Is anyone else annoyed they didn't reveal the names of all the plumbers/companies, who correctly identified the problem and didn't try to pull a fast one on the customer. Integrity should be rewarded
You are absolutely right 4tanks. It reminds me of the many crimes captured on video and shown on various T.V. News Networks where they go through great pains to blurr out the faces AND license plate numbers of the culprits. I'm beginning to understand why the criminals seem to be winning.
fishing4tanks I’m a plumber with 22 years of experience and this type of shit ticks me off. We work hard all day doing honest work and they only show the bad guys smh
Whenever doing ENG shoots in the field, they should always use the camera mic as a backup. Must of found their camera crew on Craigslist as well....lol
My wife and I had just purchased our first home. The basement ended up flooding. I called up a company to have a look. They told me I had a collapsed pipe that ran under our in-ground pool. They wanted almost $7,000 to bust up our pool and replace the pipe. The quote didn't even include clean-up. They wanted to wipe out our savings and destroy our backyard / pool... I called for a second opinion. The second guy shows up, snakes up some rags that were flushed by the previous owner, and it has been working every since. 75 bucks... ALWAYS GET A SECOND OPINION!
all they heard from Justin was blah blah....blah.........blah blah blah blah......blah....blah blah blah blAH oh shit the mics not turned on oh well who cares who cares what he has to say lmao!!
I work part time with a plumber, a licensed master plumber. He’s built his business by being honest and while he’s in the business to make money, he wants people to refer him to others, and have repeat business. Honesty and word of mouth is everything in this business.
Roto rooter charge me $350 instead of the 100 dollar one of the guy said, for unclogging a bathtub drain, it was a scam.I learn to repair anything in my building.never call ROTON rooter.
roto rooter flooded my house, instead of soldering copper piping that had a pinhole leak, they cut out the section that had the pinhole leak, they then put a compression type coupler on. the coupler slipped an hour after they left. flooded my house, we had to call our homeowners insurance, they sent an adjuster who in his 30 years experience has never seen a professional plumber use such a device. the thing is, they SENT 2 guys, one guy was "training" the other guy... we called another company and they were able to solder the pipe, he does not know why the other plumbers said it was "impossible" to solder the pipe.
akui88 you should never simply repair a line that has developed a pinhole, especially copper. You have to understand that every pipe is the same age and that pipe WILL fail again.
(7:01) I'm a licensed electrician and I can fix that microphone for you. Let's see, it needs a new motherboard and a high-frequency flux capacitor. I can do it for $175 + parts.
I used to say the same thing cause that always bothered me too, until I realized recently that it's not redundant like it seems. There are 2 separate water supply loops piped throughout our homes, the "cold water" loop and the "hot water" loop. The heater supplies the water it heats to the "hot water" loop, hence it's the "hot water" heater.
Well like don't matter how simple the call it's still a minimum charge period. You have to roll a truck out, and determine what the issue is. Even if it is to tighten the screw.
they did say they paid the services call fee to the ones who found that to be the simple fix. they were not after a free fix but a plumber who knows how to diagnose and then be honest about what they did to resolve it.
Bret Mohler the “honest” guys were lazy 90 percent of gate or ball valves that develop a leak and tighten up will get you back out there to replace it later usually same day.......
I mean the spout would presumably not leak if no one had touched it so I would assume the spout would need replacing because why would someone loosen the screw
James Holbrook kinda one of the things i was thinking. Unless i was specifically told someone had touched or worked on something on it, i would assume it leaked on its own. If i did tighten it and the leak stopped i would feel uneasy that thats all the problem was and would hate to call it good and later be called that a major leaked happened with damages.
To be honest, I wouldn't even consider that someone would called me for a loose screw on non vibrating tank... My first idea would probably be the same - replace the valve.
Yea and if I believe the valve is crusty enough to leak, the condition of the rest of the unit comes into question. 6 years in some towns is a full lifetime. What plumber wants a potential lawsuit for patching a liability
If you diagnosed things properly you would analyze all scenarios not just the "replace everything" wastefulness. What if someone's car has a leaking gas cap? Would you tell them they have to replace their entire gas tank and fail to address why it was leaking and where from? Proper plumbers know when a valve is tampered with because you know the positions of set screws being on or off.
Me too but I hate how the state forces you to get a permit to install new water heaters. I’d be fine with it if they were free to get. But fuck them for charging money for something I’m doing for my own house.
I agree, if I see a valve leaking there must be a reason. Replacing the valve would have been my thought too. I would have tightened it first, but i would not guarantee the repair unless it was replaced. Even if it was just loosened. But I'd leave that option for the home owner. $60.00 is not a bad deal to replace the valve. The guy would have to drain the unit and that takes time...His time. Not to mention his time to drive to the site, his fuel used to get there, and the taxes he has to pay on the income. $60.00? Hell that's a bargain! I would have had him change it just for coming out.
I work as a plumbing service technician and we often perform a one truck exercise to determine our costs and whether they are liable. All of our prices are allocated specifically for each task and the cost of doing business is separated accordingly. For each task we hope to profit 10 percent for the company AT BEST. At 10% we are able to grow and stay as a company in order to be around for the long haul. We have to have these prices in order to have 24/7 service and have the tools we need that the average person cannot buy. For instance we have a $30,000 hydro jetter with the price of each use can be $500+. A home insurance company called this "cruel and unusual pricing", and was expecting a price range of about $150. We would need to sell 200 jets at this price to even pay for this machine; not including labor, expertise, gasoline, servicing and parts, etc. These prices are correct and I stand by them. The problem is people are accustomed to an hourly rate while the service industry is going to up-front pricing in order to 1) allow the technician to make a decent living 2) to be able to accurately organize materials and cost of labor and productivity. Trust me, nobody is getting rich. We aren't handymen, we're trained professionals.
not even including anything we may run into when preforming a task. Often times i've had to do something as simple as changing an under sink waste or shut-off valve to find that i am unable to connect to the stem or nipple because it's too corroded or the threads are broken. Or replacing a toilet gasket to find that the flange is broken and cannot attach new anchor bolts, let alone use the existing one (which we do not advise). Beware though; as technicians our job is to educate you, so do as much as you can to learn about your home and all its systems, because i know of many technicians who try to up-sell, or claim something is broken when it is not; this i do not defend.
