I signed Preferred Plumbing Solutions' Quote #4424 at approximately 5:00 p.m. for an urgent…read morewell-pump replacement and paid a deposit of $3,624.08. The following morning, approximately 10 minutes after the company opened, I cancelled the agreement in writing. At that point, no installation work had begun and no materials had been picked up, delivered, or installed at my property.
Preferred Plumbing's quote was $7,000 plus HST--approximately $7,910 before any additional miscellaneous-parts charges. Preferred recommended a 1 HP Goulds submersible well pump.
I ultimately hired Wilson's Water Wells, a well-pump contractor, to complete the replacement. Wilson's final itemized invoice was $3,085.45 before HST and $3,486.56 including HST. It included a 1 HP, 15 GPM Berkeley submersible pump at $2,274.65, a 1 HP control box at $170.45, a pressure switch, fittings, heat-shrink materials, and two technicians for two hours.
I recognize that the appropriate pump configuration and total price may depend on well depth, pumping requirements, wiring configuration, control equipment, warranty coverage, site access, and other installation conditions. I also recognize that businesses can have different overhead, scheduling, and pricing structures.
For a conservative comparison, I used Wilson's higher pump-and-control-box amount of $2,445.10 before HST as the assumed equipment allowance within Preferred's $7,000 quote. On that basis, Preferred's quote left approximately $4,554.90 before HST for the remaining scope, before any additional miscellaneous-parts charges. Wilson's itemized invoice, after removing its pump and control box, left $640.35 before HST for labour, the pressure switch, fittings, heat-shrink material, and other installation-related items.
On this calculation, Preferred's remaining non-pump quoted amount was at least 7.1 times Wilson's corresponding non-pump invoice amount. Preferred's $7,000 quote was also more than double Wilson's completed pre-tax invoice of $3,085.45. Based on the completed, itemized invoice I received from Wilson's Water Wells, I found Preferred's quote materially higher and not competitive.
My other concern is the deposit-refund process. Preferred advised that it would retain $850 plus HST from my deposit for assessment, scheduling, coordination, administration, supplier arrangements, and reserved resources. I did not agree to that proposed retention. As of the date of this review, Preferred has not refunded any portion of my deposit unless I agree that it may retain $850 plus HST and that any refund constitutes a full and final settlement. The full $3,624.08 deposit therefore remains in dispute.
I have filed a complaint with Ontario consumer protection and expect to use the available resolution process, including Small Claims Court if necessary. I did not have Preferred Plumbing perform the installation, so I cannot comment on its workmanship. This review is limited to my experience with its quotation, pricing, cancellation, and deposit-refund process.
