ComplaintsforBill Howe Plumbing Inc

• Initial Complaint

  10/21/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My water softener is under warranty, but since the house was sold, they will not honor the warranty. They want to charge almost $200 per hour to come out.

  

  Business response

  10/25/2024

  Dear ****,

  Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention. We have been trying to contact you this week but haven't received a response.

  We understand that you recently purchased a home with a Pentair ************************************************************** 2021 and are looking for warranty work. Our warranty policy covers only the original purchaser, however, the manufacturer may choose to honor the warranty with you. This would be at their discretion, but we recommend contacting the Pentair warranty department at ******************** to explore this option. 

  Wed be happy to assist by providing any necessary details about the installation or the equipment. Please feel free to contact us at your convenience so we can answer any additional questions.

  Thank you for your understanding, and we hope to speak with you soon.

• Initial Complaint

  09/24/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On July 9, 2024, I contacted **** **** for assistance with a leak at my home and was advised to have the water mitigation team address the issue immediately, before a long weekend. They placed their equipment and left it running for four days. However, when my insurance adjustor arrived, he made it clear that plumbing should have been done first to identify the source of the leak. It seems that the representatives from **** **** were operating under the assumption that my insurance claim would be approved without any evidence or regard for the financial consequences. My adjustor informed me that it was very unlikely that this would be a covered claim and I would have to pay for the repairs out of pocket. Disappointed, I called another plumber to find the leak and asked **** **** to remove their equipment, which they did the next day. Despite this, I received a bill for $1,800 for the fan usage. When I called to resolve the issue, **** **** insisted the charge was justified but did not acknowledge whether starting with water mitigation was in my best interest.

  

  Business response

  09/26/2024

  Dear *********,

  Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We appreciate the opportunity to address your concerns and provide clarification regarding the services rendered.

  On July 9, 2024, you contacted **** **** for assistance with a potential leak in your home. Our team visited your property on July 10 to assess the situation. During this visit, moisture was detected in the drywall ceiling, we discussed the necessary steps to address the issue, including the need for asbestos testing to proceed with leak detection in compliance with California law. We also provided an estimate for water mitigation services, which was approved and signed by you before starting the work.

  We installed drying equipment to prevent further water damage while awaiting the insurance adjusters review and approval of additional steps. It was advised that addressing the leak should happen as soon as possible, and our team proceeded under the understanding that these efforts were in the best interest of your homes condition. We were also made aware of your insurance adjuster's approval for asbestos testing and the agreed-upon mitigation plan.
  On July 15, 2024, after the walkthrough with your insurance adjuster, you decided to discontinue the project, and our team promptly removed the equipment. This included the air scrubber and dehumidifier, which had been placed to mitigate moisture during the interim.

  The invoice of $1,800 reflects the four days of equipment use at your property. These charges were explained when the services were rendered, and we attempted to resolve your concerns by offering a $150 discount during follow-up discussions.

  At **** ****, we strive to operate with transparency and customer satisfaction as our top priorities. In this spirit, we are open to discussing an amicable resolution to the billing concerns. Please feel free to reach out to us directly if you'd like to further discuss your account.

  Thank you again for the opportunity to address your concerns.

• Initial Complaint

  08/16/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I had an appointment on 07/15/24 to have Bill Howe plumbing come to my home to check a backup issue in my plumbing. I was experiencing a backup in my bathroom, specifically when I do laundry. After 7 hours, & 4 phone calls to their office, the technician never showed up. They rescheduled me another appointment for the next day, forcing me to take a day off of work. The next day a technician came and recommended a scope of the pipes, costing $100. I agreed. The result of the scope showed some blockage in the pipes. The tech recommended they snake and jet the pipes. He gave me a verbal estimate of $1200. No written estimate, terms of service, or disclaimer was provided. The following day, another tech came to do the jetting. After the jetting was complete, they scheduled a 4th appt. to have the pipes re-scoped. Later that day, I received an email with a digital copy of an invoice for $1200, that I paid. I noticed at the bottom, where the customer would sign, a squiggly line. This was not my signature, and was my first time seeing the document. The 4th tech that came late to my home, scoped the pipes again, and told me that the pipes should never have been jetted due to their age. Further, he indicated that the jetting had damaged my sewage line, but it was clear of obstructions. Because the tech was late, I was late to work. Weeks later, my backup issue continued, causing a large flood of sewage in my home. I called to complain about the service and continued plumbing issues. The **** indicated that they hold no responsibility for the continuing plumbing issues, damage to my sewage line, or potential water/mold damage from the flood, because I had signed the disclaimer on the invoice. When I explained about the forgery of my signature and that I had not seen the invoice until after the work was completed, he terminated the call, stating he would call me back. I have called back, asking to speak to him or his supervisor, but nobody will speak to me, or return my calls.

