When it comes to hiring a plumber in West Covina, CA, you should not settle on the first one that knocks on your door. Chances are, they are looking to scam you. Fortunately, there are several ways to spot and avoid unscrupulous plumbers. Drain Doctor Plumbing & Rooter lists some of the common plumbing scams you should watch out for.
Bait and Switch Scam
A common plumbing scam involves someone promising you certain plumbing services or top-quality fixtures but not delivering them. Instead, you end up getting subpar results. Unfortunately, you’re cheated if you have already paid for them.
Door to Door Plumber Scam
Always have your guard up when someone arrives unannounced at your door claiming to be a plumber and offering their services. Even if you don’t have an emergency plumbing situation, you can become a victim of a robbery or theft if you let them in. Unfortunately, older people often fall prey to this scam.
Nice Neighborhood Scam
Scam artists posing as plumbers often take advantage of people who live in nice, affluent neighborhoods. They see your house, expensive car, and other luxuries inside your home and stop by to provide you with plumbing repairs. However, once you get the bill, it’s much more money than you expected to be charged. They can increase their rates by as much as 50% or even 100%.
Constantly Changing Estimate Scam
Another common plumbing scam has the plumber claiming that they can perform certain services for your home at a specific rate over the phone. However, they later mention a completely different rate. This should put your guard up immediately. You can expect even more changes to their estimate, but in reality, they don’t even know what they’re doing with your plumbing and might only cause damage.
Strange Plumbing Assists Scam
If you hire a plumber to work in your home but later have several different people show up, you should be wary. Often, these people are inexperienced and are incapable of doing a great job on your plumbing. Anyone who comes to work should be licensed or at least an apprentice who should be monitored by a licensed plumber.
When looking for a plumbing company, always check if they have the qualifications to do the job. At Drain Doctor Plumbing & Rooter, we are licensed, insured, and certified to do any plumbing work. We are more than happy to show you our credentials. Get in touch with us to schedule an appointment.
