Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/05/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On 9/11/2023 I signed a "revised proposal" for work to be performed at my residence in the amount of $1234.40. Prior to signing the proposal, Sherlock Homes Plumbing had two people come out two separate times to give us an estimate for the work to be done. We were told that they do not charge per hour to install hose ***** but instead they bid them per job. On 9/28/2023 the technician came to our house to install the hose *****. He stated that he wouldn't have time to install the backyard hose bib. After the technician finished the front hose bib, he said it was going to cost $160-$320 to install the backyard hose bib. The job was quoted for approximately 4 hours of work and the tech was there about 2.5 hours. We are not sure why they are wanting to more money for labor when they came out to bid the job twice. And they bid it per job but want more money for hourly labor after they said they don't charge per hour for ***************. We told them not to return due to the business wanting more money after they bid the job, and we signed a contract for the price listed. The backyard hose bib was also installed in a poor location without approval. We are happy with the front hose bib.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/13/2023

  The customer in question originally had us out for an estimate to do a whole house water repipe. We gave the customer a proposal for the work, and the customer said they could not afford it at that time. The customer asked if they could get the hose ***** done for the price that was in the repipe proposal.  We informed them we would not be able to do so. It would require more labor to install new hose ***** to the existing plumbing than it would be to install them to brand new plumbing (installed during the repipe).
  
   Customer requested to have us back out to do an estimate to replace/relocate just the existing hose *****. We sent a technician out, and he notified us about there being "too many obstacles" and that he would feel more comfortable if a senior technician would come out to take a look. We notified the customer of this and sent a senior technician out. While the senior tech was out at the property, he shared with the customers what he found, and that it would be very expensive to replace/relocate the existing *****. This was due to the concrete foundation, other obstructions, and very difficult access. The senior tech informed the customer that it would be easier and cheaper to just wait for the repipe. The customers agreed  and then decided to ask of if they could get just 2 new hose *****, hot and cold, in new locations (the customer pointed and roughly said where they wanted the locations of the new valves) in the meantime while waiting to do the repipe.  
  
  The technician informed them they would be getting a **************, due to nature of work being over $1000.00 USD and it would not be bid as time and material. When the new proposal was sent out for the front and back hose ***** (upgraded to hot/cold), the customer signed and put down the 50% deposit. When the technicians went out (2 technicians), they installed the front hose **** in the location where the customer requested, even going on video call to ensure proper placement. The technicians installed the new valve, and completed the installation. The height/location of the new backyard hose **** was to be determined based on the existing obstacles, such as the kitchen waste, water, and framing. Due to where the customer wanted the valve located, there was only one position for the valve to be installed. The customer was notified about this before signing the proposal as well as before the work was started. The customer understood that the location of the valve was to be determined by these other obstacles and the customer said that this would not be a problem, as long as they could get a valve in the back left of the house underneath the kitchen window. 
  
  After the technicians installed the new valve and water lines (in the cabinet as per proposal), they found that due to the existing plumbing, it was not going to be possible to make the connection in the cabinet, and the connections would need to be made in the crawlspace below. Work was stopped and the designated person on site was notified about these unforeseen obstacles. It was explained that it was not possible to make the connection in the cabinet, and that the new lines would need to be ran into the crawlspace to make the connections. 
  
  Due to this work not being included in the proposal, the technician notified the person on-site that there would be an additional hour labor charge ($99.00) since running 2 new water lines from the cabinet into the crawlspace was not included in the original scope of work. Due to the very tight crawlspace access, the technician notified the designated person they would also need to come back the following day with a smaller technician that could squeeze through the access in the crawlspace. We went out of our way to move customer's on the schedule and informed the technician we could come back as soon as the following morning to finish the job. The designated person on site was happy to hear this from the technician and confirmed they could meet that appointment for the following morning. Before the technicians returned to the shop, our office received a call from the homeowner/customer (not the designated  person on site) complaining that the work was incomplete, and confused why we "wanted more money" that was not agreed upon in the proposal. 
  
  We thoroughly explained the situation to the customer. We stated that in the proposal/contract terms, the proposal only covered tying the plumbing together in the cabinet (for the back yard hose ****), and did not cover any additional labor or material (or extra technician due to crawlspace access)that was required to tie in the plumbing in the crawlspace for the backyard hose **** due to the unforeseen obstacles/issues found upon starting the work.
  
