# Church breaking the law?



## plumberkc (Jun 23, 2011)

Just got a call from a Church that had been experiencing a multitude of problems with an electric water heater. 

She kindly explained that they were rehabbing a home to help members of the community. In order to save money they had somebody from the church install the heater. 

Long story short, electrical wasn't right, elements were blown, and they ended up calling the manufacturer to warranty the bad water heater. I asked her if she had learned a lesson and would be calling a licensed plumber for the install next time. She didn't like that and we decided that she would find somebody else. 

Is it just me or does it seems like lots of hacks are members of the church that rely on referrals through the community?


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## Phat Cat (Apr 1, 2009)

Bartering and charity pre-date plumbing.

Not all charity is worth accepting though. Sometimes it's best to say "no thanks" to the well intentioned.

FWIW - Church is full of sinners, some are recovering and trying to make amends . Others join looking for easy prey. Separating the two groups is impossible.


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## nhmaster3015 (Aug 5, 2008)

Eh, who the hell cares? Lol :devil2:


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## heaan (Oct 23, 2012)

Churches are for profit organizations


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## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

It's a sin to install water heater without a license. Tell her that.


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## SchmitzPlumbing (May 5, 2014)

every hour that i work in a church is a month of a free pass. they are the worst ones looking for donations. my business and i are going to get buried in shorts. its hot where we are going.


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## Dpeckplb (Sep 20, 2013)

With churches always have 40 people in charge anyways


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## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

One of the hardest to get paid from.


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

Dpeckplb said:


> With churches always have 40 people in charge anyways



they are always that way ... a lot of arm chair quarterbacks that think they know what they are talking about and are very quick to criticize the person who actually is doing the work for free too....

Their are very pompous asses in most churches that think if you are not of their faith or dont go to their specific church, then its ok to cheat you out of the money that you are owed.. 

they are giving it to their church from you and also for you....
as a donation to help save your immortal soul... 
It makes a lot of sense and its ok to steal from the pagans... .:yes::laughing::blink::thumbup:.


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## Unclog1776 (Feb 5, 2013)

heaan said:


> Churches are for profit organizations


That don't pay taxes


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## SchmitzPlumbing (May 5, 2014)

if you cheat on taxes, a test, your wife, etc sit in the front row and donate a bunch of money and they will forgive you and put you on a pedestal. give a little more $ and they will put an ad in the bulletin bragging you up.


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## Green Country (Mar 6, 2009)

No wonder you guys don't go to church! No one would if they were really like what you guys have dreamed up!


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## MACPLUMB777 (Jun 18, 2008)

I had a service call at a church/day school on a light commercial water heater
no hot water right after the cold water gate valve it had a check valve installed, it caused the bottom of the tank to flex down on top of the burner
when my tech called me I told him to pull the burner out and to disable the wtr/htr,
sure enough I received a call from a church member, some kind of engineer
I explained thermal expansion, And then carbon monoxide poisoning to
him and why this was bad for a church to have !


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## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

plumberkc said:


> Just got a call from a Church that had been experiencing a multitude of problems with an electric water heater.
> 
> She kindly explained that they were rehabbing a home to help members of the community. In order to save money they had somebody from the church install the heater.
> 
> ...


She already knows that they messed up. Pointing it out may not reflect highly on you.


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## nhmaster3015 (Aug 5, 2008)

Green Country said:


> No wonder you guys don't go to church! No one would if they were really like what you guys have dreamed up!


Nah, I don't go to church because I think all religion is a total crock of feces. I'd sooner believe in Sasquatch or the Loch Ness monster. :thumbsup:


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## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

Not going to church cause it's full of the sinners and hypocrites is like not going to gym cause of fat people working out in there.


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## Debo22 (Feb 15, 2015)

One of my customers referred me to the pastor of her church who needed work done at their house in Compton, CA. When we pulled up and saw the BMW in the driveway we knew we were at the right house


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## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

gear junkie said:


> Not going to church cause it's full of the sinners and hypocrites is like not going to gym cause of fat people working out in there.


No church I know of believes anywhere close to my dad's Old Testament views but I still go to one.


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## saysflushable (Jun 15, 2009)

I believe zig ziglar said if you let a hypocrite stand between you and God then you are letting the hypocrite be closer to God than you are.

I didn't post that for atheists. I posted it for believers allowing bad people to keep you out off church.

That and to show how witty I am.


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## SchmitzPlumbing (May 5, 2014)

Green Country said:


> No wonder you guys don't go to church! No one would if they were really like what you guys have dreamed up!


its not a dream.


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

At my last two jobs I did work in churches. Two completely different experiences. One job they would either not pay or expect a huge discount. My last job we took care of three churches, parishioners and pastors. Only once was burned. Installed a new ADA toilet and told the customer "The normal price is $425 installed, but my boss told me to take $50 off because you go to same church as him." Response was "I'd rather pay $350." 

One of the churches was the first church in downtown Lansing... VERY old! One of those ones where cringe at the thought of touching the old gate valve, even though you've turned it off and on 100 times.


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## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

I had to shame a church into paying me recently. Every excuse in the books not to pay. So I told everyone I called there that 'as expected before we started the job I knew we wouldn't get paid', something about "Christians" and not paying. I got my money.


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

I would rather take a long walk in the woods and absorb the tranquility...rather than go any more , ..I try to avoid it at all cost..
... all you need is some bug spray to keep the blood suckers away while on a walk in the woods.

In the places we are speaking about their are all sorts of parasites and their minions attempting to manipulate and brainwash you and yours on a whole new level....... and its for your own good of course.:yes:.. 

