Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike&Silvia
I recently sought estimates for a simple plumbing job - running a water line across a 30' garage to a new outdoor hose bib. I got the following three estimates:
1. Mike Scott Plumbing $350 (no estimate fee)
2. Anthony Torri Plumbing $325 (no estimate fee)
3. Frank Gay Services $2158 ($38 estimate fee)
After two calls to Frank Gay Services, seeking to speak to a manager and being promised a callback, I finally got through to a customer service person who said that they would refund my $38 estimate fee if I signed an agreement to keep my dissatisfaction silent. The form required me to not "post or author any detrimental reviews, blogs, etc. regarding the Company, in any form, whether written or oral."
My silence cannot be purchased for $38. I am a new homeowner in The Villages. The majority of service companies that I have dealt with have been upstanding and a pleasure to do business with, however, when I find a company that exploits and takes advantage of unsuspecting homeowners, I want to share my experience and help others avoid making a bad decision.
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That's funny, I had the same situation with the company that wired my home when it was built 11 years ago. They charged me a fee to do an estimate for some minor additional electrical work, then gave me a very high estimate. I went with Lenhart for 1/3 of the price and no fee. When they called back to schedule a job, I told them I wasn't going to go with them and thought the estimate fee was bush league and they were too high. In addition, I reminded them that they had a short in my wiring that took them forever to trace down during the warranty period. Do you know the owner Steve actually rang my bell one day and attempted to read me the riot act about my comments to his people and how he has high overhead and had I never made a mistake???? I told him to GET OUT! Such audacity and entitlement and thin skin.