(Thanks, r. :)

Reader r. writes:

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Re: Reader, List of Suggested Actions

There is not enough information provided to tell if she was overcharged. First of all, never call a service with a full page ad which is very expensive ( 150000 per year) they have to rob you to pay for it.

Did they pull a permit? This is a must do for a repair like this in most cities, if they didn't that is a good place to start with a complaint. If they did, there are many added costs to the bill including excavation permit, right of way permit which can take a huge amount of time to get, a permit to drive equipment across the sidewalk, a cash bond of 500-1000 dollars which is held for a year. ( I make the people pay it and they can waste the time of trying to recollect it a year later which can involve numerous calls and letters.) Most cities will not give you a time for inspection, they will say between 8-4 which means you sit and wait for them as they require someone to be there on 2 different inspections at 2+ dollars per minute.
If there is excavation there are equipment transport costs and a operator with laborer expenses.( The overhead cost is outlandish). Some places require all excavated materials under paved surfaces and within the right of way be hauled away and filled with clean rock which is expensive. A good job requires jetting of excavation and sod replacement. Pipe lining is the best bet but it can be very difficult if there are obstructions or misalignment due to settling. If you take this route, price per foot is the way to go, not time and material because it will take 2-3 people.

If the bathroom is on slab, it requires breaking of concrete floor and replacement, what did they do with the dirt in the process? Most bathrooms are very small and controlling the dust and mess is difficult, you have to protect the walls and tub and the may have had to remove the vanity. If there is water in the soil, this is a major chore. Did they replace tile? Requiring a tile installer? Were carpenters necessary to fix rotted wood? Were heat ducts, hydronic heating, water piping or conduit in the way under the floor? It is not unusual to find the waste piping under this stuff as it is usually the deepest in a slab installation. How many branches were encountered in the 25 feet? Every branch must be dealt with.
I am not saying the plumbers bill is justified or too high because there are many factors to consider beyond the information presented.

You can always use buckets as an alternative.

riteyriter

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