Benjamin franklin plumbing

[frano]

Has anyone ever encountered a plumber who charges $69 just to drive to your home? After that he said I would have to select the service I wanted. (I just needed to have a toilet snaked). The minimum charge to snake the toilet was an additional $200. If I chose to have the toilet removed (WHY WOULD I!) IT WOULD BE ANOTHER $400. I guess I have been very lucky ...I usually call Seely and they come and work for an hour for $75, But they don't snake toilets.
I have to say, I was shocked when the ben franklin guy told me how they charge. Is this a common occurrence with local plumbers?

[fpartri497]

Originally Posted by frano

Has anyone ever encountered a plumber who charges $69 just to drive to your home? After that he said I would have to select the service I wanted. (I just needed to have a toilet snaked). The minimum charge to snake the toilet was an additional $200. If I chose to have the toilet removed (WHY WOULD I!) IT WOULD BE ANOTHER $400. I guess I have been very lucky ...I usually call Seely and they come and work for an hour for $75, But they don't snake toilets.
I have to say, I was shocked when the ben franklin guy told me how they charge. Is this a common occurrence with local plumbers?

i would have called someone else In a hurry

[Lakesrider]

Yes there is a certain company that is the biggest legal theft ring on the planet.
I believe they are protected by the Mafia as well.
I would cross the street and head in the other direction whenever I saw that van headed my way......
I had them come and quote a water heater at my place. They wanted $1500.00 just for the water heater, and $750 to install and $100.00 to dispose of the old one. I almost @$^% my pants from laughing so hard. The guy got the hint and left in a huff.
I went to FW Webb and bought the water heater and installed it myself for under $800.00. Stay away from those...ummm....well....just stay far, far away.

$400.00 just to remove the toilet? Really? Un **** believable. What does that take 10 minutes? $5.00 for a new wax ring....Un **** believable
Really though.....next time just laugh really hard.......

Ummmm.....can I can come over and remove your toilet. I'll only charge ya $389.00.

[Argie's Wife]

What's a snake cost? Like $30? We've done it ourselves and we're pretty green at the home improvement stuff... we've also replaced a seal on a toilet and all that ourselves - it wasn't that bad, really... (It probably took us longer than a professional to do it, but that's because we had to read directions and argue along the way...)

[BroadHopper]

If you can get a trade guy for $75 an hour, I'd take it! Even $80 is a bargain for a journeyman. $125 for a master.

Ben Franklin I believe is a francise that charges francise prices. May be cheap in NYC, but it is outrageous here in NH.

Trade folks charged a lot more when they are union. They have to pay those fees that feed the Union bosses and PACs.

[tis]

For a while a lot of the plumbers and heating companies were doing that. So much to just come and then by the hour. I didn't like it either. I haven't seen it lately though. I don't know if some are still doing it.

[fatlazyless]

I'd stop at Ash Hardware in Ashland, Rt 93-Exit 24, and get a quality plunger and a decent quality toilet snake, designed specifically for a toilet as opposed to a sink, both for about twenty dollars total: 5.49 for a ToilaFlex Plunger, and about 12.95 for a toilet hook clean-out snake, and then use the change to get a day old turkey sub at Heath's for 1.99.

[newbie]

Had a very bad experience with them and their "guarentee' is not worth the paper it is printed on

[Belmont Resident]

For years they have been that way. They have fixed rates for everything and their rates are unbelievable. They wanted something like 300-400 just to set a toilet on a remodel job I worked on. GC ended up setting the toilet himself.
And the reason I was told they can do this is because there is so much money in the lakes region and most of the homeowners don’t even live here, so they don’t see the cost till the work is done and in most cases don’t think twice about paying the high prices.
I use Mike Mahoney from Alton, Mahoney’s Plumbing and Heating. He has always treated me fair and done great work.
Look for the small privately owned plumbers, electricians etc and you will generally get much better pricing. But get recommendations because there are a lot of one man shows that are just that.

[Chris Crafter]

Called them to repair or replace my 1/2 H.P. well pump and was quoted $3,500 . Told them to get off of my property immediately. Called American Water Systems who pulled and replaced the pump for $1000 including pump, all materials and labor. They asked for the $69 dispatch fee and I told them that if the owner had the gnads to collect it in person I would pay it. Never heard from them. Stay away from this outfit!!

[TomC]

... charged to come out and look at installing a gas log. outrageous quote -i had the gas company come do it for 1/3 the price. i also got the "while i am here, want me to look at anything else" pitch. i had a drippy single-knob shower valve and i asked him to look at it since i hadn't gotten around to dismantling the thing myself. He quoted $500 to repair - i fixed it with a $6 o-ring kit... no lie.

"run away" is my response as well. actually "run away FAST" is more like it!

