# dont do warranty water heater replacements for home depot



## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

I got burned last week by HD on a Rheem gas 12 year tank warranty water heater from 
HD.... The customer had called to tell me it was leaking and I was able to take it out and 
return the unit to HD only to find out it was red flagged for some reason ... It still had 4 yars left on 
the tank warranty and they could not tell me why or what was the matter... they insisted on me
producing a receipt for the heater from 6 years ago... of course this was thrown away long ago....

One thing led to another and I eventually had to install my own rheem 50 heater for a discounted price just
to get the job completed on the same day because theywould not honor the warranty..... 
I called Rheem , gave them a picture of the rating tag and they told me their
was nothing wrong and just to take it back to another HD store..... I did this and they denied me the store credit too..

I ended up just leaving the old unit in the parking lot and walking away from the whole experience older but wiser.....

If you do decide to replace a Rheem HD water heater you could get yourself into a lot of troubles and end up
in a mess with the customer.... I am on Rheems site as a contractor to repair or replace water heaters but 
the next time I hear from someone wanting me to replace their leaking HD water heater I am gonna tell them to
have the new unit waiting for me at their house and then I might install it for them.... 

I am not gonna waste my time taking the word of some clown at Rheem telling me its under warranty and 
just take it back to the store and wasting my day


----------



## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

Any call about a box store warranty is a no go for me! Unfortunately with the supply BS I can’t even get rental grade faucets from the supply house.

I’m thinking of switching from Rheem to leaknivor. BW fuged over my master years ago, so that’s a big no.


----------



## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

OpenSights said:


> Any call about a box store warranty is a no go for me! Unfortunately with the supply BS I can’t even get rental grade faucets from the supply house.
> 
> I’m thinking of switching from Rheem to leaknivor. BW fuged over my master years ago, so that’s a big no.


They basically hung me out to dry on this one.... but Iwill get 
my revenge one way or another

I normally will get an in store credit for the cost of the heater
and then go on a huge shopping spree... I am like a kid in a candy store 

but this time they just hem hawed around about the heater and I began to 
think that it was me who was black balled for some reason even though I had the customers 
name, 'telephone number and address and had called it in the night before.

I only do this once or twice a year.....


----------



## rooterboy (Jul 16, 2009)

Had problems with Home Depot water heaters before. A lot of times they prorate the heater and you need to pay a additional $200 to get another water heater.

Have done the same thing with Home Depot Credit tool spree whoooo.


----------



## goeswiththeflow (Feb 24, 2018)

It's like that Seinfeld episode about taking a reservation. They just don't understand the concept of what it really means to offer a warrantee.


----------



## KCPlumb (Oct 26, 2021)

Sometimes I will install a water heater that the customer purchased from Home Depot, but I tell the customer if it the unit fails it is their responsibility to haul it back to HD for a replacement. I charge to uninstall and charge to install new unit. I won't haul it out of the basement that's on the customer.


----------



## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

KCPlumb said:


> Sometimes I will install a water heater that the customer purchased from Home Depot, but I tell the customer if it the unit fails it is their responsibility to haul it back to HD for a replacement. I charge to uninstall and charge to install new unit. I won't haul it out of the basement that's on the customer.


It is just a lot of trouble and they dont want to pay the price you quote them.... they had a freind or brother-in-law install
the original heater and are in shock for what they have to pay now that its gone bad under warranty....

from now on, please just have the heater waiting on me at the job site and I will install it for you for $$$.
and you can return the old unit yourself and waste half the day standing in the return line at HD


----------



## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

Surprised to see ANY plumber using/ dealing with any big box retailer water heater. The stories speak for themselves. 

No way in hell.


----------



## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

dhal22 said:


> Surprised to see ANY plumber using/ dealing with any big box retailer water heater. The stories speak for themselves.
> 
> No way in hell.



Well, It really just depends on how busy you are or if they are your customers...

We have been extremely slow for the whole month of may so I did not mind doing the heater....
The customer squealed pretty loudly when I told them the price to replace the unit.
... 

I actually did not lose any money on the job, 
just wasted a few evenings dragging that heater back to 2 HD stores
I was just disappointed I did not get the refund
so I could go on a shopping spree....


----------



## Logtec (Jun 3, 2018)

In Canada:
Basically we have a “Goods and Services Tax” or GST = 5% across Canada.

Then you add the “Provincial Sales Tax” or PST which is dif in each Provence.
(I think Alberta and Yukon only have the GST- *Indigenous peoples* are Tax exempt and only pay the GST):

Together both taxes are called “Harmonized Sales Tax” = HST (in Quebec pretty sure it’s called the QST, Tango may correct me)
So tax in Canada is anywhere from 5% - 15%

in Ontario it’s the HST is 13% tax on Labour and Materials. Basically anytime money changes hands the government wants its cut.


