Most plumbers are dedicated to working hard for what they earn. There will always be scam artists, however, and the last thing you want to deal with is a dishonest plumber. But how do you know if your plumber is price gouging?
Hidden Costs
You’ve probably had to look for hidden costs in other industries. Don’t assume they can’t exist in the plumbing industry. One method of price gouging is to fail to tell customers about hidden costs that will eventually be added to the bill, often at inflated prices.
Hidden costs your plumber might charge can include mileage for the drive to your home, time to shop at stores for parts and consultation fees. Avoid price gouging by asking for a written contract that plainly describes all the fees you will owe.
It is also a good idea to know what the average plumber charges when it comes to fees. Never hire a plumber without first researching average plumber prices. Call several and ask for ballpark estimates you can compare. The actual prices might vary once the plumber surveys the problem at your home, but at least you’ll have a general idea.
Product Inflation
If your plumber has to replace pipes or parts in your home, he will need to get those parts at a hardware or plumbing store. Another form of price gouging occurs when a plumber inflates the cost of the parts he purchases. For example, he might say that your toilet costs $180 when it actually only cost $150.
You have to be careful with this type of price gouging, because it can be small and therefore difficult to detect.
To avoid price gouging through product inflation, ask for receipts of all items purchased. If the plumber already has the products in stock, research the specific item on the Internet or at the hardware store to get an idea of what your plumber paid.
In some cases, a plumber might use a substandard product and charge you for better materials. When a plumber is working in your home, avoid price gouging by actually looking at the products he uses to fix your plumbing. If they don’t look similar to the grade of materials he says he is using, call him on it.
Don’t Get Scammed
Even the most savvy consumer can make mistakes when it comes to whether or not a plumber is price gouging. You can reduce your risk, however, by exercising due diligence with every professional you hire. Look into average plumber prices in your areal and check with organizations like the Better Business Bureau for complaints about a particular plumber, which might head off disaster.
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Thanks for this useful article. We recently hired a plumber to repair a leak on our toilet, and we were a little surprised to learn how expensive it was. I took the advice in your article and asked other plumbers how much they charge, and it turns out that we got a pretty good price after all.
You guys rock!
Tom Hubbard
Richmond, VA
Tom Hubbard – January 15, 2009 , 9:07 PM
There should not be any hidden pricing.
And a bid up frount can only be good for what you can see at the surface.
There should be a travling charge or, plumbers need to charge higher prices one or the other. It is very hard to do service and have a rate and survive in the busness. and its easy for any one to say the plumber charged to much. I just say ,ok Ill do it for 10.00 but you pay my health insurance bill this mounth. Or ok yeh I ( being a Plumber in Jersey) could have donn it cheaper, but why,are you going to give me a discount on my Taxes. You know all the little taxes that the general public dont want to pay, Well, YEH the little busness guys pay, yeh how about that. There are a lot of hidden bills We pay but all you people do is complain about us.
Ok with that said I know there are a lot of over priced plumbers. Im gonna tell you to call the little guys, stay away from big adds and ask around your friends and relitives. Dont go to your home progect center or electric and gas people, Call the guy around the corner. John
John Segrest – February 17, 2009 , 6:33 PM
Buy the way ,Price Gouging. Making 20.00 for buying you the right toilet. And picking it up for you for 20.00 is price goging. I think you better get a hold of your self stupid and get a life.
John Segrest – February 17, 2009 , 6:44 PM
I say go buy the toilet yourself and after you install it, when you find its defective. You get to pay for the job twice and also to pay to remove it for you. Then another service charge after you come back with another toilet.
Also If you purchase some make toilet or other fixture that is not a common unit to the plumber whos installing it , and you purchase it just because you liked it. It should cost you more for a learning experience. All fixtures are not created equal not all fixtures go in the same and most, have diffrent parts to install. Some parts come with the unit and some dont. So What fixture comes with what. Do you know? I know that you dont.
John Segrest – February 18, 2009 , 7:50 AM
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Is Your Plumber Price Gouging? « Plumber – November 7, 2009 , 2:01 PM
Yodle, Yodle, Yodle, GET REAL! You call yourself giving the home owner good advice by making them paranoid about the plumber marking up a $150 toilet to $180. Do you really think we sell material at cost. Do you sell your services at cost, I think not. My advise to you is before you start spouting advise, maybe you should hire a professional that actually basic understands business 101. The only price gouging I see is If you are actually charging plumbers to advertise on your website
Roger Lewis – November 10, 2009 , 6:43 PM
Yodle, Yodle, Yodle, GET REAL! You call yourself giving the home owner good advice by making them paranoid about the plumber marking up a $150 toilet to $180. Do you really think we sell material at cost. Do you sell your services at cost, I think not. My advise to you is before you start spouting advise, maybe you should hire a professional that actually basic understands business 101. The only price gouging I see is If you are actually charging plumbers to advertise on your website
Roger Lewis – November 10, 2009 , 11:43 PM
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Is Your Plumber Price Gouging? - Home – December 5, 2009 , 1:14 AM
How about not calling the little guy around the corner who doesnt have a license and doesnt pay taxes. Or you can pay for a defective install and then pay a real plumber, or when your house is flooded, good luck finding the little guy with no insurance who has dissapeard off the face of the earth.
Justin H – August 3, 2010 , 9:16 AM
I have a little guy who came around and fixed all the problems the big $6000 licensed co left us with. Also a big co plumber wanted to charge my mom $600 to install a toilet. For most things the little guys are just fine, better yet get a plumbing book and a wrench. I would not mess with drains and venting though!
Melinda Forster – September 27, 2010 , 1:43 PM
[...] reduce your risk, however, by exercising due diligence with every professional you hire. Look into average plumber prices in your area and check with organizations like the Better Business Bureau for complaints about a [...]
Is Your Plumber Price Gouging? | Plumber Overland Park KS – October 31, 2010 , 11:47 AM
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Is Your Plumber Price Gouging? | Central Heating Info – November 15, 2010 , 6:52 AM
people have jobs/ careers to make money. The next time you want someone to give you a fair price think about the business you work for. people charge what it takes to stay afloat. some businesses offer more value whether it be in the way they take care of your home or how they install your plumbing or electrical or etc etc….. if you want to let your brothers friend of a friend do your repair’s , or write a big check to the company who spends $10,000 a month on advertising for his/her repair’s remember that the “chance” of getting a poor job or a good job depends on the person you get at your home. I sure hope they really know what they are doing!
matt – February 11, 2011 , 10:22 PM