Of course the home insurance company said that was high ! They are scamsters, and read from scripts. The know absolutely nothing but beating someone down so they save money on pay outs. Complete idiots ! The machine, the truck, insurance fuel oil maintenance, clean up on the machine after the job. The technicians, all of the set up just to get started, the trip to the job ? 500.00 is more than fair !!!!! And if it takes a better ? Than it simply takes a better ! Otherwise, pay out the same or more for a snaking for hours ! It's the same with cheap paint !!!! You can buy quality paint, and do the job in one coat ! Or you can buy cheap paint, and spend double the time painting twice or three times ? Common sense/basic math !
Yeah, it's assholes like this who give us plumbers a bad name. I've had similar calls for stupid, 1 second fixes and I usually only carge $20 max for gas, nothing if it's not out of the way.
$7 dollar spigot at the hardware store. Off the truck could be realistically $22- $29. That's not fraud just the price for an expert managing the spare parts
Mid West Not to mention parts from a wholesaler are usually much higher quality than Home Depot, Menards, Lowes, etc. So they cost more to the contractor too. But a contractor knows they're worth more because they won't have a call back soon because of cheap parts.
Supply houses usually sell better parts for cheaper, The list may be higher, which is what a contractor is expected to charge for the part, but it's cheaper to buy the parts at the supplier than at the hardware store. People don't seem to realize that it costs money to run any business. Now matter how small. First thing you need to think is, how much are they taking home after taxes, second is how much is it costing them to even do the job? Third is what are the hidden costs, like tools, consumables, and fleet maintenance. You may think an $80 service charge is a lot, but it's really not.
A trip charge at the most, lots of people would do it for free if it was nearby, if it doesn't cost them much, it's not only nice to do a braindead fix for free, it gets you a good reputation.
If its your buddy then maybe a beer & tip with some pizza but calling a company who is paying their staff, all associated insurance, other related cost I don't think charging a minimal fee (maybe discount the trip / standard hour) is out of the question. The company could even work in a deal on any future visit but that doesn't cover these shysters only reputable service companys.
That's a bit of a set up, you should be able to assume the customer hadn't opened the valve. Also those valves are absolutely prone to failure (most of them never close once opened due to minerals getting between the seat and the seal that's why there so called expert found one for 7 dollers) a true plumber would have flushed the tank (at 6 years flushing it was 5 years past due) after installing a full port drain (this is a valve professionals would carry that is made of a brass nipple, full port ball valve, and brass hose adapter running about $20 to 30 here in canada) to allow debris to exit upon flushing. Still some of the plumbers failed miserably but I think they should have a better educated "expert". 9/10 times this would lead to a call back if the valve was simply closed and the only reason that closing the valve would have bin correct here is they were "set up" with this fake scenario.
As a plumber arriving at someone property, you assume responsibility if you touch anything at all. Meaning if I put a screwdriver on the drain valve and turn it to test and it breaks the owner will expect the service for free. They should have told the "owner" what the minimum service charge is (150.00 the 1st 1/2 hour - Pacific NW) and get a signed agreement allowing him to test the valve. A plumber should never ever touch anything prior to getting a signature. An owner shouldn't just walk away and leave them until after the paperwork is signed either. Why would anyone allow a service person into their house when they show up in a ratty truck with no markings, no uniform, no shoe covers, messy hair, etc?
Surely the plumber offering to replace the valve for callout plus parts is less of a crook than the plumber who just tightens the screw then takes the callout charge and leaves. There’s a potential for the problem to arise again soon, meaning the customer would have to pay another callout charge. Replacing the part would prevent this. Possibly cheaper in the long run
you have no idea what you are talking about. there is nothing wrong with the valve, it leaked because someone opened it. there is no need to replace it and no potential problem at all. the plumber fixed an easy job and charged for the callout as he should. i dont think you understand what a crook is.
Rhys Whittington I think most plumbers would assume that the homeowner has tried tightening the screw before calling out a plumber and would be wondering why the valve has come loose. Replacing a cheap part such as the valve is a good way to ensure the leak stays fixed. One of the ‘crooks’ offered to replace the valve for $60 plus parts, whereas one of the good guys was paid $80 for tightening a screw. The guy who comes just to tighten the screw doesn’t know how the valve has come loose and can’t be sure that tightening the screw will be a permanent fix.
@@JohnSmith-eb2ik if it stops it stops. i wouldnt change a valve for the sake of it. honestly there should be a cap on the end of it anyways to stop this from happening but calling them crooks for not changing the part is hell of a stretch.
As a plumber I completely agree that it’s worth replacing the parts often times the drain valves have rubber in them that wears out they don’t just start leaking randomly when they are working perfectly for seven dollars on top of my trip charge to make sure the costumer won’t have a problem again and making sure I don’t get a call back is 100% worth it for a quick five minute replacement. I don’t like him splashing water and saying it was the valves he probably was trying to get some quick cash so he had the wrong intentions for wanting to do the repair.
I like the story about the plumber revealing a story about a reporter making up stories in order to create fear and have people elect a president who is not qualified to rule a country.
Roto rooter never seems to pass these tests. Never use them, they seem to be a horrible company and I could understand if it was one, two maybe three different franchises but in these videos they always seem to rip people off
I have to disagree. In my house we have a vent for the sewer drain outside the house on the front lawn. With time, the cap broke/disappeared and debris got into the vent hole. Problems occurred with the toilet closest to the vent. Many plumbers came, and couldn't figure it out. One even replaced the toilet to no avail. roto-rooter technicians came figured out the vent and it's missing cap were the problem. They removed the debris and replaced the cap. No problems since.
I've worked for Roto tooter 4 separate times in 2 states and they are a rip off, paid on commission and trained to rip people off. One boss told me not to think with my pocket book and another said always upsale if you don't your pay will suck. It's why I'll never work there again and yes shame on me for going back so many times but when you're down and out and need a job you do what you have to.
Steve Harla hey I don't blame you brother or the workers, people need to do what they have to do to survive. It's the higher ups that are to blame, the individual worker just needs a job. We appreciate your honesty about roto rooter.
My favorite part about this whole video is how when the dude’s backing out in his truck the reporter just keeps the microphone on the car like the window has something to say about it.
Pretty standard to charge around $200 to $300 to do any type of work, even something as simple as snaking a bathroom drain or replacing washer.....the big companies charge around the same. It's the same with air conditioning and electrical. It is why I do most work myself.
