# Free Estimate? (Lady from Ma)



## DUNBAR PLUMBING (Sep 11, 2008)

Roast Duck said:


> had me on the phone for 2 hours and 18 minutes.
> 
> I kid you not. 138 minutes on my cell phone while I replaced a main water line valve, installed a Pressure Reducing Valve, and installed a Thermal Expansion tank...
> 
> ...


 

Here's 8:32 of your life you'll never get back after listening to this, and the difference between now and then? I was getting paid while listening to this. 

It was so bad....but I held back. I did take a few jabs at her when she said she called 7 plumbers, wasting their time to see if her washing machine was broke? 


And this woman lives in a nice neighborhood, 350,000.00 home hustling every plumbing company in town for a free damn estimate.


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## ROCKSTARPLUMBER (Dec 14, 2008)

I would have had a "dropped call" 2 minutes into that conversation.


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## Optimus Primer (May 20, 2009)

I dont think I would have waited 2 minutes.


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## Phat Cat (Apr 1, 2009)

Ditto that RSP!

Thanks Duck - if you hadn't posted a portion of the call I wouldn't have believed it. Absolutely priceless. :laughing:


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## SewerRatz (Apr 25, 2009)

OK ... I think some of my brain cells died. I would of told her I do not have the time to waste on the phone, if she wants me out there to do the work our rate is this much period. Then if she started going on about the BBB telling home owners to make sure they get a "free" estimate, I reply back with I am giving you an estimate right over the phone. Then proceed to define estimate to them.


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## 1703 (Jul 21, 2009)

You are a patient man, Mr Roast Duck.


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## service guy (Jun 26, 2008)

:laughing:


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## DUNBAR PLUMBING (Sep 11, 2008)

ROCKSTARPLUMBER said:


> I would have had a "dropped call" 2 minutes into that conversation.


 
Here's the crazy thing, 



I have no clue why I let it run so long, EDIT: She told me about how she found me on Angie's List and the BBB, so I couldn't do anything that would spark a reason to file a complaint -- but every time I tried to get a word in edgewise, she'd talk faster and louder like she knew that would discourage my attempts.

The other plumber mentioned in the clip had the same exact thing happen, and could not get her to be quiet.


Just think about this for a minute: 



She talked to 7 plumbers about her washing machine,

Untold how many she discussed about her situation, which is a sump pump that's ponding water in her back yard. She's been using unlicensed hands in this way to save money and she's got no one to blame but herself...but she's wearing all the local plumbers down to earn that "free" estimate no one will give her.

So indirectly she beat me down with taking my time, but I was getting paid while on the job when that was going on. I installed a PRV and Expansion tank, main shutoff while all that was going on.


She later called around 9pm that night, never left a message. She told me that she was going to have someone from michigan call me in regards to getting the go ahead.


She "thinks" there's an obstruction in the line leading from the downspouts to the street, but she's also telling me the piping is crumbling at the entry points from the downspouts.

It's 22 year old SCH35 4" ABS. <<< Do you really think it's not collapsed at this point, especially with one of those heavy zero-turn lawnmowers crossing over it in what we have one of the wettest years on record in my area. 

The only thing "positive" that was accomplished from all of this, is that I got some video that proves that people can be just obtuse when they feel they are owed something. I'm glad I taped it because in the right venue, this vid will yield some serious views when it becomes known. 

I won't answer the phone for her again though. Let the next poor soul find out the entrapment on the phone.


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## UnclogNH (Mar 28, 2009)

Bla bla bla bla bla bla 2 mins later :yawn: 
Bla bla bla bla bla 2 more minutes :drink:
Bla bla bla but the BBB said :sleep1:
Bla bla bla bla bla :wallbash:
bla bla bla bla I want free estimate :hang:
She gave me a headache just hearing to her talk.

Great post :thumbsup:


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## WestCoastPlumber (Jun 17, 2008)

Dude! :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

I get some really wacked out calls, I usually snuff the fire about 2 minutes into the conversation.....you were working and she was talking and talking and talking, only you could deal with this!

The BBB, I can't stand them, I will never join them in a million years.

We gotta meet in the middle sometime and have lunch !

classic! you are the man !


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## nhmaster3015 (Aug 5, 2008)

Sorry Ducky, I really did try to listen to the whole thing but my eyeballs started bleeding about two minutes in and I had to take care of that situation. Scotch helped. :thumbsup:


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## 422 plumber (Jul 31, 2008)

Duck,
you are a masochist for letting that call go on so long. You are a sadist for inflicting that pain on us.


