Benjamin Franklin Plumbing

The office kept me informed as to the arrival time as promised. The plumber showed up on time, looking professional and clean. He told me that the leaking water heater was shot and needed to be replaced. He told me of several options and recommended replacing with like equipment. He told me price (not cheap, but I have never seen an inexpensive plumber) and went to work. He did a good job, was neat and cleaned up afterwards.

The office kept me informed as to the arrival time as promised. The plumber showed up on time, looking professional and clean. He told me that the leaking water heater was shot and needed to be replaced. He told me of several options and recommended replacing with like equipment. He told me price (not cheap, but I have never seen an inexpensive plumber) and went to work. He did a good job, was neat and cleaned up afterwards.

The office kept me informed as to the arrival time as promised. The plumber showed up on time, looking professional and clean. He told me that the leaking water heater was shot and needed to be replaced. He told me of several options and recommended replacing with like equipment. He told me price (not cheap, but I have never seen an inexpensive plumber) and went to work. He did a good job, was neat and cleaned up afterwards.

The office kept me informed as to the arrival time as promised. The plumber showed up on time, looking professional and clean. He told me that the leaking water heater was shot and needed to be replaced. He told me of several options and recommended replacing with like equipment. He told me price (not cheap, but I have never seen an inexpensive plumber) and went to work. He did a good job, was neat and cleaned up afterwards.

They did a good job for us. They sent the same plumber each time to do the work and he did a good job at a reasonable price. They were here in the time frame that they said they would be.

They did a good job for us. They sent the same plumber each time to do the work and he did a good job at a reasonable price. They were here in the time frame that they said they would be.

They did a good job for us. They sent the same plumber each time to do the work and he did a good job at a reasonable price. They were here in the time frame that they said they would be.

They did a good job for us. They sent the same plumber each time to do the work and he did a good job at a reasonable price. They were here in the time frame that they said they would be.

They are awesome! They are coutesous, kind, and prompt. They've never tried to sell me something I didn't need, and I enjoy working with them.

They are awesome! They are coutesous, kind, and prompt. They've never tried to sell me something I didn't need, and I enjoy working with them.

They are awesome! They are coutesous, kind, and prompt. They've never tried to sell me something I didn't need, and I enjoy working with them.

They are awesome! They are coutesous, kind, and prompt. They've never tried to sell me something I didn't need, and I enjoy working with them.

The Department Manager at Home Depot said that the installation should take 30 to 45 minutes. The plumber took 4 hours and charged $450.00. Unfortunately, the work did not fix my problem; I had scalding hot water and no cold water. In response to my complaint, they refunded $200 and sent out a second plumber who reinstalled the assembly within 43 minutes. I still feel that I was overcharged, given that this was a job that could have been accomplished within 45 minutes the first time, so I called to complain again and spoke Mr. Shane Jaeger, who became angry and hung up on me. I suspect, partly due to a conversation with another plumbing company and partly due to my experience, that the company's business practices are unethical; I believe that they intentionally overcharge their customers and that their employees receive an incentive to do so. I was extremely displeased with the experience and Mr. Jaeger's response to me was unprofessional.

The Department Manager at Home Depot said that the installation should take 30 to 45 minutes. The plumber took 4 hours and charged $450.00. Unfortunately, the work did not fix my problem; I had scalding hot water and no cold water. In response to my complaint, they refunded $200 and sent out a second plumber who reinstalled the assembly within 43 minutes. I still feel that I was overcharged, given that this was a job that could have been accomplished within 45 minutes the first time, so I called to complain again and spoke Mr. Shane Jaeger, who became angry and hung up on me. I suspect, partly due to a conversation with another plumbing company and partly due to my experience, that the company's business practices are unethical; I believe that they intentionally overcharge their customers and that their employees receive an incentive to do so. I was extremely displeased with the experience and Mr. Jaeger's response to me was unprofessional.

