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June 14, 2009
Ripped off??
We have just has a 400 sq ft cabin built in Maine... and got the plumbing bill of $5164... to me this is WAY too high. The job is to rough in the cabin, install a sink in the kitchen, one bathroom, and the water heater along with the roughing in. It is septic and we have a well installed (both separate contracts from the actual plumbing).
Plumbing fixtures: $1268
water heater: $389
PVC drainage/venting: $592
domestic water line: $965
labor 36 hrs @ $50: $1800
helper 6 hrs @$25: $150
We have the bill and if this is too high then should we bother contacting him to discuss?
Comments
silly question perhaps.... was there no estimate or contract?
Posted by: zapzap at June 14, 2009 5:22 PM
Where we built is a very rural area in Maine... no contract or estimate, just recommendations of the locals. The other contractors (builder, septic, electrician, etc.) were no problem and this guy was highly recommended... should I even discuss this with him or is the cost too high to begin with. The plumber across the street from us said it is about 2000 too high and should not have even taken the 36 hours for such a small place.
Posted by: sesvs82 at June 14, 2009 5:54 PM
it looks reasonable to me, considering that the contractor had to shlep everything to the middle of nowhere... if you start stiffing the locals in such a remote area, be prepared for some real problems
Posted by: eman1234 at June 14, 2009 8:29 PM
1. Are you a plumber?
2. The plumber has his own warehouse at his home and lives 20
minutes from the cabin = no shlepping necessary.
3. No one is attempting to stiff a local. We almost were
ripped off by an electrician who the builder even told to
take a hike... stiffing goes both ways.
Posted by: sesvs82 at June 14, 2009 9:34 PM
Four days' work? Hard to say. I'm not sure how you knock 2k off this bill.
I would also say that you take on the locals at your own risk. Yeah, this guy could be ripping you off, but he could also be the local jefe...but you don't want to be a patsy, either. Guess what I would do suck it up, pay this one and never use him again without supervision.
Posted by: Bolder at June 14, 2009 10:38 PM
That sounds pretty reasonable to me, considering you don't have a contract, which is your fault completely.
He must have at least given you an estimate didn't he?
Posted by: IronBalls at June 14, 2009 11:32 PM
I guess I've been in this city waaaay too long!
The bill, as itemized, just doesn't look unreasonable. Rough or not, it's still a lot of work!
And, how could you not have an estimate or a contract? THEN
complain about the bill AFTER the work is done?
You may not like the price; but the time to discuss it is before the work is done, not after a snarky neighbor suggests a $2K reduction-- sounds like 'sour grapes' to me!
Pay it, and be done. And, learn your lesson. Buyer beware!
Posted by: Brooklander at June 15, 2009 12:47 AM
No one is complaining... and no sour grapes (shame my post was taken that way). I am just going on what another plumber told me and my question was just to get other's opinions. There is no buyer beware issue here as I trust pretty much the whole crew who performed the work... but being 'from away' from where the work was being performed I was simply asking opinions without the needing the 'sour grapes' crap.
My 'WAY to high' comment was based on another prefessional's opinion which I specified in my second post...
Thanks for the opinions. And yes... we will pay and be done and I doubt we will be disappointed in the final product.
Posted by: sesvs82 at June 15, 2009 10:33 AM
"Way too high" sounds like complaining.
Posted by: Art Salt at June 15, 2009 10:46 AM
And I think 'sour grapes' referred to the snarky neighbor plumber who didn't get the job. Next time hire him, if he's so much faster and cheaper.
Posted by: Bklnite at June 15, 2009 3:33 PM
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