  

  Business response

  08/20/2024

  Thank you for reaching out to share your concerns. We take all feedback seriously, and while we did attempt to contact you on several occasions to address this matter, we understand the importance of ensuring your complete satisfaction.
  

  To resolve this issue, we have decided to issue a full refund for the services performed. The refund will be processed to your original payment method. We're sorry we didn't meet your expectations this time and hope this helps.

  If you have any further questions or need additional assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out to a manager at ********************.

  Customer response

  08/21/2024

  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me.  I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved.
  
  Regards,
  
  ***************************
  
   
  

• Initial Complaint

  05/23/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On 20 May 2024 this writer received a bill from ***************** *********************************************** dated 6 July 2022 for work completed on that date. The bill stated FINAL NOTICE although this was the FIRST BILL received by this writer. I am unaware of owing ***************** for completed work. My HOA was the insurer responsible for payment.. Furthermore, receiving a "bill" two years after work was completed is poor business practice. I have left several voice messages for ***************** employee ******* with no response. I will include bill received from *****************. I would appreciate your help in this matter.Sincerely,*********************

  

  Business response

  05/28/2024

  Dear *********************,

  Thank you for bringing your concerns to our attention. We apologize for any inconvenience and confusion caused by the recent billing issue.
  Our records show that the work at your property was completed on July 6, 2022. The billing process has unfortunately been complicated due to a series of misunderstandings and delays in communication with the ********************** (***) and the insurance adjusters involved.
  

  Here is a timeline of our efforts to resolve this matter:

  July 2022: Work completed at your property.
  September 2022 - April 2024: Multiple attempts were made to contact and coordinate with the *** and insurance adjusters. Despite several follow-ups, there was a lack of response from the responsible parties.
  February 14, 2024: We emailed the *** per their request to resolve the outstanding payment.
  April 9, 2024: We made significant progress and emailed the accounts payable department at the ***.
  April 26, 2024: Continued communication attempts were made, though we were often playing phone tag with the responsible contacts.
  May 20, 2024: A final notice was sent to both you and the *** regarding the outstanding balance of $10,299.06 for the work completed.

  We regret that you received a "FINAL NOTICE" bill as the first communication regarding this matter. This was not our intention, and we acknowledge that better communication on our part could have helped prevent this confusion.

  We are grateful for speaking with you today and appreciate you providing us with additional contact information for *************************, Allstate representative for Mystic Point ***.

  To resolve this issue, we are eager to work with you and the *** to facilitate the payment process. ******* will keep you updated on any developments. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your patience as we work to resolve this matter. Please contact us directly at ************ if you have any questions or need further assistance.

  Thank you for your understanding.

  Customer response

  05/28/2024

  ***************** must pursue payment from ********************* ******************************** (*********************** ************.

  I am NOT responsible for this outstanding bill..

   

• Initial Complaint

  01/03/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Bill How Plumbing (BHP) was contracted to replace my kitchen faucet. They sent an employee of BHP who arrived and began to replace the kitchen faucet which we supplied. I was in the same room as he was installing the faucet. The Plumber called me over and showed me that he had cracked the granite. The granite is cracked both around the faucet mount and in three other locations along the back of the sink. Further, the employee left a scratch on my wood floor in front of the sink. I have spoken with a supervisor at BHP named ******** who is unwilling to accept responsibility for the damage. He will not provide me with his insurance company information and thus I am making this complaint in an effort to have the BBB facilitate a repair of the granite.

