Plumbing Charge Questions

[CaboWabo]

I had a leaky bathtub faucet and had a plumber come out and fix it yesterday. I wasn't there, but my wife said he spent 15 minutes there at most and changes out a small part in the faucet handle. Wife cuts him a check for $97.00. I think this is a little steep and I called the company and am waiting to hear back from them. Am I over-reacting? I understand you're get some amount of pipe when you call a plumber, but I wasn't looking for the pooper action I got. Thanks iin advance for the response.

 

[Tenor]

Did they not give you an estimate before they started working ?

 

[CaboWabo]

I'm not sure, the wife handled it and you know how that goes. I'll check on that one, but I still think it was a little steep. I can handle 50 or 60 bucks, but 97 seems a little outrageous.

 

[hablue65]

Most services charge $75.00 - 100.00 per hour with a minimum call out charge. I would expect in this case the call out rate was minimum $85 with a $12 charge for parts.

I agree it is hghway robbery but you have to consider the clock was running from the time the plumber left the previuos call until he left your house for his next call. You are paying for the insurance for his truck, the liabilty if something would have happened to flood you home, the plumber's hourly salary plus overhead and profit for the company.

 

[X-Ray_Horn]

It's the old, "but you just pushed a button/flipped a switch/turned a screw!" argument...

"Yeah, but I knew which button to push/switch to flip/screw to turn."

You didn't pay for the effort, but the expertise.

Capitalism.

The estimate is the key... $97 is pricey for something so minor. Don't mean to get preachy, but it's better to learn a little about rudimentary home repair... replacing a faucet, disposal, toilet, etc.... than let some wrench jockey get rich off you.

Most of that stuff is incredibly easy... it just seems intimidating.

And that's this weeks episode of "Middle Aged Man"!

Stop lookin' at my gut!

 

[CaboWabo]

Hab..thanks for the info. I've decided to let it go. As an attorney, I should be the last person complaining about this sort of "highway robbery"

 

[hellbunny]

Pick up the Home Depot book and you'll at least learn what goes into fixing most things (and if you want to attempt them yourself or with a buddy).