Michael Lombardi Plumbing

Review: My mother who is 74 years old contacted Mr. Lombardi when she noticed her hot water heater in the basement leaking (he installed her last one) He came out on May 22 2013 looked at it and told her the tank would cost $1000.00 that was all he told her never even gave her a written estimate. On May 24 the he came to install the new water heater with another person.My mother states that they we we there for 5 he's.( this is not normal for installing a water heater and it only takes 1 person. I have called many plumbers to verify this) Upon completion of the job he informed her that the coat would be $2465.00. This is totally ridiculous and my mother not knowing the difference went to the bank and got him a bank check for that amount. When I found out what had happened I immediately got on the phone with Elderly Protective Services she was totally taken advantage of because of her age and Mr Lombardi knew she lived alone. My mother lives on my deceased fathers social security and has to work a part time job to make ends meet.

Product_Or_Service: indirect hotwater heater

Desired Settlement: DesiredSettlementID: Refund

At least $1000.00 should be refunded to her going by the investigating and speaking to other plumbers. This is not a 2 man job and shouldn't have taken more than 3 hours

Business

Response:

Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2013/07/01) */

Contact Name and Title: [redacted] - owner

Contact Phone: XXX XXX XXXX

Contact Email: [redacted]@aol.com

Ms [redacted]

My initial reaction to your letter was shock, but I guess after 45 years in this trade, including 30 years in my own business, one's career would not be complete without a written complaint, and this is the first that I am aware of.

[redacted] daughter is mostly correct about the installation of a standard electric water heater; it can usually be installed for about $1,0000.000 to $ 1,500.00, depending on size & access to the location. The water heater we installed is very different, it is double the weight of an electric water heater, it had to be carefully taken through the house ( we protected the carpet & furniture with drop clothes ), & down a narrow, two tiered staircase.

The [redacted] hot water maker that we installed, is a

hi - tech indirect water heater, that connects to Mrs. [redacted] heating boiler, with two sets of piping, that had to be re- routed to match the connections of the new water heater.

Mrs. [redacted] original [redacted] indirect had lasted over twenty years, and because of this, it was filled with built up minerals & sediment; it was quite a challenge to drain it via buckets, which had to be carried out, up the narrow staircase & through the house. The heating boiler also had to be drained, there were several small leaks that needed to be repaired, and we installed some new valves that were faulty as well.

I also had to hire an electrician, all the new indirect water heaters have much different wiring, and I wanted to make sure the upgraded wiring was performed correctly & safely, by a licensed electrician; the cost for the wiring was $ 175. 00, which I thought was very fair.

I knew there were some challenges associated with changing out the water heater, and gave Mrs [redacted] a verble estimate of $ 2,500.00 to $3,000.00 dollars. That cost would include draining the water heater & heating boiler, repairs to the leaking & failed piping & valves, new hot & cold water piping, new boiler supply & return piping, wiring as needed,, and removal& disposal of the old unit.

On the day of the initial service call, I let [redacted] know that her water heater was leaking, and it would need to be replaced. I told her the water heater was connected to her heating boiler & that these type of heaters were very efficient, but were also very expensive. I told her my cost for the heater alone was close to one thousand dollars, and that I would get back to her in a day or two with an esitimate for the total job cost. She told me to proceed, and I ordered the needed materials, and arranged to do the work the next week on a friday.

The cost breakdown for her job is- water heater $ 900.00 ( that is my cost ), wiring- & $ 175.00, initial evening sevice call $ 130.00, materials supplied - pipe, valves, fittings, & connections - $ 180.00, removal & disposal of the old unit - & $ 75.00, & 6 hours on the job labor by a master plumber & assistant $ 960.00 - the labor rate includes the direct cost of labor & overhead costs. I paid all the associated sales tax.

I elected to give Mrs [redacted] the water heater at my cost ( that is ZERO PROFIT ) in lieu of a senoir discount.I also did the additional repairs to the boiler and piping because that is the right thing to do, & probably part of the reason I have gotten only one written complaint in over 44 years in business............also, it should be noted that I never asked for, or recieved any up front payments, Mrs. [redacted] seemed very happy with our work, and sent us a check a week after we completed the job.

Respectfully yours,

[redacted]

Business Response /* (-10, 6, 2013/07/01) */

Ms [redacted]

Additionally, regarding case XXXXXXXX, while the cost of an indirect water heater is more than double that of a standard gas or electric heater, the indirect heaters will outlast the standard heaters by more than double, they have a much better extended warranty ( up to life time for the original purchaser ), and the indirect water heaters are measurably more efficient - reducing the operating cost for the owner & helping to reduce our carbon footprint -

Business Response /* (-10, 9, 2013/07/06) */

Please let Mrs. [redacted] daughter know that I would be happy to meet with her rgarding this issue.............

Consumer Response /* (3000, 11, 2013/07/08) */

(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT ACCEPT the response from the business.)

First of all the bad water heater was not 20 years old due to my mother buying the house before it was even done being built 18 years ago and the old water heater was replaced by Mr. Lombardi 13 years ago.so with a indirect water heater already being in place all the piping and the wiring was already there. Mr. Lombardi also stated that this work took him 6 hours and my mother claims it was only 5 he's. The only reason she agreed to pay him was that she figured she had no other choice but to pay him. When I spoke to her I suggested she stop payment on the bank check but when she went to the bank it was too late. reason she agreed to pay this amount for the water heater a( which can be bought at Home Depot for $869.00)my mother has all of her wits and if she had thought or was told it would have been this much money she would definatley talked to me. This is a definite case of taking advantage of my mother because of her age and living alone. Why was a written estimate given before the work was done?

Business Response /* (4000, 13, 2013/07/23) */

The new ater heater required additional piping and new wiring, I knew this when I gave Mrs [redacted] my original estimate. We spoke days after my first visit and she asked me to arrange for an install date in a week or so, She asked if I needed a deposit, and I told her she could pay me when the job was done to her satisfaction, I recieved payment in full 7 days after the job was completed.

I was happy to install a unit that came with an option for a lifetime warrantee; [redacted] sent a check for $ 99.00 to the manufacturer- she will never have to pay for a water heater again. I was also happy to be able to install new piping & wiring ( the new unit had completely different connections), AND fix the leaking valves and connections on the boilers supply and return space heating manifolds - all for a price well below my initial estimate, including the tax.