Hi all: My brother is replacing his kitchen cabinets. He got a quote from a plumber to hook up the new sink and dishwasher. This is not an old house, my brother is providing all of the hardware, (sink, faucetts and dishwasher). The plumber wants $900. My brother feels that this price for 4 hours work is outrageous. I think it is too. It is over $200/hour. Any Comments are welcome. Robert
Just had a plumber do some work for us here in the Dallas/Fortworth area of Texas.
The plumber charged $72.00 per hour plus a trip charge of about $50.00. Don't know where you live, but $200.00 an hour seems outrageous to me and four hours seems like an awful lot of time for the job you are having done.
Shepherd
== He only got one quote? ==
get a new plumber
Hi, Sounds like the same guy that wanted $750 to run a 20 foot gas line to a Weber gas grill for somebody I know. I think he just doesn't want to be bothered. Life is too good for some folks.
Ken
if he bite on this then he is hooked... way too high, some people will bite and be taken by the theiving bastard of a plumber.....
Finite Guy or Robert
Nehmo Your brother is a twirp, and actually the plumber doesn't want to work for him. Rather than insult your brother and tell him directly, "You're a twirp and I don't work for twirps". The plumber decided to give your brother an inflated bid to kill the job. If your brother had been naïve enough to accept the bid, well, then, the plumber would have made an exception to his don't-work-for-twirps rule.
But I don't get it. How did your brother arrive at the four-hour figure? Did the plumber estimate the time and *then* offer that bid?
Brother's "replacing" the cabinets but it's "not an old house". Maybe we're missing a detail or two here.
Sounds like the guy who want $800+ to install an electric water heater for me.
Bob
You sound like you are one of these thieving plumbers. No, my brother is not replacing the cabinets himself, he is having it done by a contractor. The contractor is recommending this plumber who tries to get more money than a hooker per hour.
I spent past weekend at the beach with my family. I noticed that all the poeple with big boats are plumbers and other contractors. I guess they get their money by ripping off the public. I know most of these people. They are all drunks who have been married several times and have screwed up kids (and morals).
Call someone a twerp and you will get flamed.
Who's doin' the carpenter work for the dishwasher?...and running the electrical? Who quoted the time involved?
Its probably well worth the $900...to the PLUMBER! lol But your brother should get another estimate instead. If something goes wrong with EITHER installation...even if its the fault of the appliance...yer brother is gonna call that plumber. The plumber probably took this into consideration...the future aggravation part, that is.
What if your brother's new faucet doesn't fit? Does the plumber wait while your brother takes it back for the correct one? Or does the plumber just go home...since his day is now shot...and then make another trip back on some other day?
I think the $900 has taken all this into account.
Have a nice week...
Trent
Follow Joan Rivers' example --- get pre-embalmed!
As far as I know, all the other items like electrical etc are being done by others.
So if the plumber comes >>
Actually, in most places, you aren't welcome to get in on it at all, seeing as how you're not allowed to do work for hire w/out a 4-year apprenticeship. Welcome to the last remnants of the great trade-guilds.
They are not ripping you off if you know the price before hand! My guess is the large estimate comes from a contractor that is busy as hell and really does not need the work. Bid it high and if you get it, great! A real rip off would pop in, work for a couple of hours then hand you a bill for some inflated amount.
Typically I see high bids for two reasons,
and
We do a service contract once a month that we charge $1500 per trip for. It often gets done in less than 4 hours plus a couple hours travel time, weekend work. Are we ripping off the customer? No! He can hire anyone he wants! The job is shit work and nobody wants to do it! We would give up the work without a fight if he dropped the contract! We keep raising the price to get out of it, but he keeps signing the contract! Greg
Why are you asking ME?! You need to ask your brother. Was his quote per hour?...or a fixed price? Each has some advantages...to both the customer and the contractor.
I've never run across a plumber yet that wasn't completely honest...much more honest than some of the white-collar trades. NEVER trust a contractor that drinks his brew out of a glass!! lol
And...by the way...
That yacht you saw isn't owned by a plumber. Plumbers HATE water!! lol
Do you know what's included in that hypothetical $200? Most folks like yourself ignorantly think that all that money just goes into his pocket. Hell, the liability insurance ALONE probably eats up half that $200.
Folks like you are the customer base. Hiring a contractor is not for everybody...especially if you still have your health and your youth.
Your brother didn't get ripped off. On the contrary, he got something for free. He got a free estimate...and the opportunity to make a choice.
Its interesting how many people bitch about price...but usually only when they've simply gotten a quote. They're not FORCED to hire that contractor...but they STILL bitch about this courtesy they've been tendered ANYWAY.
But they DON'T bitch...when its a Sunday morning and the kids have plugged the toilet! They'll pay ANY price so that they don't have ta git shit under their fingernails. And they're HAPPY to have a 'crook' to call! lol
Have a nice week...
Trent
Follow Joan Rivers' example --- get pre-embalmed!
That still doesn't justify charging someone $900 for a DW install. Every business has fixed costs you have to cover. An honest businessman doesn't just hike his price when he gets busy. Instead, he tells the customer he's too busy. I don't know how you guys can sleep at night even attempting to justify a charge like that, let alone charging it. No wonder contractors have such a $hitty reputation.
Bob
What really irks me is the standard of living that everyone envisions for a contractor. Everyone has a different picture. Obviously, plumbers and electricians shouldn't own boats. I wonder if they're allowed to eat a steak every now and then.
Nobody seems to want a contractor to make a good living...definitely not an EXCELLENT living. But yet...they want that contractor to still be in business when they need to call him next. They don't want him to make money...just sit around so he's there for the next estimate.
'That still doesn't justify charging someone $900 for a DW install' was probably typed on a $2,000-$3,000 computer...and you probably didn't bitch one iota! lol
Contractors have an OBLIGATION to try to stay in business...and to make the absolute most money that they can! If for no other reason, so that you and Finite Guy can have something to bitch about! lol
Have a nice week...
Trent
Follow Joan Rivers' example --- get pre-embalmed!
I'm not asking you anything, you are missinterperting my reply. I am stating that this potential thief will theoretically come in and finish the job in about 2 -3 hours and charge the full $900.00. I say theoretically because he is obviously not going to get the job. My brother is getting other prices and he can't get a reasonble one, then I will help him do it himself.
Not sure I understand your being upset. If you are paying a predetermined price for a predetermined set of work, what difference does it take if the plumber spends 4 hours or two hours on the job?
Take another look at it from the persepective of a mechanic at an auto dealership. Any particular job to be performed on your vehicle is rated at X.X hours in a standard job book. You pay the dealership labor rate of $YY times X.X predetermined hours, plus parts. Are you going to complain if the job is spec'd at 6.0 hours but it takes the experienced mechanic only 3.5 hours to competently complete the work?
You said in a previous post that you'd rather not do this sort of work yourself, but would like to hire it done. That's your right, and as long as you are getting a price quote up front, before any contract is signed, then you're not getting ripped off if you accept the price for the work quoted.
That systems sucks. The fact that it's industry standard does not make it right. Ever see the "Warranty Flat Rate Book" and compare it to the "Customer Flat Rate Book" ? It's enlightening.
Bob
I don't have any objection to a contractor making a healthy living.
I still don't think charging someone who might be "less than knowledgeable" (aka, a sucker) $900 for a DW install is honest. Taking advantage of people is not honest.
Bob
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