   When asked, the customer was not willing to allow us to complete the work that was outlined in the proposal. The customer refused further service. As stated in our proposal, we are required to provide a cancellation receipt.  So we sent the customer an itemized list of material/labor used up to that point.  The original price of the proposal was -  $1234.40  that was agreed upon and signed by the customer. The customer refused to proceed with the work due to the unforeseen obstacles and additional labor charge.
   Upon revision (removing material/labor not used up to that point) the new total for the job came out  to $ *******, a total difference of $171.04. 
  
  Upon receiving this receipt with the discounted rate, he did not feel that he should have to pay. We thoroughly explained why the original price was what is was, and explained that the price was discounted for the material and labor not used. We explained the cancellation receipt, and a breakdown of why we sent him the itemized list with the discounted total. 
  
  The discount was not sufficient for him, but payment was received shortly after the final interaction.  We, Sherlock Homes Plumbing, have honored all of our agreements, terms, and protocol outlined in the proposal that was signed and agreed to by the customer. We have thoroughly explained and walked the customer through our practices, policies, and have been transparent, patient, and understanding throughout the whole process. 
  
  We have attached and underlined the terms/scope of work found in the original signed proposal, as well as a copy of the cancellation receipt provided to the customer.

  We hope after the customer in question views this, it clears up any misunderstanding or confusion that they may still have.

  It is unfortunate things happened this way, we wish we could have completed the work as outlined  in our proposal for the customer.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/21/2023

   
  Complaint: 20698576
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  I was the designated person on sight. I was also the person who was here when all three estimates were completed. The senior plumber who came out indicated those installations would be something they could do and did not indicate it would be a challenge. The day the two people came out to install them, I answered the door, they told me they would have to turn the water off. I asked how long, they said the job was bid for four hours but they didnt think they could install the back bib. They installed the front but did not insulate, they did ask where to place that bib. They began installing the second and did so. Then they told me they could not finish. They also said they did not ask me where to place it because there was only one spot they could. They showed me why they could not install the back bib and it was something they could have easily seen any of the three times they previously came out. Then they told me they would have to come back again and it would cost more because it was an additional day and they needed two people so I would have to pay about 160 an hour for at least two hours. They left after only being there two and a half hours at the most. They plumber also told me the second person they had with them on the day of install was not a paid plumber but a helper. The bid was for an install based on the time frame of four hours. They did not complete four hours of work and therefore should not charge additional. The obstacle to installation could be seen on a surface level and during the bid was apparent. The fact that the plumber told me the moment he arrived that he didnt think he would be able to complete the back bib installation leads me to believe he knew that ahead of time and bid low so as to get us into contract and then did not make good faith effort to install in the four hour block we paid for. I would like the hour and a half of labor they did not complete refunded. I also question their integrity when bidding jobs. It is important to be transparent so the consumer can make an educated decision when engaging in services. I now have a hole in my cabinet and house because they could not completely the job in the bid time. 

