James Stephens
7 years ago
My experience with Richardson plumbing started nice but ended with problems. The young woman that answered the phone was polite and helpful in booking my appointment.. likewise, the plumber that arrived was amiable, knowledgeable, and right on time.. 3 PM. At arrival, the plumber reaffirmed the nature of the visit, and we had a brief discussion regarding the low water pressure issues I was experiencing in the house. He identified the problem was the water pressure regulator, which is located on my ground floor (I do not have a basement). The price was fair - $325, so I told him to please proceed. After locating the main water shut off valve, and draining the pipes of excess water, he made a visit to his truck and returned with a replacement pressure regulator valve.. however when he attempted to install the new valve, the threads weren't aligning properly due the fact it was a slightly different / newer model. At this point - he decided to cut the PVC pipe from the old valve, and use PVC cement glue to fuse the pipes together to make it so the threads did align. I assume he did this because he didn't have what he needed for my setup and didn't feel like leaving and making a second trip back - my assumption was confirmed when he later (after the incident) said I did the best with what I had in my truck at the time. After everything was in place, he allowed the glue about 25 minutes to dry. During that 25 minutes, I signed the necessary paperwork and handed him a check for the agreed amount. He then slowly turned the water back on, and continued to monitor it for a few minutes afterwards. Everything looked ok until we walked into the kitchen -- it was at that point that the glue seal blew, which caused a flood that spread throughout the kitchen, up to the dining room / living room where the carpet begins. I do not own a wet-dry vac, so I had to phone a neighbor to bring one over. We vacuumed up all the water we could find... unfortunately water spread to areas I cannot access, unless I rip out all the kitchen cabinetry, oven, and the drywall behind. The plumber returned the next morning with the correct materials and restored my water service. I called the Richardson plumbing office in the morning to explain what had happened.. thinking maybe they had a policy or contingency plan should something like this (a flood) occur, but it became painfully obvious that I was wasting my time.. I was offered $50.
This incident was a result of the plumber taking a shortcut.. not faulty design, or pipe deterioration. I called in a professional because I didn't want to DIY and flood my house - the definition of irony. I understand people make mistakes, and I can accept that (I'm not even upset with the plumber). His repeated apologies were genuine and sincere, and I accept. All I'm asking for is accountability. Five days after the event, my 1st floor is starting to smell like a cave, and Richardson plumbing is acting as if nothing happened.