A real crook woulda said you need ta replace the water heater. A real honest guy woulda charged 50 ta 100 bucks for showing up depending on location. Free if local from me ta build my customer base. Total they spent on calling so many guys? Next episode, they should pos as a helper, go with a legit contractor and see how many customers try ta hold back after repairs
A Real crook would have damaged the vales so it wouldn't stop leaking then damage the tank trying to replace the valve, then do a full replacement with expansion tank and an upgraded warranty. Parts, labor, trip charge, tank disposal, all in about $1400.
a lot of plumber will turn it off some will replace it for insurance bc even it turns off it might start again in a day or do. and parts are more when plumber have to buy.
If you want a valve for $7, have it onsite when the plumber arrives, or replace it yourself... very similar to complaining that the meat and bun for a burger is say $3, without accounting for the costs for building, staff, and running a business
Daniel Cowan except customers order the wrong parts all the time. I had that happen with a humidifier pad today. Customer told me from now on they’ll just buy the pads from us. Too much hassle.
$575 dollars for the mic battery, it shorted a wire in the mic which caused the flux capacitor to burn out. As of right now the battery is $275 and there is a service fee, tax, runner fee, battery fee and of course a flux capacitor fee.
Ending of the video was promo for the next video.. in the next episode we'll call technician to fix our mic..but does it really need a fix? Hell no we just turned off the switch
"nothing is wrong with it it's in perfect condition" proceeds to open a valve and leave it open then misinform the plumbers about the problem. Quality content
This is stupid because a screw doesn't turn its self so if it is leaking a contractor isnt going to trust just tightening it. When they wear out this sometimes will work for a few months but will leak again. Replacing the valve is what should be done. Unless you tell him someone messed with it recently
Ytuser201498 because a screw doesn't turn on its own. You wouldn't tighten it then trust that it just some how loosened and was all fixed. You would assume that the inside is worn.
steve b on a non moving part no. And you dont just turn that screw a little amount to get it to leak. These comments by people are sad. Have you people ever actually worked on or build anything
i have been doing this 15 years and have replaced dozens of water heaters..never have i seen a leaky drain valve unless someone messed with it. ..usually they do not want to drain because they are so full of rust etc.. from the tank breaking down inside...gotta give them a tap with wrench.
I have to agree with jay. A screw dosent turn itself. If a plumber comes across a leaking valve he will assume that the seal is wearing out and it will need to be replaced. No plumber will expect this type of trickery. Yes there are crooked contractors out there. As for me, i tighten a brass cap on the valve (no extra charge to the customer) and leave it to the homeowner wether replacing the valve is worth it to them. (And yes i do try tightening the valve first).
The news people play with fire doin that to a hot water heater that looks like its on a well. Sediment builds up at the bottom normally and even worse when its on a well,"pending on the condition of the well and water system installed to prevent sediment or other issues a well is notorious to have"and they try there little trick and it doesn't shut off because they now let sediment that was settling in the bottom of tank and drain valve past and sets in the valve seat and doesn't shut off, well , they would look like an ass and the 50 year experience man should know that.. This just seems bogus in a way. Doesn't seem like anyone knows what there doin. Especially the 50 year vet.... If your going to set people up like that know what your doing first.. This easily could have back fired on the 50 year veteran plumber who seems like more of a classroom plumber than one in the field.
This is why I have learned how to do minor to mid-card work when it comes to plumbing. I have done plumbing work on the house I rent, and for friends. I always check it over a few times, and if I don't know, then I get a second opinion from someone who KNOWS what they're doing. If I still don't know, then it's time to call in the pros!
I am in the electronic repair business for 30 years for myself. Local tv station did a similar thing, bringing a vcr with a blown fuse. They, in disguise of course, brought one in my building. Yes, dead, no display. I said could they wait a sec while I have a look. Blown 1.6 amp fuse. I kept them on bench stock. Put in the new fuse, it returned to life. I guessed at the time maybe a power surge got the fuse, and to try it at home and see how it did. I looked at the belts and heads while I had it apart. Hooked it to a tv, played a tape for them, gave them their old fuse back, charged I think 30 or 35 dollars for bench time and fuse and sent them on their way. A few days later the station did the expose on tv repair shops. I was not mentioned since I was straight but they caught quite a few shops ripping people off. They are all gone now. There were like 30 tv shops here 25 years ago. Now there is one dedicated tv repair shop, I do mainly computers and handywork, and a few tv sets, but there is no money in tv sets anymore, or stereo repairs. The other town shop mainly does sewer cam repairs.
65 dollar service call 10 parts 30 service charge 15 taxes and fees 120 plus 5 tip 125 Or stop complaining and do it your self for a fraction of the cost.
hum ams i don't think you have an idea of the cost involved..I always had a helper, so i had to be able to bill enough to pay us.. One of the #s courses i took showed 33/33/34...these #s are your expenses, labor,materials. .so if i make say $35 an hour and my helper $15. So for that to be %33, i need to be minimum $1,200. A day labor..$6,000 a week just to earn mine & my helpers check..and that's at break even. .if you want to earn a profit you need to work the numbers..
I guess they have to charge something for their time and gas for the vehicle etc, some businesses charge just to go out and give an estimate, if possible.I guess, I know I don't do that
This is why I feel so lucky to live in an apartment (with free water by the way!) where maintenance workers literally live here and are very friendly and will happily fix something in a jiffy. Our landlord pays them so it's perfect.
@@pavy415 It depends on where you are living but generally one big repair like a water tank or roof will cover any extra expense from renting. Its not like the profit margins between rent and owning is huge. Some homes flat out get destroyed by tenants and place the landlord in a hole. Maintenance workers get paid hourly like any job and usually have lower rent costs if they live at the complex. It is cheaper then hiring out. Landlords actually save money this way and tenants get round the clock maintenance/door lock outs etc.
My plumbing business has a 2 hr minimum. 125hr ,vans and tools cost money to operate, honest and professional services equal no complaints. This water heater is not installed properly and is not up to code. A plumbing inspector would red tag it .
To replace the valve you have to turn off the water heater and drain it. Draining it could take a few minutes to an hour or more depending on how much sediment is in it. I usually go ahead and flush the water heater when I have to change the drain valve. If there is a drain close by that I can empty the tank into the cost is $75.00 plus parts. If it's just a loose valve as this was, it's $25.00 for the service call. I can't run around town for free.
I'm a plumber and being honest warrants repeat business. May not be big bucks on little things but when something big happens hopefully they call you back for the repairs.
This is why I use people suggested by people I’ve worked with before. The person who renovated my house gave us a suggestion for a plumber when we needed one. The price was very good and low for what all the other plumbers were charging.
