Kevin U.
04/11/2020 12:00:00 SA
Home warranty company sent Fazio to unclog kitchen drain. I have a 25 foot pipe snake and extended the full length into the drain, but did not clear the drain before notifying the home warranty company. I explained this to Fazio - most plumbers have longer snakes, right? 2 plumbers showed up and used a 25 foot snake, fully extended and had the same result I did. Understand that the drain pipe is nearly 50 feet long, all but the first 6 feet of which is entire exposed in the basement. They said cleanouts should exist every 25 feet for longer drain pipe runs. I asked whether they had longer snakes like most plumbers. They said they recommend installing a cleanout and snaking both directions, which they could do. However, Fazio reported to the warranty company the job was completed!
A call to the home warranty company revealed that they wouldn't cover the recommendation under the warranty and Fazio should be getting back to me. I called Fazio and left a message stating I wanted them to complete the work, whether covered by warranty or not (kitchen drain had been clogged over a week at this point). The estimate, to jet the drain, then install a cleanout was $450. We got it scheduled and 2 different plumbers came. I showed them around, explained what the recommendation was. They asked if I had an old bedsheet to cover a wine rack in the basement to protect it when they installed the cleanout and cleared the clog. I stated that the previous plumbers who came (also from Fazio) said they'd come with a tarp to protect anything in the area, but that I could round up an old bedsheet and tarps I used when painting if necessary. They went out to their truck, I assumed to get a tarp and whatever equipment they needed to do the job. Several minutes later, I saw them pull out of the driveway and leave. I called Fazio to ask what was going on - why 2 different plumbers and why they seemed not to know the situation. As always, I had to leave a voice message. 15 or so minutes later, one of the plumbers came back to the front door and said they left a few things in the basement. I followed him and asked what was going on and was told they were going to Home Depot to get the items they need to complete the job. After he left, I called Fazio and left another message asking what the heck was going on, whether these people worked for them, and why they seemed unaware of the job they were supposed to perform. My wife noticed their truck pulled over about a quarter of a mile down the street and sat there for at least 15 minutes (she works from home and looks that way from her work area). 20 minutes or so later, I get a call from Fazio's stating that the scope of the job changed - 70 foot drain pipe, 12 foot ceiling, boxes and wine rack in the way. I really don't know where she got the information, but I discussed with her when arranging the work that the drain pipe was 50-60 feet long, which was an estimate, but I took the time to measure it afterward and found that it is actually less than 50 feet. How anyone can say the basement (or any floor in our home for that matter) has a 12 foot ceiling is hard to believe. The kitchen drain pipe is exactly 8 feet 4.5 inches from the basement floor where the first 2 plumbers recommended placing the clean out. I also explained that I could and would move anything they felt was in the way. Joehan(?) also stated something about there's so much going on to which I asked what she meant by that and whether they were too busy to complete the work or just didn't want to do it. She then tells me that so much has changed that if they want me to do it, it'll cost $2,400!!! She then said she was merely giving me a courtesy call to let me know about the change in scope and cost to complete the work!! A courtesy call to tell me they won't finish the work when they knew all about it ahead of time and provided a quote? That's a rather interesting perspective.
Long story short, I was recommended a plumber by a neighbor. They sent a guy (1) a couple of days later. He used a 75 foot snake and was in and out in less than an hour and it cost me less than $100. Obviously, I would never recommend Fazio Sewer and Plumbing, but I'd certainly recommend the other folks!