Charging For Repairs You Couldn't Make

scottstef

i got called in for a punch out list from a good customer. one of the complaints was a toilet that needed a new flapper. i went to home depot and bought one of each of their 6 different flappers and tried to get all of them to work. the best bet we got was 3 flushes from one of them before it leaked. It was a strange old toilet and i didn't have the name of the toilet. Anyway the home owner called a plumbe rin later and the guy somehow managed to get a flapper to fit and work.

i didn't bill the guy for the time or the parts, figured since i couldn't fix it and it only took me about 20 minutes of time i shouldn't bill him- despite the fact that i now have 5 barely used ne wflappers in stock on the truck.

Was i worng in eating that cost? i have a hard time asking someone to pay me for something i couldn't fix unless i have told them it was a wag that i might not be able to fix it properly from the get go.

thanks.

mdshunk

I have a few questions:
1) why is a rehabber doing plumbing work for money?
2) are you not famaliar with the fact that the seating area of the flapper can wear, causing total replacement of the flush valve assembly being the only repair option?

Double-A

You can't charge for a repair that you didn't make. You can only charge a 'call-out' fee or 'service charge' for coming out and looking at it.

If you had given a price to attempt to repair, with the stipulation that you might not be able to, and your client agreed, then yes, you could charge for the repair.

If it were me, I'd chalk it up to experience, talk to the plumber they called in to find out what he knew that I didn't and just call it a wash.

I agree with you, I wouldn't feel right charging for something I didn't really do. Making an improper repair, no matter how angelic your motives is still failing to make a repair.

__________________
"My clients’ wishes are the center of my attention." -- David Guido, a contractor in Woodstock, N.Y.
New York Times, July 20, 2006

Mike Finley

I'm guessing legally you could charge him for something along the lines of what Double-A said, but it sounds like your gut reaction was a good one.