The Department Manager at Home Depot said that the installation should take 30 to 45 minutes. The plumber took 4 hours and charged $450.00. Unfortunately, the work did not fix my problem; I had scalding hot water and no cold water. In response to my complaint, they refunded $200 and sent out a second plumber who reinstalled the assembly within 43 minutes. I still feel that I was overcharged, given that this was a job that could have been accomplished within 45 minutes the first time, so I called to complain again and spoke Mr. Shane Jaeger, who became angry and hung up on me. I suspect, partly due to a conversation with another plumbing company and partly due to my experience, that the company's business practices are unethical; I believe that they intentionally overcharge their customers and that their employees receive an incentive to do so. I was extremely displeased with the experience and Mr. Jaeger's response to me was unprofessional.

The Department Manager at Home Depot said that the installation should take 30 to 45 minutes. The plumber took 4 hours and charged $450.00. Unfortunately, the work did not fix my problem; I had scalding hot water and no cold water. In response to my complaint, they refunded $200 and sent out a second plumber who reinstalled the assembly within 43 minutes. I still feel that I was overcharged, given that this was a job that could have been accomplished within 45 minutes the first time, so I called to complain again and spoke Mr. Shane Jaeger, who became angry and hung up on me. I suspect, partly due to a conversation with another plumbing company and partly due to my experience, that the company's business practices are unethical; I believe that they intentionally overcharge their customers and that their employees receive an incentive to do so. I was extremely displeased with the experience and Mr. Jaeger's response to me was unprofessional.

Sunday, May 8, a flush of the toilet resulted in water backing up in shower and tub in Master bath. Toilet in guest room was also backed up. Tried "plumber's friend" vigorously to no avail. Checked Angies List for well-reviewed plumbers who worked on Sundays. Contacted Ben Franklin plumbing as a result and they dispatched a plumber within 2 hours. He used a mechanical router to snake through to the problem area, which was obstructions in the line a few feet outside our home. His router showed signs of root and plant material and I was advised to have the diagnostic camera fed down the line to better determine the best permanent solution. However, he did not have that equipment and was to return the next day to perform that task. Cost for this first visit was $239 less a senior discount (total $215.10). That was very fair, I thought. I was told the diagnostics with the camera would take about an hour and was a flat rate $389.00 (less my senior discount), to which I had agreed. He returned on Monday, May 9 and did the camera work (it actually took less than 10 minutes) and showed me the live feed of the roots that had invaded the line and were obstructing it over a length of about 2 feet. The solution was to dig to the problem and replace the length of pipe that was obstructed and replace the cleanouts as well. At this point there began a discussion of the difficulty of the job and the labor intensive nature of the job. A "crew" would have to come out and excavate. ( This would, supposedly, take a couple of hours) Then the plumber would return and replace the damaged line and cleanouts (projected to take about 11/2 hours). Then the "crew" would return and fill in the hole to it's original condition. Total cost was to be $1995.00, but I would get credit for the prior day's expenses against that sum as well as a senior discount plus "no charge" for diagnostics. My final bill for Monday's work would be $1580.40. I thought that was several hundred too high, but the "boss" would not budge. Still, I would get the work done today and if the labor was going to be as described, I felt like I was only getting hosed for a couple of hundred. Plus, I genuinely liked my plumber, and who knows what you get if you call some one else. So I agreed. So the "crew" was dispatched to my house. One man with a pick and shovel. It did take him a couple of hours and he worked very hard, but I wouldn't describe him as a "crew". The plumber returned at the end of the day, and, using no more than $50.00 worth of PVC and fittings, completed the repairs in about 35 minutes. So while I am grateful this company responded on Sunday, and my plumber was likeable, knowlegeable, and personable, I feel like I was overcharged for the work performed on Monday. That's because, in summary, on Monday I was charged $1580.40 for about an hour's time from my plumber (in total, 2 visits) 2 hours of manual labor from a subcontractor, and , maybe $50.00 worth of parts. (That subcontactor is to return tomorrow to fill the hole, so let's add another hour of manual labor to the total for work not yet performed). I know plumbers are expensive, but $1580.40 for that really leaves me dissatisfied. So, despite a job that seems to have been done well by a real professional has still left me feefing like Ben Franklin Plumbing made a real chump out of me. Saturday, May 14, 2011...update to report. I decided to contact Ben Franklin Plumbing and explain that I felt that I paid much beyond market norms for the work performed. For two days my calls were unreturned. Then, I received a call from a manager of a different franchise of Ben Franklin Plumbing than the one with which I had done business. He couldn't understand (since our home is in his territory) how our initial call was routed to a different franchisee. Obviously, I could not help him with that answer, but I did get an opportunity to express my dismay at the charges for work performed and made my case for a review of those costs with him. He promised to call me a bit later when he had sorted through the issues surrounding the routing of my service call. Instead, I received a call from the manager of the franchise that had responded to our initial call. He was pleasant and listened to my explanation about why I felt I had paid more than the market demanded for the type of work performed. While he was firm in defense of his price, we negotiated a $580.00 credit to my credit card. That credit brought my total costs in line with quotes I had since sought from other plumbers for the same scope of work already performed at my home. As a result, I am changing my grade for "price" from an "F" to a "C". The rest of the story I will leave unaltered as a cautionary tale for any consumer dealing with any contractor.

