Many homeowners find out the hard way that they should have gotten a second opinion on a repair job, and a recent case in Minneapolis brought this fact into the limelight. The case involved a plumbing company that was convincing homeowners they needed much bigger, and more expensive, repairs than were actually required. The end result was the loss of thousands of dollars and another black eye for the home repair industry. However, homeowners do not have to put up with this type of contractor if they know what to look for when they need a repair, and the number one rule is ALWAYS GET A SECOND OPINION! Signing a contract and handing over a check could be the biggest mistakes you ever make if you are not careful about whom you hire to perform the repairs.
Plumbing Plunder
In this particular case, there were two problems. Many of the homeowners did not get second opinions before consenting to the repairs and they also hired a company that used subcontractors to complete their work. Nearly all of the complaints involved an exaggeration of a problem with the customers plumbing. The customers were convinced by the subcontractor that if they did not have the work performed immediately their homes would suffer major damage.
This type of fear tactic often leads homeowners to hand over large sums of money without verifying the problem. They don’t want their homes to be damaged and they just want things to go back to normal. Scammers take advantage of this fact and try to milk as much money out of the homeowner as possible.
A Second Opinion Saved this Man Thousands!
Once the homeowner agreed to the repair, their yards were torn up and their lives were disrupted to perform the fake repairs that the subcontractor told them that they absolutely needed. In one homeowner’s case, he saved himself over $15,000 by having another plumber verify the supposed damage. When the other plumber found only a minor problem, the homeowner canceled the job with the other company and filed a complaint.
Three Bids Minimum
The company in question here has cooperated fully with the settlement of these complaints and noted that the subcontractor responsible for these illegitimate services was not acting according to their standard business practices. However, all of the homeowners that were involved in this case could have saved themselves this hassle by getting a second opinion and doing their research. The BBB recommends that homeowners get at least three bids on a job before having the work performed and this is sound advice that every homeowner should take.
