Based off 1 purchase of service but numerous touch points.
WORK TO COMPLETE: Install a water backup sump pump and main sump pump, both supplied by myself.
SUMMARY: I paid for a turn key Job and instead:
(1) Within a few weeks of installation the backup system turned on and would not turn off when it rained: Suspect Installation
(2) The door was not put back on.
(3) The area around the sump was not cleaned up
(4) Several NO SHOWS
(5) Attitude
If Interested ,the details are below:
PROBLEM: The pump was installed and within 2 weeks it rained & in the middle of the night the alarms/texts went off for the backup sump pump. The water backup pump ran continuously. The main pump would cycle periodically and it seemed like the two pumps were fighting themselves. There were strange sloshing noises as well. It was a sleepless and stressful night and following next day. (: The backup ran all day. I turned it off around noon and waited to see if there was overflow.....none. Turned it back on the rest of the day just to be sure and then tried again to turn off at night. No flooding. I left it off all night and no flooding. Initially I thought this was because there was no more water to evacuate. But after thinking about it, there is a good chance the backup was installed incorrectly.
I called and they sent someone out ~day (+). They stated the main pump was not functioning even though there was water around it so it should have turned on (I learned later via trial that the float has to be covered allot to activate., the main pump was OK) and the 1 way valve was broken letting water enter back into the sump. They replaced the valve & repositioned the backup so it was above the sump cover; Initial installation had the pump under the sump cover = crammed. The two guys that came out were pretty nice to deal with. They also installed a shut off valve as the instructions showed (after I asked) that was not present at initial installation.
They stated the main pump needed replaced and they would be happy to get an exchange at Home Depot so they took the receipt. THEY NEVER RETURNED! I spoke to the owner about scheduling etc to finish the job and he asked how much he should charge for the main pump installation and we debated a bit via text. We eventually came to an agreement & he said he would finish the job for free to make sure I was happy.
During the waiting it rained a few times, and the system worked! Why? Because it was installed correctly the second time. I asked him if he installed per instructions after it was installed initially and he said yes. As there was no separate shutoff valve present as the instructions indicated I was suspicious from the start.
WHILE WAITING FOR THE JOB TO BE FINISHED took some measurements. The distance between the floats @ 1st installation had them too close, 2nd installation was OK. [Since they poured gravel over a layer of dirt instead if cleaning the dirty out there was a few inches lost between the floats. They put the backup pump under the sump cover @1st installation, with little space so those few inches mattered. @ 1st install the two floats were very close & likely fought each other. @ 2nd Install, the backup was above the sump cover surface...increasing the distance between the main and backup pump floats. Buckets of water and rain confirmed 2nd install was OK.
In the middle of waiting for them to return to install the main sump I sent the owner a text telling him the system was OK & to just come seal up the cover, clean up & put the door on. There were delays by him for scheduling, one was a medical emergency which I was happy to wait...people first. But then later he didn't show a few times and we had to chase him.
He acted like he was doing us a favor, jerked us around, missed several appointments & it resulted in my wife waiting for him all day for several days: JOB NOT FINISHED-NO SHOW.
