Buying a Water Heater

Periodically I review a business that I've had dealings with; sometimes it is positive, but often it is not. With the Internet, companies should be careful how they treat their customers--as word can get out. I've found that many companies will try to "make things right" if you contact the right person. Before I write a negative review, I always give the company the opportunity to "make it right," and so avoid being shown in a negative light in my blog. Some will do so, and some will not.

I was pricing water heaters on Monday. Ours is old and needs to be replaced. Roto-Rooter came over and gave a free estimate of $1253.74. I've priced water heaters and they run around $400. I thanked the technician and said I would let him know.

I saw an ad in the phone book for Soderlin Plumbing and Heating. I was attracted to the ad because it said they had flat rate pricing. Anyone who has done business with one of these contractors may know that the price can change considerably over the course of a job depending on how fast the technician works and what parts he/she needs along the way. The ad also said they were fair and had been in business for 98 years.

When I called, I was told that they charge $69 to come to your house and though I asked, I was not given any price range. I should have probably hung up the phone then, but the service charge is often waived if work is actually done. Had I been told it would cost over $1,000 I would have said "good-bye" right then. So, when the technician from Soderlin arrived, he looked at my water heater (which I already told them over the phone--was 40 gallons and natural gas) and produced an estimate for $1,556.00 that had a $135 built in service contract! To opt out of the service contract actually cost slightly more--and this price was shown to me on a separate sheet of paper. This (any plumbing related) service contract is simply a way to lock you in, so you always contact their company for service--and subsequently lock you into their inflated prices.

I had no alternative but to refuse service and I put the $69 charge on my credit card. I later called Soderlin Plumbing and Heating to let them know I felt cheated. The man let me know he had told me about the $69 charge--which indeed he had. However, the part of their ad about being fair, was completely ignored. I let the man from Soderlin who is the only one I spoke to by phone, know I would be reviewing his company negatively--and if he wanted to credit my credit card the $69, I would no longer feel I was cheated and would not write the review. He said he did not give in to blackmail (which actually insinuates wrong-doing on his part) and said he was keeping the $69.

Later, I called Warner's Stellian who could provide the water heater, and installation by a company called Drain Pro (Drain Pro by the way, told me they would install a water heater I buy myself for $325) for just under $800. That is almost half of my other estimates!

So, in the future I would be leery of paying a service charge--whether or not you have the company fix your stuff. I know, sometimes it is unavoidable if something breaks and you need someone to come and fix it. For an install of a new water heater, I guess I expected they should know about how much installation of a new one would cost. Shame on me for believing that Soderlin Plumbing & Heating was going to actually be fair. Of course, if you asked them, they would no doubt say they were. In fact, the ”nice” man on the phone said he could tell me lots of companies who charge more than he does.

One other note about a company being "family owned for 98 years..." The Internet didn't exist 100 years ago. If you keep treating customers unfairly, you will get bad publicity. Having worked for a few family owned companies years ago, I also found that the people who inherit companies from their parents, are sometimes too far removed from building the business to worry about being good to other people. My opinion of course, but it appears true to me.