And they are complaining about the prices I mean I have never really messed with water heaters but it is at the bottom of the water heater so you would have to turn off the water and empty it to replace it that takes time if they wanted to do a sting they could have tried something better and or smarter
Try emptying a 40 gal water tank it takes around 40min without a transfer pump so charging a hour labour is totally rational. And also Johnny Draco if you flush out your water tank just even once a year (depending how hard you water is ) you wont have to worry about rust and mineral build up in your tank.
Rooter Rooter is a scam, and drastically overpriced when they do legitimate work. I got a bid for $1000 for a minor job, the other large plumbing office charged me $325
Hahaha you got made over 100 something dollars? Yea thats standard. Most contractors will charge 100 bucks just to walk in the door. I thought this was going to actually be a scam where they say you need a new water heater. In ct its 120 dollars just to walk in the door and than at least half that every following hour. Here in Florida companies charge 200 and up an hour. This video was made by retatds who don't know anything about how business works. People just don't understand that there are other bills that need to be paid and you have to cover your costs and then make a profit on top of that. Why would I get out of bed and put on a uniform and then drive to the shop, get in a work truck, drive across town and do a job for free? No there is a service fee and every successful contractor in America has one. Do you think that guy doing the job puts that in his pocket and he's scamming you? He's going to make 30 or 35 an hour.
Is anyone else annoyed they didn't reveal the names of all the plumbers/companies, who correctly identified the problem and didn't try to pull a fast one on the customer. Integrity should be rewarded
Yes i thought they would give thr name of the honest ones
You are absolutely right 4tanks.
It reminds me of the many crimes captured on video and shown on various T.V. News Networks where they go through great pains to blurr out the faces AND license plate numbers of the culprits.
I'm beginning to understand why the criminals seem to be winning.
how is that slander?
@@Gizzard4400 they did not he is talking about why they did not mettion the GOOD guys. There is no slander in promoting the good guys
fishing4tanks I’m a plumber with 22 years of experience and this type of shit ticks me off. We work hard all day doing honest work and they only show the bad guys smh
The Microphone needed a screwdriver too
microphone got screwed.
ALWAYS ALWAYS have a back up mic.
Theres a "small" charge for that.
mic wasn’t charged
Whenever doing ENG shoots in the field, they should always use the camera mic as a backup. Must of found their camera crew on Craigslist as well....lol
that mic fail at the end deserves an undercover investigation 🤣
CarimboHanky Lisa gurero (however the hell it’s spelt): Hold my beer
My wife and I had just purchased our first home. The basement ended up flooding. I called up a company to have a look. They told me I had a collapsed pipe that ran under our in-ground pool. They wanted almost $7,000 to bust up our pool and replace the pipe. The quote didn't even include clean-up. They wanted to wipe out our savings and destroy our backyard / pool... I called for a second opinion. The second guy shows up, snakes up some rags that were flushed by the previous owner, and it has been working every since. 75 bucks...
ALWAYS GET A SECOND OPINION!
Dauzq De you don't say! That's crazy!!!!
You could pay at least 100 in tips, but you don’t care right?
@@tomasFL Why should she ? She paid them what was requested.
Yeah tomas yah d bagger
Wow thank God u were smart enough to make that 2nd call. Saved a fortune!
Microphone Battery Died at the end :D
Techno Man or they wanted to ignore what ever he had to say
Of course...
Alejandro Martinez nah that reporter looked pissed off that he couldn't get any more crap out of that plumber 2 make himself look good on air
Mines did to
all they heard from Justin was blah blah....blah.........blah blah blah blah......blah....blah blah blah blAH oh shit the mics not turned on oh well who cares who cares what he has to say lmao!!
I work part time with a plumber, a licensed master plumber. He’s built his business by being honest and while he’s in the business to make money, he wants people to refer him to others, and have repeat business. Honesty and word of mouth is everything in this business.
roto rooter gets slammed every time - crooks...
YES THEY DO...
Roto rooter charge me $350 instead of the 100 dollar one of the guy said, for unclogging a bathtub drain, it was a scam.I learn to repair anything in my building.never call ROTON rooter.
roto rooter flooded my house, instead of soldering copper piping that had a pinhole leak, they cut out the section that had the pinhole leak, they then put a compression type coupler on.
the coupler slipped an hour after they left.
flooded my house, we had to call our homeowners insurance, they sent an adjuster who in his 30 years experience has never seen a professional plumber use such a device.
the thing is, they SENT 2 guys, one guy was "training" the other guy...
we called another company and they were able to solder the pipe, he does not know why the other plumbers said it was "impossible" to solder the pipe.
akui88 ya, soldering the pipe would have worked just fine. I can understand using a copper repair coupling, but not a compression coupling.
akui88 you should never simply repair a line that has developed a pinhole, especially copper. You have to understand that every pipe is the same age and that pipe WILL fail again.
(7:01) I'm a licensed electrician and I can fix that microphone for you. Let's see, it needs a new motherboard and a high-frequency flux capacitor. I can do it for $175 + parts.
A flux capacitor ☠️☠️☠️
Don’t forget to top off the lense fluid
Don't forget to replace the high frequency sound wave filter for $25 as part of preventive maintenance
Don't forget the trip charge...gas is $$$$
If your plumber shows up with an Affliction T-shirt on, you've probably made a mistake
Correct
Dressed like shit
They should investigate why insurance for the trades is so freaking expensive.
maybe Liabilityu and increased entry to market .. ;) but i wasnt there
Its not really that expensive
Probably because trades people are all incompetent and hazardous and they don't want to pay for a bunch of morons to scam them.
The plumber at the end needs the money to buy drugs..
agreed
vince mastura u can definitely tell
vince mastura u cant say dat
They are lucky he didnt grab the screwdriver and stab him.
why can't he say that? It's just his opinion
Do one on our health care system. Expose the real thief
its not a "hot water heater"... it's a "water heater". if the water was already "hot", then it wouldn't need heating.
I used to say the same thing cause that always bothered me too, until I realized recently that it's not redundant like it seems. There are 2 separate water supply loops piped throughout our homes, the "cold water" loop and the "hot water" loop. The heater supplies the water it heats to the "hot water" loop, hence it's the "hot water" heater.
Thanks to the Penis Family for your attempt to correct something you have no understanding of, shouldn't you be at Starbucks ordering a TRUMP cup?
It is also a hot water heater because well... it heats hot water even hotter
HAHAH Right on!
