your mother that when he got an answer on the price and availability of the part, he would return with his paperwork for her signature if she wanted to proceed.  Since he had not done anything up to that point, he felt he should not charge you for the service call  until things were resolved.
4.       He called back later that same day to advise you mother that he had not yet located the part locally and was told by your mother that you were going to take care of the problem yourself and that our services were not needed.
The obvious discrepancy boils down to whether our technician touched the unit or not.  On the one hand Walter concurred that the error code was flashing and that based on that error code, a part would be needed.  So there was no need for further diagnosis and no need to touch any of the components. He was also only on  the jobsite  for a short time (a total of 34 minutes).   On the other hand, while you acknowledge that you did take off the cover to the unit before you left town, you deny that you did anything to the circuit board and/or removing pipe that would allow cold water to spill out of the unit.  Your mother was the only other occupant in the home while you were gone and she is elderly and has trouble going up and down stairs.
At this juncture, I am accepting the word of Walter that he did not touch the unit while he was on the jobsite, and there are several reasons to support this.  First, the limited amount of time he was on site.  Second, the error code, which he confirmed, eliminated in his own mind the need to do any diagnostic work and touch any part of the unit.  Third, Walt advised our dispatch on that Friday that he was not ready to declare the job was finished or still open until he found out about the cost of the part and that he would not request a job number yet which is also why he did not collect a service fee at that time.  Fourth it is our policy that technicians are never to touch a customer’s plumbing or heating without first giving a firm price quote for the work to be done and receiving written approval from the customer to proceed with the work.
- - -
I hope that helps.
Best,
Kasen

Hello there!This is Kasen at Beacon Plumbing.  We spoke about your concerns recently.  I've attached the invoice from the work we did back in May.  If you remember we discussed that our guy was actually there for almost an hour and the invoice stated that we (1) tested your lines and...

they were clear and (2) there's no warranty on the drain cleaning.I apologize, but if your lines backed up months after we were last out there, that is not something we cover.  We're happy to come back out and take a look, but it would be treated as a new job.Best,Kasen

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response.

[redacted]Hello again.  I'm sorry we haven't been able to come to a reasonable agreement.  I took another look at the invoice and found something I had passed over before.  There is in fact a minor price discrepancy, and I apologize for not catching that sooner.  I take responsibility...

for that because I assumed the techs pricing was accurate (this tech always has impeccable invoices), however, I ran it through our price book and the tech did make a mistake in the second charge.  Our first hour of leak search was correctly bid out at $494.70, however, the second hour should have been bid out at our add on rate, which is $288.30.  In other words, the total is as follows:1st hour of leak search - $494.702nd hour of leak search - $288.30Service charge - $75.00Sub total - $858Tax @ 10.1%Total - $944.66 (a difference of $144.83 from the original amount you were billed)Again, I take full responsibility for that error.  I apologize, [redacted] I shouldn't have assumed.Aside from that, the bill of $944.66 still stands.  We performed a leak search and suggested a plan of attack.  You declined that option, which is fine, and sought another opinion.  We respect the opinion of other outfits, but we will stand by our tech's analysis of the situation.  Additionally, it's worth mentioning that the only thing you were charged for was a leak search, that's all we did.  If another company comes out and says, "Well we would have done it differently", that's fine but it doesn't invalidate our work.The charge of $955.66 still stands.  We are happy to issue out the difference between the work performed and the down payment you submitted.  All we need is the card number of the card that was used and can process that.  This has been the deal since the beginning.  We're not willing to submit to what you feel is an appropriate charge, as our prices are determined by a price book.

[redacted],
Hello there.  My name is Kasen and I handle all the customer service issues that come through Beacon.  I'm sorry to hear your experience didn't go as well as either of us would have wanted.
I'd like to take a closer look at this particular job and let you know what I find out....

 This will take a little time but I'll be sure to keep you updated.  Based on the address you provided it looks like your invoice hasn't been entered into our system as of yet.  This is normal as it can take up to 5 - 7 business days to receive and process an invoice.  But just to make sure we have the correct information, I've asked a few questions below to help us locate this particular job.
- What was the address where the work was performed?
- Do you remember the name(s) of the technician(s) who helped you?
I hope to hear from you soon!
Best,
Kasen

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because: I received something other than what I ordered.  I did not request this type of toilet and was not told that the plumber was installing something different than what I asked for.  I am not paying for something I never requested.  This is not a misunderstanding.  This is an intentional scam.

Complaint: [redacted]Mr. Kasen/Supervisor, I was sorry to hear that you are also the person who handles the complaints at Beacon Plumbing. I really don't believe you can be fair on this complaint since you are in charge of the Trainees. I am still stating you are unfair in your practices and your pricing. 1) Beacon Plumbing explained to me when I called 03/18/16 that I had to talk with The Tech to get the amount of the final bill.  I called to talk with the Tech he returned my call later that day.  I ask Diontea to come pick up his tools and sump pump that and give me a revised bill. I also asked what would he be charging. He stated it would be $500 or $600. Diontea never showed up. I kept calling getting the other Supervisor who quoted different prices by e-mail. I am still stating the Techs that came out 1) did not do a video or camera on my system, where is the proof, they did not show me. They quoted cost prior to going to work on my system why not this cost. 2) The Tech did not tell me they were putting on a check Valve. 3) The Electrical Cords were cut to the pump before testing. The pump was still good, but because of them cutting the cord, I had to put in a new pump. 4) The Techs did not have knowledge of the Electrical Box connecting the  system so they could not test the system 5) They installed a Sump Pump which is not the right pump for my system. They charged me $2900 for installing a new pump. But then They called their office and found out it was not the right pump for my system. The entire time they were assuring me that the job was almost done and had a little bit more to do. These Trainee's came around 4:30 but when it was after my friend had paid them about 10:00pm they stated they had the wrong pump and needed to come the next day to install a new one. After that I had no confidence they knew what they were doing. If they spent more time doing this job it is because they did not know what they were doing. I feel they do deserve $500 or $600 for unstopping the system, but I should not have to pay for time spent because they did not know what they were doing. I had to put in a new pump because of their cutting the electrical cords to the pump. Mr. Kasen, I know you do not want to reduce the bill but I feel you are unfair in your practices and as a Supervisor should have been with these Trainees the entire time.  The company that installed the new pump knew what he was doing and checked all systems and showed me how everything worked and gave me the information I needed on my system.  He also check the old pump and it was still working because the cords were cut I could not use it. Sincerely, [redacted]

Hello again.  I apologize for the miscommunication; I’m not implying at all that the high prices you’ll see in this industry are because of lots of mistakes.  What I had said was that this industry is known for having high prices and my thoughts on why the prices in the industry are...

high was because there’s a high degree of liability that comes with what plumbers do.  Again, I’m referring to pricing and the industry generally.   There’s nothing deceptive about what we do.  The pricing is on the invoice and something that all parties agree to.  If this was not something you were comfortable with at the beginning, we 100% respect our customer's decision to walk away and seek assistance elsewhere.  It puts everyone in a very difficult situation when the work is done, it's been agreed to, etc., and then the customer claims the price was too high.   I'm sorry, [redacted], I know there's pressure from your managers regarding the bill.  If mistakes had been made on our part, we would happily issue out a refund.