Bohmann Plumbing Over Priced Estimates for Plumbing ripoff Milwaukee Wisconsin
I have a brand new Kohler toilet which I installed one week ago. Toilets come in two parts, a tank and bowl. The tank/bowl interface has a rubber cone shaped gasket and the two pieces are secured to one another with three bolts. A water leak at the tank/bowl junction means the the three bolts need tightening. While I was out of town, the toilet leaked so my wife had Bohmann plumbing come out. They said they charge $39 for an estimate, my wife agreed and they came out.
The guy looks at the problem and tells her it will be $140 to fix the leak. Fortunately, she was smart enough to decline the work, but still paid them $39 for the estimate. When I got home, I tightened the bolts and fixed the leak, it took me longer to find my screwdriver than it did to fix it, maybe 2 minutes of total time once I put the screwdriver away.
I called them, spoke with the manager and asked for a refund. They declined. In summary, my advice is #1) don't use Bohmann plumbing, #2) don't pay for plubming estimates and #3) if you know anybody who used Bohmann plumbing they probably paid way too much.
RBS
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
U.S.A.
5 Updates & Rebuttals
Darren
Neenah,Wisconsin,
U.S.A.
I think the point..
#6Consumer Comment
Wed, September 08, 2004
Brian,
I really don't know if the point is the $39 house call. It probably is more that the customer is upset that for that $39 the technician wanted $140 to tighten a couple of bolts.
If that were the case, was the $140 above and beyond the $39?
Most people would expect the $39 to be applied to the hourly rate to do the repair. Do you charge hourly rates? Is it $140? Would the total cost be $140 or $140 + $39?
Even then, it is an awfuly expensive twisting of bolts.
Thanks,
Darren
Darren
Neenah,Wisconsin,
U.S.A.
I think the point..
#6Consumer Comment
Wed, September 08, 2004
Brian,
I really don't know if the point is the $39 house call. It probably is more that the customer is upset that for that $39 the technician wanted $140 to tighten a couple of bolts.
If that were the case, was the $140 above and beyond the $39?
Most people would expect the $39 to be applied to the hourly rate to do the repair. Do you charge hourly rates? Is it $140? Would the total cost be $140 or $140 + $39?
Even then, it is an awfuly expensive twisting of bolts.
Thanks,
Darren
Darren
Neenah,Wisconsin,
U.S.A.
I think the point..
#6Consumer Comment
Wed, September 08, 2004
Brian,
I really don't know if the point is the $39 house call. It probably is more that the customer is upset that for that $39 the technician wanted $140 to tighten a couple of bolts.
If that were the case, was the $140 above and beyond the $39?
Most people would expect the $39 to be applied to the hourly rate to do the repair. Do you charge hourly rates? Is it $140? Would the total cost be $140 or $140 + $39?
Even then, it is an awfuly expensive twisting of bolts.
Thanks,
Darren
Darren
Neenah,Wisconsin,
U.S.A.
I think the point..
#6Consumer Comment
Wed, September 08, 2004
Brian,
I really don't know if the point is the $39 house call. It probably is more that the customer is upset that for that $39 the technician wanted $140 to tighten a couple of bolts.
If that were the case, was the $140 above and beyond the $39?
Most people would expect the $39 to be applied to the hourly rate to do the repair. Do you charge hourly rates? Is it $140? Would the total cost be $140 or $140 + $39?
Even then, it is an awfuly expensive twisting of bolts.
Thanks,
Darren
Brian
Milwaukee,Wisconsin,
U.S.A.
Value Judgement
#6REBUTTAL Owner of company
Tue, August 31, 2004
The $39.00 service call and dispatch fee was explained by phone at the time the apointment was made.
A professional technician and a fully equiped truck was dispatched to the home of Richard & Evelyn as requested. Once there, an inspection and examination of the problem took place which resulted in three written estimates being presented to Mrs. Schaefer.
Mrs. Schaefer was not allowed to make a decision without he husbands approval.
With the service that we provided,a real value at only $39.00, Mr.Schaefer knew exactly what the problem was and how to go about solving it. He chose to do the work himself but he still owed the $39.00 for our service call.