Hers and His Plumbing

[GlockSpock]

http://www.hersandhisplumbing.com/chattanoogan-ga/

When my Wife and I purchased our house, the seller included a year of "Home Buyer's Insurance" through First American Home Warranty. The other day I discovered a water leak coming from behind the shower. I looked into the details of this insurance and filed a service request. I prepaid the $75.00 service fee online via credit card.

Today between 2:00 and 5:00, Hers and His Plumbing is supposed to stop by. The warranty company was the one to pick the service provider (likely by low bid contract, I suspect). Now, first let me state that I have no upfront experience with this plumbing company yet, but their reviews online stink. I likely would have done the repair myself, but it is difficult to determine where the leak is coming from and I thought that for $75, if the problem was resolved it would be worth it. That is a very big if though.

I'm hoping for the best buy dreading the worst. Review after review online state the plumbing company attempts to up sell you to needless repairs/code upgrades. Luckily, I have some general knowledge of plumbing overall so if they try to pull something crooked I should be able to see that.

With that being said, for most services it is difficult to find honest and quality reviews online. Most reviews for any service related company are negative; People with good experiences may leave a review 1 out of 10 times while a single person with a bad experience may leave 10 reviews themselves! I'm really, really hoping to be satisfied. But I'm also prepared to just ask that the technician leave and then ask FAHW for a refund. If that doesn't work, perhaps contacting my credit card company will, who knows.

Any experiences with either Hers and His or First American Home Warranty, as well as just general advice?

[n0rlf]

Experience with First American Home Warranty or the most "Most worthless business ever" as they are widely known. They bite! Good luck getting them to do anything. Their contractors are bottom of the bucket companies that no one else will hire. We tried to get our AC fixed when it went out. $4400 later we had installed a new one and sent the guy they had dispatched to our house running. I was close to getting a gun from the bedroom. Guy was an upseller from hell. He was trying to sell my wife a $17,000 AC system when I got home. She is way too smart for that.

Then the pool heater went out. Unreapirable. They tried to tell us they could get the same model and replace it even though it was 15 years old. I told themthey had 2 days to locate one and get it on the way to my house. If not they could pay for the new one. We wound up settling for $4500 to replace it. I hired another company and got it done. 

These warranties make people feel good about purchasing a house but the companies rarely stand behind them and when they do it is all upselling and lousy work. 

Now I need lunch and a chill out period. Thanks for the walk down memory lane!

 

[GlockSpock]

13 minutes ago, n0rlf said:

Experience with First American Home Warranty or the most "Most worthless business ever" as they are widely known. They bite! Good luck getting them to do anything. Their contractors are bottom of the bucket companies that no one else will hire. We tried to get our AC fixed when it went out. $4400 later we had installed a new one and sent the guy they had dispatched to our house running. I was close to getting a gun from the bedroom. Guy was an upseller from hell. He was trying to sell my wife a $17,000 AC system when I got home. She is way too smart for that.

Then the pool heater went out. Unreapirable. They tried to tell us they could get the same model and replace it even though it was 15 years old. I told themthey had 2 days to locate one and get it on the way to my house. If not they could pay for the new one. We wound up settling for $4500 to replace it. I hired another company and got it done. 

These warranties make people feel good about purchasing a house but the companies rarely stand behind them and when they do it is all upselling and lousy work. 

Now I need lunch and a chill out period. Thanks for the walk down memory lane!

 

Well, that's what I suspected as a whole. A "warranty" sounds good but is only as good as what happens when something breaks. I figured I would give them a shot. I'm not expecting anything for free, but after the ~$500 "Warranty" purchased by the seller and then the $75 from me, it isn't wrong to expect something get fixed.

The more I've read, the more anxious I've become today. I give you the promise of an upcoming post later tonight to look forward to.

[TNMTBik3r]

I had them out to look at a water heater the other week, as part of the warranty the sellers included when we bought the house this spring.

The tech didn't do anything to fix the issue but pointed out some things not to code that another private plumber hadn't mentioned before. He gave me a quote to replace it all up to code with what the warranty covered.

The next day, more water leaking so I called Home Warranty America and got the run around, basically what I expected. We won't replace it until it can no longer be repaired at all, a leak is not damaging and the unit still functions, we don't cover code issues even though the warranty says we do....

