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.....whatever you do, do not choose Ben Franklin or George Brazil or any national franchise!!!!
Choose someone local with a decent reputation and decent reviews. Do not allow menu or negotiated prices. Make sure parts and labor estimates are given separately.
^I did not write the above, it is just an example, but I will be writing a review as soon as my dispute is settled. They charged me $720.00 to change a pressure regulator valve outside (PRV) and a cartridge in a shower- AND managed to get a lot of water behind the shower wall for failing to "trickle test".
I subsequently learned about the zillions of complaints against them. Usually I do my due diligence in advance but I just went to the phone book and "picked one out" - don't know why. I was a major fail in that department in this case but it will not happen again.
Angie's list would not help around here- too small of a town with zero truly local plumbers and I had already had someone recommended by a friend who fixed the shower leak but it did not last long due to needing the PRV. Guess I just wanted to "git 'er done" and stop the endless drip-drip-drip- but that was a big mistake on my part.
**This is the most informative post I have ever made on this forum and it's value to consumers cannot be overestimated!**
From what little you've described, sounds like I'd go with number 2, but I would immediately disqualify them once their company showed an inordinate amount of interest in what goes on in their customer's bedrooms. I'd also be quite annoyed if I found out I was paying through the nose because they were doing a bunch of free work for their golf buddies, or letting their golf buddies discharge their sewage into the creek behind my house.
I think the last place I would look for a plumber is on angies list. I mean they would never create a fake account and give themselves good reviews would they? LOL
I heard one of them has almost 19 millions reviews, but 70% of the reviews are from fake accounts.
Say you are on Angie's list trying to find a plummer in your area. You found a couple of possibilities, but they both have mixed reviews. You do a little more research and find out more about them.
Possible plummer #1: Seems like a real down to earth guy. The kind of guy you would like to go grab a beer with. He's nice and polite, but he can't seem to get his employees very organized to work together. He is really good at telling you how he is the perfect man for the job, but his success rate for fixing the plumbing problems are around 40%. You ask him about his approval rate and he says that was because the previous plummer messed things up too badly for him to fix things. He says, very sincerely, that he just needs more time, but can't tell you how much time he needs.
Possible plummer #2: He seems kind of up tight. Kind of rigid and awkward. He tries to joke with you, but it's kind of awkard and you have to force a smile. Can't go have a beer with him because he doesn't drink. But, his business is booming. He keeps having to hire more people to keep up with the work. He effectively gets his employees to work together to get the job done quickly. He is so sure in work that he himself doesn't even take a paycheck as leader.
Which would you choose?
It's not a bad analogy and based on it, the answer is obvious. I find that people are easily able to identify which candidate is which telling, despite all the comments about how they are the same. Those who dislike plumber #2 are going to make snarky comments.
I'll picking the plumber whose recommendations about how to fix whatever problem I have make the most sense to me based upon my one personal experience and education.
I'm not picking a plumber who once had a grasp on plumbing principles but who has since abandoned those principles because the some he thinks that promoting some batshiite crazy TV plumber will bring him more business.
I've done my own plumbing and electrical for over 50 years now. However, if I were forced; I guess I'd choose the plumber who wore braces instead of confronting me with that well-known plumbers affliction while I'm trying to enjoy my morning cup of java.
I'll picking the plumber whose recommendations about how to fix whatever problem I have make the most sense to me based upon my one personal experience and education.
I'm not picking a plumber who once had a grasp on plumbing principles but who has since abandoned those principles because the some he thinks that promoting some batshiite crazy TV plumber will bring him more business.
Any other really stupid analogies?
You sure you want to call someone else stupid after the indecipherable reply you just made?
Say you are on Angie's list trying to find a plummer in your area. You found a couple of possibilities, but they both have mixed reviews. You do a little more research and find out more about them.
Possible plummer #1: Seems like a real down to earth guy. The kind of guy you would like to go grab a beer with. He's nice and polite, but he can't seem to get his employees very organized to work together. He is really good at telling you how he is the perfect man for the job, but his success rate for fixing the plumbing problems are around 40%. You ask him about his approval rate and he says that was because the previous plummer messed things up too badly for him to fix things. He says, very sincerely, that he just needs more time, but can't tell you how much time he needs.
Possible plummer #2: He seems kind of up tight. Kind of rigid and awkward. He tries to joke with you, but it's kind of awkard and you have to force a smile. Can't go have a beer with him because he doesn't drink. But, his business is booming. He keeps having to hire more people to keep up with the work. He effectively gets his employees to work together to get the job done quickly. He is so sure in work that he himself doesn't even take a paycheck as leader.
Which would you choose?
I would take Romney, the second plumber, every time because I know how well Obama, the first plumber has performed.
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