better business bureau? complaints against license? not sure of next steps... thanks.
advice on how to deal with my plumber?
i have a new construction house and my plumber has been blowing me off and telling me that he has to deal with "emergencies" before he gets to my house... i have a contract with him that he started in may for the entire house... he is as slow as molasses... he's always the bottleneck... every facet of this job has been held up by him (or his workers)...
now that he has to install the baseboard heating, he keeps promising he'll have someone at my house to work on that and the finish plumbing... i've paid him about $16k of the $22k on the contract... i absolutely have to have the heating and plumbing finished by next wed... how do i light a fire under his butt?
now that he has to install the baseboard heating, he keeps promising he'll have someone at my house to work on that and the finish plumbing... i've paid him about $16k of the $22k on the contract... i absolutely have to have the heating and plumbing finished by next wed... how do i light a fire under his butt?
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not really a DIY topic but good luck. Didnt you have an electrician walk out on you recently?
yeah, i know, but didn't know where to turn... thought others may have some insight to share... thanks.not really a DIY topic but good luck
order a couple pizzas for lunch to get him over???
Does your contract have a completion date on it?
i've bent over backwards to be nice to his workers... pizza, water, wendy's, bk, mcdonalds... i even ran to the supply store to pay for and pick up oatey pan liner because his first try with the liner leaked... i've been more than accommodating and he just walks all over me, relegating me to last priority because i won't do anything...
just checked and unfortunately noDoes your contract have a completion date on it?
I would not deal with it any more. Just hire someone else and do not pay him the balance.
I tell all my subs, show up when you say you will or someone lese will be doing it the next day.
I tell all my subs, show up when you say you will or someone lese will be doing it the next day.
I'm not saying what he's doing is right, but if there's no stipulation on completion of the job, you really can't call him on a whim and expect him to be there to work. This may not be the case, but most people like to think that the plumber belongs to them. When your house is done, he still has a hefty customer base who keeps the service side of his business going, and you probably won't call him for many many years if at all. I'm not saying one is priority of the other, just putting it into perspective for you, because he does have other people to keep happy. :yes:just checked and unfortunately no
What stage is the work in? Have you paid for the current stage of the project or does he get payment after completion of work? Is the current stage of the project ready for him to come and complete his portion of the work?
project commenced 6 months ago... i've been calling and he's been promising to start the heating and finish work for the past 2-3 wks...I'm not saying what he's doing is right, but if there's no stipulation on completion of the job, you really can't call him on a whim and expect him to be there to work. This may not be the case, but most people like to think that the plumber belongs to them. When your house is done, he still has a hefty customer base who keeps the service side of his business going, and you probably won't call him for many many years if at all. I'm not saying one is priority of the other, just putting it into perspective for you, because he does have other people to keep happy. :yes:
What stage is the work in? Have you paid for the current stage of the project or does he get payment after completion of work? Is the current stage of the project ready for him to come and complete his portion of the work?
i am very tempted to tell him to not come but i don't have anyone else at this point and i'm under the gun...I would not deal with it any more. Just hire someone else and do not pay him the balance.
I tell all my subs, show up when you say you will or someone lese will be doing it the next day.
Taking a guess, I think if he received 16K out of a 22K job what he did was front load the cost and took most of his labor costs and and some of the material costs out of the beginning now for him to finish the job most of the money is not his and he has to complete it. In short he already got out what hes getting $. I hope I explained it OK. If not someone else chime in.
Without knowing anything more than what you wrote, I'll second what Alan said. You also didn't answer hammerlane's question. Are you GC'ing the house yourself? If so, that's probably half the problem right there. GC's Do add value, but many people seem to think it's a rip-off to pay someone to "just make some phone calls". :no:
I'm a plumber, and if I have 3 builders/GC's (who give me several projects/year) who need me at their jobs and one homeowner who is trying to play GC on his own project, then who do you think I'll take care of first? Part of the problem, too, is that the jobs I get from professional GC's are usually always on target as far as the scheduling goes. But those I do for homeowners are usually NEVER on schedule. A guy tells me he'll be ready for me in a couple of weeks, so I'll leave an opening in my schedule. Two weeks goes by and guess what - he's not ready for me. Now I've got to scramble to get some other work to fill the gap, and another couple of weeks later (by now I'm into other scheduled work), THEN he calls and demands that I get over there toot sweet. Sorry...I'll get there when I can squeeze you in.
Again...that's without knowing any more of the specifics of your situation. The fact that he had to "re-do" the shower pan liner makes me think he may not be "all that", but was it his fault or did someone else puncture the first pan he installed?
