Should I pay for time spent getting a tool? - Page 2

>the_tool_man wrote:

>> Hi all:
>>
>> I'm a homeowner with a quesiton about a recent service visit. If this
>> is the wrong forum, I apologize in advance.
>>
>> I recently installed a 1-ton Sanyo mini-split unit in a new bonus room
>> addition. I called a local HVAC service company to hook up the
>> lineset, vacuum the lines and check the refrigerant (R-410A). I have
>> done business with this company for over 10 years and have generally
>> been pleased with their work. When I called, I described exactly what
>> needed to be done, and gave them the manufacturer information for the
>> unit. When the technician arrived, he admitted he had never installed
>> a mini-split before, but also said they were going to start selling
>> them. Prior to vacuuming, the technician determined that he did not
>> have the correct adapter to hook his vacuum pump to the unit. He left
>> to go buy the correct fitting. He was gone for about an hour (may
>> have been less if he waited to ring the doorbell when he returned).
>> When all was said and done, the visit took a total of 3 hours,
>> including the time he was gone to get the fitting. When he wrote 3
>> hours on the ticket, I indicated that I shouldn't pay for the hour he
>> was gone. He verbally agreed that I shouldn't have to, but said he
>> had to account for his time. I wrote a note on the ticket to that
>> effect (that he was gone for 1 hour out of 3), and initialled it. The
>> technician initialled it, too.
>>
>> Got the bill yesterday. Sure enough - 3 hours labor at $65/hour. I
>> called the service company and eventually got to the service manager,
>> who said the following:
>>
>> 1: GPS records indicate he was gone for 24 minutes. Okay - I can't
>> prove otherwise.
>>
>> 2: The adapter he bought probably won't ever be needed again, since
>> they don't install Sanyo units. I argued about this one, but he said
>> anything they sell wouldn't need an adapter and that mine must be
>> different somehow. I told him to send me the adapter so that I would
>> have it for the next visit.
>>
>> 3: They didn't charge me for the use of the vacuum pump like other
>> places do. Huh?
>>
>> 4: If I had called and asked for an install quote, the price would
>> have been much higher than $195.
>>
>> So basically, he refused to reduce the labor charge. He implied that
>> because I did the mounting and electrical work myself, that I should
>> expect to pay for their technician's time to track down an adapter. I
>> think he was pissed because he didn't get to do the entire install
>> (for which they and other places wanted $3000 - $3500 to do). I don't
>> understand this attitude because he got all of the job that was
>> available, and I could have taken my business anywhere.
>>
>> Am I being overly picky about this? It just doesn't seem right to pay
>> for the guy's labor for getting an adapter when he came unprepared to
>> do the job. How would you have handled this situation as an
>> installer? Ultimately, assuming the guy was truthful about the GPS
>> records, we're only off by $32.50, so I don't plan to fight it any
>> more. I'm just wondering if I should shop around for another service
>> outfit next time.
>>
>> Regards,
>> John.

>        His name wasn't Bubba, was it?? Then again it could have been one many
>"Pros" who post on this newsgroup. I use the term "Pros" loosely.
>        

>

>> the_tool_man wrote:

>>> Hi all:
>>> I'm a homeowner with a quesiton about a recent service visit. If this
>>> is the wrong forum, I apologize in advance.
>>> I recently installed a 1-ton Sanyo mini-split unit in a new bonus room
>>> addition. I called a local HVAC service company to hook up the
>>> lineset, vacuum the lines and check the refrigerant (R-410A). I have
>>> done business with this company for over 10 years and have generally
>>> been pleased with their work. When I called, I described exactly what
>>> needed to be done, and gave them the manufacturer information for the
>>> unit. When the technician arrived, he admitted he had never installed
>>> a mini-split before, but also said they were going to start selling
>>> them. Prior to vacuuming, the technician determined that he did not
>>> have the correct adapter to hook his vacuum pump to the unit. He left
>>> to go buy the correct fitting. He was gone for about an hour (may
>>> have been less if he waited to ring the doorbell when he returned).
>>> When all was said and done, the visit took a total of 3 hours,
>>> including the time he was gone to get the fitting. When he wrote 3
>>> hours on the ticket, I indicated that I shouldn't pay for the hour he
>>> was gone. He verbally agreed that I shouldn't have to, but said he
>>> had to account for his time. I wrote a note on the ticket to that
>>> effect (that he was gone for 1 hour out of 3), and initialled it. The
>>> technician initialled it, too.
>>> Got the bill yesterday. Sure enough - 3 hours labor at $65/hour. I
>>> called the service company and eventually got to the service manager,
>>> who said the following:
>>> 1: GPS records indicate he was gone for 24 minutes. Okay - I can't
>>> prove otherwise.
>>> 2: The adapter he bought probably won't ever be needed again, since
>>> they don't install Sanyo units. I argued about this one, but he said
>>> anything they sell wouldn't need an adapter and that mine must be
>>> different somehow. I told him to send me the adapter so that I would
>>> have it for the next visit.
>>> 3: They didn't charge me for the use of the vacuum pump like other
>>> places do. Huh?
>>> 4: If I had called and asked for an install quote, the price would
>>> have been much higher than $195.
>>> So basically, he refused to reduce the labor charge. He implied that
>>> because I did the mounting and electrical work myself, that I should
>>> expect to pay for their technician's time to track down an adapter. I
>>> think he was pissed because he didn't get to do the entire install
>>> (for which they and other places wanted $3000 - $3500 to do). I don't
>>> understand this attitude because he got all of the job that was
>>> available, and I could have taken my business anywhere.
>>> Am I being overly picky about this? It just doesn't seem right to pay
>>> for the guy's labor for getting an adapter when he came unprepared to
>>> do the job. How would you have handled this situation as an
>>> installer? Ultimately, assuming the guy was truthful about the GPS
>>> records, we're only off by $32.50, so I don't plan to fight it any
>>> more. I'm just wondering if I should shop around for another service
>>> outfit next time.
>>> Regards,
>>> John.

