# Market Place sting?



## plumsolver (Apr 7, 2011)

OK who saw the market place sting where they set up plumbers and appliance repairmen where they actually boobytrap the kitchen sink and water closet to see what the tradesmen do? I didn't catch it all but hopefully its on you tube or something. I was told they caught guys doing just about everything h.o like to follow a young looking guy like me around as it was now it'll be like a big game of show and tell. I know one thing that if I had fixed the leak and flapper chain and then someone proceeds to tell me that I was set up even if they said I exceeded there expectations I would be the topic for the next weeks episode... When Plumbers go postal!!!


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## Richard Hilliard (Apr 10, 2010)

In the county north of me they set up a sting operation last month. They set up a house and called different people to do work. They caught quite a few unlicensed and licensed people doing illegal work.

This is differtent then the sting operation you described or is it?


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## plumsolver (Apr 7, 2011)

Yeah this is a set up to see what servicemen were up selling. They loosened the pull out spray on the kitchen faucet and tightened the chain on the water closet to make it run on... then called every number in the book and filmed guys coming in and trying to sell new fixture and faucet then they confront them on why they didn't just do easy repair and bill for service call.


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## user2090 (Sep 26, 2009)

plumsolver said:


> Yeah this is a set up to see what servicemen were up selling. They loosened the pull out spray on the kitchen faucet and tightened the chain on the water closet to make it run on... then called every number in the book and filmed guys coming in and trying to sell new fixture and faucet then they confront them on why they didn't just do easy repair and bill for service call.


That is really a bunch of BS. :furious: Not saying that there are not people out there who only want to upsell, but come on. 

Service work is subjective and depending on the company the recommendations can vary wildly. 

How many times have you gone out to a job and the work was that easy? Personally I am not one to just tighten up a fitting and call it good. I want to know why it leaked, when it started leaking, quality of faucet, age of faucet, etc.... Heck you call 3 plumbers in for the same job and you'll have 4 different opinions on the best way to repair it. 

That is a BS sting. 

Focus on getting rid of unlicensed hacks.


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## plumsolver (Apr 7, 2011)

Exactly checked it out its not on the marketplace episodes list yet but it was just on last night. Its called 'when the repairman knocks.' I agree that they should be after the non proffesionals but apparently these guys do some things that just shouldn't be done in a customers home its making service techs look really bad.


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## Richard Hilliard (Apr 10, 2010)

For me I would want to have a fixture list to determine what the proper repair is. Old Briggs that does not flush loose waste, Sterling, UR, Elger Emblem, American Standard with the small trap and opening are all horrible flushing toilets. 15 year old water heater made by morflo, gotta go.1/3rd hp GE disposal. The list could go on and on. These are things that are never told in any if the sting operations. Loose or tightened chain is one thing as ESPN football guys say CMON MAN.


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## RealCraftsMan (Dec 27, 2011)

I think someone else posted a thread about sting ops the other day let me see if I can find it.


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## TallCoolOne (Dec 19, 2010)

Wish they would do that in Texas. But in Texas if you do plumbing without a licenses, it ok. The Plumbing Board will usually only go after licensed plumbers.....


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## RealCraftsMan (Dec 27, 2011)

TallCoolOne said:


> Wish they would do that in Texas. But in Texas if you do plumbing without a licenses, it ok. The Plumbing Board will usually only go after licensed plumbers.....


 
Sad but true..


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## JK949 (Mar 18, 2009)

Why not do the simple repair? 

The cost of operating a business means billing simple service charges will put you under. Obtaining replacement parts isn't always so simple. 

We touch a fixture, we own that fixtures future. A simple repair on a faucet in poor shape will be incomplete and will allow other parts to become vulnerable. A complete rebuild would be appropriate but not cost effective.

Were the fixtures brand new?

However, intentionally altering a component with the intent of condemning it, is fraud.


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## highpoint (Mar 3, 2009)

That is BS. Service work is so subjective. 
No one has to buy if they don't agree with your opinion on the fix. I would have up sold a new wc if that was a toilet I thought was junk u bet. Faucets too.
Less money to replace than to fix in most cases. 
Nothing wrong with feeding your family- shouldn't be made to feel like a criminal for doin it. 
Where's the story on "when reporters come knocking" and how they can bend and twist a story for ratings.


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

There was a thread on here a while back in which they did a Chis Hanson undercover sting-like set up. Or maybe someone posted on here describing it, can't remember.....

Not that I am a criminal or anything, but I am constantly thinking that I am being filmed when at a customer's house. Video cameras are so small that they are now the size of a pen that fits in your shirt pocket.....


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## TallCoolOne (Dec 19, 2010)

RealCraftsMan said:


> Sad but true..


Did you know Lisa Hill has been left enforcements and is Head of the Texas Plumbing Board now?


