Advanced Built-In Systems Excessive charges on service calls Tarzana, California
I had a problem with my Central Vac. I tried to fix it myself, but I called Advanced Built-ins system like I have in the past. I spoke to Lorena, and said your problem sounds like a clog. Our Tech can do a reverse flow operation to unclog for $175, or you can purchase a new motor for $400. The Tech came out and put a plastic cap on the unit which fell off. Charge for 30 seconds of Labor $175! Then I wanted the motor replaced instead, but now they were quoted $675 for a new one! The Tech spent 27 Minutes here and 99% of that time I was disputing the bill. The previous time they came out they charged me $45. Then Tom Beal 9the owner/president) called me and spent 40 minutes "BS"ing me on my cell. I eventually got the bill down to $125 but any other contactor would charge you much less. In fact he also services Alarms, so does my employer. We charge $20 to go out the site and $40 per half hour, Advanced Built-ins charges $175 to drive up to your door!
Here's how you might be able to Fix your own Central Vac for minor repairs
1. Try to push reset the button if it does not turn on.
2. If clogged buy a 25 foot 'plumbers snake" from a Home store
3. Make sure the caps are on the unit (motor) and air is not escaping.
Please don't pay Advanced built-ins $175 to drive to your door.
1 Updates & Rebuttals
Lorena
California,United States of America
Responding to a complaint from Joel Kling of Canoga Park, California
#2UPDATE Employee
Fri, April 15, 2011
With over 30 years in business and thousands upon thousands of satisfied customers, one customer when serviced and repaired as promised turns around, shorts our fees and then complains on ripoffreport.com.
His ill intensions are clear in an email from him where he says expect awful reviews on the ripoff report, my 2 cents Pissed off consumer etc that will cost you $1,000's.
During the beginning of August 2010, Joel Kling of Canoga Park, the customer filing this ridiculous claim against Advanced, phoned many times trying to repair his vacuum system himself for free with our phone assistance. I spent several phone calls explaining that it could be a clog in his lines, burnt motor or something else. He wanted to avoid our house call charge and try to fix it with our help over the phone.
Eventually he wanted us to come out to fix it. Our quoted fee of $175 was for the house call and up to hour of repair labor on-site. We also quoted the price of $400 if an internal motor is needed to be replaced. Upon the site visit, the customer requested our technician the price to replace the whole power unit too, aprox. $675. Either way he didnt need anything but a cap replaced. He then decided to reduce our fees on his own since the fix was simple. Our technician was away from our office for over an hour for the round trip and house call for this customer.
Buttom line: We repaired the problem on-site, we were shorted on our fees and to top it all off, we were then slandered.
Oh well, with over 7000 customers someone is likely to complain.