Sunday, May 8, a flush of the toilet resulted in water backing up in shower and tub in Master bath. Toilet in guest room was also backed up. Tried "plumber's friend" vigorously to no avail. Checked Angies List for well-reviewed plumbers who worked on Sundays. Contacted Ben Franklin plumbing as a result and they dispatched a plumber within 2 hours. He used a mechanical router to snake through to the problem area, which was obstructions in the line a few feet outside our home. His router showed signs of root and plant material and I was advised to have the diagnostic camera fed down the line to better determine the best permanent solution. However, he did not have that equipment and was to return the next day to perform that task. Cost for this first visit was $239 less a senior discount (total $215.10). That was very fair, I thought. I was told the diagnostics with the camera would take about an hour and was a flat rate $389.00 (less my senior discount), to which I had agreed. He returned on Monday, May 9 and did the camera work (it actually took less than 10 minutes) and showed me the live feed of the roots that had invaded the line and were obstructing it over a length of about 2 feet. The solution was to dig to the problem and replace the length of pipe that was obstructed and replace the cleanouts as well. At this point there began a discussion of the difficulty of the job and the labor intensive nature of the job. A "crew" would have to come out and excavate. ( This would, supposedly, take a couple of hours) Then the plumber would return and replace the damaged line and cleanouts (projected to take about 11/2 hours). Then the "crew" would return and fill in the hole to it's original condition. Total cost was to be $1995.00, but I would get credit for the prior day's expenses against that sum as well as a senior discount plus "no charge" for diagnostics. My final bill for Monday's work would be $1580.40. I thought that was several hundred too high, but the "boss" would not budge. Still, I would get the work done today and if the labor was going to be as described, I felt like I was only getting hosed for a couple of hundred. Plus, I genuinely liked my plumber, and who knows what you get if you call some one else. So I agreed. So the "crew" was dispatched to my house. One man with a pick and shovel. It did take him a couple of hours and he worked very hard, but I wouldn't describe him as a "crew". The plumber returned at the end of the day, and, using no more than $50.00 worth of PVC and fittings, completed the repairs in about 35 minutes. So while I am grateful this company responded on Sunday, and my plumber was likeable, knowlegeable, and personable, I feel like I was overcharged for the work performed on Monday. That's because, in summary, on Monday I was charged $1580.40 for about an hour's time from my plumber (in total, 2 visits) 2 hours of manual labor from a subcontractor, and , maybe $50.00 worth of parts. (That subcontactor is to return tomorrow to fill the hole, so let's add another hour of manual labor to the total for work not yet performed). I know plumbers are expensive, but $1580.40 for that really leaves me dissatisfied. So, despite a job that seems to have been done well by a real professional has still left me feefing like Ben Franklin Plumbing made a real chump out of me. Saturday, May 14, 2011...update to report. I decided to contact Ben Franklin Plumbing and explain that I felt that I paid much beyond market norms for the work performed. For two days my calls were unreturned. Then, I received a call from a manager of a different franchise of Ben Franklin Plumbing than the one with which I had done business. He couldn't understand (since our home is in his territory) how our initial call was routed to a different franchisee. Obviously, I could not help him with that answer, but I did get an opportunity to express my dismay at the charges for work performed and made my case for a review of those costs with him. He promised to call me a bit later when he had sorted through the issues surrounding the routing of my service call. Instead, I received a call from the manager of the franchise that had responded to our initial call. He was pleasant and listened to my explanation about why I felt I had paid more than the market demanded for the type of work performed. While he was firm in defense of his price, we negotiated a $580.00 credit to my credit card. That credit brought my total costs in line with quotes I had since sought from other plumbers for the same scope of work already performed at my home. As a result, I am changing my grade for "price" from an "F" to a "C". The rest of the story I will leave unaltered as a cautionary tale for any consumer dealing with any contractor.