  

  Business response

  01/04/2024

  Dear ******,
  
  We're sorry to hear about the issues with your kitchen faucet installation. Please accept our apologies for the inconvenience caused. We take such matters seriously and are committed to resolving them promptly. We're currently reviewing this job internally to verify the information and determine appropriate next steps to address your concerns. It's our understanding that you are also still in communication with our plumbing department.
  
  We value your business and are dedicated to ensuring your satisfaction. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at contact@billhowe.com. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Bill Howe Plumbing

  Customer response

  01/04/2024

  Dear Bill Howe Plumbing:

  Thank you for responding to the BBB complaint.  I only was given two choices to your response (accept or reject).  Thus, I am rejecting the response and adding this written clarification.  

  I am pleased to see that you are attempting to take responsibility.  However, that is not the tenor of your plumbing supervisor ********.  At first he completely denied the plumber did anything wrong, then blamed me for having old granite and gave me 3 or 4 reasons why it was my fault.  We had granite that was not broken before your plumber came and after he pulled on the faucet in the removal process the granite was broken.  

  Further, your plumber scratched our wood floor.  ********, without seeing the floor, or otherwise investigating the situation said the plumber could not have scratched the floor because he was wearing booties and has a special tool bag with soft feet.  This is an unfortunate situation that he would immediately discredit me and not even attempt to determine what happened.  The plumber removed tools and must have placed something on the floor and caused the scratch.

  I understand that this is a difficult situation for your business.  However, we have been left without water in our kitchen sink, been shunned by your company supervisor and made to believe this is somehow our fault.  Your company has left us in an extremely difficult situation.  Further, we have family coming from out of the country to stay with us in about 10 days.  Therefore, not having a working kitchen is clearly not an option.

  Should you not take full responsibility and approve repairs we will have the repairs performed and seek compensation for all of the damages caused by your plumber.  Thank you.

  Best regards, 

  ****** ******

  

  Business response

  01/08/2024

  Dear ******,
  

  Thank you for your detailed response. We sincerely apologize for any frustration caused and appreciate your patience as we work to resolve this matter. We understand the urgency of your situation, especially with your family visiting soon.

  We plan to replace the countertop and complete the installation of your faucet to your satisfaction. We are coordinating efforts to ensure this is done promptly and efficiently and understand you are in contact with ********.

  We value your feedback regarding your experience with our company and want to assure you that we address this feedback internally to ensure better communication and customer service in the future.

  Your trust and satisfaction are our top priorities. Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to make this right, and please let us know if you need anything else.
  

  Sincerely,
  

  Bill Howe Plumbing
  

  
  

  Customer response

  01/09/2024

  Thank you again for the response.  We have the repair contractors here today and the faucet to be installed on Friday.  I will update this complaint after the repair and install.  If the repair holds and the faucet is installed properly and in worker order I will close this complaint thereafter.  Thank you.

• Initial Complaint

  09/26/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Hired Bill Howe Plumbing to install a tankless water heater. The installer made numerous mistakes and required FIVE total visits to our home to fix the problem. Due to install error, he didnt program the tankless water heater correctly, our electric bill went up significantly. We were told by ***************** the tankless water heater would reduce our bill. Through install error our bill went up. We would like to recoup money from higher water bill due to their installer incorrectly programming our water heater to the highest level when that was not the correct programming and caused our new tankless water heater to be running continuously and increasing our electric bill. Looking to recoup costs from higher electric bill due to faulty install. Video shows how hot water keeps coming out of cold waterfaulty wire installscratched exterior tankless metal. For some reason I cant attach video?!

  

  Business response

  09/27/2023

  Dear *****,

  We're very sorry to hear about these issues and we're committed to making the situation right. We understand that you've been communicating with us internally about some of this as well. Could you please send us a statement from SDGE for the household that includes the last 6 months? This will allow us to accurately determine any excess energy expenditure. You can send any documents to ********************.

