Confluence Hardware

Review: My sister and I called Confluence (PA) Hardware on 7/24/13 concerning the repair and installation of a well pump and tank at my sister's home. We were quoted a labor price of $40 an hour for the installation by [redacted], a store employee. With that understanding, we made an appointment with [redacted] to have the equipment installed a few days later. Before hanging up, [redacted] asked if my sister would be able to assist the installer. She said no. He said they would then send a second person to help. We took detailed notes during the call of the price quote, equipment needed, etc. I also was sitting beside my sister during the entire call. At no time was any mention made of an additional charge for the installer's helper. Only after the job was complete did Confluence Hardware bill us for 8.5 hours labor at $70 an hour rather than $40 an hour. This is $30 per hour or $245 total over the rate we discussed. This extra charge was a complete surprise. During 4 subsequent phone calls with [redacted], the store manager, we were unable to settle this dispute, which was solely over the per hour charge. Disturbingly, Ms. [redacted] gave varying explanations for the extra charge: 1.) She said they never do the job with less than 2 people -- we said we were never told that, nor that it would cost $30/hr extra; 2.) Ms. [redacted] challenged us to find someone cheaper; we said if they had quoted a price of $70 an hour upfront, we certainly would have tried, 3.) she said that [redacted] now claimed he'd said that each worker would cost $40 per hour. That is patently false. 4.) In my last conversation with Ms. [redacted] on Aug. 5, she said she could've charged us even MORE than $30 an hour for the 2nd worker. She also allowed that maybe [redacted] had "misspoke." But she again refused to make an adjustment in the bill. At that point, I told Ms. [redacted] her pricing practices are both dishonest and fluid after the fact, and that a complaint would be filed with the Revdex.com.Desired Settlement: We would like to be reimbursed for the unexpected $245 charge. We would also like a mention of this dispute to be available through the Revdex.com so other customers who may be thinking of working with Confluence Hardware can beware, make informed decisions, and avoid after-the-fact surprises that even Ms. [redacted] admitted may have happened but feels uncompelled to change.

Business

Response:

August 17, 2013

Thank you for your letter of August 5, 2012 describing a complaint filed by Ms. [redacted]. Ms. [redacted] called Confluence Hardware and spoke with [redacted] about setting up an appointment to have plumbing work done. [redacted] says he quoted $40 per hour per person for our plumbing rate. The job that was described involved replacing a submersible pump in a deep well and also replacing the 20 gallon pressure tank. There was no discussion of Ms. [redacted] assisting our plumber to do the work. On July 29,2013, our plumber and an assistant went to do the scheduled work. An assistant was required to safely do this work as there is no way one person could insert and remove a submersible pump which was 117 feet deep in a well. Once there, they were informed that this pump had not been working for approximately 2 months and Ms. [redacted] was not paying the bill but her sister, [redacted], was and we were to call her for payment. This was the first we were informed of this or that her sister was involved in any way. Ms. [redacted] told our plumber that they had the old pump pulled and laying out on the ground and that they ran over it with a brush hog. Upon inspection of the black roll pipe, pump wire and pump rope it was found that the pump wire and rope was too damaged to reuse. New wire and rope was installed with the new pump. Ms. [redacted] suggested to our plumber that the pitless adapter looked in bad shape and could she replace it. Our plumber tried to reuse the old one to help save her money but it leaked and wouldn’t seal due to corrosion. The pump had to be pulled and the water line then dug up outside the well casing to install the new pitless adapter The pump was then put back in the well and was checked for leaks. No leaks were present. The hole was back filled with dirt and rock that was removed. Ms. [redacted] also asked our plumber if she would fix a leak in a %” copper pipe which was done. A second day was required, to complete all plumbing work. In order to accomplish this we rearranged other jobs in the week to get it this job completed. When the job was completed I called the number provided by Ms. [redacted] for payment from her sister. When I told her the total she said it should not have been that high and didn’t want to pay. When listing off the items she said she was quoted $40 per hour and if we needed a second person to assist, her sister would have helped if asked, (From what my employees said Ms. [redacted] had to leave for work and would not have been able to help.) Ms. [redacted] also told me she could have gotten the work done for less than the $70.00 per hour we charged and she never would have hired us if it was that high. (As far as we knew, we were hired by Ms. [redacted] as that is who contacted us and where we did the work.) Ms. [redacted] says she could find another company to work for less. I told her to call around and see. I know of no other company that has lower rates. I also said that for the type of work that was done on this job, we should have charged more as we did things we don’t normally do such as digging. Ms. [redacted] understood by these comments that we have flexible rates. This is not true. We have set rates. Our current rates have been in place for over 2 years. I have attached documents showing other 2 person jobs as proof of our rates and invoicing. As our plumber and a helper went along on this job, we reduced our rate on the second employee who was the helper. Had our plumber been the only one who went to do this job it would have taken at least as long as two people working, if not longer. This would have resulted in an even higher bill adding up the hours of the one person rate of $40,00 per hour. Itemized billing was sent to Ms. [redacted] and Ms. [redacted] by email. On August 5, 2013, Ms. [redacted] called and paid the total bill.

Sincerely,

[redacted] A. [redacted]

Owner