Anyone know a good plumber in No. VA?

[dgreen1069]

Anyone know of a good (and fair) plumber in the western Prince William, VA area? I am finishing my basement and would like to hire someone to hook up a few water lines and drains. I have a rough in, so everything is within easy reach. I just got an estimate for a guy that wanted $75 for the first 30 minutes and $25 every 15 minutes thereafter. He figured it would take him about 3-4 hours. I've had surgeons charge me less money per hour!

If that is the going rate for all plumbers I will just do the work myself. There is nothing hard about what I want done....I was just trying to save myself some aggravation and a dozen trips to Lowes.

 

[TexasT]

A $25 service call fee and $1OO an hour. Sounds realistic to me. How much were you expecting to pay? He's guaranteeing his work right? He is working it into your schedule right? I am assuming you are supplying materials or they are an additional cost? You get what you pay for most of the time with this type of thing. Is he highly reccomended?

Bottom line you are buying a service and the serice costs money. Surely there is more then one plumber in the area. Get another estimate or two.

 

[dgreen1069]

It was a $75 service call that covered the first 30 minutes then $100 an hour. Maybe you are right, I've never hired a plumber before so I have no idea what the going rate is. At that price, I may never hire a plumber and will be forced to do the work myself. $100 an hour is $200,000 a year.....I make less than half that per hour when I am on overtime! I have more time than money so I guess I'll do the work myself.

 

[TexasT]

He is only billing you for the time there. He has to cover his insurance, licensing, continuing education, drive time to/from work site, and drive time to/from supply house, truck, fuel, insurance for truck, office costs including billing, someone to answer the phone, electric phone bill and any other costs you might incur in the plumbing business. I'm not saying he is fairly priced but this is what he thinks he needs to make a living. I don't think adding up a 40hr week at $100/hr is a fair assesment of how much he is making. Running a business is much different than having a job.

As far as the $75 covering the first 30 min, he has been on plenty of service calls that didn't cover the cost to him w/o charging that so he has to get paid.

I think it is better to do it your self anyway as then you know how it was put together and it makes it easier to repair in the future if the need arrises. Any trade you get out to your house is going to cost you.
And remember in plumbing there are three rules :
1.)$hit runs down hill
2.)Don't bite your fingernails when working on a sewer line.
3.)PayDay is on Friday
A little levity a plumber once told me.

Good Luck with your little project!

 

[dgreen1069]

I appreciate your insight and can definitely see your point. Thanks,
Dave

 

[S2V6RACER]

I charge $75.00 service charge and $75.00 per hour on the job. I would cut some slack on a job that took me 4 hours or more.

Remember that they guy jumps in the truck after your call to your job and has to drive back, so he has fuel, insurance, wear on his vehicle plus his time. $75.00 really isn't squat for a service charge when you look at the big picture.

 

[gnxtc2]

And remember in plumbing there are three rules :
1.)$hit runs down hill
2.)Don't bite your fingernails when working on a sewer line.
3.)PayDay is on Friday
A little levity a plumber once told me.

Good Luck with your little project!

You forgot one....
-Don't stick your hands in the dirty water.

The $100/hr (B rate) sounds like a union plumber. Also the labor rate depends on what part of the country you're in.

Billy T.
gnxtc2@aol.com