I am writing to formally lodge a complaint regarding the deeply unsatisfactory, unprofessional, and…read morepredatory service I received from your company. To date, I have spent a total of $987.34 ($496.23 on 10/7/2026 for the initial visit and $491.11 on 10/13/2026 for the second visit), only to be left with a leaking water heater, unfulfilled contractual promises, and evasive administrative staff.
1. Fee Manipulation and Unauthorized Charges
When I initially requested estimates, your office administration assured me that the diagnostic/dispatch fee would be fully reimbursed upon accepting the job. However, during the second visit, your technician tacked on an arbitrary $195 fee just to "estimate" work that your company had already failed to complete during the first visit. When I demanded this redundant fee be removed, the technician simply manipulated the invoice--swapping the $195 charge out for a $105 "second man" fee to cover a student/junior plumber who was learning on my time. I highly object to being forced to pay an unquoted premium for an apprentice's training.
2. Failure to Complete Work and Predatory Upselling
During the first visit, the technician was contracted to "replace all components and begin filling the water heater. Once the water heater is completely filled, we will then re-fire up the water heater and ensure that it is heating." This work was explicitly paid for but was not completed. The parts were not replaced, and the water heater failed to heat.
Instead of fulfilling the contract, the technician focused heavily on aggressive upselling. He repeatedly demanded that I replace the water heater's strapping. I explained that the City of Pacific Grove had previously mandated the placement of the existing straps and had already inspected and officially passed the installation. The technician ignored this factual regulatory clearance and continued pushing the upsell strictly to inflate the bill.
3. Secondary Damage and Continued Exploitation
Your company had to return for a second visit to perform the piping work on the face of the heater that should have been handled initially. After charging me an additional $491.11 for 1 hour and 15 minutes of work, the plumber informed me that while he installed inches of pipes, the unit is now actively leaking. In his estimate, he wrote, "We will be rebuilding approximately 2 feet of brass and copper piping." Rather than fixing the leak caused by his own workmanship, he issued yet another estimate for $535 to come back a third time. Taking advantage of a customer because they choose to repair an asset rather than buy a new one is predatory. If your company considers repairing older water heaters "beneath" its scope, you have a duty to disclose that upfront.
4. Evasive and Unprofessional Customer Service
I have made multiple attempts to escalate this directly to the business owner. Front office staff promised to forward my emails but failed to do so. The business manager called twice while I was unavailable; however, when I promptly returned her calls, I was repeatedly stonewalled with excuses that she was "out to lunch" or "in the bathroom." No one has made a good-faith effort to return my calls or resolve this catastrophic failure in service.
Demanded Resolution:
I expect a response to this letter within five (5) business days. I am demanding a significant refund for the uncompleted contractual work, the manipulated "second man" fees, and the secondary leak damage caused by your technician. If your company refuses to rectify this immediately by repairing the leak at no additional cost or providing a partial refund so I can hire a competent plumber, I will take immediate further action.
Please note that a formal complaint detailing this timeline, alongside all invoices and digital paper trails, is being submitted directly to the California Contractors State License Board (CSLB) for predatory billing and faulty workmanship. I will also be sharing my documented experience publicly via consumer protection platforms.
I expect to hear from the owner or upper management immediately to resolve this.