Called the private plumber I had used before, final bill was only $300 more out of pocket than if I had used the warranty. Full replacement of the tank (on my schedule) with the expansion tank and other code stuff complete.

[Murgatroy]

Here is the other side of the coin, and it is not to defend the warranty/insurance company.

 

I am a plumber for the largest privately owned plumbing company in my region. With decades of respect and a quality reputation. We are honest and fair. Not everyone in my trade is. My company warranties all work and stands behind it and our employees. I am proud of my profession and my company. Not all of my peers. Especially the thieves in the Blue Trucks.

 

Due to our response time and expertise we hold a contract with a national home insurance company I will not name. You can get coverage for your water service line, internal plumbing, external plumbing, water heaters and HVAC. My company does not mess with electical or HVAC, we are plumbers. This insurance is offered through most major metropolitan utility companies for a monthly fee. With this insurance you pay nothing out of pocket for service. It doesn't cover plumbing fixtures. No faucets, no water closets, no valves. It covers pipe breaks and stoppages. It covers water heaters. These contracts are negotiable. There are a few other companies in town that also have a contract with the same company. We recently tried to renegotiate and we lost a sizable chunk of the contract as it wasn't evening out for us. The insurance company chose to go with a smaller less capable company and the customers are paying the price. I hear it daily when I am sent out to fix an issue the other company was incapable of resolving.

 

This insurance can be invaluable for homeowners who don't have the money for the service, or require extensive and expensive services. It is a massive pain the ass for the service company though. More often than not they are actually paid LESS on the job than they would for a private call. My company for instance is paid at a flat rate depending on the call type. Internal coverage pays a flat rate, snake a drain? $X. Repipe from the upstairs bathroom to the basement, through the walls to the main stack across 40'? $X. External coverage pays a flat rate, drag your 300lb machine down two flights of stairs to use a Sawzall to cut open a pipe to snake the main? $Y. Dig up half the yard to replace root infested pipes with new PVC and backfill? $Y. Snake from an outside cleanout and be on site for less than twenty minutes? $Y Those jobs mentions could vary in price for the private customer from $99 to $5000. With the insurance they often pay nothing. There are a few reinstatement fees or items the insurance won't cover. However, we go back the to same instance of a $99 job being paid the same flat rate (which is higher than $99) as the $5000 job being paid the same flat rate (which is a lot closer to $99.)

 

Now, that is not to say that we are indifferent. I treat all of my customers the same, regardless of who is paying the bill. Many times it is the insurance company directly that is difficult to deal with. You get sent to a house with little more information than "The toilet won't flush." And honestly, most customers don't know more than that. As a professional it can range anywhere from Little Susie used too much toilet papers to a pipe being collapsed. However, if I am able to get the customer flow, per the contract with the insurance company, I am done, time to leave and I now own a warranty on that call. When I am called back three days later because the toilet won't flush again, I am back out there, to attempt to get the customer flow. Even if I KNOW the line is collapsed, if I can get flow, it is time to load up and leave. If I am lucky, after the third time (and only having been paid once!) I might get authorization to run a camera to determine the root (pun!) of the problem and get authorization to repair the line. This procedure can take up to six months if the insurance company wants to be a pain.

 

A private customer? "Oh look, I pulled back a ton of roots, your home is X years old and has terra cotta pipes, I can run a camera for a discounted fee to determine the state of your line." Followed with "Your lines are fine, use a little foaming Root X in three days time and you shouldn't have to see me again for a few years," or "Wow, this isn't good as you can see here on the camera... here is a written estimate for the repair that is good for one year from the date." Which means that we can often have the entire situation resolved in a day or two at the tops. I have often amazed customers (insurance and private) when I pull a shovel off my truck, dig a three foot hole and repair a sewer in a matter of minutes, when they expected a week or two lead time.

 

I take pride in my job, I am good at it, and I make a lot of money doing it. I understand that not everyone in my profession has the same moral compass as I do. However, don't discount an entire trade on a few dishonest cats. And again, it is often the insurance warranty company, not the service company, that complaints are about.

