Tanisha D.
09/04/2020 12:00:00 SA
I reached out to this business for a quote, and the owner, Cody, responded with a phone number I could call to schedule a free quote. That appointment was today. Two techs came out by the name of Hansel and David. They asked what the issue was, and I told them the issue and that I wanted a quote.
They quoted me $225 for what seemed like a simple fix after he explained the problem. He said he didn't need any additional parts, just what was there. He asked me to sign the quote. This is my first house so I thought nothing of it.
I noticed he immediately started taking things apart. I asked what he was doing. He said fixing the problem. I told him that I just wanted a quote because I had another company coming to look at it, and for the price that he quoted, another company was going to replace the pipe as well.
He said $225 was their minimum. Why didn't the owner convey this to me when I initially reached out on Yelp for a quote? This is need to know information. He asked me if I wanted him to stop, I said no and to just finish. That was my mistake. I should have said yes and to please stop.
It took them less than ten minutes if that (probably somewhere between five and ten minutes). The aerator wasn't on properly. Although Hansel seemed very knowledgeable, I could not shake the feeling that I was just taken for a ride.
I asked to speak to the manager and ended up talking to the owner, Cody. I told Cody what happened and that $225 was outrageous for such a simple fix and how all I wanted today was a quote. He dropped the price to $189. I told him that still seemed outrageous.
He asked to talk to the guys. Hansel explained that he gave me a quote, had me sign it, and immediately went to work. I asked him what he was doing, and he said fixing the problem. He asked me if I wanted him to stop, and I said no. After hearing this, the owner dropped the price to $150 and said that was the best he could do.
I paid. They left. We ran the dishwasher. The leak is fixed. I was going to give them three stars, but I just can't do it. 1) The owner should have warned me that it is a $225 minimum when I reached out over Yelp. 2) If I asked for a quote, that's all I should have received. 3) I just didn't like the interaction with Hansel.
I couldn't help, but feel like he was taking us for a ride. From the first comment about how nice our house was, to wanting to put these stickers under our sink and on our water heater (which we said no to), to having quick quips to my questions, and rushing to start a job I didn't expressly agree to, it just left a bad taste in my mouth.
It's just my sister and I here. We are both women, and we look fairly young. It's hard not to feel like all of these male service workers, who have been coming in and out of our house lately, aren't trying to pull one over on us. That's exactly how it felt during our interaction with Hansel.
I appreciate the owner trying to rectify this situation. I understand that your rate is your rate, but be clear, transparent, and upfront and let your potential customer make an informed decision. I felt like my hands were tied because he legit already started working before I caught on to what was happening. And I still think $150 was grossly overpriced for work I didn't initially sign off on, and I still feel taken advantage of. It's the worst feeling.