We had an older 40 gallon water heater that we had installed approximately 8 years ago was beginning to have issues with supplying hot water to our master bath and decided it was time to replace it. We reviewed Angie's list for recommendations and selected Benjamin Franklin Plumbing based upon the large number of positive reviews. An appointment was set and the service technician appeared promptly on time, was clean, well attired in a company uniform and articulate. Our desire was to review the possibility of a tankless water heating system and then, if too expensive, a water heater with an electronic ignition (no pilot light.) The technician examined the existing heater and its location and then sat down with us and showed us his presentation. He had a professional prepared binder with basic informaiton concerning their offerings. We learned very quickly that a tankless system was not recommended for our particular application and was astoundingly expensive. We quickly opted for a replacement water heater and we reviewed the few options available. Essentially, the standard size is now 50 gallons instead of 40 gallons (which was fine) but there is no electronic ignition available. When we got to the pricing of the 50 gallon water heater the basic lowest end was $1500 for the standard pilot light model. Thereafter the price increased in $1000 increments and it appeared that the differences were the amount of insulation, a longer warranty and "annual checkups." Having briefly seen the prices of water heaters at big box stores, I was a bit surprised at the high price and the rapid escalation in price for the "better" models. Since we did not have time to spend shopping, we opted for the low end because of the cost. The technician began the drainage process for our old water heater and left to obtain the replacement water heater. He returned about an hour later with the replacement water heater and removed our old heater and installed the new one. The work appears to have been very professionally performed and all gas and water lines were replaced with new hardware and an overflow pan installed which eased the sting of the very high price a bit. The technician was very careful not to cause damage removing the old and installing the new water heater. The technician was very courteous throughout the process. I was dissapointed to find out later that there are several 50 gallon water heaters with electronic ignitions at prices that would be at least competitive with what I paid if not lower.

We had an older 40 gallon water heater that we had installed approximately 8 years ago was beginning to have issues with supplying hot water to our master bath and decided it was time to replace it. We reviewed Angie's list for recommendations and selected Benjamin Franklin Plumbing based upon the large number of positive reviews. An appointment was set and the service technician appeared promptly on time, was clean, well attired in a company uniform and articulate. Our desire was to review the possibility of a tankless water heating system and then, if too expensive, a water heater with an electronic ignition (no pilot light.) The technician examined the existing heater and its location and then sat down with us and showed us his presentation. He had a professional prepared binder with basic informaiton concerning their offerings. We learned very quickly that a tankless system was not recommended for our particular application and was astoundingly expensive. We quickly opted for a replacement water heater and we reviewed the few options available. Essentially, the standard size is now 50 gallons instead of 40 gallons (which was fine) but there is no electronic ignition available. When we got to the pricing of the 50 gallon water heater the basic lowest end was $1500 for the standard pilot light model. Thereafter the price increased in $1000 increments and it appeared that the differences were the amount of insulation, a longer warranty and "annual checkups." Having briefly seen the prices of water heaters at big box stores, I was a bit surprised at the high price and the rapid escalation in price for the "better" models. Since we did not have time to spend shopping, we opted for the low end because of the cost. The technician began the drainage process for our old water heater and left to obtain the replacement water heater. He returned about an hour later with the replacement water heater and removed our old heater and installed the new one. The work appears to have been very professionally performed and all gas and water lines were replaced with new hardware and an overflow pan installed which eased the sting of the very high price a bit. The technician was very careful not to cause damage removing the old and installing the new water heater. The technician was very courteous throughout the process. I was dissapointed to find out later that there are several 50 gallon water heaters with electronic ignitions at prices that would be at least competitive with what I paid if not lower.