[Slickcraft]

I did a Google search, this was the top non paid link:

http://benjamin-franklin-plumbing.pissedconsumer.com/

[Irish mist]

Originally Posted by Chris Crafter

Called them to repair or replace my 1/2 H.P. well pump and was quoted $3,500 . Told them to get off of my property immediately. Called American Water Systems who pulled and replaced the pump for $1000 including pump, all materials and labor. They asked for the $69 dispatch fee and I told them that if the owner had the gnads to collect it in person I would pay it. Never heard from them. Stay away from this outfit!!

I agree. This company is a bad joke. I swear they just pick an inflated price out of thin air & see if you will pay it ! These are nasty people. I've used Don Morin out of Laconia for years & had no major issues.

[Pineedles]

I may get trashed for this, but there are quite a few businesses in the Lakes Region that will try and soak you for whatever you got. It's no big deal if you don't go with their inflated prices, they just move on to the next sucker. There's one around every corner.

[Resident 2B]

Originally Posted by Pineedles

I may get trashed for this, but there are quite a few businesses in the Lakes Region that will try and soak you for whatever you got. It's no big deal if you don't go with their inflated prices, they just move on to the next sucker. There's one around every corner.

We might get trashed, but you are 100% correct.

There are many contractors in the area that are looking for the quick buck. This is not to say all contractors are like this. Some are great, hard working and fair. There just seems to be too many looking for the quick buck.

R2B

[MarkinNH]

I have run into many contractors of various trades that vary their prices depending on how much $$ they feel a person has.
Many years ago I had a contractor who was looking at a job for me, tell me that the homeowner apparently has plenty of money and it was his job to get as much of it out of the homeowner as he could. Needless to say he did not get the job nor have I ever called him again.
A job is worth what it is worth ! A person or homeowners possible net worth should play No role in the cost of that job !
On the other hand, their are also just as many, if not more contractors that are honest hard working people that want to give you an honest days work for a honest days dollar. The challange can be weeding out the bad from the good.
Word spreads and the actions of the "soak it to em" crowd will eventually catch up with them.

[tummyman]

I had exactly the same issue of a clogged toilet. Called them and they came down and looked into the toilet. Said the same deal...$69 to just come down, and then there was added charges if they touched anything. I had already removed the toilet, so they did not even have to do that. All I wanted was a short snake of the line, as it is only 15 feet to the septic tank and I wanted to be sure it was open. They said it would be $250 to snake the 15 ft. or I could go with a new toilet for $400. Needless to say, I did everything myself and solved the problem. These people need to be put out of business by EVERYONE on the forum NOT calling them for anything. They are an embarrassment to the good plumbers that are out there. Stay far away from them or they will clean your wallet before they clean your drain.

[songkrai]

I think that this is the same company that used to have the owners last name. Not the best reputation then.

Some franchises are good. Food franchises maybe some auto franchises. But a plumbing. In this case on top of plumbing fees they have to pay the franchise fee.

Well, some people do pay and they need something right away.
Sadly, some plumbers here do not answer calls, do not respond promptly, and don't show up when they state. So for some, if plumber shows up when stated customer is happy at any price.

[bclaker]

I saw a Benjamin Franklin truck at a home in Briarcrest yesterday. Guess they don't frequent the Forum.

[Reilly]

as a local plumber & gas installer I probably would have charged $40 for a regular customer or $75 for a one time job. There are many honest & very good plumbers in this area. The best thing anyone can do is find one & stick with them.

[Belmont Resident]

I did a bit of work in Briarcrest, mostly retired people and elderly.

[WakeboardMom]

Originally Posted by MarkinNH

I have run into many contractors of various trades that vary their prices depending on how much $$ they feel a person has.

There are plenty of folks who think that because one has lakefront property, one doesn't worry about bills. That's not true.

Last year (in the autumn of 2010) I finally had cable brought into my house. We also had a new TV. The young man installing the cable found it amusing that I was so in awe of the new digital technology. "Most people with a house on the water have seen HD TV before this." LOL...we're not all Romneys!

Originally Posted by Reilly

There are many honest & very good plumbers in this area. The best thing anyone can do is find one & stick with them.

I agree. Thank you for posting!

[GTO]

Originally Posted by Reilly

as a local plumber & gas installer I probably would have charged $40 for a regular customer or $75 for a one time job. There are many honest & very good plumbers in this area. The best thing anyone can do is find one & stick with them.

Not that you would be putting out an advertisement here, but I think you should list your company name and number and area you work in. Looking back at alot of the carpenter and tree cutting threads, contractors would respond with their business name. Always looking for a trustworthy contractor/plumber/electrician etc. We all have small jobs and don't all have the know how to do it ourselvels