----------



## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

Logtec said:


> In Canada:
> Basically we have a “Goods and Services Tax” or GST = 5% across Canada.
> 
> Then you add the “Provincial Sales Tax” or PST which is dif in each Provence.
> ...


I think you posted this to the wrong thread.....


----------



## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

dhal22 said:


> Surprised to see ANY plumber using/ dealing with any big box retailer water heater. The stories speak for themselves.
> 
> No way in hell.


We don’t fool with blowes or home ripoff


----------



## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

sparky said:


> We don’t fool with blowes or home ripoff


Its all easy money to me....

I would rather do a home depot water heater twice a day
versus crawling around in someone's wet crappy crawl space cutting out 
and replacing a bunch of rotten copper drain lines


----------



## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

I get people calling me to replace their rheem water heater they bought at HD. They have these amazing stories it's under warrantee and rheem tells them to get a plumber and he'll do all the work. I wonder if they tell them it's free. They get a rude awakening when I tell them they are paying for all my time to bring it back and install another. Which by the way will cost them more than if I installed one of my own. Seems like they all think everything is absolutely free. I never did one.


----------



## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

Tango said:


> I get people calling me to replace their rheem water heater they bought at HD. They have these amazing stories it's under warrantee and rheem tells them to get a plumber and he'll do all the work. I wonder if they tell them it's free. They get a rude awakening when I tell them they are paying for all my time to bring it back and install another. Which by the way will cost them more than if I installed one of my own. Seems like they all think everything is absolutely free. I never did one.


Me neither it’s so much headache it’s not worth messing with,now If you lived in a big city like mark does it might be different but I have to drive an hour one way just to see a home ripoff


----------



## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

Logtec said:


> in Ontario it’s the HST is 13% tax on Labour and Materials. Basically anytime money changes hands *every* government wants its cut.



Added 'every'.................


----------



## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

Thanks for the story Mark. 

Every once in a while I get a call from someone who found me on AO Smith's website. Hotwater.com or something like that. One man called me recently for a warranty on a hybrid elec. W/H. His display was messed up, it had a brown spot on the display face. AO Smith told me that he needs a new display. His tank was past the warranty.
I told the customer that he basically needs a new unit at this point. No sense putting money into a 10 year old W/H.
He decided to live with the brown spot on his display.


----------



## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

Tommy plumber said:


> ..
> .....
> I told the customer that he basically needs a new unit at this point. No sense putting money into a 10 year old W/H.
> He decided to live with the brown spot on his display.


That's basically my reasoning for not cleaning my toilet. It's from 1986, bound to break soon right?


----------



## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

skoronesa said:


> That's basically my reasoning for not cleaning my toilet. It's from 1986, bound to break soon right?


Right,all you gots to do is smack it with a hammer,time for new blowhole


----------



## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

A previous customer called both him and his wife stuttering talking at incredible speed, I guess they feed each other on stress. Anyway they wanted to replace a leaking water heater and wanted the same fancy thing, however they are rare and only 4 in the next city. He didn't want to pay for me to go and get it. He said it wasn't right for me to charge for travel. I'm glad he didn't accept the price, 2 less wing nuts to worry about.


----------



## Pipe Rat (Apr 5, 2009)

Tango said:


> A previous customer called both him and his wife stuttering talking at incredible speed, I guess they feed each other on stress. Anyway they wanted to replace a leaking water heater and wanted the same fancy thing, however they are rare and only 4 in the next city. He didn't want to pay for me to go and get it. He said it wasn't right for me to charge for travel. I'm glad he didn't accept the price, 2 less wing nuts to worry about.


I don’t get it? People don’t expect a mechanic to drive the their house for free to fix their car but most think the plumber should.


----------



## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

Pipe Rat said:


> I don’t get it? People don’t expect a mechanic to drive the their house for free to fix their car but most think the plumber should.


I live in crazy town. In the beginning I took on every job that came along now I turn away more than I take on even if I have nothing else.

A few days ago I went to check out a job for a previous customer and gave the old woman an estimate and she accepted it. Yesterday I went to there to do the job and she cried out about the price before I even started! I'm so sick and tired of their FN nonsense. I told her do you want cancel now's your chance. I repeated it 3 times to make sure.


----------



## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

Tango said:


> I live in crazy town. In the beginning I took on every job that came along now I turn away more than I take on even if I have nothing else.
> 
> A few days ago I went to check out a job for a previous customer and gave the old woman an estimate and she accepted it. Yesterday I went to there to do the job and she cried out about the price before I even started! I'm so sick and tired of their FN nonsense. I told her do you want cancel now's your chance. I repeated it 3 times to make sure.