Sunday, May 8, a flush of the toilet resulted in water backing up in shower and tub in Master bath. Toilet in guest room was also backed up. Tried "plumber's friend" vigorously to no avail. Checked Angies List for well-reviewed plumbers who worked on Sundays. Contacted Ben Franklin plumbing as a result and they dispatched a plumber within 2 hours. He used a mechanical router to snake through to the problem area, which was obstructions in the line a few feet outside our home. His router showed signs of root and plant material and I was advised to have the diagnostic camera fed down the line to better determine the best permanent solution. However, he did not have that equipment and was to return the next day to perform that task. Cost for this first visit was $239 less a senior discount (total $215.10). That was very fair, I thought. I was told the diagnostics with the camera would take about an hour and was a flat rate $389.00 (less my senior discount), to which I had agreed. He returned on Monday, May 9 and did the camera work (it actually took less than 10 minutes) and showed me the live feed of the roots that had invaded the line and were obstructing it over a length of about 2 feet. The solution was to dig to the problem and replace the length of pipe that was obstructed and replace the cleanouts as well. At this point there began a discussion of the difficulty of the job and the labor intensive nature of the job. A "crew" would have to come out and excavate. ( This would, supposedly, take a couple of hours) Then the plumber would return and replace the damaged line and cleanouts (projected to take about 11/2 hours). Then the "crew" would return and fill in the hole to it's original condition. Total cost was to be $1995.00, but I would get credit for the prior day's expenses against that sum as well as a senior discount plus "no charge" for diagnostics. My final bill for Monday's work would be $1580.40. I thought that was several hundred too high, but the "boss" would not budge. Still, I would get the work done today and if the labor was going to be as described, I felt like I was only getting hosed for a couple of hundred. Plus, I genuinely liked my plumber, and who knows what you get if you call some one else. So I agreed. So the "crew" was dispatched to my house. One man with a pick and shovel. It did take him a couple of hours and he worked very hard, but I wouldn't describe him as a "crew". The plumber returned at the end of the day, and, using no more than $50.00 worth of PVC and fittings, completed the repairs in about 35 minutes. So while I am grateful this company responded on Sunday, and my plumber was likeable, knowlegeable, and personable, I feel like I was overcharged for the work performed on Monday. That's because, in summary, on Monday I was charged $1580.40 for about an hour's time from my plumber (in total, 2 visits) 2 hours of manual labor from a subcontractor, and , maybe $50.00 worth of parts. (That subcontactor is to return tomorrow to fill the hole, so let's add another hour of manual labor to the total for work not yet performed). I know plumbers are expensive, but $1580.40 for that really leaves me dissatisfied. So, despite a job that seems to have been done well by a real professional has still left me feefing like Ben Franklin Plumbing made a real chump out of me. Saturday, May 14, 2011...update to report. I decided to contact Ben Franklin Plumbing and explain that I felt that I paid much beyond market norms for the work performed. For two days my calls were unreturned. Then, I received a call from a manager of a different franchise of Ben Franklin Plumbing than the one with which I had done business. He couldn't understand (since our home is in his territory) how our initial call was routed to a different franchisee. Obviously, I could not help him with that answer, but I did get an opportunity to express my dismay at the charges for work performed and made my case for a review of those costs with him. He promised to call me a bit later when he had sorted through the issues surrounding the routing of my service call. Instead, I received a call from the manager of the franchise that had responded to our initial call. He was pleasant and listened to my explanation about why I felt I had paid more than the market demanded for the type of work performed. While he was firm in defense of his price, we negotiated a $580.00 credit to my credit card. That credit brought my total costs in line with quotes I had since sought from other plumbers for the same scope of work already performed at my home. As a result, I am changing my grade for "price" from an "F" to a "C". The rest of the story I will leave unaltered as a cautionary tale for any consumer dealing with any contractor.