Leslie Family
HAHAHAHAHA
*Moral of the story: Don't use craiglist for jack sh!t*
Craiglist is a cesspool.
@sapher2020 My wallet and my ass constantly get raped on craigslist
@Dave Chappelle well an empty wallet does hurt worse than a stuffed butthole. But I cant say I enjoyed it
Craigslist is bait for criminal activity
Got couple dirtbikes off CG no problem
Well like don't matter how simple the call it's still a minimum charge period. You have to roll a truck out, and determine what the issue is. Even if it is to tighten the screw.
they did say they paid the services call fee to the ones who found that to be the simple fix. they were not after a free fix but a plumber who knows how to diagnose and then be honest about what they did to resolve it.
Thank you Cap't Obvious, it's called a "service charge", EVERYONE pretty much knows that.
Bret Mohler the “honest” guys were lazy 90 percent of gate or ball valves that develop a leak and tighten up will get you back out there to replace it later usually same day.......
@@themanthemyththelegend1392 HUH??? Did we watch the same video?
@@themanthemyththelegend1392 watch again smartass.
Was waiting for Mario & Luigi to show up.
But Wario and Waluigi showed up instead 😂
ummmm not funny.
"It make-a de leaky leaky... Me, Maa-deo do quick-a fixy"
Is it just me or is there no sound for the last 20 seconds?!
No sound
no sound
This is exactly why I fix everything myself. If I don't know how to fix it, RUclips does
roto rooter are thieves
Geo Espi but away goes trouble down the drain.
Mr. Rooter is legit though.
LOL!
...And "away" goes all your money too (even faster).
Why did you call? Becasue you can't do it yourself. So shut the fuck up because to too stupid and too cheap to want to pay for quality service.
Been a plumber for 30 years,, You call a plumber out to your house to do work and you will be paying minimum of 300 service call
I mean the spout would presumably not leak if no one had touched it so I would assume the spout would need replacing because why would someone loosen the screw
James Holbrook kinda one of the things i was thinking. Unless i was specifically told someone had touched or worked on something on it, i would assume it leaked on its own. If i did tighten it and the leak stopped i would feel uneasy that thats all the problem was and would hate to call it good and later be called that a major leaked happened with damages.
Weaver Cattle Company. Words of wisdom my friend...Never assume anything.
I mean I have a misfire and my exhaust is Rich I assume it's a bad sparkplug, wire, or coil but I am going to pull the head and check
James Holbrook exactly what I thought
James Holbrook yup because on the overpressure security ones once they ve leaked they'll drip all their life
To be honest, I wouldn't even consider that someone would called me for a loose screw on non vibrating tank... My first idea would probably be the same - replace the valve.
Yea and if I believe the valve is crusty enough to leak, the condition of the rest of the unit comes into question. 6 years in some towns is a full lifetime. What plumber wants a potential lawsuit for patching a liability
Alter before you try to tighten it? Ever heard of Occam’s razor?
You are supposed to check. It’s their Job to rule out every possibility before you say they need to buy a new one
If you diagnosed things properly you would analyze all scenarios not just the "replace everything" wastefulness. What if someone's car has a leaking gas cap? Would you tell them they have to replace their entire gas tank and fail to address why it was leaking and where from? Proper plumbers know when a valve is tampered with because you know the positions of set screws being on or off.
@@MrWolfSnack your 2202 cars gas caps leaking, we recommend scraping the entire car.
thats why i do my own shit..
rjobe76 yes sir, exactly the same here.
Me too but I hate how the state forces you to get a permit to install new water heaters. I’d be fine with it if they were free to get. But fuck them for charging money for something I’m doing for my own house.
Same here. Especially on my cars.
being a plumber u prolly the guy that calls me 4pm on a friday ffs
Ezay Hayhay who are you talking to?
Why no positive publicity for the good plumbers / self employed.
I wish their company names were released
G5 Realestate it’s not why we watch.
Dude charging $60 to change it was less than the service call others charged I bet.
I would have done it $25 and fuel surcharge. I love doing unlicensed work and my customers like the savings that come with hiring me.
Shit isn't free.
Portland Oregon it's $140 plus parts
I agree, if I see a valve leaking there must be a reason. Replacing the valve would have been my thought too. I would have tightened it first, but i would not guarantee the repair unless it was replaced. Even if it was just loosened. But I'd leave that option for the home owner. $60.00 is not a bad deal to replace the valve. The guy would have to drain the unit and that takes time...His time. Not to mention his time to drive to the site, his fuel used to get there, and the taxes he has to pay on the income. $60.00? Hell that's a bargain! I would have had him change it just for coming out.
Felipe - Yes until he turns the valve and the thread crumble and the tank has to be replaced.
Calling a water heater a ”hot water heater” is the biggest crime.
Hot water cooler.
I work as a plumbing service technician and we often perform a one truck exercise to determine our costs and whether they are liable. All of our prices are allocated specifically for each task and the cost of doing business is separated accordingly. For each task we hope to profit 10 percent for the company AT BEST. At 10% we are able to grow and stay as a company in order to be around for the long haul. We have to have these prices in order to have 24/7 service and have the tools we need that the average person cannot buy. For instance we have a $30,000 hydro jetter with the price of each use can be $500+. A home insurance company called this "cruel and unusual pricing", and was expecting a price range of about $150. We would need to sell 200 jets at this price to even pay for this machine; not including labor, expertise, gasoline, servicing and parts, etc. These prices are correct and I stand by them. The problem is people are accustomed to an hourly rate while the service industry is going to up-front pricing in order to 1) allow the technician to make a decent living 2) to be able to accurately organize materials and cost of labor and productivity. Trust me, nobody is getting rich. We aren't handymen, we're trained professionals.
not even including anything we may run into when preforming a task. Often times i've had to do something as simple as changing an under sink waste or shut-off valve to find that i am unable to connect to the stem or nipple because it's too corroded or the threads are broken. Or replacing a toilet gasket to find that the flange is broken and cannot attach new anchor bolts, let alone use the existing one (which we do not advise). Beware though; as technicians our job is to educate you, so do as much as you can to learn about your home and all its systems, because i know of many technicians who try to up-sell, or claim something is broken when it is not; this i do not defend.
Of course the home insurance company said that was high !
They are scamsters, and read from scripts. The know absolutely nothing but beating someone down so they save money on pay outs.
Complete idiots !
The machine, the truck, insurance fuel oil maintenance, clean up on the machine after the job. The technicians, all of the set up just to get started, the trip to the job ? 500.00 is more than fair !!!!!
