SOUTH WEST PLUMBING COMPANY OFFERS FLAT RATE FOR SERVICE, PLUMBING DUMMIES DON'T KNOW IT'S 5 TIMES WHAT THE JOB SHOULD COST. SEATTLE Washington

This company installed a new shower valve, which I furnished, in an open wall I was having retiled. They did not even have to open up the wall to get to the pipes. When the tile man returned after the plumber left, he was stunned at what they had charged me. If he had been here, I would have knoiwn the charge for the work was out of line.

Since I am not familiar with the cost of a plumber, I stupidly signed a contract with them for a charge of 753.28 +67.04 tax, total of 820.32, for a little over 1 hrs work, the only supplies they furnished was a piece of 4" pipe for the faucet, the new valve they installed came with the faucet I had already purchased.

I was informed that if I did not use them I would be charged a 39.95+tx dispatch fee just to look at the job. They do advertise " no travel charge" but a dispatch charge must be different.

So, in good faith, I paid them by check, since I didn't know what a reasonable charge should have been. When I called them regarding this inflated charge, they informed me that was the price and I signed a contract and was told the price in advance. If I stopped payment on the check they would put a lein on my home. He basically told me to "poke it". This return call only came after leaving several messages then finally I left the message I was going to stop pay my check.

My husband was out of town at the time and he is the one that deals with these situations...needless to say when he got home, he was angry.(putting it mildly)

Another senior citizen ripoff!? I am not finding their license number as being listed as a company on the Washington labor and industries website, cc#southwpo71c6. do you think I have any recourse here?

After the fact...I called several reputable companies and found that the job should have been about 150.00-200.00 on the high end, for one and one half hours work.

I realize they do give the price up front, but when dealing with women and senior citizens, they have to know that these are the people that have no idea what a repair charge should be and are trusting that a large well known company in the area will not take advantage of their ignorance. Wrong!! these are the ones they do take advantage of. I am sure if the tile man or my husband was here, the price would have been different.

Personally, it would be worth the 820.00 to me, to have a story put out about this rip off companies charging practice.

I think the seattle area needs to know how they operate. when I questioned the tech about the price, he informed me they had a flat charge, not an hourly rate to "save the customer money" the entire back cover of my phonebook is their ad stating the same. They also advertise a senior discount which I did not receive. I saw that after the fact, but the plumber didn't even ask. My husband asked if I got a kiss afterward!! NO!!

He stopped pay on the check, so I guess we will have a lein. Boo h*o..they can deal with our kids 20 years from now when they sell the house.

RippedOff
lynnwood, Washington
U.S.A.