Cal Property has managed a family property for more than 10 years.
One can expect some hiccups from time to time, and a reasonable expectation of making corrections.
For a long time, they we're ok. Not great, but ok.
But last 3 years or so, things started to change. Repairs were requested, and prices seemed to rise for the repairs. The plumber appeared to be getting a lot of work out of our little one bedroom home.
It seemed the plumbers rates were excessive, we left as if it were 60 every time he had to tighten a screw.
My mother, the principal on the property, started to have some conversations about being let know when work had to be done to the site. It was obvious, that this aggravated them.
Recently we had a city inspector come on site, and tell us we had all sorts of repairs to make to the property. Replace a water heater, install a new subfloor to one room, disconnect any electrical units not hardwired properly.
We called Cal Property and got Susan on the line, she arranged to have the issues addressed.
We chose the methods of repair on some issues, and they took care of others.
When, Cal Prop said it was complete. We went to the city, who sent an inspector only to find out that it wasn't complete. We called out to them, and they would get the guys on it. When they said it was complete again, before going to the City, I checked the property personally. I found that the checklist given to them and the tenant by the city, was not complete. I made some of the repairs myself. And spoke to the tenant about another area that would not have passed inspection, I offered to make this repair myself on the spot, and they rejected the offer so I made sure they understood what needed to be done and that the expectation was they do it before the day the inspector was to arrive.
We later get the bill for the water heater and exhaust, it's 1750.35
When I call them, they say it's normal cost of business. Anyone would have charged the same amount for that. After I gave them an example of how I recently had to change a water heater in another city, Susan said, cost aren't the same everywhere and that I didn't know Salinas Market.
So, I agreed that cost aren't the same everywhere. then explained I'm from San Francisco. I assured her the cost in the Bay are much higher than what a small town like Salinas could be. Just based on Rents being 4-6 times more than Salinas. I also told her, I lived in San Francisco for over 20 years, and I'm very familiar with the market there.
My feeling is that, their contractors are charging a surcharge, that then goes back to them. A Referral fee, if you will.
It would explain, the extra work this particular plumber gets, the reason the prices are so high and their practice, of minimizing the issues related to this work, and becoming defensive when trying to justify the extremely high costs.
I've been trying for over a week not to reach Carrie, The owner. Unsuccessfully. But, I will reach out to her, to get clarification on invoices that we have.
I will update this review after that conversation. read more