Very Disappointed With the Lack of Transparency…read more
We have been using HL Bowman for our HVAC needs for the past two years. Unfortunately, nearly every service visit has resulted in hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars in repairs. Our most recent experience has left us questioning how this company does business, and we will not be using their services again.
In January, HL Bowman began contacting me about a complimentary plumbing evaluation included in the MVP membership we pay for. We were also told that any repairs or parts would qualify for a 15% discount. Since we had a bathroom leak that was coming through the kitchen ceiling, we agreed to the evaluation.
We were advised that a full shower replacement was recommended because access was limited and replacing everything would ensure there were no other issues hidden behind the shower walls. We were given a verbal quote of approximately $14,000. Both my husband and I were shocked by the price, but we needed the leak addressed promptly and believed the MVP discount would apply. The representative even shared that she had paid over $18,000 for her own tub before working for HL Bowman, which gave us the impression that the price we were quoted was reasonable.
We made a decision under pressure to resolve an urgent problem, trusting a company we had already used for two years. Unfortunately, we are extremely disappointed with the result.
The entire sales process happened verbally. We were given a price of approximately $14,000, agreed to move forward, and proceeded with the financing paperwork. The written quote listed only a single $14,000 installation charge, with no itemized breakdown of parts, labor, or other costs. We were not clearly informed verbally that our MVP discount would not apply to this charge.
We were also told we would have a functioning shower the same day. Instead, the shower is unusable until we can address the drywall and flooring left needing repair. As the installation was being completed, the installer mentioned that we would need to have drywall work done because the new tub did not fit the same way as the old one. This was the first time this consequence had been brought to our attention verbally, although we later discovered it was mentioned in small print on the quote.
For a project costing nearly $14,000, we expected these details to be clearly explained before we committed--not left for us to discover after the fact.
Another major concern is that we received no 15% MVP discount whatsoever. Because the quote listed the entire project as one installation charge rather than itemizing the parts and labor, we received no discount on the work. My husband contacted the office to ask why our membership discount had not been applied. After waiting more than three business days, we received a text stating that installations are not eligible for the discount, but we have received no further meaningful response or explanation.
We were led to believe that our membership would provide a discount on this work. That distinction apparently mattered a great deal when it came time to pay, but it was not clearly explained when we were making a nearly $14,000 purchasing decision.
To be fair, the plumbing work itself appears to have been done well. However, the overall result, the additional work we now need to arrange, the lack of transparency surrounding the membership discount, and the poor follow-up have left us deeply dissatisfied with what we received for the price.
The issue is not simply that the project was expensive. It is that we made a major financial decision based on the information provided to us verbally, only to discover important limitations and additional costs after the fact.
After two years as customers, this experience has completely eroded our trust in HL Bowman. We expected better from a company we had trusted to maintain our home. The lack of transparency surrounding the pricing and MVP discount, the unexpected additional work, and the lack of meaningful follow-up have made it clear that we will not be using their services again.
I would not recommend HL Bowman to anyone. Customers deserve honest communication, transparent pricing, and a clear understanding of what they are paying for before committing to a project of this magnitude.