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## ILPlumber (Jun 17, 2008)

She just wasted a couple hours of your life. Can you imagine being the person that lives with her


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## DUNBAR PLUMBING (Sep 11, 2008)

Well, I was getting paid on another job, and I went to sleep last night while this single clip loaded to youtube, but it's my return favor for me being so polite, so caring, so...understanding. 


And to think of all the people she's wasted their time with...unreal. 

I guarantee I'm the only one to take it to the next level and have fun with it. 

I swear, she would not let you off the phone until she got her say in. Disturbing.


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## ILPlumber (Jun 17, 2008)

She's probably already told the next plumber in the book what a good listener you were

I for one would like to have her phone number. I think we should have a contest for the longest phone call with her.:thumbup:


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## Phat Cat (Apr 1, 2009)

ILPlumber said:


> She's probably already told the next plumber in the book what a good listener you were
> 
> I for one would like to have her phone number. I think we should have a contest for the longest phone call with her.:thumbup:


I would win that contest hands down. Two females on a cell phone - we would only be limited by the battery in the cell phone.


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## user823 (Feb 3, 2009)

Duck, you ought to take it even further to the next level. Tell her you'll come out for the free estimate, ask her if it would be ok to film you guys because you're making a training film for plumbing. Bring someone with you to do the filming, make it look real professional. I'm sure she would jump at the chance to say her thing on film! Now that would be something to see!:laughing:


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## A Good Plumber (Jun 18, 2008)

:laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing:

That poor lady just needs a little help. 

If I were closer, I'd help her.

Go Duck Go! Help this women.

Not!


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## Plumber Jim (Jun 19, 2008)

OMG Duck... First i am amazed you listened to her that long! Second i am amazed I listened to that video that long! :laughing::blink: 

Your too nice.


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## ESPinc (Jul 18, 2009)

RoastDuck, Maybe shes lonely and looking for a little more than plumbing. I would have been polite for the first couple minutes then referred her to another company.


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## A Good Plumber (Jun 18, 2008)

ESPinc said:


> RoastDuck, Maybe shes lonely and looking for a little more than plumbing. I would have been polite for the first couple minutes then referred her to another company.


 
Duck, You might need to take one for the team! :yes:

That's what I'm talkin about.:laughing:


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## 422 plumber (Jul 31, 2008)

A Good Plumber said:


> Duck, You might need to take one for the team! :yes:
> 
> That's what I'm talkin about.:laughing:



I don't care who you are, that's funny.


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## HandsomeMike (Feb 8, 2009)

I wonder how her husband died, you know he is dead. Proably self-inflicted punches to his own crotch until sweet eternal darkness came over him.


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## muck (Oct 10, 2008)

i didnt make it more than a min.


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## para1 (Jun 17, 2008)

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


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## 422 plumber (Jul 31, 2008)

HandsomeMike said:


> I wonder how her husband died, you know he is dead. Proably self-inflicted punches to his own crotch until sweet eternal darkness came over him.


Handsome Mike,
good one, ya made me spit ice tea. I am going to monitor your progress closely. Less than 100 posts and ya got me to spit a drink.


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## smythers1968 (Feb 4, 2009)

That ol' bag just raped your ears. NO MEANS NO


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## service guy (Jun 26, 2008)

I had one like this today.

Guy calls, "Bleah, Bleah, I need a free estimate on a drain repair, *I had another plumbing company out and they quoted me an outrageous price* on doing a bunch of extra work I don't want to do, I just want the leaky drain repaired and that it. *I want the cheapest possible repair.* This guy must have been on commission, and this is crazy, this ecomony is bad...bleah, bleah, bleah."
He went on and on and on like he hated all plumbers and we are all too expensive.

I said, "Ok, well we have a minimum service call charge of $x, any extra labor or materials will be quoted when we get there."

Him: "I am not paying for an estimate, I want to know the price before I agree or not."

Me: "Well I can't have a licensed plumber come out to your house for free, , we don't do free estimates on small jobs." _ (We actually do free estimates for good previous customers, but not price-shopping looneys who are calling every plumber in town)_

Him: " Bleah, bleah, bleah, free estimate."

Me: "ok, well if you would like a price on the phone, we can charge you Time and materials based on $x per hour, would that be ok?"

Him: " No, then I'll get charged for drive time and if you have to get parts, and all that, bleah, bleah, bleah." (He talked A LOT, I can't remember all the stuff that he said.

Me: (final offer) : Ok, sir, well if its not a big job and the total is under $200, will you commit to having us do the work then?"

Him, talks to wife: "No, you are putting too much conditions on this."