We had an older 40 gallon water heater that we had installed approximately 8 years ago was beginning to have issues with supplying hot water to our master bath and decided it was time to replace it. We reviewed Angie's list for recommendations and selected Benjamin Franklin Plumbing based upon the large number of positive reviews. An appointment was set and the service technician appeared promptly on time, was clean, well attired in a company uniform and articulate. Our desire was to review the possibility of a tankless water heating system and then, if too expensive, a water heater with an electronic ignition (no pilot light.) The technician examined the existing heater and its location and then sat down with us and showed us his presentation. He had a professional prepared binder with basic informaiton concerning their offerings. We learned very quickly that a tankless system was not recommended for our particular application and was astoundingly expensive. We quickly opted for a replacement water heater and we reviewed the few options available. Essentially, the standard size is now 50 gallons instead of 40 gallons (which was fine) but there is no electronic ignition available. When we got to the pricing of the 50 gallon water heater the basic lowest end was $1500 for the standard pilot light model. Thereafter the price increased in $1000 increments and it appeared that the differences were the amount of insulation, a longer warranty and "annual checkups." Having briefly seen the prices of water heaters at big box stores, I was a bit surprised at the high price and the rapid escalation in price for the "better" models. Since we did not have time to spend shopping, we opted for the low end because of the cost. The technician began the drainage process for our old water heater and left to obtain the replacement water heater. He returned about an hour later with the replacement water heater and removed our old heater and installed the new one. The work appears to have been very professionally performed and all gas and water lines were replaced with new hardware and an overflow pan installed which eased the sting of the very high price a bit. The technician was very careful not to cause damage removing the old and installing the new water heater. The technician was very courteous throughout the process. I was dissapointed to find out later that there are several 50 gallon water heaters with electronic ignitions at prices that would be at least competitive with what I paid if not lower.

Sunday, May 8, a flush of the toilet resulted in water backing up in shower and tub in Master bath. Toilet in guest room was also backed up. Tried "plumber's friend" vigorously to no avail. Checked Angies List for well-reviewed plumbers who worked on Sundays. Contacted Ben Franklin plumbing as a result and they dispatched a plumber within 2 hours. He used a mechanical router to snake through to the problem area, which was obstructions in the line a few feet outside our home. His router showed signs of root and plant material and I was advised to have the diagnostic camera fed down the line to better determine the best permanent solution. However, he did not have that equipment and was to return the next day to perform that task. Cost for this first visit was $239 less a senior discount (total $215.10). That was very fair, I thought. I was told the diagnostics with the camera would take about an hour and was a flat rate $389.00 (less my senior discount), to which I had agreed. He returned on Monday, May 9 and did the camera work (it actually took less than 10 minutes) and showed me the live feed of the roots that had invaded the line and were obstructing it over a length of about 2 feet. The solution was to dig to the problem and replace the length of pipe that was obstructed and replace the cleanouts as well. At this point there began a discussion of the difficulty of the job and the labor intensive nature of the job. A "crew" would have to come out and excavate. ( This would, supposedly, take a couple of hours) Then the plumber would return and replace the damaged line and cleanouts (projected to take about 11/2 hours). Then the "crew" would return and fill in the hole to it's original condition. Total cost was to be $1995.00, but I would get credit for the prior day's expenses against that sum as well as a senior discount plus "no charge" for diagnostics. My final bill for Monday's work would be $1580.40. I thought that was several hundred too high, but the "boss" would not budge. Still, I would get the work done today and if the labor was going to be as described, I felt like I was only getting hosed for a couple of hundred. Plus, I genuinely liked my plumber, and who knows what you get if you call some one else. So I agreed. So the "crew" was dispatched to my house. One man with a pick and shovel. It did take him a couple of hours and he worked very hard, but I wouldn't describe him as a "crew". The plumber returned at the end of the day, and, using no more than $50.00 worth of PVC and fittings, completed the repairs in about 35 minutes. So while I am grateful this company responded on Sunday, and my plumber was likeable, knowlegeable, and personable, I feel like I was overcharged for the work performed on Monday. That's because, in summary, on Monday I was charged $1580.40 for about an hour's time from my plumber (in total, 2 visits) 2 hours of manual labor from a subcontractor, and , maybe $50.00 worth of parts. (That subcontactor is to return tomorrow to fill the hole, so let's add another hour of manual labor to the total for work not yet performed). I know plumbers are expensive, but $1580.40 for that really leaves me dissatisfied. So, despite a job that seems to have been done well by a real professional has still left me feefing like Ben Franklin Plumbing made a real chump out of me. Saturday, May 14, 2011...update to report. I decided to contact Ben Franklin Plumbing and explain that I felt that I paid much beyond market norms for the work performed. For two days my calls were unreturned. Then, I received a call from a manager of a different franchise of Ben Franklin Plumbing than the one with which I had done business. He couldn't understand (since our home is in his territory) how our initial call was routed to a different franchisee. Obviously, I could not help him with that answer, but I did get an opportunity to express my dismay at the charges for work performed and made my case for a review of those costs with him. He promised to call me a bit later when he had sorted through the issues surrounding the routing of my service call. Instead, I received a call from the manager of the franchise that had responded to our initial call. He was pleasant and listened to my explanation about why I felt I had paid more than the market demanded for the type of work performed. While he was firm in defense of his price, we negotiated a $580.00 credit to my credit card. That credit brought my total costs in line with quotes I had since sought from other plumbers for the same scope of work already performed at my home. As a result, I am changing my grade for "price" from an "F" to a "C". The rest of the story I will leave unaltered as a cautionary tale for any consumer dealing with any contractor.