If she cancels hit her with a service call at least


----------



## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

Tango said:


> I get people calling me to replace their rheem water heater they bought at HD. They have these amazing stories it's under warrantee and rheem tells them to get a plumber and he'll do all the work. I wonder if they tell them it's free. They get a rude awakening when I tell them they are paying for all my time to bring it back and install another. Which by the way will cost them more than if I installed one of my own. Seems like they all think everything is absolutely free. I never did one.


It really pisses off people when they get hung out to dry by HD and Lowes... 
Originally They has some drunk or brother-in-law install the heater 5 yeas ago for pizza and beer but now
they are totally stunned that you are charging them the going rate to spend your day fooling
with the process.


----------



## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

Tango said:


> I live in crazy town. In the beginning I took on every job that came along now I turn away more than I take on even if I have nothing else.
> 
> A few days ago I went to check out a job for a previous customer and gave the old woman an estimate and she accepted it. Yesterday I went to there to do the job and she cried out about the price before I even started! I'm so sick and tired of their FN nonsense. I told her do you want cancel now's your chance. I repeated it 3 times to make sure.


you got to use sign language Tango.....


----------



## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

Master Mark said:


> you got to use sign language Tango.....
> 
> 
> View attachment 132980


Haha, guess what I did the job and she called me 3 days later asking if I did free estimates! Why what?? She said the toilet upstairs was making noise and wanted me to give a free estimate? What do you mean an estimate, it's the same rate as 3 days ago.

I think she was trying me to go out there to fix it for free. WTF

Anyway she said never mind.

Idiot.


I got another biatch last Friday, gave her the rate on the phone, she signed the contract. Then later on she asked if she paid cash she could skip the taxes. I said no there's taxes. Another idiot you signed the damn contract! I handed her the bill and she became very upset she had prepared cash for only 1 hour without taxes. No that's not how it works, I was here an hour and a half plus taxes. She then mouthed off how much the others charged, she's her own boss as an interior designer and doesn't charge as much bla bla bla. 

I'm thinking yeah yeah syou work an 1.5 hours and you charge your customers 1 hour no tax? 

That's why you FN sign before I start and lock it in the truck because if you try to play tricks I have written proof and even if I have to lose money in lost revenue to go court I'm make your life miserable.

Mark my hat's off to you dealing with this nonsense for 30-40 years!


----------



## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

Tango said:


> Haha, guess what I did the job and she called me 3 days later asking if I did free estimates! Why what?? She said the toilet upstairs was making noise and wanted me to give a free estimate? What do you mean an estimate, it's the same rate as 3 days ago.
> 
> I think she was trying me to go out there to fix it for free. WTF
> 
> ...



I think you need to go to a buddist monk or a priest and get yourself exorcised or something...
Maybe buy yourself some sage and smoke your house and truck with the smell to ward off
the evil spirits that are attracted to you and are constantly plaguing you.... 👿 

Maybe buy yourself some healing stones off of e-bay and put them in your plumbing truck to attract a more
positive energy towards you..... I carry one on my key chain like a rabbits foot and have one hanging in my truck
it cant hurt.. of course I have a 9mm and a 380 also along for the ride too😆
Mr 9mm really wards off the evil spirits...🤠

I have been doing this since 1975 and never , ever had even had a nasty customer anywhere near what you have dealt with
on a daily basis
I can recall only maybe a few nasty coc/suckers over the years that made me want to strangle them... 
but they were far and few in between.... 

The worst times I ever had was with skummey building contractors which I have totally written off and are 
completely out of my life for good.. When I dumped all of them everything fell into place...

I think you really need to get incense and some other lucky charms that ward off the evil spirits
that seem to be attracted to you... their are hundreds to choose from on e-bay and I dont think it would
hurt you one dam bit



https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2047675.m570.l1313&_nkw=orgonite+pendant&_sacat=0












Orgonite Pendant Necklace Energy Generator Emf Protection Healing Crystal Sacred | eBay


Orgone is an energy amplifier that can convert negative energy into positive energy. It can cause vibrations to attract more beautiful things into your life, and to align the vibrations with richness, balance and prosperity.



www.ebay.com


----------



## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

@Master Mark

Do hot wheels lucky charms do the trick??? I think I need to carry one in my pocket when I go into their house. Maybe I should incense the truck with weed?

I've always know I've had a black cloud following me but I now realize it's way worse than I thought. I thought all you guys had nutty customers like I do but it looks like I live in the twighlight zone.


Anyway your post was the funniest I've read in a while! Thanks for the mantra speech!


----------



## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

maybe this song will break the nasty curse that is following you around


----------