Me: "Ok, well I can't help you then, good bye.":no:

*WHen I told him we don't do free estimates on small jobs, he said "Its not a small job." When I asked him how long he thought it would take, he said, "About an hour maybe.":blink: So he says its not a small job, yet it will only take an hour (in his mind) and he won't commit to paying anything for it at all, just wants the cheapest possible price. He kept going on and on about the bad economy and whining like a baby. We were swamped today with calls and the rest of the week is filling up fast....this guy can take a hike.*:no:


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## para1 (Jun 17, 2008)

You should have asked him if his parents ever told him ; There's no such thing as a free lunch.:whistling2:


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## service guy (Jun 26, 2008)

After that phone call today, I am getting nauseous every time I hear the words "free estimate."

He was one of the most irritating people I have ever talked too in my entire career. Definitely top ten.:laughing:


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## DUNBAR PLUMBING (Sep 11, 2008)

Now you all know why I taped this woman and her nonsense. She's going to be the fodder of retardedness we deal with, free of charge.

:thumbsup:



I smashed a fool yesterday that was trying to get free plumbing work by casually trying to get me to deal with a landlord...NOT!


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## leak1 (Mar 25, 2009)

:thumbup:


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## RossThePlumber (Aug 24, 2009)

*Why Don't Women Fart ?*

Because thye TALK SO MUCH they can never build up enough pressure...:thumbup:


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## user823 (Feb 3, 2009)

DUNBAR PLUMBING said:


> Now you all know why I taped this woman and her nonsense. She's going to be the fodder of retardedness we deal with, free of charge.
> 
> :thumbsup:
> 
> ...


I wouldn't have wasted my time.


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## TheMaster (Jun 12, 2009)

I'm thinking you would have driven over there to listen and not on the phone.


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## service guy (Jun 26, 2008)

TheMaster said:


> I'm thinking you would have driven over there to listen and not on the phone.


:laughing: Yeah, that is why I don't like doing : free estimates:thumbdown:


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## DUNBAR PLUMBING (Sep 11, 2008)

I should of sold her phone number to telemarketers :laughing:


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## Optimus Primer (May 20, 2009)

service guy said:


> I had one like this today.
> 
> Guy calls, "Bleah, Bleah, I need a free estimate on a drain repair, *I had another plumbing company out and they quoted me an outrageous price* on doing a bunch of extra work I don't want to do, I just want the leaky drain repaired and that it. *I want the cheapest possible repair.* This guy must have been on commission, and this is crazy, this ecomony is bad...bleah, bleah, bleah."
> He went on and on and on like he hated all plumbers and we are all too expensive.
> ...


That's cuz he watches Hometime. They can build an entire house in one episode.


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## TheSkinnyGuy (Sep 15, 2009)

... and these are the days of our lives...


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## ILPlumber (Jun 17, 2008)

TheSkinnyGuy said:


> ... and these are the days of our lives...


 
How about an intro?

http://www.plumbingzone.com/f3/


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## Down N Dirty (Mar 12, 2009)

Actually I am glad you did waste the time. At least I know we are not alone. Our office manager, sweetest lady you will ever meet, goes through these sometimes because she is too nice.


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## DUNBAR PLUMBING (Sep 11, 2008)

1,028 views on this site, 


242 times watched. :thumbsup: I can't even listen to her voice but my time spent listening to it has a lifetime value at this point! :laughing:


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## TheMaster (Jun 12, 2009)

I've had a lady calling me about installing a toilet for the past 3 weeks. She calls every few days either wanting to talk about the price or schedule a day or somthing but the job never happens for some reason beyond my control. I;ve told here repeatedly for the past 1.5 weeks that i cannot do her job. She keeps calling every few days.....just long enough in between that i forget her number that pops up on the caller ID. I just solved my problem like i do with my EX girlfriends that will not quit calling me. I entered this ladys number into my cell phone under the name DO NOT ANSWER. i listed my ex wife as "THE DEVIL" I have several other number entered based on the freak it belongs to. Anybody else use this method for ignoring people?


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## Pipedoc (Jun 14, 2009)

My sister in law is listed as DO NOT ANSWER with a special ring tone to boot!:thumbsup:


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## 422 plumber (Jul 31, 2008)

*I just listened to that*

Steve, 
I was bored enough and and there was a link to this thread, so I listened. I like the fact that she said many words I have heard before, but not in any recognizable context. 
When are you two getting married?


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## Unclog1776 (Feb 5, 2013)

New iPhone allows you to block certain numbers, it just sends them directly to your voicemail

Sent from my iPhone using PlumbingZone


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## Pac Rim Plumber (Jun 23, 2010)

Dunbar,

Thanks for finding my mother, I did not know she had moved..... Ussually I last 1.5 minutes on those phone calls before the wisky bottle comes out. But now I forward her calls to ignore. Thanks for the laugh


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