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## JK949 (Mar 18, 2009)

If this was like the Chris Hanson show, they loosened up a water heater flex line and filmed the guys to see what they did/said. The heater looked new, no stains, no corrosion on the pipes. It was an electric tank.

All of us would asses the job and come to the same conclusion. Some may inspect the hose and tighten it. Others may offer to replace it so it could be warrantied by their business.

The guys on film were not doing a diagnostic, just killing time then telling the client that she needed a new tank when she came back into the garage. One even said the tank could explode.

We bust chops here pretty good here to realize how crappy the competition really is. I warned a guy at the supply house yesterday that running a 3/4 gas line 60' to a new tankless may not be adequate and double check the fuel demand.:whistling2:


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## plumsolver (Apr 7, 2011)

I agree that you have to asses each individual situation for instance the water closet was a thirteen litre flush so right away as I was fixing the chain I would probably be the first to explain to the h.o ( or in this case weasel) that they would save themselves more by upgrading it to a low flush probably cutting there water bill by 1/3. They had apparently changed all the guts that day so I think my first reaction would be did your husband or so done just put in all these parts or who has been screw in around with the chain on this thing? As for the kitchen faucet maybe could have changed the o ring or greased it up it. But depending on the type of faucet I would try and put in something I knew wouldn't give them a problem. I have had more customers thank me for doing the quick fix even though it's like pulling teeth to get the full service call price out of them for a 5 min fix. But then when they are ready to replace it they definatly call the guy who tried to save them money into the first place. Even though we all know and they do to that it cost them more in the long run, and it will always happen on a holiday or long weekend Fri afternoon.


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## GREENPLUM (Jul 27, 2008)

there are much bigger problems the gov and law inforcement need to address,,, what a waste of time


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## Mega Smash (Oct 9, 2009)

For those of you who want to watch it online: http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/2012/whentherepairmanknocks/

I sort of feel sorry for the "plumbers" that were featured on the show. I don't think the general public knows that the majority of them are paid on a flat rate scale. Going to a customer's house to tighten up a loose spray nozzle, and adjust a flapper chain for a $49.00 service fee isn't going to put money on his paycheque. Not only that, but what happens if the toilet starts to run on again, and the customer calls back? Is there a record of him fixing that Does warranty cover it, even though it was just a $49.00 service call fee?

Then again, some of those guys featured were quick to jump to "Oh, your faucet's broken. $900.00 to replace it."

I guess it's what shows the difference between Plumbers and "Plumbing Technicians"


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## RealCraftsMan (Dec 27, 2011)

peeing in a cup?? Also I bet they did not show all of the guys out, bet they left out a lot of the good ones.


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## ibeplumber (Sep 20, 2011)

any other links to the show? I can't view it on my iPhone and my laptop is down.


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## Adamche (Feb 10, 2012)

They do the same sort of "reporting" here in Australia- they generally do it to appliance repair guys. I remember one done 5-6 years ago, and after it was televised one of the Repair guys that was featured committed suicide. very very sad.This sort of BS so-called journalism must stop. its ok to get the unlicenced guys but it is not informative or in the public interest IMHO!


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## RealCraftsMan (Dec 27, 2011)

Are there any Snow Backs left to the North of me?


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## MarkToo (Dec 17, 2011)

"He just pee'd in the cup"!

LMAO.



I gotta say though, I too would replace the flapper valve on a toilet service just to be prudent. If they're going to pay me $72 for the service call, I believe not replacing a $10 part that commonly wears would be irresponsible - especially with the amount of chlorination these days.

I would however first ask if they had messed with it 'cause a chain just doesn't shrink on it's own. I'm not sure if I'd smell a rat or not but, I would definitely know they are lying if they were to say it hadn't been very recently fiddled with.

Either way, a good mix of outright crooks, incompetence and stand up contractors although the true numbers cannot be known as this is TV entertainment and it's obviously filtered for appeal.


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

Good flick. The garage door guys who insisted on replacing the circuit board were real crooks. That is what commission based pay does to some people, not all, but some. 

How many times are you standing at the front door and right after ringing the doorbell you glance up and see a camera pointing right at you? I see it frequently. 

The average person's image is recorded like (40) or so times a day; ATM's, grocery stores, department stores, toll booths on highways, etc.


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## Miguel (Aug 10, 2009)

Personally I generally have no problems with "undercover expose" shows like this. Too often they go for the ratings with more TV pizzazz, using some license as they do so and it makes you wonder if anyone conducts sting operations on the producers of these shows.
But for the most part they simply let the unknowing shmuck dig his own grave, THAT I don't mind so much. I'm a homeowner too, so I'd like to be kept in the know of who to watch for. The caveat is that it tends to paint us all with the same brush. Something we have to live with.

Some years ago 20-20 did a thing on HVAC guys (in the US). Not long after I went on what I thought to be a very strange call (here in Canada). It was a typical "No Heat" call. My CSU explained that a no heat emergency was dealt with on a first come, first serve basis but trumped all other calls anytime between Nov and Mar. However there was a premium to pay to have techs drop what they're doing and administer to calls of this sort. Basically you pay double but someone WILL be there.

