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Undisclosed estimate cost

Smawgunner2

Smawgunner2

Active Member
1,516
67
Athens County
My basement drain needs torn up and replaced after 80 years of use. Had a couple estimates, 2 out of 3 were free. The last guy was a complete dick, upset because as he arrived, the other guy was leaving and he had to wait maybe 5 minutes tops. Then proceeded to interrogate me about what I was told. Long story short, I get a bill in the mail for an estimate which I have not gotten yet. $174.00! I’m tempted to call them and ask where did I sign, agree or where is it posted regarding the cost of an estimate! It’s nowhere on their website. And tell them I’m not forking it over….whats the worst that can happen? Maybe i should call BBB? I think I’m getting shafted.
 
Yep, fuck him. I had something similar happen last week. Someone I met at an event, later introduced me to a "friend" of hers. I'm now about to strike a deal with her friend and she knows about it, so she sent me an email on Friday if we'd be covering her usual 3% referral fee. I about went ape shit. Never once did she mention that that was the deal. It's one of the sleaziest things I've ever been asked.
 
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One time a friend (an excavating contractor) was at his gun club and talking to a younger member who was a lawyer. During the conversation the lawyer asked my friend some questions about excavating. Later in the conversation my friend asked a couple legal questions. A couple weeks later my friend gets a bill for legal advice. 🙄😡
 
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Reactions: Outdoorsfellar, OhioWhiteTails, Mike and 6 others
Bigcountry40 said:
I’m about ready to start sending you bozos invoices for hanging with at gatherings
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They might send you an invoice r for pain and suffering. 🤣

@Smawgunner2 I am on occasion asked if I charge for estimates. I do not. If you are drawing up blue prints, laying out a landscape design or doing CAD work, or putting in major effort to write up a plan of attack (say maybe a septic system drawing), then I think it is more acceptable. I also believe these costs would have been discussed prior to putting in the time to draw it up. I could see a service charge if a mechanic, appliance guy, or HVAC guy diagnosed a problem and you went on to repair it yourself. A basic roofing, painting, concrete, or landscape estimate? Not the norm. Not in my area anyway. If I were in your shoes I would be crossing him off the list of possible contractors.
 
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Ya. I wouldn’t pay it.

Even when dealing with an attorney or anything - you need to agree to a scope of work or attorney/client contract - that highlights billable time and such.

everyone’s time is valuable. No one gets to just bill for their time because they felt like it.

just be sure that if you did fill out a form online or anything - that you didn’t agree to some blanket t&cs.
 
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Noticed it during our remodel. Had a couple business tell me they charge a service call for estimates. The lady scheduling the electrician said they had to start doing it during COVID. Said every Tom, Dick, and Sally were scheduling estimates. They had to hire estimators. They noticed that the percentage of estimates per booked job were getting ridiculous. Said they had to screen jobs to only estimate serious clients. At least these guys did tell me up front.
 
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Smawgunner2 said:
My basement drain needs torn up and replaced after 80 years of use. Had a couple estimates, 2 out of 3 were free. The last guy was a complete dick, upset because as he arrived, the other guy was leaving and he had to wait maybe 5 minutes tops. Then proceeded to interrogate me about what I was told. Long story short, I get a bill in the mail for an estimate which I have not gotten yet. $174.00! I’m tempted to call them and ask where did I sign, agree or where is it posted regarding the cost of an estimate! It’s nowhere on their website. And tell them I’m not forking it over….whats the worst that can happen? Maybe i should call BBB? I think I’m getting shafted.
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After a through review of the submitted invoice it has been determined that (Company Name Here) henceforth known as "Contractor" is in violation of Ohio Revised Code Chapter 109:4-3 | Deceptive Acts or Trade Practices in Connection with Consumer Transactions / (A) 1. Which states.

(1) Fail, at the time of the initial face to face contact and prior to the commencement of any repair or service, to provide the consumer with a form which indicates the date, the identity of the supplier, the consumer's name and telephone number, the reasonably anticipated completion date and, if requested by the consumer, the anticipated cost of the repair or service. The form shall also clearly and conspicuously contain the following disclosures in substantially the following language:
"Estimate
You have the right to an estimate if the expected cost of repairs or services will be more than twenty-five dollars. Initial your choice:
_____ written estimate
_____ oral estimate
_____ no estimate"


At no time during the initial face to face meeting on (INSERT Date HERE) did Contractor provide the legally required forms to Consumer or disclosure a fee for estimate.

As a result of this review it's been determined that Contractor erroneously invoiced for an estimate that was not requested by Consumer for a fee and failed to provide the consumer the legally required documentation regarding their rights to an estimate.

At this time the Consumer considers this matter closed and will not release funds for the erroneous invoice. Further communication regarding this matter will incur Invoice Review Fee disclosed below.

DISCLOSURE OF FEES.

Be it known that Consumer charges a financial review fee for review and response to all invoice matters. Invoice Review fees are as follows.

Three Hundred Fifty Dollars and Zero cents billed at an hourly rate. Initial hour per event is billed at the whole rate whereas each additional hour is billed in half hour increments and rounded up to the advanced half hour.

If Contractor believes the Consumer review of this matter reached an incorrect conclusion of an Erroneous invoice; Contractor will in good faith agree to mediation through the Ohio Attorney General Office billable at the Financial Review fee rate disclosed above.
 
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Just had to use @Jackalope Ohio revised code today.

garage repair came out - 5mins review and sensor got knocked off. He leaves. Now this house is new and when I called they said “oh the guys near you -he can stop by”. He did - was there for a short bit and left.

today I get a call saying I owe 120 bucks. When I mentioned the revised code - they told me “that’s not true and no one comes out for free”.

as a small business owner myself - sometimes you just have to eat the cost when you mess up. No ones perfect but todays customer service is piss poor.
 
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The follow up to this, I reported it to the BBB. He called me a liar and tried to tell me they were there for almost an hour etc etc. I replied that I had video from my security cams that time stamps it at 14 minutes and 38 seconds. No further response from them after that 😆 Truth be told I did have him on the camera arriving but not leaving so I bluffed and they folded. But my buddy who was there with them told me he wasn’t there longer than 15 minutes and that was being generous.
 
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