From an estimate (given to our contractor) of $400 for a gas range connection we asked, we ended up paying them $716. We got into a bad situation when our contractor didn't pay them for the work they did at our townhouse and we ended up paying them the money owing.
Since this was one part of the project - gas line to range, second was to the exterior for a BBQ connection that required a change of pressure valves by Fortis, they would have to come back complete the work.
When my wife went across to pay them, the estimate they gave for the second stage was $850 (400 parts and rest labour).
Matt was the first tech' and had said that the next install won't take that long as he'd done most of the prep. Well, Tyler was the tech for the next phase and he felt a lot more should have been completed by the first tech. He had to have someone from the shop run him parts and had to come by the next day to complete the job.
I had asked them to install the gas conversion kit on my BBQ and was totally prepared to pay for the labour involved.
You can imagine my surprise when we got the invoice - it was $1606!!
When we pointed out the difference, the office staff first waffled and said that was the cost. We pointed out charges that were unreasonable, they came back with approx. $1400. We asked for the owner/manager to talk to us. Instead, they mailed out a demand notice!!!
We paid them off - NEVER AGAIN!! I should have read the reviews here before engaging them!!!
Thanks a lot R&B - I'm willing to pay for services I ask for but I also expect ethical business practices!
- Approximate cost of services:
- $2,200.00
- Company Response
Thank-you for your feedback. I hear your concerns about the difference between what you wanted to pay, or perhaps expected to pay, and what the work actually cost have you upset. However, none of the work we were engaged to do for your condo was a written quoted price with a set scope of work. All work was on a time and material basis. I am not sure what your contractor led you to believe regarding what could be expected to be paid for the first stage of the project, but when we book all calls we advise clients of the cost of each hour of work as we did with him. This was also done with your wife when she booked the return call. Additionally, she had the first invoice for her to review pricing and terms of service. There was no quoted estimate for the second stage, but time allowed for booking was based on an amount of time expected based on the scope of work. This time is variable, as you know based on the complexity of the work. In your case, you wife continued to add to the scope of work after our arrival. In addition to that you had a new gas meter installed which BC Safety Code has certain requirements for. Code requires that all gas appliances be clocked - checked for safe operation and correct gas pressures. This added necessary time that was not a part of the original scope of work either. The new gas meter was needed to achieve proper gas pressure for all the new gas fired appliances you wanted for your home. This included the fireplace, barbecue, and range in addition to your water heater. Your wife acknowledged that our tech was on site for the entire time, and working hard. She complimented him on his work ethic and capability, which we always appreciate. The materials used have also been accounted for. Therefore, it can be expected that we would charge for those services and expect to be paid. It is often the case that those doing a renovation change the scope of work midway through a job and I feel that my crew did a good job in accommodating that for you. My Administrative Assistant went above and beyond the call of duty to run to the supplier herself, bringing the additional material needed for the extra work to save you time and money. As the owner / manager, I reviewed all the billing and allowed that a change in the technicians may have accounted for some extra time as the second got up to speed on where the project was at, and I credited an hour of time on your billing. The change in technicians of course, is less than ideal, but we were trying to get your home and cooking facilities running without further delay. We are sorry that our efforts did not yield the outcome you were hoping for. If you have any further grievances I encourage you to contact me again at our office during our service hours at 604-980-1369. – Michelle Blaksic