Like I said, this call was a typical no heat. The customer opted to stay in the no heat line-up (sometimes right away but up to a 6 hr wait). My helper and I arrived about 45 min after the call. Right off the bat it seemed strange. Usually there is at least one distraught occupant but the people we're warm and friendly and seemed not to have a care in the world. Showed us where the furnace was and disappeared! No hovering or anything!

I found the problem almost instantly. A low voltage spade connector was off of it's terminal. The furnace seemed fairly new and in good condition. I shut the power to the furnace, checked the connection, it was not loose by any means so I placed it again and did a cursory inspection of the furnase, fired it and cycled it 3 times. All good. I called the people and the same guy comes by, "So what did you find?". "Weird," I says, "there was a terminal off but it doesn't seem able to fall off by itself. But it's all running good now. $95 please." He pays me, still smiling and I leave.

On the drive to the next call my helper says' "Did that seem weird at all to you?" to which I replied that it did. Not the most typical call. Then he tells me he thinks he saw a camera behind the louvered closet doors in the hallway and (one that I found hard to believe at the time) something now commonly referred to as a "nanny cam".
I told him to just pretend that you're on camera at every call and you'll have nothing to worry about. And if someone wants to waste my time for $95/hr then they're not wasting my time at all.


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

*what kind of human being cheats the elderly????*

what kind of human being cheats the elderly???? 
or anyone for that matter....

screwing some little old blind lady out of her last dollar
is a crummey and low way to make a living.... 
and it makes me wonder what kind of soul would even do such a thing.... 

I have come to the conclusioin that Most likely they were bullies back when they were small kids and through their teen years.. Now that these losers have grown up their whole lives have probably gone down the toilet . The tables have turned 360 on them, so the only people they can get this rush from are the weak and elderly..... They probably will never learn their lessons till they get caught like this ...

the only thing I have ever got caught doing one time was
pissing in the sump pump pit.... that would be somethign to film and put on TV:laughing:


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## AlbacoreShuffle (Aug 28, 2011)

After watching that, I will NEVER pee In the bushes at a customers home again !

I cant believe that one guy peed in a cup and poured it down the kitchen drain.
He didn't even flush the trap out.


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## smellslike$tome (Jun 16, 2008)

JK949 said:


> Why not do the simple repair?
> 
> The cost of operating a business means billing simple service charges will put you under. Obtaining replacement parts isn't always so simple.
> 
> ...


Why? Why would it not be cost effective? Your faucet doesn't work? Ok I can repair it for $***.xx. The rebuild is the repair. If you want me to stop your 40 year old Gerber tub/shower faucet from leaking I can certainly do that, you will receive all new stems, seats, and washers. I don't care if there is only one worn out washer on it I'm not about to listen to you 2 months from now ask me why it's leaking again since I just worked on it. If you want to replace it with something new that's even better, we can do that too!

Give them a repair cost and a replacement cost and let them choose. You don't have to sell anything just let them decide.


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## smellslike$tome (Jun 16, 2008)

JK949 said:


> If this was like the Chris Hanson show, they loosened up a water heater flex line and filmed the guys to see what they did/said. The heater looked new, no stains, no corrosion on the pipes. It was an electric tank.
> 
> All of us would asses the job and come to the same conclusion. Some may inspect the hose and tighten it. Others may offer to replace it so it could be warrantied by their business.
> 
> ...


Hell no it's not adequate. Not even close if it was the only gas appliance in the house. Was this a home owner or a "plumber"?


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## sikxsevn (Jun 23, 2009)

smellslike$tome said:


> Hell no it's not adequate. Not even close if it was the only gas appliance in the house. Was this a home owner or a "plumber"?


It would be okay if it were on medium pressure natural gas, or low pressure propane. At least, according to te gas charts I have

Sent from my iPhon


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## mann4890 (Jan 11, 2012)

Kinda pissed off that i missed this episode saw them advertising it


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## smellslike$tome (Jun 16, 2008)

sikxsevn said:


> It would be okay if it were on medium pressure natural gas, or low pressure propane. At least, according to te gas charts I have
> 
> Sent from my iPhon


Yes but then it would have to be regulated down at the appliance if you are talking about something like a 2psig system but if it were 2psig why run 3/4" pipe? 1/2" bip is more than adequate for 60' @ 2psig.


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## JK949 (Mar 18, 2009)

smellslike$tome said:


> Hell no it's not adequate. Not even close if it was the only gas appliance in the house. Was this a home owner or a "plumber"?



It was a Plumber who didn't even know which tankless model he was putting in yet. Didn't want him to feel dumb, it might even work until the elderly customers die and a young family moves in and really puts the unit through it's paces.

We got low standards in California.


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