Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
We replaced our 2 old waterheaters with 2 new ones from Home Depot. We paid $ 1500 (GE Smartwater water heaters) and that included installation by Home Depot. The only drawback..because the heaters were in the attic ....the installation of the new ones was not safe enough and we had to get a handyman in to make the attic floors (the workspace for the installation) more stable and safe.
But otherwise we were very pleased with the heaters and the service provided by Home Depot
Do Home Depot and Lowes not install them, or are some of you suggesting that it is a much better idea to get a plumber?
Home Depot and Lowes sub-contracts the work out to have water heaters and everything else installed. This applies to carpet, garage doors, woodflooring etc.
I can usually get hot water heaters replaced for $600-$800 - my handyman/plumber goes to buy them and then installs them (I have rental properties).
You are lucky to have a relationship with one that you can trust! I am still searching for that person, after having been less than thrilled with some of my realtors' recommendations.
Thank you all. Yes I am thinking of BBB.On their website they suggest we do the talking first with the company to settle out. Since that person was not ready to talk we had a letter written thinking of faxing it but they do not have the fax number listed on their website.So maybe I have to mail it now. We had requested a dispute to be opened by our credit card company last Friday. In the meantime they are not speaking anything about this but they are leaving messages seeking appointment for inspection by the city so far I have not returned their calls in reply to that. Would I be in trouble with the city if I do that. What window or wriggle room do I have . Any ideas/ suggestions pl keep them coming.
you have some issues that maybe have not been raised--
long story about my latest water heater replacement and then some comments about your situation---
in my town a water heater needs to have a permit to be replaced because the city inspector needs to come out to verify that it was installed properly and if the city code has changed since the original water heater was installed then it MUST be installed according to code...this is a SAFETY issue especially with a gas water heater as yours is
we have two water heaters in our house--house is about 25 years old and one of the water heaters only was replaced about 2 years ago (the other about 8 yrs before)--so we got our money's worth on that --
the latest one to be replaces is in the garage in an enclosed closet area. It was working but leaking for quite a while and then it did stop heating--that was when we looked in the closet. We did not realize there was a problem because there was no overflow drain leading outside the closet---there was some minor damage to the plywood floor of the closet....
I called Lowe's, Home Depot, and couple of plumbing companies because no one we knew could recommend a plumber---some places were not very helpful--the people next door had a plumber doing their water heater and I asked him to come give me a bid and he told me about some of the code updating that would have to happen and he gave me a bid...it was high--his was well over 2000...
since it was installed so long ago--it had to be vented properly since it was a gas water heater--which might have required a larger vent pipe up to the roof--there had to be a drain pan of specific dimensions which was a tight fit in the closet area and there had to be a COPPER overflow drain line installed...not to mention the water heater itself
it was going to be expensive--once I knew some of the problems, I finally found a plumber who quoted me a price that was about 500 cheaper -- but it was still almost 2000--but he did do a lot of work--and he did a couple of other things for me as well--like doing something for the gas heater for the house---
anyway--he told me that a high efficiency conventional water heater was just as cost effective as a tankless because a tankless burns SO MUCH gas to heat the water "instantly" and because it does not retain heated water like a conventional one does that it can go on-and-off several times during the course of a day--using really MORE gas than a conventional one with its system...and there is more maintenance required to monitor a tankless unit...
I had read comments like that before on home construction boards so I knew he was giving me fair advice--
so we went with the conventional wh--
he got one that was made in Tenn because he said that the ones made in Mexico had quality issues with not lasting as long as they should--he made a special trip to get it because the first one he went to pick up was not US made--
he had to have special drip pan MADE to get the right size/depth so that it would fit in the closet and we could still close the door. That took a while but I hate seeing water heaters standing open in garages--he got the city permit and when the drain pan was ready he got the WH and did the job. The copper overflow pipe drains onto the garage floor by running under the bottom of the closet door---
he did a good job and he did a lot of work to get it right---
after it was installed-I called the city and the inspector came out--and signed off on the installation---
I would suggest that you call your city permit office and see if a permit needs to be issued when a water heater is replaced---if iit does and the plumber did not do it--that is a code violation and he can be cited--as long as you have the paper work showing who did the work--
in MY city a plumber needs to be licensed and know the code of the town--some cities close to each other can have different code requirement---if he violates the code--that is like breaking the law...when a house sells and is inspected anthing ADDED has to have been brought up to code--if it was built a certain way and code has changed it only affects items done AFTER the change was implemented--that is why getting someone to do construction work on your home and add an addition or something less expensively by NOT using licensed contractors or following code can be expensive---you have to upgrade to code before the inspector will sign off...
