Promised I’d follow up with info about “free” estimates, so this is my take on “free” after over 45 years in this industry.  Originally, even as late as the 1960’s, the plumbing union held sway.  They trained and dispatched plumbers to all shops, so there was a pretty even base of talented plumbers no matter whose business you called for service.  With such a dynamic in place, you actually could price shop with every confidence in having a well-trained individual come to your home … and one you could trust because the union saw to that.

Then, speakin’ only for California, when the union lost the residential side of plumbing because of the “right to work” laws and the ease of getting a sub-contracting license, almost anyone could call themselves a “plumber” and set up shop.  And it gets worse.  In our state, there is no test, no license, and no regulation at all for “plumbing” employees.  Hey, a biz can hire a person who worked at a hardware store for a week and LEGALLY send them to your home when you call for a plumber. 

Okay, okay I’m gettin’ to the “free” estimates part.  With all the slack laws in place to allow such a problem to exist, what I consider un-ethical employers could now pay their people as cheaply as possible, refuse to invest in training, offer no medical insurance whatsoever, so could afford to come to your home and give you “free” estimates.  These folks can’t pay for background checks, drug testing, training, and don’t even look too hard at the history of any dude or dudette who say they can turn a wrench.  And just for your info, teaching the “trades” is the number one educational “benefit” taught in prisons — San Quentin included. 

So there’s your “free”.  There’s the profile of many companies that come to your home for “free”, and there’s the profile of the individual you are allowing into your home to give you that “free” estimate.  If this is the company you want in your home — well, good luck, because you might need it.

What’s the alternative?  O’Connell Plumbing, Inc. – Diamond certified; Green Screened; PHCC trained; Green Plumber’s, USA accredited.  Want more? Just phone and ask.

Ed O

Tags: Green Plumbing, marin green plumbing, Marin Plumber, marin plumbing

This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 8th, 2009 at 5:26 pm and is filed under Fair Business Practices, Green Plumbing, Marin County Plumbing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.