BEWARE - BE AWARE - ARK plumbing co.

[lmsintx@gmail.com]

They charged us $467 to install our kitchen faucet - we provided the faucet! Told us that was their flat rate and refused to provide an itemized statement. The GM, Elvira, was rude and basically told us "tough.'

[Two Bills]

Surely you got a price ahead of installation?

[retiredguy123]

If you didn't get a price in advance, I don't see that you have a valid complaint. How much would you have been willing to pay?

Apparently, ARK Plumbing does a lot of work for American Home Warranty, which is not a good indication of their reputation. Reputable plumbers do not need to share their profits with a warranty company. Also, they are located more than 25 miles away from The Villages. There are several reputable plumbers located much closer. ARK only has a one star rating on BBB, and one complaint was from a customer who was given an $1,100 quote to install a customer provided faucet.

[Stu from NYC]

Wow wonder what would happen if you refused to pay or just sent them a check for say $ 100 writing full and final paymenbt.

[retiredguy123]

Wow wonder what would happen if you refused to pay or just sent them a check for say $ 100 writing full and final paymenbt.
Most likely, they collected the money before they left the house. But, if not, they probably would have turned the OP over to a collection agency. Lots of phone calls and harassment. A better option would be to refuse to pay at all, and make an offer to the company that needs to be accepted in writing. The offer should be based on quotes from other plumbers for a similar project.

[Stu from NYC]

Most likely, they collected the money before they left the house. But, if not, they probably would have turned the OP over to a collection agency. Lots of phone calls and harassment. A better option would be to refuse to pay at all, and make an offer to the company that needs to be accepted in writing. The offer should be based on quotes from other plumbers for a similar project.

Your probably right. They know that if they present a bill and expect to be paid there and than they will collect immediately. The problem for them is when they run out of customers as it will be a one and done.

[MrChip72]

What's a "fair price" for this though? $200-$300? It's not like you're just paying for a guy for 1-2 hours of his time, there's his training/experience, time/gas driving to your place, vehicle, tools, company overhead, and all that.

I'm sure you can just hire some guy off of Facebook to show up in a beaten up minivan with a couple wrenches and a screwdriver for less, but that's a different thing than hiring a licensed plumber from a company to show up to do work.

[ThirdOfFive]

They charged us $467 to install our kitchen faucet - we provided the faucet! Told us that was their flat rate and refused to provide an itemized statement. The GM, Elvira, was rude and basically told us "tough.'
Wow!

By comparison last week we got a kitchen sink, heavy-duty faucet, and a garbage disposal unit, all new and all purchased through Village Plumber, LLC. Total cost--the items above plus full installation--came to a little over $1,160.00, just over half of what it cost to install a faucet mentioned in the OP. We got the quote over the phone, verified via Email, and the plumber (a personable young guy) showed up about a week later right on schedule to do the work. As good as their word. We'll certainly be using them again as plumbing issues come up or the wife decides that a bathroom or two needs remodeling.

Anyone interested can call them at (352) 205-5262.

[retiredguy123]

What's a "fair price" for this though? $200-$300? It's not like you're just paying for a guy for 1-2 hours of his time, there's his training/experience, time/gas driving to your place, vehicle, tools, company overhead, and all that.

I'm sure you can just hire some guy off of Facebook to show up in a beaten up minivan with a couple wrenches and a screwdriver for less, but that's a different thing than hiring a licensed plumber from a company to show up to do work.
The Lowes installation price for a kitchen faucet is $169.

[Stu from NYC]

What's a "fair price" for this though? $200-$300? It's not like you're just paying for a guy for 1-2 hours of his time, there's his training/experience, time/gas driving to your place, vehicle, tools, company overhead, and all that.

I'm sure you can just hire some guy off of Facebook to show up in a beaten up minivan with a couple wrenches and a screwdriver for less, but that's a different thing than hiring a licensed plumber from a company to show up to do work.