And if it takes a better ? Than it simply takes a better !
Otherwise, pay out the same or more for a snaking for hours !
It's the same with cheap paint !!!!
You can buy quality paint, and do the job in one coat !
Or you can buy cheap paint, and spend double the time painting twice or three times ?
Common sense/basic math !
It's not a hot water heater. You don't need to heat hot water. It's a water heater.
You could have replaced new batteries for ur microphone also FAILED!
We are 3 of the best plumbers that ever plumbed a plumb
My opinion? as a handy man and hotel manager?
I truly do not think most of them are scamming, I think they just dont know what there doing.
Some are highly skilled professionals and some are at the other end of the scale.
Roto Rooter pushes crap like that ,Mr plumber all of the hustlers .
Man, I'm in the oddly interesting part of RUclips again where time slips away.
Yeah, it's assholes like this who give us plumbers a bad name. I've had similar calls for stupid, 1 second fixes and I usually only carge $20 max for gas, nothing if it's not out of the way.
$7 dollar spigot at the hardware store. Off the truck could be realistically $22- $29. That's not fraud just the price for an expert managing the spare parts
Mid West Not to mention parts from a wholesaler are usually much higher quality than Home Depot, Menards, Lowes, etc. So they cost more to the contractor too. But a contractor knows they're worth more because they won't have a call back soon because of cheap parts.
Supply houses usually sell better parts for cheaper, The list may be higher, which is what a contractor is expected to charge for the part, but it's cheaper to buy the parts at the supplier than at the hardware store.
People don't seem to realize that it costs money to run any business. Now matter how small.
First thing you need to think is, how much are they taking home after taxes, second is how much is it costing them to even do the job? Third is what are the hidden costs, like tools, consumables, and fleet maintenance.
You may think an $80 service charge is a lot, but it's really not.
A trip charge at the most, lots of people would do it for free if it was nearby, if it doesn't cost them much, it's not only nice to do a braindead fix for free, it gets you a good reputation.
If its your buddy then maybe a beer & tip with some pizza but calling a company who is paying their staff, all associated insurance, other related cost I don't think charging a minimal fee (maybe discount the trip / standard hour) is out of the question. The company could even work in a deal on any future visit but that doesn't cover these shysters only reputable service companys.
Nobody mentions the fact that this heater will have to be completely drained in order to change the drain valve
This is why I do all my own home repairs.
Honesty takes you far & money follows
That's bullshit!
That's a bit of a set up, you should be able to assume the customer hadn't opened the valve. Also those valves are absolutely prone to failure (most of them never close once opened due to minerals getting between the seat and the seal that's why there so called expert found one for 7 dollers) a true plumber would have flushed the tank (at 6 years flushing it was 5 years past due) after installing a full port drain (this is a valve professionals would carry that is made of a brass nipple, full port ball valve, and brass hose adapter running about $20 to 30 here in canada) to allow debris to exit upon flushing. Still some of the plumbers failed miserably but I think they should have a better educated "expert". 9/10 times this would lead to a call back if the valve was simply closed and the only reason that closing the valve would have bin correct here is they were "set up" with this fake scenario.
Never ever ever call Roto Rooter!!!!!
KMike68Camaro ever ever!!
Alejandro Martinez ever ever ever! They are dumb fucks...and crazy expensive
Agree. They wanted to dig up my basement floor. All I needed was a snake. Crooks.
I love it when this guy makes scammers look like idiots
Love these investigating news guys. Love how the crooks are standing there dumbfiunded when caught.
As a plumber arriving at someone property, you assume responsibility if you touch anything at all. Meaning if I put a screwdriver on the drain valve and turn it to test and it breaks the owner will expect the service for free. They should have told the "owner" what the minimum service charge is (150.00 the 1st 1/2 hour - Pacific NW) and get a signed agreement allowing him to test the valve. A plumber should never ever touch anything prior to getting a signature. An owner shouldn't just walk away and leave them until after the paperwork is signed either. Why would anyone allow a service person into their house when they show up in a ratty truck with no markings, no uniform, no shoe covers, messy hair, etc?
what did the investigators do for the Four plumbers for wasting their valuable time ?
rory bellamy
They got their service charge
rory bellamy free publicity
rory bellamy They get their service call
Ducked their afternoon. They have to sell a minimum of $1200 of services a day and often only have a couple calls to do that.
They got paid for the service call.
That last guy is the one to hit up if you want a new weed connect.
Surely the plumber offering to replace the valve for callout plus parts is less of a crook than the plumber who just tightens the screw then takes the callout charge and leaves.
There’s a potential for the problem to arise again soon, meaning the customer would have to pay another callout charge. Replacing the part would prevent this. Possibly cheaper in the long run
you have no idea what you are talking about. there is nothing wrong with the valve, it leaked because someone opened it. there is no need to replace it and no potential problem at all. the plumber fixed an easy job and charged for the callout as he should. i dont think you understand what a crook is.
Rhys Whittington I think most plumbers would assume that the homeowner has tried tightening the screw before calling out a plumber and would be wondering why the valve has come loose. Replacing a cheap part such as the valve is a good way to ensure the leak stays fixed. One of the ‘crooks’ offered to replace the valve for $60 plus parts, whereas one of the good guys was paid $80 for tightening a screw. The guy who comes just to tighten the screw doesn’t know how the valve has come loose and can’t be sure that tightening the screw will be a permanent fix.
@@JohnSmith-eb2ik if it stops it stops. i wouldnt change a valve for the sake of it. honestly there should be a cap on the end of it anyways to stop this from happening but calling them crooks for not changing the part is hell of a stretch.
As a plumber I completely agree that it’s worth replacing the parts often times the drain valves have rubber in them that wears out they don’t just start leaking randomly when they are working perfectly for seven dollars on top of my trip charge to make sure the costumer won’t have a problem again and making sure I don’t get a call back is 100% worth it for a quick five minute replacement. I don’t like him splashing water and saying it was the valves he probably was trying to get some quick cash so he had the wrong intentions for wanting to do the repair.
I like the story about the plumber revealing a story about a reporter making up stories in order to create fear and have people elect a president who is not qualified to rule a country.
