George Brazil Plumbing ripoff charged very inflated rates took advantage of La Habra California

I own and operate a plumbing, heating and air conditioning repair service company on Long Island. When I advertise 24 hour service, I guarantee it. Whether you call at 3pm or 3am, a live plumber answers the call. If you need emergency service, you are quoted the service fee over the phone. My techs and I have been told countless times by customers that NO ONE else answers their phone at 3am. And these are plumbing contractors who also claim 24 hour service.

You wrote: "I have called three other local plumber companies and for the same service and time of nite the charges range from $180.00 to $280.00." I can assume that you did not call these other 'local plumbers' at 3am and ask them what their rates were. Because if you did, none of them would answer their phone and your house would of been flooded.

Any reputable and professional company will not quote repair prices over the phone or sign unseen. We only quote service charges and emergency fees.

In my opinion, you were charged a fair price or emergency service at 3am.

This may be case of simple buyers remorse rather than a ripp off.
how you can tell the difference?

If you are quoted one thing on the phone and they upped it on the job
this is a form of bate and switch. (if were talking about the same identical work)Better companies will never quote sight unseen.


In this case though, it sounds as though the consumer was quoted the price's upfront. even the after hour dispacth fee was disclosed and agreed to upfront.
If this is true how would this be a disservice to anyone?

Now regarding work prices, If these were also "quoted and agreed to" before the work was started how can this be interpreted as anything but supplying the service that was requested?

The Government itself defines fair market value as the Price that a Property or a Service would sell for on an open market. It is the price that would be agreed on "between a willing buyer and a willing seller".

Why else can a baseball sell on ebay for hundreds of thousands of dollars? because their is a willing buyer and a willing seller, it does not matter the material cost of the ball itself. Now suppose the buyer later complained that he found a baseball at walmart for under five bucks? ridiculous, this ball was the home run ball when Barry Bonds surpassed Hank Aarons record! Right the materials installed in your home was done at 3:00 am within the hour you called for your emergency there came a fully trained fully equipped service man with a $50,000 fully stocked service vehicle at your door to help you in your time of need. wiping the sleep from his eyes as he drove over, YOU okayed the price and the work was done right then and there. The plumber went home ruined for the next days regular hour service calls. Well that's his Job, But one he desrves to paid for and without abuse.


The end price that any business must charge must be based on the breakeven number considering all businesses direct and indirect operating costs Plus a resoanble profit and NOT what the guy down the street may be willing to sell it for. Who may operate a severly diffent business model One Whom doesn't do 24/7 service and who has cut every corner imaginable on his costs severly inpacting his service capabilites such as for-going training and up to date equipment.

Basing the value of a Job at any time of day on just the materials used and the employees wage is well utterly ridiculous. If that were the only factors to be considered when paying bills how nice that would be.

As far a pricing goes there are no laws telling businesses what to charge. Some do under charge and go out of business those who price higher could price themselves out of the larger markets but maybe they are okay with that as they fill a niche which some will always use and value. The 24/7 game is a niche becuase not all want to subject themselves to those types of riggors and those rigors include dealing with I-rate ill-informed consumers who live in some fairtale world where the plumbers only costs are his time and materials, and where he can only breakeven on those two items or be publicly lambasted in abusive terms.


I am not affiliated now nor ever have been with the company who was the target of the post I am replying to. I do though have insider knowledge of the way this proud industry works, and the challenges It faces. I detest illegal immoral actions on either side contractor or the consumers.