So Sick of Dishonest Contractors

FractalAudio

Administrator
Fractal Audio Systems
Moderator
Our well ran dry several times this summer. Comac Well and Pump comes out and says "oh yeah, you need a new well and a new pump and new comodulator valve, piston clamps and Johnson brackets. Minimum of $10K."

"Why can't you just frack it?", I say. "Oh no, the stratification of the mineral gradient below the McCorskey limit is greater than acceptable."

So I call another company. This really genuine guy, Hank, comes out and he says "Why don't you just frack it?". "The other company said the well wasn't a candidate." "Nonsense" he says, "it's a perfect candidate. It used to work, lets get it working again."

So we frack it and it works great.

Now because we fracked it we had to test the water. So out comes Allied Clearwater. They test the water and "Oh, oh, you need a whole new filtration system. Your calcium permanganate filter needs replacing, your Scheffield bypass valve is shot, you need a new bistable anti-backflush piston assembly and a new local ionization destratifier". "Uh, how much is that?" "Shouldn't be much more than $6000."

So I call Hank and say "Hey Hank, do you guys do water filtration?" "Of course" he says. So he comes out and I tell him what Allied Clearwater told us we needed. He gives my that "yeah, okay" face.

He logically says "Let's test the water again and also test it after your existing filtration system and take it from there."

We get the results today: all parameters within EPA limits.
 
Well, I’m surprised they drill you to buy a whole new turboencabulator assembly. They’ll pump everything they can out of you until you’re dry!
 

Attachments

  • F3B52CFA-C4AF-42D5-A4FF-F469BB4D5446.jpeg
    F3B52CFA-C4AF-42D5-A4FF-F469BB4D5446.jpeg
    510.3 KB · Views: 18
I am a professional sub-contractor, 23 years in the high end commercial maintenance service industry and the reality is most contractors are just labourers with their own tools.

We have to follow "the companies" procedures and pricing. We have to follow the company rules. blah blah blah. I am one of the few that invests in my own business, I have over 20 certifications, and regularly take refresher courses for continuing credits, but out of 26 crews, Me and 2 other guys do this, the rest treat it like a job, put no extra effort, just do the labour.

I've actually done quite well during the Pandemic, where as 20 of the crews are not working, and they all just sitting at home.... I also lost most of my work with the company, but I just found my own work, the benefits of being self employed, and overly skilled I can do whatever I fancy!
 
I wonder if it's like mobile phone employees needing to upsell to the highest tier no matter what you're asking them about. It's why my friend quit working in that industry.

Glad to hear it's sorted.
 
Don't get me started about contractors. Almost every one we've used have done horrible jobs and most of them don't even finish what we paid them for. I don't know if we just have bad luck but we research them and make sure they have good ratings. Recently found out that if a company pays a fee to the Better Business Bureau, they will remove bad reviews because ours got removed. Can't believe how many lie about being insured and will provide fake paperwork bc most people don't call the insurance company to verify or they only have a couple people insured and not their entire crew. It's worthless taking them to small claims court because even if you win, the courts don't make the company pay you and you have to hire someone to find their assets and there's usually some loop hole, so you can't get a cent. I bought my house, so I didn't have to pay rent and $350+ a month for a practice space but ended up wasting way more time and money and could have been a much better guitarist/musician.
 
Unfortunately the power of the mighty dollar has a LOT of people nowadays thinking it's OK to say or do anything to get it, ignoring traditional ethics. I would be a lot richer if it weren't for these damn ethics.
Sad world.
At least you found a good guy!
Thanks
Pauly


Our well ran dry several times this summer. Comac Well and Pump comes out and says "oh yeah, you need a new well and a new pump and new comodulator valve, piston clamps and Johnson brackets. Minimum of $10K."

"Why can't you just frack it?", I say. "Oh no, the stratification of the mineral gradient below the McCorskey limit is greater than acceptable."

So I call another company. This really genuine guy, Hank, comes out and he says "Why don't you just frack it?". "The other company said the well wasn't a candidate." "Nonsense" he says, "it's a perfect candidate. It used to work, lets get it working again."

So we frack it and it works great.

Now because we fracked it we had to test the water. So out comes Allied Clearwater. They test the water and "Oh, oh, you need a whole new filtration system. Your calcium permanganate filter needs replacing, your Scheffield bypass valve is shot, you need a new bistable anti-backflush piston assembly and a new local ionization destratifier". "Uh, how much is that?" "Shouldn't be much more than $6000."

So I call Hank and say "Hey Hank, do you guys do water filtration?" "Of course" he says. So he comes out and I tell him what Allied Clearwater told us we needed. He gives my that "yeah, okay" face.

He logically says "Let's test the water again and also test it after your existing filtration system and take it from there."

We get the results today: all parameters within EPA limits.
 
Being honest and having a conscience go along way in keeping a small business busy!
So does actual competence. Guy I had out yesterday for a 4 year tune-up of our high efficiency boiler knows his stuff. He replaced a pump and did some other small stuff a few years ago, and I thought he was good then, still do. Expensive, but comes when says he will, does what he says he will, and stuff works.

I've had many a bogus tradesman out too, and as was said, reviews often mean zilch. Found this guy through Angie's List though, every though I know they push people who pay.

Time for the daily rant about Character.
 
So does actual competence.
Yup. Had our tankless heater go out last winter. Sourced a local company to come in and look at it. Guy was super nice. Definitely straightforward about the problem buuuuuuuuut he also spent literally 5 hours on the phone with the company that makes the unit and on the web looking at their troubleshooting guide. He ordered some parts that ultimately weren't required.

Sent me a bill for the unused parts, time spent on the phone and I said no way in hell am I paying that. Had to negotiate it down. Nice fella, but I'm not paying for on-the-job training. At least not at professional repair person rates.
 
Character and integrity are hard to come by anymore. Used to be fair pay for honest work. Now it's how do I get more for doing less and make sure they'll need more work in the future? Sad, sad reality.
 
"...the stratification of the mineral gradient below the McCorskey limit is greater than acceptable."

"Your calcium permanganate filter needs replacing, your Scheffield bypass valve is shot, you need a new bistable anti-backflush piston assembly and a new local ionization destratifier"
These totally sound like something they'd say on Star Trek when they needed to sound uber-scientific :cool: 🤣

Seriously, glad you got it sorted out.
 
my car's AC was going bad for a while - the blower motor would stop and i'd hit the glove box and it'd spin up again. but over time it finally died.

so i took it in to replace the blower motor. at this time, it was still cold, etc. they replaced it, but said there was a problem: they also tried to put more freon in to recharge it, but something "went wrong" and it only blows hot air now.

i asked what could be done. they said, oh you'll have to replace the compressor, some other part, and it's all behind the dash, and it's all bad, needs full replacement. so labor and everything is looking like $3000.

i said no, i'll just manage. so i pretty much kept the AC off since then, windows down only. a few hot months later, i turn on the car, and boom, it's blowing cold air and has for almost a year now. shrug
 
Back
Top Bottom