We had an older 40 gallon water heater that we had installed approximately 8 years ago was beginning to have issues with supplying hot water to our master bath and decided it was time to replace it. We reviewed Angie's list for recommendations and selected Benjamin Franklin Plumbing based upon the large number of positive reviews. An appointment was set and the service technician appeared promptly on time, was clean, well attired in a company uniform and articulate. Our desire was to review the possibility of a tankless water heating system and then, if too expensive, a water heater with an electronic ignition (no pilot light.) The technician examined the existing heater and its location and then sat down with us and showed us his presentation. He had a professional prepared binder with basic informaiton concerning their offerings. We learned very quickly that a tankless system was not recommended for our particular application and was astoundingly expensive. We quickly opted for a replacement water heater and we reviewed the few options available. Essentially, the standard size is now 50 gallons instead of 40 gallons (which was fine) but there is no electronic ignition available. When we got to the pricing of the 50 gallon water heater the basic lowest end was $1500 for the standard pilot light model. Thereafter the price increased in $1000 increments and it appeared that the differences were the amount of insulation, a longer warranty and "annual checkups." Having briefly seen the prices of water heaters at big box stores, I was a bit surprised at the high price and the rapid escalation in price for the "better" models. Since we did not have time to spend shopping, we opted for the low end because of the cost. The technician began the drainage process for our old water heater and left to obtain the replacement water heater. He returned about an hour later with the replacement water heater and removed our old heater and installed the new one. The work appears to have been very professionally performed and all gas and water lines were replaced with new hardware and an overflow pan installed which eased the sting of the very high price a bit. The technician was very careful not to cause damage removing the old and installing the new water heater. The technician was very courteous throughout the process. I was dissapointed to find out later that there are several 50 gallon water heaters with electronic ignitions at prices that would be at least competitive with what I paid if not lower.

The plumber showed up within an hour and was very professional and seemed knowledgeable. I showed all the drains around the house. He then proceeded to feed the camera in the drain clean outs. He showed me on the video screen what we were looking at but he never provided me with a video tape or any pictures so I could show other plumbers for estimates and recommendations. Also, the camera couldn't go around any bends in the pipes. The last drain he looked at was the kitchen sink. The camera caused a damaged pipe to get even worse and left the kitchen sink stopped up. He never offered to unclog the sink and when I asked him about it he said he was afraid the "snake" used to clean it might get trapped and then they would have to tunnel under the foundation to repair the drain. This even though a plumber from the same company had cleared the clog only 6 weeks earlier. They did not warranty that work because there was mud in the line, indicating a broken pipe, which is understandable. But, after spending $400 and NOT getting a video or any pictures, he could have made sure the kitchen sink was unclogged. I guess I will go unclog it. My last report for this company was glowing, this experience was just bad and I should have clarified up front that I would receive a video. UPDATE Subsequent plumber was able to camera the lines and showed there was no damage to the drains unlike what Ben Franklin said. Additionally, they were able to clear the clogged drain (clogged by Ben Franklin) and found there was no mud in the line and no rupture! Finally, the subsequent plumber found a large broken piece of the clean out opening which would have caused a major clog, it took up almost half the pipe! After numerous attempts to dislodge and remove the piece, it was determined that replacing the cast iron cleanouts was the only way to retrieve the piece. This piece was left by Ben Franklin Plumbing (they had to break the clean out opening) but they never offered to retrieve it or even inform us about it. This mistake cost me over $500 to have the subsequent plumber fix it.