  Thank you.

  Customer response

  09/27/2023

  I sent photos of invoices to ***************** on 9/27 via email to address provided. Your (BBB) online system will not accept my file sizes and only allow 5 files when they (*****************) are requesting 6. 

  Their claim (*****************) that they are communicating with me internally is simply not true. I havent heard from anyone proactively. I have only had contact with call center when I call requesting a service call and with the service employee five of them (sent individually) who are sent to my house. Thats five opportunities theyve had to make it right with 3 hour appointment windowsTalk about inconvenience?!
  

  I requested a supervisor contact me via txt to the service employee who came to my house yesterday, 9/26. Never heard from anyone. Thus I filed complaint with BBB. 

  

  Business response

  10/03/2023

  Hi *****,

  We've reviewed your install information and the **** documents you provided. We're very sorry for the inconvenience surrounding this job and for any miscommunication or lack of communication that occurred. It's certainly not reflective of how we aim to do business. We're mailing you a check in the amount of $250 to your billing address. Please let us know if you'd like this amount mailed to a different address. Thank you for your patience and for choosing us. We apologize again for any frustration, and hope you consider us in the future for any plumbing, heating and air or restoration needs so that we can provide you with top-tier service.

  Customer response

  10/07/2023

  I will accept ******************* response AFTER receiving check for $250.

  As you can imagine, I am skeptical it will be sent. I look forward to receiving. Please mail to my address: *************************************************************************************

  ***********************

• Initial Complaint

  01/02/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Contacted Bill Howe plumbing due to a small leak at base of bathroom faucet. Was quoted $189 per hour over the phone. Technician said faucet needed replaced. He quoted $179 for the faucet (pricey I thought) and the above hourly rate. He gave me a verbal estimate of $450. I agreed before I saw the faucet. It's a very BASIC faucet for an old bathroom, nothing fancy. Technician replaced the faucet (entire visit took a little under 1.5 hours) and charged me $450 and said he'd send the receipt. The sent receipt was not itemized. I called the company twice asking for an itemized receipt saying I felt I was overcharged on the faucet and wanted a written explanation of time and labor. Two different calls resulted in no action.

  

  Business response

  01/03/2023

  Dear ***********************,

  I'm so sorry we weren't able to address your concerns with the faucet replacement job that took place on the 27th of December. I know you've had a chance to talk with our service manager ********************* now, and I hope he was able to clear up any questions you had about our parts and labor pricing structure. We've assessed the job and found that the technician actually charged less than he should have. We try very hard to keep our pricing competitive and often find that we come in under industry average. We're very sorry if you feel the pricing is still too high but hope that we've resolved any and all questions you had as to why the job was invoiced as it was.

  We apologize again for not being able to help you when you first called and will assess our processes as we're continually trying to improve our customer experience. Thank you for contacting the BBB and making us aware of your issue. If you feel you need further assistance please don't hesitate to call us back.

  Sincerely,

  Bill Howe Plumbing, Heating & Air, Restoration & Flood.

• Initial Complaint

  12/06/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  ***************** plumber ************************* came to replace an existing 75-gallon water heater. Upon completion, asked for a payment of $3,622, paid with a credit card. A receipt was sent to my email address, but only the total amount. Upon request of a detailed receipt, it was sent to me showing labor=$895, water heater = $1697, and materials = $1030, total $3,622. I called the ** complaining the labor and material seem too high and an adjustment of $100 was credited back to my credit card.The total work did not take more than a half a day for which the labor was out of line, and the charge for the material used was also extremely high. A circulating pump was a part of the material used, and only very few feet of copper pipe used. I am seeking adjustment to this extremely high charge for a water heater.

  

  Business response

  12/15/2021

  Good Morning, 

   

  Thank you for letting us know that you found the charge too high. I have sent your information and complaint to our *************************** and they will be reaching out to help resolve this! We appreciate you taking the time and giving us an opportunity to address your issue. 

   

  Thank you!

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