[n0rlf]

Not complaining about a plumber here so please take no offense. My complaints were with the home warranty company. They are nothing more than a middle man. And a bad one. There is not a single one out there with a good reputation. My personal interaction and experience with plumbers is zero. Always did my own work thank goodness. Same for most work around my house. Electrical, water heater, pretty much everything except HVAC. That is one area I never learned. I can do the basics, filters, starters, motor, but beyond that nope time to call a professional. To be honest I am kind of surprised at the number of people that cannot handle simple repairs around the house and have to call someone for every little thing. I am happy to hear we do still have professional and ethical plumbers. I have heard horror stories from friends about experiences. Oh well, I am building my retirement house now. Hope to do it right and never need a home warranty again. 

[GlockSpock]

18 hours ago, jonathon1289 said:

I had them out to look at a water heater the other week, as part of the warranty the sellers included when we bought the house this spring.

The tech didn't do anything to fix the issue but pointed out some things not to code that another private plumber hadn't mentioned before. He gave me a quote to replace it all up to code with what the warranty covered.

The next day, more water leaking so I called Home Warranty America and got the run around, basically what I expected. We won't replace it until it can no longer be repaired at all, a leak is not damaging and the unit still functions, we don't cover code issues even though the warranty says we do....

Called the private plumber I had used before, final bill was only $300 more out of pocket than if I had used the warranty. Full replacement of the tank (on my schedule) with the expansion tank and other code stuff complete.

Overall I was satisfied enough. The issue ended up being relatively minor so I believe it was addressed correctly. I have 30 days to have them come back out for the same service call, so if I see dripping anytime over that period, calling them is the first thing I'm going to do. I wasn't sure how big the thing could have turned into so I wanted a "cap" it at a theoretical $75 even if that truly isn't how it works. The plumber was exactly on time and very professional/helpful. Satisfied enough with that.

10 hours ago, Murgatroy said:

Here is the other side of the coin, and it is not to defend the warranty/insurance company.

 

I am a plumber for the largest privately owned plumbing company in my region. With decades of respect and a quality reputation. We are honest and fair. Not everyone in my trade is. My company warranties all work and stands behind it and our employees. I am proud of my profession and my company. Not all of my peers. Especially the thieves in the Blue Trucks.

 

Due to our response time and expertise we hold a contract with a national home insurance company I will not name. You can get coverage for your water service line, internal plumbing, external plumbing, water heaters and HVAC. My company does not mess with electical or HVAC, we are plumbers. This insurance is offered through most major metropolitan utility companies for a monthly fee. With this insurance you pay nothing out of pocket for service. It doesn't cover plumbing fixtures. No faucets, no water closets, no valves. It covers pipe breaks and stoppages. It covers water heaters. These contracts are negotiable. There are a few other companies in town that also have a contract with the same company. We recently tried to renegotiate and we lost a sizable chunk of the contract as it wasn't evening out for us. The insurance company chose to go with a smaller less capable company and the customers are paying the price. I hear it daily when I am sent out to fix an issue the other company was incapable of resolving.

 

This insurance can be invaluable for homeowners who don't have the money for the service, or require extensive and expensive services. It is a massive pain the ass for the service company though. More often than not they are actually paid LESS on the job than they would for a private call. My company for instance is paid at a flat rate depending on the call type. Internal coverage pays a flat rate, snake a drain? $X. Repipe from the upstairs bathroom to the basement, through the walls to the main stack across 40'? $X. External coverage pays a flat rate, drag your 300lb machine down two flights of stairs to use a Sawzall to cut open a pipe to snake the main? $Y. Dig up half the yard to replace root infested pipes with new PVC and backfill? $Y. Snake from an outside cleanout and be on site for less than twenty minutes? $Y Those jobs mentions could vary in price for the private customer from $99 to $5000. With the insurance they often pay nothing. There are a few reinstatement fees or items the insurance won't cover. However, we go back the to same instance of a $99 job being paid the same flat rate (which is higher than $99) as the $5000 job being paid the same flat rate (which is a lot closer to $99.)

 

Now, that is not to say that we are indifferent. I treat all of my customers the same, regardless of who is paying the bill. Many times it is the insurance company directly that is difficult to deal with. You get sent to a house with little more information than "The toilet won't flush." And honestly, most customers don't know more than that. As a professional it can range anywhere from Little Susie used too much toilet papers to a pipe being collapsed. However, if I am able to get the customer flow, per the contract with the insurance company, I am done, time to leave and I now own a warranty on that call. When I am called back three days later because the toilet won't flush again, I am back out there, to attempt to get the customer flow. Even if I KNOW the line is collapsed, if I can get flow, it is time to load up and leave. If I am lucky, after the third time (and only having been paid once!) I might get authorization to run a camera to determine the root (pun!) of the problem and get authorization to repair the line. This procedure can take up to six months if the insurance company wants to be a pain.