Roto rooter never seems to pass these tests. Never use them, they seem to be a horrible company and I could understand if it was one, two maybe three different franchises but in these videos they always seem to rip people off
I have to disagree. In my house we have a vent for the sewer drain outside the house on the front lawn. With time, the cap broke/disappeared and debris got into the vent hole. Problems occurred with the toilet closest to the vent. Many plumbers came, and couldn't figure it out. One even replaced the toilet to no avail. roto-rooter technicians came figured out the vent and it's missing cap were the problem. They removed the debris and replaced the cap. No problems since.
I've worked for Roto tooter 4 separate times in 2 states and they are a rip off, paid on commission and trained to rip people off. One boss told me not to think with my pocket book and another said always upsale if you don't your pay will suck. It's why I'll never work there again and yes shame on me for going back so many times but when you're down and out and need a job you do what you have to.
Steve Harla hey I don't blame you brother or the workers, people need to do what they have to do to survive. It's the higher ups that are to blame, the individual worker just needs a job. We appreciate your honesty about roto rooter.
My favorite part about this whole video is how when the dude’s backing out in his truck the reporter just keeps the microphone on the car like the window has something to say about it.
xD
Welp, there goes my plumbing career.
Roto rooster sucks too
Why can’t they be brought up on criminal charges
Imagine all the mechanics who do this, too.
Pretty standard to charge around $200 to $300 to do any type of work, even something as simple as snaking a bathroom drain or replacing washer.....the big companies charge around the same. It's the same with air conditioning and electrical. It is why I do most work myself.
A real crook woulda said you need ta replace the water heater.
A real honest guy woulda charged 50 ta 100 bucks for showing up depending on location.
Free if local from me ta build my customer base.
Total they spent on calling so many guys?
Next episode, they should pos as a helper, go with a legit contractor and see how many customers try ta hold back after repairs
Yes..?
You need ta stop.
Derek A
elaborate please vato
A Real crook would have damaged the vales so it wouldn't stop leaking then damage the tank trying to replace the valve, then do a full replacement with expansion tank and an upgraded warranty. Parts, labor, trip charge, tank disposal, all in about $1400.
Brian Bassett
Let's see who gets more thumbs up for basicly the same comment. 🤔
Jk
Roto rooter technicians make commission. So they always try and sell you things you don't need so I turn the worker gets more money in their pocket.
a lot of plumber will turn it off some will replace it for insurance bc even it turns off it might start again in a day or do. and parts are more when plumber have to buy.
This is a great service to the public, exposing these thieves.
If you want a valve for $7, have it onsite when the plumber arrives, or replace it yourself... very similar to complaining that the meat and bun for a burger is say $3, without accounting for the costs for building, staff, and running a business
Daniel Cowan except customers order the wrong parts all the time. I had that happen with a humidifier pad today. Customer told me from now on they’ll just buy the pads from us. Too much hassle.
$575 dollars for the mic battery, it shorted a wire in the mic which caused the flux capacitor to burn out. As of right now the battery is $275 and there is a service fee, tax, runner fee, battery fee and of course a flux capacitor fee.
This is like catching a predator😂 “catching a plumber”
I'm so thankful that I have buddies that are plumbers, mechanics, and electricians.
J. Nico ...those buddies are probably not happy to have you, if you aren’t willing to pay them the going rate for their services
6:56 ...."Because I need cash to buy dope"
I love these consumer troubleshooting videos!
“How to destroy your business’ reputation in five minutes”
Ending of the video was promo for the next video.. in the next episode we'll call technician to fix our mic..but does it really need a fix? Hell no we just turned off the switch
this was pretty funny lmao
Stupid media. You don't have to heat "hot water." It's just a water heater.
tripjet999
hey genius. a hot water heater, get this, keeps the HOT WATER in the tank HOT.
7:00 when you're batteries die and you can't FINISH HIM. Guess he ain't the only unprofessional in the room 🤣
"nothing is wrong with it it's in perfect condition" proceeds to open a valve and leave it open then misinform the plumbers about the problem. Quality content
"Hot" water heater😂😂😂😂😂😂😭😭😭😭!?😂😂😂😭😂😂😂.
This is stupid because a screw doesn't turn its self so if it is leaking a contractor isnt going to trust just tightening it. When they wear out this sometimes will work for a few months but will leak again. Replacing the valve is what should be done. Unless you tell him someone messed with it recently
But if the partially turned screw is the source of leak why replace anything.
Ytuser201498 because a screw doesn't turn on its own. You wouldn't tighten it then trust that it just some how loosened and was all fixed. You would assume that the inside is worn.
steve b on a non moving part no. And you dont just turn that screw a little amount to get it to leak. These comments by people are sad. Have you people ever actually worked on or build anything
i have been doing this 15 years and have replaced dozens of water heaters..never have i seen a leaky drain valve unless someone messed with it. ..usually they do not want to drain because they are so full of rust etc.. from the tank breaking down inside...gotta give them a tap with wrench.
I have to agree with jay. A screw dosent turn itself. If a plumber comes across a leaking valve he will assume that the seal is wearing out and it will need to be replaced. No plumber will expect this type of trickery. Yes there are crooked contractors out there. As for me, i tighten a brass cap on the valve (no extra charge to the customer) and leave it to the homeowner wether replacing the valve is worth it to them. (And yes i do try tightening the valve first).
It's a water heater, not a hot water heater. No need to heat hot water. 🤦♂️
The news people play with fire doin that to a hot water heater that looks like its on a well. Sediment builds up at the bottom normally and even worse when its on a well,"pending on the condition of the well and water system installed to prevent sediment or other issues a well is notorious to have"and they try there little trick and it doesn't shut off because they now let sediment that was settling in the bottom of tank and drain valve past and sets in the valve seat and doesn't shut off, well , they would look like an ass and the 50 year experience man should know that.. This just seems bogus in a way. Doesn't seem like anyone knows what there doin. Especially the 50 year vet.... If your going to set people up like that know what your doing first.. This easily could have back fired on the 50 year veteran plumber who seems like more of a classroom plumber than one in the field.
This is why I have learned how to do minor to mid-card work when it comes to plumbing. I have done plumbing work on the house I rent, and for friends. I always check it over a few times, and if I don't know, then I get a second opinion from someone who KNOWS what they're doing. If I still don't know, then it's time to call in the pros!
Where are the Luigi-brothers?
I am in the electronic repair business for 30 years for myself. Local tv station did a similar thing, bringing a vcr with a blown fuse. They, in disguise of course, brought one in my building. Yes, dead, no display. I said could they wait a sec while I have a look. Blown 1.6 amp fuse. I kept them on bench stock. Put in the new fuse, it returned to life. I guessed at the time maybe a power surge got the fuse, and to try it at home and see how it did. I looked at the belts and heads while I had it apart. Hooked it to a tv, played a tape for them, gave them their old fuse back, charged I think 30 or 35 dollars for bench time and fuse and sent them on their way.
