{"id":1463,"date":"2018-12-26T10:46:37","date_gmt":"2018-12-26T15:46:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/blog\/?p=1463"},"modified":"2018-12-26T10:46:37","modified_gmt":"2018-12-26T15:46:37","slug":"top-plumber-scams-and-how-to-avoid-them","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/blog\/top-plumber-scams-and-how-to-avoid-them\/","title":{"rendered":"Top Plumber Scams and How to Avoid Them"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
When you need to have a large amount of plumbing work or\nrenovations done to your home, you are on pace for a long, tedious process of\nprotecting yourself. That is because, if you are not diligent in finding a\nquality contractor to work with, you may fall victim to an appalling plumber\nscam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Continue reading to learn about some of the most common plumber\nscams, and what you can do to avoid being preyed upon by unethical contractors.<\/h3>\n\n\n\nIndianapolis Plumbing Re-Piping Services 317-784-1870<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
The Bait and Switch<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
A common and frustrating plumber scam is the old \u201cbait and\nswitch\u201d of plumbing materials. In this scenario, a terribly-unethical plumbing contractor\nwill suggest a high-end list of plumbing pipes and fixtures, charge you for\nthem, but then use cheaper materials to make a secrete profit. For instance,\nthey may sell you on cross-linked polyethylene (PEX) piping or copper tubing,\nwhich are high-quality and high-priced materials, but then when it comes time\nto install everything, they end up using cheap materials and the homeowner is\nnone the wiser.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To avoid this scam, be sure to always request a specific\nlist of the materials you are paying for, and them cross-reference their price\nat the local home improvement store. If you see that the plumbing contractor is\ncharging you an outrageous amount of money for something that costs less than\nyour monthly pedicure, it is wise to find another contractor. Likewise, if they\nare using high-end products, but overcharging you for them, it is important to\ncall them out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Price Gouger<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
Also known as the \u201cGolden Spoon\u201d scam, the price-gouger is a\ncommon con that unethical plumbers will use to make more money from a standard\njob. In this scenario, a plumbing contractor who arrives at a large home in a\nhigh-end neighborhood and notices luxury vehicles in the garage may over-charge\nthe homeowners just because they assume they have a lot of money. For instance,\nyour plumber could charge you double or triple if they think you have deep\npockets<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To protect yourself from being overcharged simply because\nyou have a nice home and live in an affluent area, simply seek out multiple\nplumbing estimates for the same job. Compare the written estimates to see if there\nis an average marker. If the alternative estimates are much lower than the\ninitial estimate provided by the contractor, you know you have a price-gouger\non your hands. Get rid of them, quickly!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Evasive Estimate<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
Another common plumbing scam is not always intentional by a\ncontractor, but it is still irresponsible and bad business practice. Other\ntimes, it is completely intentional. This scam is known as the \u201cevasive\nestimate\u201d because in this scenario, the plumbing contractor can never quite\ngive you a precise estimate on paper until after the work is done. They may go\naround and tell you everything is \u201cno problem\u201d as they keep a mental tally of\nall the work needed. Then when it comes time to receive the bill, the mental\ntally that was talked about before is suddenly tripled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To avoid this scam, simply be sure to demand a written\nestimate, upfront, and then sign a contract stating how much will be paid BEFORE\nany work begins on your home. If the contractor is unwilling, then it is not a\ngood sign and you should move onto another contractor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Indianapolis Plumbing Service You Can Trust!<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Weilhammer Plumbing Company 317-784-1870<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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