Bennett Plumbing & Pools Inc.

I called a plumber to fix two problems and while he was here a second time he ask if there was anything else which I said fix the dishwasher at a reasonable price. He charged an excessive price, over billed me for time spent, charged me for two men on a one man job, charged me for fixing the dishwasher that he did not fix and refused to fix the dishwasher which developed a leak after he concluded that it was fixed. To this minute it is not fixed, has a leak that he says there is no leak. He charged for fixing the dishwasher that I cannot use because of a leak that has undermined the cabinet and floor underneath the sink. He came a second time because he did not have a clamp on his truck and charged me for that service call. He charged me 2 1/2 hours for labor which he was only here for slightly under 2 hours. He charged me for two men($233.93) which was not needed because it was a one man job ( the second man went to the truck 3 times and took a picture of the dishwasher manufacturing information). He charged me an excessive amount of money for the entire bill and padded the rest. I ask for an itemized bill and did not receive because the amounts were not listed on the bill and it was grossly incomplete. He refused to come back because he said there was no leak but I can prove that there is a leak and charged me an unknown amount for fixing the dishwasher I cannot use because there is a leak that is unacceptable and if I turn on the water it leaks which damages my cabinet and the subfloor. I have a limited income and he gouged me for 3/4 of My Social Security check and subtablly bully me. I could not believe the excessive charges but for some stupid reason I paid with a check. I should receive a complete refund because he cheated me from the very beginning cause me extreme emotional upset, did not complete the job and refused me the chance to refute the bill and the overcharges. He hasn't the right to treat people like this and should be finically punished for his wrongful pratices.Product_Or_Service: Fixing three minor plumbing problemsOrder_Number: no order # that I caAccount_Number: invoice #0536 & C #1Desired SettlementHe should refund my money for not fixing everything, for deceptive business pratices, for padding the bill, leaving a leak that could ruin the structure and made me pysically and mentally ill about the situation that I felt was totally abusive. I did seek a mental health worker because I felt abused by the situation and need relief by any means necessary.Business Response [redacted] Bennett owner of [redacted] Plumbing & Pools response to case #XXXXXXXX. Three separate repairs by my company (the work being done by me, Mac [redacted], personally) were made at the [redacted] residence. I will be the first to admit that I charge a premium for my time. And I will continue to do so as long as I have to work 70 plus hours a week and am still only able to meet probably 90% of the demand for my time. I am one of only a few plumbers in my county and anyone else in my position would be foolish not to charge a premium for time that is in such high demand. She was charged for two men. The charge for the second man was $10 an hour which is what he cost me. My work order said 2 water line leaks. Some jobs like that are two man jobs and some are one man, but there is no way for me to know that until I get out to the job. I repaired two water leaks, actually three just two were in the same spot. Afterwards Mrs. [redacted] asked me to hook up the water for the dishwasher. We did so. She paid when we were finished without one word about being disgruntled over the price nor any word about being on social security and how this was going to put her in a financial pinch. She was not charged a penny more than anybody else I worked for that day or since. She called some time later (I think a day or two) and said that she had a leak where we worked. The first chance I got I went out there to take care of it. No leak whatsoever was found. Mr. [redacted] was right there with me and anybody with eyesight could see that there was no leak. After waiting for the dishwasher (which she claims is not working but somehow was this night) to run through a complete cycle to see if any water showed up and no water showed up, I asked Mr. [redacted] if he was satisfied and he said yes. What I was hired to do is fixed. If it is leaking now (which I highly doubt that it is) it is because it has been tampered with since I went back to check it. The first trip I made I did not have parts on my truck that I needed. I had gotten a new truck the week before and those parts had not been placed on the truck yet. Mrs. [redacted] was not charged for any of the drive time on the second trip nor the third trip that was made to check on a leak that did not exist. At no time was I ever anything but polite to Mr. and Mrs. [redacted]. She is a liar when she says I bullied her. Mr. [redacted] was also standing right there when she claims to have been bullied. He didn't strike me as a man who would just stand there and allow his wife to be bullied by a practical stranger in her own kitchen. If he claims she was bullied he is a liar as well. If in her mind she was bullied she is delusional. Once again I will be the first to admit that I am expensive but I have never forced payment from someone if it is going to put them in a financial bind. My secretary did send her an itemized