I'm dubious about what I'm being charged.
Weeks ago, when it was very hot, the main circulating fan in my furnace rattled a lot, and I tried to remove the motor but couldn't for some reason. I called my oil company and said that the furnace rattling a lot when it was on. I don't debate that they said my furnace service plan didn't cover this, because it was the summer time.
They had me call another number iirc, or maybe they transferred me. Regardless, when I talked to the next person, I told him that it was rattling, probably the fan blade, and how much would it be?
He said $79 for an estimate or a diagnosis charge, I don't recall what he called it.
They came out the next day iirc and the guy turned it on, listened, and then set to removing the fan moter with the blade (squirrel cage).
After a while, he was ready to leave, to go get the new blade. I said to him, I could go get the fan blade myself and put it on myself to save myself money. (Two of my friends each have a business, each with account at the same supply house he said he was going to.) He said that it wouldn't cost any more for him to do it.
A different guy returned the next day and he finished the job, handed me a second invoice that said 222 dollars. His invoice and the one the previous day each gave arrival and departure times and the time-spent on each was 45 minutes, 90 minutes total.
When I got the bill, it was 365 dollars, as if the blade (for a common Carrier furnace) was 143 dollars. That seems like a lot, and retail it is more like 50, 60 dollars I think.
My big problem is that they never told me anything more than 79 dollars (plus the part), even though I had asked the price. They assumed I wanted to go through with it at whatever price they charged. When the first guy said it wouldn't cost any more, he meant any more than 222 dollars, even though he had never given that number to me.
I found out eventually that they have a flat rate of 222 for this job, which means they could have told me the price if it was the fan blade, which I told them it was. When I first asked what the price was. If not then, when they figured it out. They now call the 79 the diagnosis charge, and maybe the difference from an estimate is they think they never had to tell me the price in advance.
How would you react? What is a fair price to pay them? If they had told me 222 for labor, I would have paid the 79, told them No, and tried much harder to fix it myself. 222 for 90 minutes work (plus picking up my part while they get others) seems like an awful lot.
I may have to pay them more, but if it is much more, I'll change oil companies for the coming year.
I certainly don't feel like they should do any more repairs for me, and the only reason I don't shop around for the cheapest oil is that in order to get the service plan, I have to buy all my oil from them.
Thanks a lot.
Meirman
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