You open your mouth and say the wrong thing or ask the wrong question and things can go south real fast.... so just be a good quite little sheep and you will get along just fine.....

and of course they like the folding money in the basket on sunday..:laughing: [/SIZE]


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## Letterrip (Jul 28, 2013)

I do work for churches. Some are a good pay. Some are a terrible pay. 

I do work for people too. Some are a good pay. Some are a terrible pay. 

Funny thing they have in common is that there are people at those churches. Maybe it's the people that are the problem, and not the institution.


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

Letterrip said:


> I do work for churches. Some are a good pay. Some are a terrible pay.
> 
> I do work for people too. Some are a good pay. Some are a terrible pay.
> 
> Funny thing they have in common is that there are people at those churches. Maybe it's the people that are the problem, and not the institution.



just like with politics, the people corrupt the institution...

its nothing new.....


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## Phat Cat (Apr 1, 2009)

Letterrip said:


> I do work for churches. Some are a good pay. Some are a terrible pay.
> 
> I do work for people too. Some are a good pay. Some are a terrible pay.
> 
> Funny thing they have in common is that there are people at those churches. Maybe it's the people that are the problem, and not the institution.


I agree with everything you wrote. I would like to add that I believe it appropriate to hold churches / Christians to a higher standard.


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## Dpeckplb (Sep 20, 2013)

Watch out when the priests want to help. Last time I had one watch I almost lost two fingers and I'm pretty sure I'm going to hell.


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

Phat Cat said:


> I agree with everything you wrote. I would like to add that I believe it appropriate to hold churches / Christians to a higher standard.



In all honesty holding them to a higher standard is really what the worst of them hope that you do........Many are just wolves in sheeps clothing waiting to fleece the flock .......... again........


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## nhmaster3015 (Aug 5, 2008)

Gonna have to move this to politics and religion pretty soon.


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## newyorkcity (Nov 25, 2010)

One of my best customers is a Lutheran Church. We have been providing plumbing service for them for at least 10 years. I always show respect and go out of my way to keep their old steam system running. I was given a tour of the Church building, which (the entire Church) was moved from the next town by horses. I have never been proselytized either. Just state your expectations from the beginning like any other customer.


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## plumbdrum (Nov 30, 2013)

Don't bend over in front of the priests.


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## Phat Cat (Apr 1, 2009)

Master Mark said:


> In all honesty holding them to a higher standard is really what the worst of them hope that you do........Many are just wolves in sheeps clothing waiting to fleece the flock .......... again........


i didn't write holding them in higher esteem. :no: To a higher standard, meaning to a higher level of responsibility / accountability.

I.E. - A Master Plumber is held to a higher standard than a first year apprentice because the Master knows better. Both are equally responsible for maintaining high standards. 

We have worked for a total of four churches, two Pastors, and two Deacons (that I am aware of). Out of the four churches, only one was slow to pay. I think it had more to do with cash flow - poorer/smaller church. Pastors and Deacons were no trouble at all. Guess they were walking what they were talking.

Funny how we have different experiences with different groups. For us, the worst business customers have been restaurants. Will only work COD for a restaurant.


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

Phat Cat said:


> Funny how we have different experiences with different groups. For us, the worst business customers have been restaurants. Will only work COD for a restaurant.


Apartment buildings and property MGT companies have been the worst for me. Lessons learned from my former employments... At one time we had an outstanding balance of 30K over six months... still can't wrap my head around why boss man kept sending us to their properties. He's back to himself as a crew now. Kinda tells ya something.


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## Dpeckplb (Sep 20, 2013)

Phat Cat said:


> i didn't write holding them in higher esteem. :no: To a higher standard, meaning to a higher level of responsibility / accountability.
> 
> I.E. - A Master Plumber is held to a higher standard than a first year apprentice because the Master knows better. Both are equally responsible for maintaining high standards.
> 
> ...


I agree here, most restaurants just want to trade services. Usually after seeing the kitchen your appetite seems to disappear. I had a gym that was going to start a shake bar not pay the bill because I "broke" the counter top putting the sink in. Who knew that tightening down a sink cracks straight across between a narrow 1.5" piece of counter top left. The churches by us would have still paid.


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

Phat Cat said:


> i didn't write holding them in higher esteem. :no: To a higher standard, meaning to a higher level of responsibility / accountability.
> 
> I.E. - A Master Plumber is held to a higher standard than a first year apprentice because the Master knows better. Both are equally responsible for maintaining high standards.
> 
> ...



I think that I have been screwed by every walk of life.. and probably the worst IMHO were the residential home builders...... churches were much further down the list...

I have thought about this subject today with myself, and believe its best to just hold yourself to a higher standard.... with absolutely no beliefs or expectations that others in your world will follow suit.... 

only then can you be free of the hurt, dismay , and disappointment you find in others that you think ought to behave better...... it just dont work that way so there is no reason to feel offended when someone double crosses you....

every soul has been given the free will to choose


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## plumberN8 (Apr 19, 2015)

Anyone ever done work at a synagogue?


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## newyorkcity (Nov 25, 2010)

I also think people get screwed over more oftenby their own ethnic group. Every criminal organization starts off by preying on their own.


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

plumberN8 said:


> Anyone ever done work at a synagogue?


I once worked for 2 different jewish home contractors at the same time ..... that was a learning experience I will never forget.....

if it dont kill you , it only makes you stronger.....


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

Other than Atheists, Agnostics, and People that believe in a deity, no one has ever tried to cheat me. I guess I am pretty lucky.

Humans on the other hand, those bastages you have to watch out for. 😡


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