bill. I am not responsible for her emotional state. I am responsible for the plumbing repairs she hired me to do and they are done. Thank you for the opportunity to respond to the numerous false allegations. If anyone would like to speak with me my cell phone number is (XXX) XXX-XXXX. Thank youConsumer Response I called the plumber and he came at "his" convience not mine, and the bottom line is : I had three fresh water lines that need to be replaced, one in the master bath and two under the garden tub. I need the dishwasher connected to a fresh water line. This took just under two hours to fix (a second visit was needed because he did not have a clamp on the truck that he need for the tub lines. He came and did the jobs and less than two days later(We has been out of town overnight) we found a leak in the fresh water line under the sink that connects the dishwasher to water.. I called and told them it leaked. He came out, at his convience and told me there was no leak. The next morning the cabinet underneath the sink was again soaked. I called again and he refused to come back. One other person called him for me and he again refused to return. The dishwasher still does not work and the old line that needed to be replaced is still there and I cannot use the dishwasher because it leaks. The bill is excessive for parts and labor. I still need the dishwasher connected up to water and certainly without a leak. I know how much damaged a leak causes and I will "not" use the disherwasher with a leak. He overcharged me a lot and I want restitution. You will notice there is not an amount billed for the dishwasher( Incomplete billing statement). From the statement I receive it is very difficult to discern what is fair restution. He had opportuntities to fix the problem and refused to do so and clearly he overcharged for what he did do. My time and aggravation is worth just as much as his. Now at this point I do not want him coming to my house again or ever. I will eagerly accept a third party evaluation. He seems to be the only plumber in my telephone book! The two billing statement I have are attached and the second statement is because I called and asked for an itemized statement.Final Business Response Since my first response seems to have been completely ignored, or misunderstood, I will answer each complaint on the consumer's rebuttal individually.Customer: Plumber came at his convenience.Business: We do not answer calls at our convenience, we answer them in the order in which they are received; except in the case of emergencies such as sewage backing up into a house, or toilets stopped up at schools, hospitals, etc.Customer: I had three fresh water lines that need to be replacedBusiness: In her first complaint, she stated she had two problems to fix.Customer: Need dishwasher connected to fresh water line - two days later found leak. Was gone overnight.Business: Gone overnight means gone one night, but found leak two days later. When she called to report leak, she stated that her husband had fixed one leak under sink. We do not guarantee other people's work. We did, however, go back out to check the leak. As previously stated in first response, we ran dishwasher through full cycle, found no leak, and even got the approval of her husband that there was no leak.Customer: "I called again and he refused to come back."Business: We did not refuse to come back. All plumbers were out working when she called, and the message was taken that she was still complaining of a leak. Before we could check it again, she had A [redacted] worker from [redacted] call and threaten the secretary declaring that "this matter needs to be taken care of right now!" This was just before she contacted the Revdex.com. We would have checked the dishwasher again, when we got caught up with other plumbing problems, but we knew for a fact that it was not leaking the two times we were there. This fact and her mental and emotional state which was discussed in the previous response lead us to seriously doubt the validity of her claim. If there really is a leak now, it is not due to the work we did.Customer: Still need dishwasher connected up without leak.Business: As previously stated, there was no leak when we ran it through a complete cycle and her husband said he was satisfied with the work.Customer: He overcharged me a lot and I want restitution.Business: She was charged for materials used and the time we were there the first time only. She had already written the check and paid the bill before we left the first time. She was not charged any additional charges for the times we returned.Customer: Second statementBusiness: The first statement was just a receipt for her payment for the job. She and her husband were there watching the job being done the entire time and should have known what was being done. The secretary sent an itemized statement when it was requested. As also previously stated, charges are determined by materials used and time spent on job. We do not stop in the middle of a job and write down individual times for each item that is fixed. Again, she was not charged for the time we did return and waited while the dishwasher ran through an entire cycle. She has continually complained about the amount of the bill, but does not seem to appreciate the fact there was no additional charge when no leak was found. However, as Revdex.com has already stated, they do no deal with pricing issues anyway.