So you think that what the OP was charged was a fair price? Seriously?

[MrChip72]

So you think that what the OP was charged was a fair price? Seriously?

No, I don't think that. My point was there's different options for who you're hiring to install it, and it seems like hiring a plumbing company to install a faucet might be an overly expensive option.

[keepsake]

Surely works in the airline industry, leave her out of this.

[retiredguy123]

No, I don't think that. My point was there's different options for who you're hiring to install it, and it seems like hiring a plumbing company to install a faucet might be an overly expensive option.
See Post No. 9. Lowes will send a licensed plumbing company to install a kitchen faucet for $169. The OP was overcharged.

[Robbb]

Wow!

By comparison last week we got a kitchen sink, heavy-duty faucet, and a garbage disposal unit, all new and all purchased through Village Plumber, LLC. Total cost--the items above plus full installation--came to a little over $1,160.00, just over half of what it cost to install a faucet mentioned in the OP. We got the quote over the phone, verified via Email, and the plumber (a personable young guy) showed up about a week later right on schedule to do the work. As good as their word. We'll certainly be using them again as plumbing issues come up or the wife decides that a bathroom or two needs remodeling.

Anyone interested can call them at (352) 205-5262.

You know $1,100 is still outrageous, assuming it was a typical faucet and garbage disposal. Was he there more than 45 minutes?

[photo1902]

You know $1,100 is still outrageous, assuming it was a typical faucet and garbage disposal. Was he there more than 45 minutes?

Kitchen sink was included. Not a 45 minute job.

[RVJim]

They charged us $467 to install our kitchen faucet - we provided the faucet! Told us that was their flat rate and refused to provide an itemized statement. The GM, Elvira, was rude and basically told us "tough.'

Flat rate is becoming more and more common with tradesman. I can understand why they do this. It is a simpler billing process and it eliminates the customers that complain about the amount of time or how fast the person worked. My preference is flat rate billing agreed to up front. If I don’t like the price I can do it myself or shop around. Many tradesman won’t install owner supplied parts because the after sale warranty issues become difficult in some cases.

I find it hard to believe a tradesperson would do any work without a signed authorization with a price. If there was a signed authorization, complaining after the fact or refusing to pay isn’t an honest thing to do and won’t get you very far.

[RVJim]

Most likely, they collected the money before they left the house. But, if not, they probably would have turned the OP over to a collection agency. Lots of phone calls and harassment. A better option would be to refuse to pay at all, and make an offer to the company that needs to be accepted in writing. The offer should be based on quotes from other plumbers for a similar project.

Plumbers and other tradesman have lien rights for unpaid work. That is not a place you want to go over a $500 bill especially when, in all likelihood, the work was authorized before it began.

[Freehiker]

I don’t understand. Did you not know the cost before you let them do the work? Surely you didn’t just tell them to install it without asking first, did you?

[airdote22]

AH, well they sounded like very nice people.

[GpaVader]

Not having all the facts as well can change the cost of the installation. You have the installation but did the plumber have to replace any supply lines, what about valves. Those things add time and cost to a project. I just don't know that we have all the information.

[Sabella]

What's a "fair price" for this though? $200-$300? It's not like you're just paying for a guy for 1-2 hours of his time, there's his training/experience, time/gas driving to your place, vehicle, tools, company overhead, and all that.

I'm sure you can just hire some guy off of Facebook to show up in a beaten up minivan with a couple wrenches and a screwdriver for less, but that's a different thing than hiring a licensed plumber from a company to show up to do work.
Major reputable plumbing companies servicing the villages for many years -average charge for installation of customer provided faucet about $100. Recent experience I had.

[PennBF]

We just had some plumbing work done at our home. It was a number of individual items.
The Plumber spent about 4 hours doing the work and was more than reasonable for the
rate to do everything. We would highly recommend him. His name is Roger Pearce.:coolsmiley: