# What if the customer wants ugly work?



## Johnny Canuck (Feb 24, 2015)

Sounds like a no brainer but I had a customer when I worked for a local rooter company who wanted to add a laundry room in an upstairs apartment, tying it into the main floor laundry, but didn't want to cut into the drywall. He paid good money but wanted what amounted to a hack job in my opinion right down to the AAV on top of a 6' stack behind the wm. Had some broken pipe too from freezing but the company said use shark bites, in and out, get the cash, see you later.
For those in business for yourselves how would you handle that situation if it arose? Give the customer what they wanted or refer the to a local hack or what? I don't like my name attached to that job if anyone else comes in.


----------



## 760GWS (Mar 16, 2015)

I'd have done the same. Point out the differences between what is in their vision and what is code-approved AND what is smart liability-wise. I had a similar request a few months ago. 3rd level condo. Large guy with kids didn't want to hoof it to the community laundry room anymore. My requirements were: A) plan approval & permit, B) building owner approval, C) Unrestricted drywall access, & D) $$$$. He said he already got building mgmt to ok the idea on paper, that they didn't require a building permit, but needed a licensed contractor with proof of liability to perform it. ... and there's the catch. The job evaporated, and all the better. The place was small and any installation of WM & dryer just would have looked ghetto.


----------



## AWWGH (May 2, 2011)

Customers get my recommendation, not what they want. Being on my own I put my name on everything I do. If they don't like what I have to say they can call someone else. Don't settle, of you settle enough you will end up with a reputation,


----------



## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

It's my way or, the highway...
IDGAF...

I'll waste all of 90 seconds talking about such silliness...
Mostly about how they should find a hack instead of calling me and wasting my time...
And to call me when they want the garbage ripped out and fixed...
Good-bye...

Sometimes a blunt wake up call gives them an immediate, "Let Me Rethink This Brilliant Idea."

Quite Often as a matter of fact...

The speed of your dismissal firmly suggests just how far out there they are and their idea is completely worthless...
A subject not even open to debate...
Most start rethinking quite quickly and that converts...
The rest probably just need a lesson in life 1st...


----------



## Johnny Canuck (Feb 24, 2015)

Redwood said:


> It's my way or, the highway...
> IDGAF...
> 
> I'll waste all of 90 seconds talking about such silliness...
> ...


That's my thinking too and I tried talking them into doing it right but my employer had a different idea. Never again though.


----------



## Phat Cat (Apr 1, 2009)

IMO, customers hire professional plumbers for 'professional advice.' We advise them, not the other way around.

There are certain things we will not do - code approved or not. :no:

However, to be honest, we have done code approved work that we should not have done (due to desperation, lack of work / funds etc.).  Sometimes you get sucked in when you least expect it. 

They're usually the jobs that eventually your company gets called back out to do something else and a newer employee will come back with a story of how bad a plumbing repair looked and that the h.o. said we did it. The new guy will automatically assume the h.o. is covering up their own handi-work because we don't do that kind of work. :blush: 

At that point (the majority of the time), I keep my mouth shut. :yes:

All that said - UGLY work will come back to BITE you in the END eventually. 

JUST DON"T DO IT! :no:


----------



## Johnny Canuck (Feb 24, 2015)

Phat Cat said:


> IMO, customers hire professional plumbers for 'professional advice.' We advise them, not the other way around.
> 
> There are certain things we will not do - code approved or not. :no:
> 
> ...


I've parted ways with them for various reasons. When I hired on I took a pay cut because I wanted to learn service work and liked their "code of ethics". Turns out their code of ethics isn't worth the paper it's printed on or they would never have given the go ahead for that and many other jobs.
It's nice to know others would have turned it down and it wasn't just my flawed thinking.


----------



## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

A home re-hab outfit did this, then, when the county inspector said they needed a permit and a licensed plumber, I got called. 

I took a look and thought....... Then I pulled the permit. Once I pulled the permit, they had to use me and my price. And I charged a premium to bail them out.....:laughing:


So, whatever you are doing, work at it whole-souled as to Jehovah, and not to men.-Col. 3:23.


----------



## Johnny Canuck (Feb 24, 2015)

Tommy plumber said:


> So, whatever you are doing, work at it whole-souled as to Jehovah, and not to men.-Col. 3:23.


My thoughts exactly


----------

