Benjamin Franklin Plumbing

Description of Work: Plumbing Repair

Description of Work: Busted pipe

Description of Work: REPLACE COMMODES

Description of Work: .

Description of Work: We have had a service contract with Evans for several years, but have felt for some time that they have been taking advantage of us. It started with the replacement of a part that cost over $900 for a unit that they had installed for us only a few years before. Then, they began charging us approximately $130 for the filter that they replaced for us twice each year. A few weeks ago, we were contacted by Evans for our semi-annual inspection to make sure that the unit is ready for the summer. This is covered by our service contract and usually requires only changing the filter and adding refridgerant to the unit if needed. A service man we had never seen before came to our house. Instead of doing the usual routine, he spent over 2 hours going back and forth from the compressor outside to the unit inside. We could never tell what he was doing, if anything. I finally had to ask him to move his truck so that I could get my car out of the driveway, as I had somewhere I needed to go. When I returned home, my husband greeted me with, "Well, I have bad news, the air conditioner is broken. The compressor outside and the evaporator unit inside have to be replaced. It is going to cost $5,895." Naturally, I was floored, as the last time we used the air conditioner it worked perfectly. On the service ticket the service man had written, "Checked all electrical connections, checked temperature differences, checked refrigerant ( sp) pressure, cleared outside condensor coil, low on refrigerant ( sp)." My husband then showed me a paper he had signed which turned out to be an application for credit with GE. The sheet does not break down how much the parts, labor, etc. costs - just the sum at the bottom. Above, in tiny, almost illegible writihg, is written "5 ton A/C compressor," "5 ton evaporator," 5 year parts," 5 year labor". - and that is all. My husband is 72 years old and I suspected that the serviceman was trying to take advantage of him. I called Evans and told them to tear up any contract that my husband had signed and that we would no longer be doing business with them. A while late, the company supervisor called and said that because we were such loyal customers, he would knock $700 off the total bill. I told him that I thought his serviceman and his company were trying to rip us off and to never set foot on our property again. A few days later, I subscribed to Angie's List, as I knew I would need to contact someone about the a/c, which now would not come on at all. I saw that Evans had already received an "F" from someone who felt that they had also been scammed. Based on the Angie's List reviews, I called Freedom A/C and Guin A/C. I explained to each of them the reason I was calling and each said that they would check our unit for free. The night before Freedom was to arrive, I mentioned to my husband again that I thought was strange that our unit would not come on at all and wondered if the Evans serviceman might have disconnected something. A few minutes later, my husband suddenly had an idea. "I wonder if he turned off the circuit breaker at the compressor," he said. He went out and checked, and, sure enough, it was off. My husband turned the circuit breaker on and then tried the a/c. It came right on. The next morning, the serviceman from Freedom came to our house. He checked the outside compressor and the inside unit. After about 30 minutes, he came in and said "I can't find anything wrong with your unit. It came on the minute I turned it on and it's blowing cold air." I told him that the previous serviceman had said that it was low on refridgerant. The gentleman from Freedom said, "No, it's not low on refridgerant, if anything it has a little too much, but I would suggest just leaving it alone." I thanked the gentleman from Freedom and then called Guin and cancelled there appointment. Freedom came to our home on April 9 and we have been running our a/c ever since without a problem. It comes on as soon as we turn it on. If we set if for 73 degrees, it runs until the temperature on the thermostat reads 73 degrees and then turns off. It does exactly what is expected of an air conditioner. In addition to this review, I have also filed a complaint with the Alabama Consumer Protection Agency as I believe Evans One Hour Services is guilty of trying to scam us and has probably scammed many other seniors and younger people as well. The gentleman from Freedom also provided us with the model number of our a/c filters and suggested that we order them on line and change them ourselves. I have done that. The filter cost $39.84.

Description of Work: Gave estimate to install gas dryer. They spent 2 hours in the attic and concluded I would need a new supply line from the meter. I decided the cheaper option was to buy an electric dryer. The Evans staff was professional, and it was clear they would not cut corners.

Description of Work: Drain line was stopped up. Late arriving, could not solve the problem, want $365 for ungauranteed work - settled for $49. Associates very incompetent. Use another company - solved the problem in 10 minutes - stayed 2 hours cleaming up and making sure everything was okay.

Description of Work: Repaired leak in plumbing to sprinkler system. Plumber gave me an estimate which I had to sign before work commenced and he nor I knew the extend of the repair. He called for a second truck. The person in the second truck did nothing but hand man in first truck a tool--he was not necessary and I had to pay for both plumbers/trucks. I was later contacted y the "office" to whom I advised of my dissastisfaction with no response. Over the years this company had done several jobs for us all of which were well done but I felt that this plumber took advantage of the situation.

Description of Work: Both upstairs and downstairs units went out on a Saturday evening--temp in the house was 90 degrees--called them the next day and a technician was at our house in 15 minutes--the problem was fixed by flipping a breaker on a faulty breaker box--was advised to get breaker box replaced and only charged for a trip charge at the regular rate

Description of Work: I had a leaky faucet in my home and I called them to fix it.

Description of Work: We hired them to do the design and layout for a newly remodeled bathroom in a sixty year old home.

Description of Work: They maintain our air conditioning units and checked them over thoroughly for problems.

Description of Work: We had a new outside faucet replaced on our home.

Description of Work: They replaced a conductor in our air conditioning unit.

Description of Work: The company was called out, due to the drain being clogged where the kitchen sink, disposal and dishwasher meet up at.