I'm a plumber, and if I have 3 builders/GC's (who give me several projects/year) who need me at their jobs and one homeowner who is trying to play GC on his own project, then who do you think I'll take care of first? Part of the problem, too, is that the jobs I get from professional GC's are usually always on target as far as the scheduling goes. But those I do for homeowners are usually NEVER on schedule. A guy tells me he'll be ready for me in a couple of weeks, so I'll leave an opening in my schedule. Two weeks goes by and guess what - he's not ready for me. Now I've got to scramble to get some other work to fill the gap, and another couple of weeks later (by now I'm into other scheduled work), THEN he calls and demands that I get over there toot sweet. Sorry...I'll get there when I can squeeze you in.
Again...that's without knowing any more of the specifics of your situation. The fact that he had to "re-do" the shower pan liner makes me think he may not be "all that", but was it his fault or did someone else puncture the first pan he installed?
yep agree coldiron.. we work on 3-payment plan..33 1/3 down...33 1/3 after rough in...331/3 after trim and test.. plus any extras that we had in writing....you have given him too much money...he can't finish because he don;t have the cash...and you will not make another payment till he is finished with job..ben sr:yes:Taking a guess, I think if he received 16K out of a 22K job what he did was front load the cost and took most of his labor costs and and some of the material costs out of the beginning now for him to finish the job most of the money is not his and he has to complete it. In short he already got out what hes getting $. I hope I explained it OK. If not someone else chime in.
While this may very well be the case, we have only heard the homeowners- who I assume is the CG- side of the story. I would like to hear what the plumber has to say about the project in general. We all know you can go into a job with a good margin- only to watch it whittle away due to poor on-site management, ill timed work, back ordered material, weather, etc.yep agree coldiron.. we work on 3-payment plan..33 1/3 down...33 1/3 after rough in...331/3 after trim and test.. plus any extras that we had in writing....you have given him too much money...he can't finish because he don;t have the cash...and you will not make another payment till he is finished with job..ben sr:yes:
while again i agree with you ....but ... no matter what imo no job should drag on for 6 months.... even if that were the case... poor site management...I would cancel contract leave job...no GC would screw me around...ever.. but you make a good point:thumbsup:While this may very well be the case, we have only heard the homeowners- who I assume is the CG- side of the story. I would like to hear what the plumber has to say about the project in general. We all know you can go into a job with a good margin- only to watch it whittle away due to poor on-site management, ill timed work, back ordered material, weather, etc.
That situation was my first thought exactly.Are you GC'ing the house yourself? If so, that's probably half the problem right there.
I'm a plumber, and if I have 3 builders/GC's (who give me several projects/year) who need me at their jobs and one homeowner who is trying to play GC on his own project, then who do you think I'll take care of first?
thanks for all the insightful input...
- yes i am GCing the job myself
- the owner says his guy is "the best of the best", but i'll have to disagree with him since it took him three tries to get the liner not to leak... not to mention a host of other annoying issues...
- i've been extreeeemely flexible with him... some days he'll show up and others, he won't and i haven't complained too much until now...
- it's one thing to be put at the back of the priority list and it's another to be completely unreliable... "just be at the house when you say you will and if you're not, tell me so i don't plan other dependencies around it!"
- it's a 4br, 3ba colonial... took him 4 months to finish the rough... could have closed up the walls a month sooner if he didn't take so long...
- yes i am GCing the job myself
- the owner says his guy is "the best of the best", but i'll have to disagree with him since it took him three tries to get the liner not to leak... not to mention a host of other annoying issues...
- i've been extreeeemely flexible with him... some days he'll show up and others, he won't and i haven't complained too much until now...
- it's one thing to be put at the back of the priority list and it's another to be completely unreliable... "just be at the house when you say you will and if you're not, tell me so i don't plan other dependencies around it!"
- it's a 4br, 3ba colonial... took him 4 months to finish the rough... could have closed up the walls a month sooner if he didn't take so long...
KWIK & ISHMAEL I understand you guys are Contractor's but I disagree on a couple things you both agree on. All money spends whether it comes from steady customers or fill ins.
Every customer and job should be treated equal, word of mouth travels whether it's a homeowner, big Company, GC's.
All specifications and job requirements should be spelled out before assuming responsibility for completing jobs.
If you guys can't show everybody the same interest and respect you shouldn't be in business and someday it will come back to bite you.
If you can't handle all the jobs you take on don't take them on or hire more men or have an on call staff to fill in where needed.
Every customer and job should be treated equal, word of mouth travels whether it's a homeowner, big Company, GC's.
All specifications and job requirements should be spelled out before assuming responsibility for completing jobs.
If you guys can't show everybody the same interest and respect you shouldn't be in business and someday it will come back to bite you.
If you can't handle all the jobs you take on don't take them on or hire more men or have an on call staff to fill in where needed.
1 - 20 of 31 Posts
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