Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  08/07/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Turbo Plumbing was engaged to complete plumbing work before the expiry of a building permit. It was a hard and fast deadline. The local district have changed the bylaws and made it clear that if we failed to deliver the permit was not to be renewed. They failed to complete on time. They kept misrepresenting information. They knew the project deadline from October 2021 but missed the 17/2/2022 date. They blame site preparation but they managed that part as well. We provided an excavator, an excavator operator, they booked (but we paid for) a mini-excavator and an additional staff member they claim was an operator. We also provided labourers to help move gravel around. In simple terms this work was 2 x 120' of pipe with cleanouts to be connected to existing pipes and existing septic fields. To get the pipes in but not connected to the septic fields they have claimed 85 hours of work. That is incompetence and mis-management. They managed contact with the plumbing inspector, constantly saying they had a good relationship and would get it passed. On the day of permit expiry they claimed all work was complete. On 22nd February I met with Robert S******* to pay for earlier work completed. He reiterated that all work was complete and that to finish the project all that was required was to connect 2 pumps and run some flexible hose. A few hours work. I committed to pay for that if allowed to continue with the work. That morphed into 54 hours of invoiced time. I would not have engaged Turbo for that. Now that we have had a plumbing inspection I know the work on 17/2/2022 would not have passed. There are some minor issues with the time sheets, but Turbo has also billed for two pumps ($1800). These pumps were provided, installed and then removed when the project failed to meet the permit. I purchased pumps myself that were installed. I am not paying for pumps that Turbo took away, and I am not paying to install them twice.

  Business response

  19/07/2022

  Turbo Plumbing & Heating was contacted in late October to do work for ****** ******* ***** *****) on a commercial building under construction.  We attended on November 1– 3, 2021 to install the floor drainage in the slab prior to the concrete pour.  The drainage was inspected and passed by the SLRD plumbing inspector prior to the concrete being poured.  Upon completion of the slab pour, we returned January 22 – 23, 2022 to install the venting of the floor drainage system.  Following this we retuned to make a few minor changes to the install, due to the requirement of two pump chambers.  The venting was tested and documentation was submitted and approved by the local authority.  I said to *** ******** ”we will see you in the Fall for the completion”.  *** ******* confirmed our return in the Fall of 2022.  It is important to note that the next part of the install required ground work, being that it was January and the ground was frozen and covered in snow. On February 8th, 2022 we were informed that the ground work needed to be completed and the exterior pipe needed to be installed and connected to the pump chambers.  There was a sense of urgency but we were not informed of the permit expiry date.  The ground work to lay the pipe was very specific, we explained the requirements including grade and depth.  On February 10th, 2022 we dropped off one pump chamber and again explained the requirements of the ground work, the ground work was explained on 3 separate occasions to *** ******* and to the excavator operator he provided.  On February 11, 12 and 13, we went to the site to begin the installation and on each day the ground works was incomplete and install could not be started.  On February 14th, 2022 Turbo Plumbing and Heating arranged to have an mini excavator brought our to the site and brought in additional staff to assist with completing the ground work so that we could get the installation completed.  Installation was in progress up to the evening of the 17th, with little work to be completed prior to the inspection.  On the 18th we were informed that the permit was no longer valid.  This was the first we were informed that the permit was no longer valid.   
  We were paid for the installation of the venting on February 22nd, 2022 (work that was completed in January). 
  On March 21st, 2022, we received an email from *** ****** advising that he may be granted an extension on the permit to complete, and asking if we would complete the project.  We agreed immediately to assist *** ******* in getting his project completed.  
  On May 2nd, 2022 we returned to the site to complete the installation of the pump chambers and connect to the existing septic system and connect the drainage system.  *** ******* refers to the additional 54 hours to complete, however this was not to complete the existing work.  We had to          re-trench much of the ground work that had been left unprotected from February until our return in May.  We had to remove the pump chamber that was supplied by Turbo Plumbing, as *** ******* broke it while working on the site in February, and we had to have the completed work inspected, which we were required to be present for. 
  *** ******* is incorrect, we did not bill him for 2 pump chambers.  We billed him for 1 pump chamber, which was supplied in February but was broken by him and needed to be removed (we are not covering the costs of broken product.)  We did provide copies of the supplier invoices with the single pump chamber and product costs, with the breakdown of the invoice.  *** ******* did not ask for clarification of the costs associated with the invoice in anyway once the detailed breakdown was emailed. 
  On July 5th, 2022 we emailed requesting an update on the status of payment and *** ******* responded that he had filed a complaint with the BBB and we would be hearing from you. 
  We did follow up with an email advising that we were unaware of any concerns but that we would be happy to address and seek a reasonable resolution.
  Our position has not changed, we are happy to seek a resolution with *** ******* in regards to the invoiced amount.  However, we feel that the project was completed in good fair and want to be fairly compensated for the work provided and the product supplied.

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