Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  01/23/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Date of the Services- Nov 2, Nov 11, Nov 14, Nov 15, Nov 16 Business committed to provide Mainline Sewer fracture repair, Piping for Sink, tub and toilet. Also, Kitchen Washer drainpipe. Below are the issues and concerns pertaining to Bryant's Plumbing & Construction , LLC on invoice #2311 . No quote provided before services rendered, no itemized statement of materials. No itemized statement of labor. Currently on the invoice it reflects 32 hours at the job site, this is overinflated. Also, on Nov 11 they are charging labor for moving water heater against wall and redrilling water heater supply lines. There should not be an additional charge due to Bryant's plumbers not installing water heater properly to begin with, this was a complaint they were resolving. There also was never any redrilling done. In addition to that we had another issue were they left cast Iron piping on top of the pvc pipe in the plumbing's exhaust system that goes to the attic. This will crack and cause damage to the pvc pipe sitting underneath the cast iron. This is a bad repair by the technician and will cause further issues. This will require additional cost and repairs for client. I contacted owner Jan 20 to negotiate a reasonable price on labor and have her reflect the change on the invoice. I'm requesting that a 15% reduction in hours be considered, this equivalent to 5 hours removed from the invoice. I am also requesting that additional 1 hours be removed from the Nov 11 charge of moving water heater against wall due to it being an error on the technician's part.

  Business response

  01/24/2023

  11/2, -11/19, multiple  text communications with *** ****** regarding arrival times, door code and updates.

   

  *** ******** first invoice 2189 was  due and payable on November 10, 2022 upon completion of service.  We did afford her a 30 day grace period.  We began attempting to contact her for payment via an emailed invoice.  *** ****** did open that email on 11/20 at 2:04 pm.  That invoice is unpaid to date.  *** ****** viewed the invoice again on 12/13/22 and 12/20/22 and 1/19/23.  She has stated she would pay that invoice, but to date has not.   

   

  *** ******** second invoice number 2311 was sent to her on 11/21/22.  Again, this invoice was payable upon completion.  *** *****r did view the invoice that day at 3:44 pm.  She did not contact us regarding any complaints regarding the format of the invoice or the work completed.  We resent the invoice on 12/24/22.  *** ****** viewed the invoices on 12/25/22.  *** ****** again viewed the invoice on 12/27/22.  

   

  We called on 1/8/23 and were unable to reach *** ******. We attempted texting, but received no response.  

  We later sent another text informing *** ****** that due to the balance in arrears, we would need to start the process of filing a lien. She did return our call later that day.  *** ****** stated that she did not have the funds to pay the invoices.  She did state that she would pay the smaller of the two invoices and part of the balance of invoice 2311 on Tuesday 1/24/23.  Both invoices were sent to her again. I offered to take her payment, but she stated she would process it later that day. When the payment was not made, we contacted her the following day and she said She  was unable to enter her card number but did not call for assistance.  

   

  I called *** ****** again on 1/13/23 and she did not answer.  She called later and stated that she couldn't pay the biil due to a lack of funds from an "investor".  She stated that this was her first investment property and that she was inexperienced in anticipating the scope of work or billing.  It was explained that her billing would be hourly plus materials.  *** ****** stated that her mother had had similar work for a lower bill with our company.  We had no record of her mother's address or name.  At this point, *** ****** attempted to negotiate a lower rate.  We offered to reduce her bill by $405.00 (3 labor hours for reasons of goodwill and our recently hired plumber was being trained, not in plumbing, but paperwork and purchasing methods),  if she settled both invoices then, but she declined that offer.  ** ****** demanded that we reduce the bill by $700.00 and insisted that it would be in our best interests to "negotiate", but did not qualify the $700.00 reduction.  

  On 1/19/23 we sent a reminder invoice and attempted to call *** ******.  Her voicemail was full and she did not return our call.  She did return our call the following day and stated that she could pay 50% of the invoice 2311 on 1/24/23 and pay $500 monthly for the next 5 or 6 months.  We explained that we do not do in house financing and offered to send her our financing partner's information.  She declined.  *** ****** became agitated and stated she would file a complaint with the better business bureau if we did not reduce her bill by $700.00.  We stated that we would pursue a lien and/or a small claim in court. 

  All invoices were emailed to her current email addres* ********************************

   

  Date of the Services- Nov 2, Nov 11, Nov 14, Nov 15, Nov 16 

  Business committed to provide Mainline Sewer fracture repair, Piping for Sink, tub and toilet. Also, Kitchen Washer drainpipe. 

  Below are the issues and concerns pertaining to Bryant's Plumbing & Construction , LLC on invoice #2311 . 

  No quote provided before services rendered, no itemized statement of materials. No itemized statement of labor. Currently on the invoice it reflects 32 hours at the job site, this is overinflated. - 

   

  ** ****** requested extensive plumbing repairs on an investment property.  THis includes all of the above  listed items plus the disconnection and demolition of two gas risers, the jackhammering a concrete footer beam under the house and partial replacement of a yard sewer line,  the installation of a shower valve, removal of old cast iron under house and disposal of such, installation of a new toilet flange and setting of a toilet, replacement of a toilet fill valve, capping of a gas line.  Invoices are clearly broken out between labor and materials.  It is not standard practice to list materials.  Labor is specifically listed on Invoice 2311.  Invoice 2189 was a bid and all inclusive regarding a standardized installation, not including structural modifications.  

   

  Also, on Nov 11 they are charging labor for moving water heater against wall and redrilling water heater supply lines.  There should not be an additional charge due to Bryant's plumbers not installing water heater properly to begin with, this was a complaint they were resolving. There also was never any redrilling done.

  We billed 30 minutes of labor to disconnect pipes under a house, redrill holes closer to a wall and rethread pipes through the newly drilled holes, closer to wall.  The original water heater was very old and smaller than a standard sized water heater.  ** ****** requested that we retrofit the pipes as the water heater was located behind a door, and the pan required by city code was bumping the pipes behind the water heater disallowing the door to open to a full 90 degrees. Although the door did open to nearly 90 degrees, *** ****** wanted it to open further.  THe door did not affect the ingress to the bathroom or the function of the water heater, but we did as she requested.   The water heater was installed correctly, but required modifications.  These modifications that were specifically requested by *** ****** would have been billed either on the original bill or later, due to the necessity to make structural changes to accomodate the water heater.   

   

  In addition to that we had another issue were they left cast Iron piping on top of the pvc pipe in the plumbing's exhaust system that goes to the attic. This will crack and cause damage to the pvc pipe sitting underneath the cast iron. This is a bad repair by the technician and will cause further issues. This will require additional cost and repairs for client. The cast iron vent pipe has been secured in the attic with an industry standard anchor and is not putting any pressure on the PVC.  THis is an industry standard practice and braces are specifically made for this purpose. 

   

   I contacted owner Jan 20 to negotiate a reasonable price on labor and have her reflect the change on the invoice. I'm requesting that a 15% reduction in hours be considered, this equivalent to 5 hours removed from the invoice. I am also requesting that additional 1 hours be removed from the Nov 11 charge of moving water heater against wall due to it being an error on the technician's part.

   

  We will not reduce *** ******** billing as we have made multiple attempts to work with her during this process. We believe that *** ****** did not intend to pay these invoices and is attempting to avoid doing so.  We feel she is attempting to use the BBB to spread false information, similar to social media pressure.  We believe that our billing is fair, justified and transparent.   Also, during the research of this claim, we did discover a text message from *** ****** agreeing to $1,675.00 to replace her water heater, rather than the $1,475.00 she was billed.  This billing error has been corrected.  

   

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