ANYWAY---about YOUR issues
1) call your city or check the city's web site and see if
A) plumbers need to be licensed to work in the city and B) if a permit needs to be issued before a water heater is replaced and then it requires inspection after installation
my city's site shows that you need a permit
City of Bedford: Building Permits (http://www.ci.bedford.tx.us/Departments/administrative_services/customer_service/permits/Permits.htm - broken link)
http://www.ci.bedford.tx.us/Departments/planning/pnz_pdf/Permits/plumbingpermit.pdf (broken link)
if your plumber broke any of those rules--then I would file a complaint with the city code enforcement office--and maybe they will get on his case--it won't get your money back I guess but it might make you feel better....
their site says specifically that they do not get involved on issues of money--when people have paid more than they think the job should cost--BUT if you were charged for something that WAS NOT DONE--like you paid for one water heater and got a different one--or you paid for the permit and the plumber did not apply for one--THAT is different issue--as well as was the job done properly---i.e. required permit/city inspection not done--those ARE issues that I think the state board would allow a complaint....
3) Better Business Bureau only works if the company is a member and then there is not always a happy resolution---
4) you might consider calling one of the TV stations to see if the ombudsman reporter might be interested in a fleecing of the public story...
in Fort Worth--the Star-Telegram has a columnists who eats stories like this up---
he could get two or three days of columns out of it probably---
but don't know about the Dallas paper...
Water heaters rip off- beware of this plumbing company
I just want to post an update on my situation. I would first like to thank everyone who has responded especially loves2read your advise was very valuable.
1. We had informed BBB against this plumbing company and to our complaint Als plumbing has replied that we had called them first , not them and they did nothing wrong etc etc. The lady Melinda who deals with these issues said that we had never called her when in fact I had left a VM asking her to call me back. When she did not respond back we were pressing to speak to Mr larry as he was the person who gave us the 3500 quote. we replied back in detail again to BBB disputing their twisted facts(PL see my original post).These people had promised me 3 yrs maintainence and 10 yrs warranty but on the invoice they put only one year maintainenece. I brought this also to the notice of the BBB in addition to the rip off. The lady also mentioned that I was not permitting inspection to be done. I have not refused city inspection I just did not return their call. I did so because Mr larry and other employee disconnected us and asked us to complain to whom ever we wanted. When they disconnected the phone why would I be returning their calls ? I wrote the same to BBB.This was on the 6th or 7th of May, almost a month now and to that they have not responded back and we have not heard from BBB too.
2. We had also opened a dipute with our credit card company initially in addition to complaining to BBB. My credit card company got back to me with Als plumbing letter to them. In that letter addressed to the credit card company the lady Melinda states that I have got the work done and that I am simply trying to avoid payment to them now. That sentence is the utmost insult that anybody can make on a persons character. I wonder how she can do it being a lady and how she can sleep at night where as I am having so many sleepless nights having being called that.
To this we called our credit card company and opened an another dispute with them saying they overcharged us by 1500 - 1700 dollars. This was 2 weeks back. No developments so far on this.
3. In the meantime Emily an other employee of Als plumbing has sent a certified letter to us last week saying city inspection is mandatory and if we dont get it done all warranties will be void.
They have not responded to our letter to BBB or the credit card company but they have sent this certified letter stating inspection is mandatory.I called the city of plano and explained my situation. I asked the lady if I would be in any legal trouble with the city of plano she said no since I did not pull the permit. But she mentioned inspections are for your own safety and I told her I would definetly like it to be done once the plumbing company waives off the overcharge.
Looks like this company is in the business of rip off and they do this on a daily basis with lot of people involved like me. They are doing this in a systematic and organised manner . I have found the reviews of other customers on yahoo local who have been ripped off or dissatisfied with this company whose links I am posting below. I wonder how many people have not come forward who have been cheated.
If anybody has any advise on how to deal with this company pl advise your help is very much appreciated. Readers pl beware of this company and dont be taken for a ride like me.
I have called other plumbers after my insurance company told I have been ripped off. To the same brand water heaters & same capacity I have been given a quote of 1800- 2000 dollars maximum for replacing both water heaters in the attic where as Als plumbing has charged us 3500 dollars for the same work .
a company like a plumber is free to charge what they want for what they do--sell---
there is no law that says they have to be the cheapest at what they do
telling you one thing and giving/selling your something else runs a fine line between fraud and miscommunication---
if they told you that you would get more warranty than they wrote on the receipt--
but you did not challenge them at the time and have a new receipt done before you paid (from how I read your statement)
then YOU made a mistake that you can't really get satisfaction for now probably
If you paid to have a permit done--or they paid for a permit--then you should have the city inspect what they did--IF THEY FAILED to install the heater correctly, the city inspector is your best bet in complaint with BBB and your credit card co
if you paid more than you should have, and this company is in the business of taking advantage of people in your situation, then you need to talk to someone with the city attorney because a case could be made for fraud/predatory practice which I think is a violation of the consumer laws--but it is probably not going to be worth the city's time to persue it when lots of he said/she said is the most productive kind of evidence...
in defense of your complaint to your credit card company and BBB and the state board and the city attorney--
you might forward them the link to the complaints on Yahoo as evidence that you are not just making this up especially since some of them are before your situation started but
sorry but you are not likely to get any redress for what you contracted to pay
you paid plenty for your education...
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
....the installation of the new ones was not safe enough and we had to get a handyman in to make the attic floors (the workspace for the installation) more stable and safe.
water heaters
