I'm a residential remodeling GC, with a question for all you plumbers out there regarding warranties on your work.
First of all, let me say that from my POV plumbing is unlike any of the other trades because no matter how educated, skilled, and experienced a master plumber is, there is always a possibility for leaks-- a slip joint connection leaks, a threaded pipe, a sweated copper joint. Hey, that's what testing is for-- fill the sink with water and pull the drain, plug the DWV and fill it with a 10' head, reconnect the existing supply lines, etc. and check for leaks. Inevitably there will be one that requires redoing. It would drive me crazy to be uncertain about my own work. If someone wants me to build them a wall-- I build it, it matches the plans, meets code, is plumb and level, and wont fall down.
And with plumbing, sometimes things break or clog and water goes everywhere. Hey, that's why there's 24 hr plumbing service and not 24 hour electricians (other than the utility companies) or 24 hour concrete workers, etc. Who's fault is it really when a soldered joint pops, a old pipe starts leaking in a new place after being rattled by adjacent repairs or new work, a fixture supply hose ruptures, or a client's under-sink plumbing starts leaking after they've obviously bumped the slip joints askew by stuffing bags, cleaning supplies, and other junk to capacity down there?
The biggest factor for many of these is time. Did a plumbing repair that day cause a small leak in an adjacent section of pipe that becomes noticeable later that evening? Was the under-sink plumbing fine when it was installed and is now leaking 1 week later? Or did a weakly soldered joint blow apart a copper pipe 1 year later?
Brave plumbers, how do you address these situations (or even sleep at night)? Is the small leak in the adjacent section of pipe your fault, or billed as extra work? Did the homeowner bump the under-sink plumbing or did the piping connections not meet at exactly the same angles in a tenuous fashion? Obviously the soldered joint was weaker than the rest, but it held up fine for for a year. Is that faulty workmanship or an inevitable repair that all homeowner's must face. And to top it off, now there is water damage (warped hardwood floors, soaked insulation, damaged personal property), with threats of environmental lawsuits over mold.
Where do you draw the line? On one hand, we should provide good customer service and warranty service if needed as a matter of doing business. On the other hand, we cannot be responsible for someone's entire house for all of time should anything come up. Our company only warranties labor and not materials (which get manufactured more and more poorly). If a fixture breaks, it is not our problem (most manufacturer's carry their own warranties). And unfortunately, excessive handholding or even top-notch customer care is often abused or exploited by customers who take it for granted.
I'm guessing that you all have strong feelings about the quality of your work. Please share.
Much Respect.
First of all, let me say that from my POV plumbing is unlike any of the other trades because no matter how educated, skilled, and experienced a master plumber is, there is always a possibility for leaks-- a slip joint connection leaks, a threaded pipe, a sweated copper joint. Hey, that's what testing is for-- fill the sink with water and pull the drain, plug the DWV and fill it with a 10' head, reconnect the existing supply lines, etc. and check for leaks. Inevitably there will be one that requires redoing. It would drive me crazy to be uncertain about my own work. If someone wants me to build them a wall-- I build it, it matches the plans, meets code, is plumb and level, and wont fall down.
And with plumbing, sometimes things break or clog and water goes everywhere. Hey, that's why there's 24 hr plumbing service and not 24 hour electricians (other than the utility companies) or 24 hour concrete workers, etc. Who's fault is it really when a soldered joint pops, a old pipe starts leaking in a new place after being rattled by adjacent repairs or new work, a fixture supply hose ruptures, or a client's under-sink plumbing starts leaking after they've obviously bumped the slip joints askew by stuffing bags, cleaning supplies, and other junk to capacity down there?
The biggest factor for many of these is time. Did a plumbing repair that day cause a small leak in an adjacent section of pipe that becomes noticeable later that evening? Was the under-sink plumbing fine when it was installed and is now leaking 1 week later? Or did a weakly soldered joint blow apart a copper pipe 1 year later?
Brave plumbers, how do you address these situations (or even sleep at night)? Is the small leak in the adjacent section of pipe your fault, or billed as extra work? Did the homeowner bump the under-sink plumbing or did the piping connections not meet at exactly the same angles in a tenuous fashion? Obviously the soldered joint was weaker than the rest, but it held up fine for for a year. Is that faulty workmanship or an inevitable repair that all homeowner's must face. And to top it off, now there is water damage (warped hardwood floors, soaked insulation, damaged personal property), with threats of environmental lawsuits over mold.
Where do you draw the line? On one hand, we should provide good customer service and warranty service if needed as a matter of doing business. On the other hand, we cannot be responsible for someone's entire house for all of time should anything come up. Our company only warranties labor and not materials (which get manufactured more and more poorly). If a fixture breaks, it is not our problem (most manufacturer's carry their own warranties). And unfortunately, excessive handholding or even top-notch customer care is often abused or exploited by customers who take it for granted.
I'm guessing that you all have strong feelings about the quality of your work. Please share.
Much Respect.
