Lies That Plumbers Tell to Drain Your Wallet

I Have a Free Inspection to Offer

Be especially wary of any plumber or tradesmen showing up at the front door uninvited to offer their services, starting with a free inspection. This could be a cover story for a credit fraudster or burglar casing the home — a problem best solved by requesting identification and conducting the appropriate research before letting anyone in.

It’s Okay That I’m Unlicensed

Most cities, counties, and states demand that homeowners use licensed professionals for complex work. There may be some unlicensed plumbers and handymen out there offering lower prices — but watch out. “Sometimes they are not insured, the coverage might not be sufficient or included in the final quote price,”

I’m the Best

When looking for a plumber, it’s useful to get recommendations from family members, colleagues, and websites. Recommendations from the plumbers themselves are pretty much useless. Some companies use bold claims and nondescriptive language to compensate for a lack of actual information about their services, Smith says. ”

This Offer Expires in Five Minutes

A disreputable or greedy plumber doesn’t want you taking the time to weigh options and consider alternatives, so they’ll often pressure you into deciding right then and there. “Such behavior may aim to prevent asking questions,” Smith says. “Organizations that do it right provide hassle-free support paving a way to an intelligent, smart, and conscious decision.”

I Can Do the Job for Much Cheaper

Always compare prices between multiple contractors. And remember that the price that seems too good to be true probably is. Your instinct may be to jump at any ludicrously low price a plumber quotes you compared with their competitors, but “the cheapest offers are the riskiest,” Smith says. “A common plumbing trick is to give you a less expensive offer that doesn’t include all services necessary to complete the project

You Need to Pay Everything in Advance

Most plumbers are “just getting paid when finishing the work,” Smith says. Some companies may ask for a down payment of up to half the estimated total, but it’s unfair and a definite red flag for any plumber or company to request a homeowner pay the full charge before work is complete.

It Turned Out to Be a Much Harder Job Than I Thought

The underlying element to many of these shifty pricing tactics is a general lack of transparency and communication between homeowner and service provider. A reputable plumber should volunteer information on how their pricing works, starting with whether there’s an initial diagnostic fee just to show up at your door, and the likely duration of repairs, then keep the homeowner updated as they progress and new charges arise.

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