A few days later the station did the expose on tv repair shops. I was not mentioned since I was straight but they caught quite a few shops ripping people off. They are all gone now. There were like 30 tv shops here 25 years ago. Now there is one dedicated tv repair shop, I do mainly computers and handywork, and a few tv sets, but there is no money in tv sets anymore, or stereo repairs. The other town shop mainly does sewer cam repairs.
Swear they have done this BS to my mom😐 Imma catch them NEXT TIME😑
He held the mic to the car when the window was closed lol😂
65 dollar service call
10 parts
30 service charge
15 taxes and fees
120 plus 5 tip 125
Or stop complaining and do it your self for a fraction of the cost.
hum ams what if u don't have knowledge not everyone is Handy
NotAnother RUclipsChannel RUclips shows you for free. Have patience.
Also DIY books exist and are amazing.
NotAnother RUclipsChannel life isn't that hard
You get tips on a service call?
hum ams i don't think you have an idea of the cost involved..I always had a helper, so i had to be able to bill enough to pay us.. One of the #s courses i took showed 33/33/34...these #s are your expenses, labor,materials. .so if i make say $35 an hour and my helper $15. So for that to be %33, i need to be minimum $1,200. A day labor..$6,000 a week just to earn mine & my helpers check..and that's at break even. .if you want to earn a profit you need to work the numbers..
I guess they have to charge something for their time and gas for the vehicle etc, some businesses charge just to go out and give an estimate, if possible.I guess, I know I don't do that
This is why I feel so lucky to live in an apartment (with free water by the way!) where maintenance workers literally live here and are very friendly and will happily fix something in a jiffy. Our landlord pays them so it's perfect.
the-twisted-samurai and have the rent raised so much yeah its perfect lol
@@pavy415
It depends on where you are living but generally one big repair like a water tank or roof will cover any extra expense from renting. Its not like the profit margins between rent and owning is huge. Some homes flat out get destroyed by tenants and place the landlord in a hole.
Maintenance workers get paid hourly like any job and usually have lower rent costs if they live at the complex. It is cheaper then hiring out. Landlords actually save money this way and tenants get round the clock maintenance/door lock outs etc.
200$ minimum for our company just to come out doesn’t matter what it is
They should have you on here for being a crook
My plumbing business has a 2 hr minimum. 125hr ,vans and tools cost money to operate, honest and professional services equal no complaints. This water heater is not installed properly and is not up to code. A plumbing inspector would red tag it .
Inb4 the plumber said something so detrimental about capitalism, they had to mute it.
To replace the valve you have to turn off the water heater and drain it. Draining it could take a few minutes to an hour or more depending on how much sediment is in it. I usually go ahead and flush the water heater when I have to change the drain valve. If there is a drain close by that I can empty the tank into the cost is $75.00 plus parts. If it's just a loose valve as this was, it's $25.00 for the service call. I can't run around town for free.
You pretty much can’t show up for much less than $100 if you like to eat
Plumbers in hot water
Hot water
HOT WATER
I'm a plumber and being honest warrants repeat business. May not be big bucks on little things but when something big happens hopefully they call you back for the repairs.
Well if im going for a job im fucking charging u anyway.... Time is money
nice to see that 4 of em were honest and truthful
These guys are a huge joke 😂 2nd yr apprentice and it just shows how scabby some non union companies are
This is why I use people suggested by people I’ve worked with before. The person who renovated my house gave us a suggestion for a plumber when we needed one. The price was very good and low for what all the other plumbers were charging.
And they are complaining about the prices I mean I have never really messed with water heaters but it is at the bottom of the water heater so you would have to turn off the water and empty it to replace it that takes time if they wanted to do a sting they could have tried something better and or smarter
James Holbrook is it just me or does this comment make absolutely no sense?
Johnny Draco
You are as full of shit as the bottom of the tank
Try emptying a 40 gal water tank it takes around 40min without a transfer pump so charging a hour labour is totally rational. And also Johnny Draco if you flush out your water tank just even once a year (depending how hard you water is ) you wont have to worry about rust and mineral build up in your tank.
James Holbrook Exactly, WTF are you saying here?
lil pudi - It's just you PunJab
Two things you must know about being a Plumber.
1: Shit always flows down hill.
2: Don’t bite your finger nails.
I always place a recording device downstairs when I have contractors in my house and I’ve learned one thing avoid having contractors in your house
Great video Tom, would love to see more like this.
This has been going on for decades. With plumbers, electricians, mechanics ,air conditioning men, etc...not shocking at all
Why couldn't you do that? I'll fill in the blank. "I'm just an unlicensed plumber, I gotta get a sack of weed somehow. "
Never let any “tradesman” into your house who has to turn sideways to get through your front door because their arse is wider than than the entrance.
We need this now. Plumbers are out of control with prices...
No earthquake straps
Nicolas Mays
Earthquake straps only required in prone areas. Like southern California
no drip pan.
Concrete floor which means it has a drain.. which means a drip pan isnt needed (Usually only needed on wood floors and the like).
Only need earthquake straps in certain areas
No expansion tank! Made before 2014 so it contains "too much" lead!!
They should really pull the occupancy permit on that house!
Rooter Rooter is a scam, and drastically overpriced when they do legitimate work. I got a bid for $1000 for a minor job, the other large plumbing office charged me $325
Hahaha you got made over 100 something dollars? Yea thats standard. Most contractors will charge 100 bucks just to walk in the door. I thought this was going to actually be a scam where they say you need a new water heater. In ct its 120 dollars just to walk in the door and than at least half that every following hour. Here in Florida companies charge 200 and up an hour. This video was made by retatds who don't know anything about how business works. People just don't understand that there are other bills that need to be paid and you have to cover your costs and then make a profit on top of that. Why would I get out of bed and put on a uniform and then drive to the shop, get in a work truck, drive across town and do a job for free? No there is a service fee and every successful contractor in America has one. Do you think that guy doing the job puts that in his pocket and he's scamming you? He's going to make 30 or 35 an hour.
in my area 80-90$ an hour is the norm for labor rate.
How did he make $100?? Doesn't he pay employees? ? Trucks, secretary, utilities and about 40 other bills...
It's made by a news company that scams people into thinking they are catching scammers because they suck ass