 

A private customer? "Oh look, I pulled back a ton of roots, your home is X years old and has terra cotta pipes, I can run a camera for a discounted fee to determine the state of your line." Followed with "Your lines are fine, use a little foaming Root X in three days time and you shouldn't have to see me again for a few years," or "Wow, this isn't good as you can see here on the camera... here is a written estimate for the repair that is good for one year from the date." Which means that we can often have the entire situation resolved in a day or two at the tops. I have often amazed customers (insurance and private) when I pull a shovel off my truck, dig a three foot hole and repair a sewer in a matter of minutes, when they expected a week or two lead time.

 

I take pride in my job, I am good at it, and I make a lot of money doing it. I understand that not everyone in my profession has the same moral compass as I do. However, don't discount an entire trade on a few dishonest cats. And again, it is often the insurance warranty company, not the service company, that complaints are about.

I appreciate your input, there are many like you in the field but the people that are dirty, rotten, downright crooked take most of the attention in your field.

1 hour ago, n0rlf said:

Not complaining about a plumber here so please take no offense. My complaints were with the home warranty company. They are nothing more than a middle man. And a bad one. There is not a single one out there with a good reputation. My personal interaction and experience with plumbers is zero. Always did my own work thank goodness. Same for most work around my house. Electrical, water heater, pretty much everything except HVAC. That is one area I never learned. I can do the basics, filters, starters, motor, but beyond that nope time to call a professional. To be honest I am kind of surprised at the number of people that cannot handle simple repairs around the house and have to call someone for every little thing. I am happy to hear we do still have professional and ethical plumbers. I have heard horror stories from friends about experiences. Oh well, I am building my retirement house now. Hope to do it right and never need a home warranty again. 

Yeah, they definitely want to to make as large a profit as possible, so it doesn't take much imagining to determine how much they will fight any claim worth any notable amount of money.

[Wingshooter]

I was expecting something totally different in this thread.... his and her plumbing 

[Murgatroy]

14 hours ago, n0rlf said:

Not complaining about a plumber here so please take no offense. My complaints were with the home warranty company. They are nothing more than a middle man. And a bad one. There is not a single one out there with a good reputation. My personal interaction and experience with plumbers is zero. Always did my own work thank goodness. Same for most work around my house. Electrical, water heater, pretty much everything except HVAC. That is one area I never learned. I can do the basics, filters, starters, motor, but beyond that nope time to call a professional. To be honest I am kind of surprised at the number of people that cannot handle simple repairs around the house and have to call someone for every little thing. I am happy to hear we do still have professional and ethical plumbers. I have heard horror stories from friends about experiences. Oh well, I am building my retirement house now. Hope to do it right and never need a home warranty again. 

My response was in large part due to the complaints listed on the BBB site for the plumbing company in question, the majority of all negative complaints were directly toward the home warranty company, they were just being taken out on the plumbing contractor.

[n0rlf]

As is usually the case. It tends to insulate them a little but kind of hoses the sub contractor. 

[smithra89]

I've spent probably 9 hours of my life on hold with American home shield (all sitting in traffic on an hour long commute). They had to send 2 companies out for a plumbing issue and one for an A\C unit. They do not make anything easy for the customer. It's a complete racket. They sell their "warranty" product with no intention of actually providing any semblance of respectable customer service. When they do send a company to fix the problem, they will only authorize the bare minimum "repair" to whatever equipment is malfunctioning. "His and Hers" also responded to my plumbing issue, collected their $75 trade service call fee, then never showed back up to fix the problem. Every company they recommended for my area had the worst reviews online.

Having said that, if you have the time to wait on near endless holds to fight with them, it may be worth it. On my A\C unit, I chose a cash in lieu of repair and got 600 bucks. Used that cash towards a replacement instead of having them repair the 15 year old unit that parts were not available for.

They are a COMPLETE pain in the butt to deal with, but I have to say that the costs of repairs that were covered far exceeded the price I payed for the warranty.

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