Splash Custom Pools and Spa, Inc

[A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response. If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and find that this resolution is
satisfactory to me.
I am writing to inform you that I accept this resolution to my complaint as this is the correct outcomeWhile I attempted to come to a similar outcome directly with Splash Custom Pools and Spas on my own volition, it wasn’t until I enlisted the services of the Wisconsin Revdex.com that I was able to arrive to this conclusion. I thank you for all of your work in this complaint and am satisfied that the system works as it is set up to do

Review: In April of 2014, I purchased a pool heater. In May of 2014, I installed the pool heater. When I attempted to start the pool heater, I had difficulty getting it to work. I contacted the pool heater company and, while speaking with the service technician in California, a diagnosis was made. I was informed that the particular type of problem I was experiencing was typical with this type of heater and issues that occur while the heater is being transported. The service technician stated the heater issues were under warranty and that they would contact their local service technician to come to my place to resolve the issue. A few days later, Custom Pools and Spas called and informed me that they were notified by the pool heater company to make arrangements to fix the heater. A few days later, a representative of Custom Pools and Spas came out to my residence to fix the heater. While cordial, this service technician alluded to the fact that this heater was installed by the homeowner and that people should be having this work done professionally. I felt that since Custom Pools and Spas did not install the heater, that my service level would be less. This individual immediately diagnosed the problem as not what the pool heater service technician did, but rather another problem related to an inadequate gas supply to my heater due to an inadequate size of gas pipeline that lead to my pool heater. This individual stated that my gas pipeline was a 3/4 inch pipeline and that I needed at least a 1 inch pipeline. This individual stated that in order for me to get my pool to work, I would need to remove the existing gas pipeline, and replace this pipeline with the proper size of pipeline. I explained to this individual that my pipeline was a 1 inch pipeline, however, this individual continued to disagree with me stating that it was a 3/4 inch pipeline. This individual also stated that a blower fan in the heater was defective and that the fan would need to be replaced. This individual stated that Custom Pools and Spas did not do gas pipeline work and that I would need to contact a contractor to have that work done. This individual estimated that the total work needed would cost in the thousands of dollars. When this individual left, it was determined that Custom Pools and Spas would order the blower fan and have that available for when I would have the gas pipeline work completed. This individual was at my residence for a total of approximately 15 minutes.

After this individual left, I attempted to call a few contractors to inquire about the gas pipeline. I double checked the size of the gas pipeline and confirmed that the pipeline is, in fact, a 1 inch pipeline. I noted that the connection that I had used from the pipeline, where it came out of the ground, to the pool heater was a smaller diameter than 1 inch. In a last ditch effort before proceeding with Custom Pools and Spas recommendation, I removed the smaller diameter connection and replaced it with a larger diameter connection. I started the pool heater and it worked as perfectly as designed. This included the blower fan that the service technician from Customs Pools and Spas stated was defective and would need to be replaced. To date, I have had no further issues with the pool heater.

In June of 2014, I received an invoice dated June 10, 2014 from Custom Pools and Spas in the amount of $185.94. This included $45.00 for a Service Call and $131.25 for 1.75 hours of Labor. I called Custom Pools and Spas to dispute this charge saying that I was under the belief that this work would be covered by the pool heater company that set this service work up. I was informed by Custom Pools and Spas that since the nature of the problem was not what was originally diagnosed by the pool heater company on the phone, that they would probably not cover the work. Therefore I needed to be invoiced. I requested that Custom Pools and Spas contact the pool heater company to submit their cost to them. This individual stated that he would, and notify me of the results.

Until July 1, 2014, I had not heard a response from Custom Pools and Spas as to the outcome of their conversation with the pool heater company, when I received a second invoice that contained a handwritten note informing me that the previous invoice is my responsibility. On July 15, 2014, I received a third invoice alerting me to the fact that the original invoice was overdue.

In August of 2014, I went to Custom Pools and Spas located at [redacted] to voice my concerns with these invoices. I was again told that since the problem was not what was originally diagnosed by the pool heater company, the invoice was my responsibility. They informed me that they did not contact the pool heater company because "they knew what their response would have been." I questioned the 1.75 hours of labor that was on my bill when their technician was only at my residence for 15 minutes. I was informed that this time included time needed tot set up the work truck with appropriate equipment to complete the job, travel time to and from the job site (I live 15 minutes away from Custom Pools and Spas), etc. I questioned on why I have to pay for their time to set up their service truck and was told that that was the way it is. I asked what the $45.00 Service Call included and was told that was what it cost to get the truck on the road, and pay for gas, etc. The person I spoke to, who I assume was the owner, then commented on how he is "supposed to run his business with people trying to install their own equipment and only calling him when they run into trouble." At that time it was clear that I was not going to be able to work any type of agreement out and I thanked him for his time.Desired Settlement: At the time I contacted the pool heater company, I truly believed that there would be no cost for this service visit. If I had known there would have been a cost, I had other means available to me to have this pool heater diagnosed and fix. Therefore, I do not believe that I should be invoiced at all for this service call and subsequent work or lack thereof. In addition, the diagnosis made by Custom Pools and Spas that included the inadequate size of gas pipeline and the defective blower fan was completely inaccurate and I was lead down the path that would have even been a higher expense to me had I not tried one last thing.

Therefore, even though I was invoiced when I understood this work would be covered, and even though the diagnosis by Custom Pools and Spas was inaccurate, and I don't believe I should be responsible for the entire invoice, I offered to negotiate a deal with Custom Pools and Spas by paying for the $45.00 Service Call for their troubles as a settlement. This was refused.

Consumer

Response:

[A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response. If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.