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/30/2023

  All of the original complaints were addressed in our original response, so we are unsure why all of these new complaints are coming up when we have stated the customer is not paying extra, but for additional labor/materials. The original complaint the customer in question had was that he did not understand why he was being charged extra.  We have personally explained to the customer that he is not paying extra when he canceled the service going forward. The additional charge would be for work that was not included in the contract that was required due to the unforeseen obstacles/clearances. This is now work that has been added which is required to finish the installation, not outlined in the original contract. (Anything that is not covered in the contract such as unforeseen obstacles, additional materials/labor, or change in scope of work, etc...) the price of the contract does not cover that, which again is stated in the contract terms. The additional work included running two water lines, hot and cold, into the crawlspace to tie into the lines installed by the technicians coming into the cabinet, instead of tying the lines inside the cabinet where it was originally stated in the contract to be connected. The contract only covers tying into the existing lines in the cabinet, and does not cover if the scope of the work changes due to again, unforeseen obstacles/clearances. Customer stated that he was happy with the front **** and we explained to the BBB why there was additional cost in the original complaint reply. Now that the customer understands why he isn't being charged extra, he would only be charged for the additional work that is required. The customer is complaining about things that never took place, demanding an hour and a half of work refunded back which he was informed would be the price for the additional work, he was never charged for any additional work and refused service before we had a chance to come back. The original contract 
  price was $1,234.40; after **************** denied service, and we ended up charging: $ ******* after the deductions. We stated in our original reply to the BBB everything that was outlined in the contract regarding his complaints, the labor for this job was not time and material. Labor for this specific job was a set price for what was outlined in the proposal, not based on time. We will not be refunding the requested labor as requested by ****************. When the customer refused to have us complete the job , we sent over an itemized list (revised proposal) of all the materials not furnished and  roughly $100.00 off the original contract price. We told the customer that to complete the job, due to unforeseen circumstances, it would be about $100 roughly to tie in the water lines in the crawlspace (again this was not part of the original contract/agreement). The customer refused service at this point, and is now requesting "an hour and a half refunded"  presumably to hire somebody else to complete the job. We feel we have already held up our end of the contract in its entirety . The customer in question, *************************** , was only on-site at one of the appointment windows, but was not there at any other time, nor when the work was being performed. We spoke with a girlfriend/wife at the property each time and even went out of our way to video call with **************** to keep him in the loop regarding placement of the front hose **** via the girlfriend/wife's phone. The customer was happy with our other work as stated in his original complaint, except for that there were unforeseen obstacles that would require additional cost with the kitchen valve. We have explained how the contract is lined out, and even sent a copy to the BBB in our original response, highlighting contract terms that were addressed in the customer's complaint. In regards to the hole in the cabinet, there was already an existing hole in the cabinet, we have photo evidence of our first visit where pictures were taken that show the cabinet is already cut out prior to any work being done by Sherlock Homes Plumbing. There was access already made by a previous contractor for what we presume was done for the installation of the waste cleanout for the kitchen (where you can see drywall through the cabinet to the left of the photo behind the plumbing as marked). Our technicians used the same access for the new valve and only drilled through the siding of the house to mount the valve. We feel we have honored our contract in its entirety, we have thoroughly explained the situation, the contract stipulations, and how this job was bid (at a set labor price, not hourly). Our technicians drilled, mounted, and ran water lines into the cabinet (as per the contract). The only work that could not be completed was the connection to the water lines inside the cabinet which could not be completed due to the unforeseen clearance issues as stated in our original response. The customer is asking for the exact amount back for the work that would have been required for the additional work that was included in the contract.   The technicians informed the girlfriend/ wife that they would start with the garage hose **** due to it having easier access and didn't want to start with the harder kitchen valve in case something went wrong and they had to leave the water off until parts were acquired. The technicians never told the designated girlfriend/wife on site that they couldn't install the kitchen valve. To finish the job would have been an additional hour of labor ($99), but now the customer is requesting even more money than that back. The customer is now attacking our integrity, when everything was outlined in the signed contract. Again, the contract states that it does not cover unforeseen obstacles, other issues that *** arise, etc... everything else that is stated in the complaint. The customer did not want us to proceed with work, and denied all service going forward. For reference to the statement made by the customer "the job was not completed in the bid time" -- the job would have been completed if the customer paid for the additional time needed to complete the installation due to the unforeseen circumstances. There was never a set time allotted to complete the job. Upon the customer requesting to stop service, we provided him with an itemized receipt of what labor and materials were not used up to that point and the total price was discounted accordingly. We did not expect the customer to pay for what was not done, or any materials not used during the appointment window. We have sent over copies of the contracts on file and have highlighted the terms that were agreed upon which clearly state the protocol and against the complaints of the customer. We are not refunding any more money, we have already discounted the labor and materials not furnished during the appointment. The additional work was not included in the original contract to run the 2 new water lines into the crawlspace, so there is nothing on our end that is required for us to refund regarding that additional work.
  Our original reply addresses all the customers original complaints. 
  It is unfortunate that the customer and ********************** could not resolve this issue amicably without the BBB. Unfortunately when it comes to plumbing work, and construction in general with older homes, this is not uncommon for there to be unforeseen obstacles and clearance issues after starting work.
  
   We understand the frustration on the customer / ******************** end. This is why we write our contract terms clearly due of these possibilities, and it is unfortunate that our relationship with **************** has ended due to the obvious misunderstandings of his contract and the work performed at his residence.

  
  We wish **************** all the best going forward.
  
  -Sherlock Homes Plumbing 
  

  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/31/2023

   
  Complaint: 20698576
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/31/2023

  unfortunately, there probably wont be a resolution with this and this is more just voicing my frustration and dissatisfaction with this business.  This will be the last time I reply, because I feel like I am repeating myself, and the business is clearly not understanding my point of things.  I understand that they want more money to finish the job, which I am not willing to do. Its very frustrating getting told by the technician one thing and then being told by someone over the phone something else.  When the technician came out the third time to do the installation, he opened up the cabinet under the kitchen sink, and immediately said he could not install the back one. Why could he not have seen that the first two times he was out. And why would he make a hole into the house and install a faucet that he knew he wasnt gonna be able to do under the original contract.  And that faucet, which is in the backyard, is in a horrible spot.  I understand he was very limited on where he could install it, but I never would have approved of that spot. If that was the only spot, I never wouldve had the back faucet installed.  All I know is I paid $1063 for one working faucet.