Most, if not all, plumbing scams focus on unnecessary replacements, especially sewer lines and water heaters. It's quite reasonable for plumbers to ask for a down payment of up to half the budget to cover the parts and be sure that you'll pay. Some states only allow plumbers to request 10 percent of a job in advance
(t). However, it's not reasonable to ask you to pay the full bill before the work is completely finished; plumbers who do this will most likely take the money and leave.
Since our founding in 1921, HPM Building Supply has been dedicated to helping Hawaiians to build and live better. We have transformed and grown into many. Some plumbers may try to convince you that a costly repair or replacement is needed when, in fact, a simple solution would suffice. This can make you pay more than necessary for a solution that wasn't really necessary.
To avoid falling into this tactic, it's essential to do some research and get a second opinion before authorizing comprehensive plumbing repairs. If you have a plumbing emergency and need help outside of business hours or on weekends, some plumbers may try to charge you an additional “emergency surcharge”. While it's understandable that they want to receive compensation for working outside regular working hours, be sure to clarify and agree on this fee beforehand to avoid surprises when the bill arrives. To avoid this situation completely, it's best to have an emergency plumbing provider that you trust and that you can contact in case of urgent problems.
Another common scam is that of people going door to door claiming to be plumbers and offering their services at a good price. You can be sure that if someone knocks on your door unexpectedly offering you plumbing services, they aren't legitimate, since professional plumbers don't need to go door to door to get work; they'll wait for you to call when you need them. You can expect the plumber to make some benefit, but if they charge you multiple times the cost of the product, ask the plumber why. You've hired a plumber to handle a problem, but over the course of the week, three different people have come and you have no idea what they're all doing.
The hook is a popular scam where a plumber convinces you that you're getting the best of the best when, in fact, they're installing an inferior product and lower cost. If you hire a plumber and they insist that they only accept cash payments or refuse to provide an invoice or receipt, that's certainly a reason for suspicion. The originally hired plumber will then state that since the “assistant” is a subcontractor, he sets his own rates and the plumber can't do anything about it. First, replacements often mean that the plumber won't have to worry that the proposed solution won't work.
If you need the services of a plumber in Etobicoke and are skeptical about who you can trust, the best thing to do is to choose a plumbing service provider with a well-established reputation like Drain King Plumbers. Doing your due diligence and speaking up when you feel that something isn't right go a long way toward avoiding the harm that a suspicious plumber can cause. It all starts innocently enough when the plumber you signed a contract with begins with the agreed work. A reputable plumber should have no problem showing their credentials, plumbing license number, and business cards if asked to.
This is a shady way for plumbers to charge you between double and triple the amount you expected to pay for your plumbing work. Or your plumber doesn't know what he's doing, he's taken on a project that's too big, or he's trying to get away with it. If the plumber provides his license number only after you've dragged it away from him, the license may not be in order. This very common scam occurs when a plumber guarantees that they will provide you with the best of the best when it comes to accessories and other parts.
They are dangerous equipment that can easily be ripped off with a finger or worse, and should only be used by licensed plumbers.