>>         His name wasn't Bubba, was it?? Then again it could have been one many
>> "Pros" who post on this newsgroup. I use the term "Pros" loosely.
>>         

> Sounds like ol Kenny is one of those stupid home moaners that got bent
> over his furnace one Sat night for $100 because he was too stupid to
> change his own dirty filter. Sounds like you is just one dumb putz,
> Kenny.
> Bubba

> the_tool_man wrote:

>> Hi all:
>> I'm a homeowner with a quesiton about a recent service visit. If this
>> is the wrong forum, I apologize in advance.
>> I recently installed a 1-ton Sanyo mini-split unit in a new bonus room
>> addition. I called a local HVAC service company to hook up the
>> lineset, vacuum the lines and check the refrigerant (R-410A). I have
>> done business with this company for over 10 years and have generally
>> been pleased with their work. When I called, I described exactly what
>> needed to be done, and gave them the manufacturer information for the
>> unit. When the technician arrived, he admitted he had never installed
>> a mini-split before, but also said they were going to start selling
>> them. Prior to vacuuming, the technician determined that he did not
>> have the correct adapter to hook his vacuum pump to the unit. He left
>> to go buy the correct fitting. He was gone for about an hour (may
>> have been less if he waited to ring the doorbell when he returned).
>> When all was said and done, the visit took a total of 3 hours,
>> including the time he was gone to get the fitting. When he wrote 3
>> hours on the ticket, I indicated that I shouldn't pay for the hour he
>> was gone. He verbally agreed that I shouldn't have to, but said he
>> had to account for his time. I wrote a note on the ticket to that
>> effect (that he was gone for 1 hour out of 3), and initialled it. The
>> technician initialled it, too.
>> Got the bill yesterday. Sure enough - 3 hours labor at $65/hour. I
>> called the service company and eventually got to the service manager,
>> who said the following:
>> 1: GPS records indicate he was gone for 24 minutes. Okay - I can't
>> prove otherwise.
>> 2: The adapter he bought probably won't ever be needed again, since
>> they don't install Sanyo units. I argued about this one, but he said
>> anything they sell wouldn't need an adapter and that mine must be
>> different somehow. I told him to send me the adapter so that I would
>> have it for the next visit.
>> 3: They didn't charge me for the use of the vacuum pump like other
>> places do. Huh?
>> 4: If I had called and asked for an install quote, the price would
>> have been much higher than $195.
>> So basically, he refused to reduce the labor charge. He implied that
>> because I did the mounting and electrical work myself, that I should
>> expect to pay for their technician's time to track down an adapter. I
>> think he was pissed because he didn't get to do the entire install
>> (for which they and other places wanted $3000 - $3500 to do). I don't
>> understand this attitude because he got all of the job that was
>> available, and I could have taken my business anywhere.
>> Am I being overly picky about this? It just doesn't seem right to pay
>> for the guy's labor for getting an adapter when he came unprepared to
>> do the job. How would you have handled this situation as an
>> installer? Ultimately, assuming the guy was truthful about the GPS
>> records, we're only off by $32.50, so I don't plan to fight it any
>> more. I'm just wondering if I should shop around for another service
>> outfit next time.
>> Regards,
>> John.

>
> His name wasn't Bubba, was it?? Then again it could have been one
> many "Pros" who post on this newsgroup. I use the term "Pros" loosely.

>
>
>

> Hi all:
> I'm a homeowner with a quesiton about a recent service visit. =A0If this
> is the wrong forum, I apologize in advance.

<plonk>

> Hi all:
>
> I'm a homeowner with a quesiton about a recent service visit. If this
> is the wrong forum, I apologize in advance.
>
> I recently installed a 1-ton Sanyo mini-split unit in a new bonus room
> addition. I called a local HVAC service company to hook up the
> lineset, vacuum the lines and check the refrigerant (R-410A). I have
> done business with this company for over 10 years and have generally
> been pleased with their work. When I called, I described exactly what
> needed to be done, and gave them the manufacturer information for the
> unit. When the technician arrived, he admitted he had never installed
> a mini-split before, but also said they were going to start selling
> them. Prior to vacuuming, the technician determined that he did not
> have the correct adapter to hook his vacuum pump to the unit. He left
> to go buy the correct fitting. He was gone for about an hour (may
> have been less if he waited to ring the doorbell when he returned).
> When all was said and done, the visit took a total of 3 hours,
> including the time he was gone to get the fitting. When he wrote 3
> hours on the ticket, I indicated that I shouldn't pay for the hour he
> was gone. He verbally agreed that I shouldn't have to, but said he
> had to account for his time. I wrote a note on the ticket to that
> effect (that he was gone for 1 hour out of 3), and initialled it. The
> technician initialled it, too.
>
> Got the bill yesterday. Sure enough - 3 hours labor at $65/hour. I
> called the service company and eventually got to the service manager,
> who said the following:
>
> 1: GPS records indicate he was gone for 24 minutes. Okay - I can't
> prove otherwise.
>
> 2: The adapter he bought probably won't ever be needed again, since
> they don't install Sanyo units. I argued about this one, but he said
> anything they sell wouldn't need an adapter and that mine must be
> different somehow. I told him to send me the adapter so that I would
> have it for the next visit.
>
> 3: They didn't charge me for the use of the vacuum pump like other
> places do. Huh?
>
> 4: If I had called and asked for an install quote, the price would
> have been much higher than $195.
>
> So basically, he refused to reduce the labor charge. He implied that
> because I did the mounting and electrical work myself, that I should
> expect to pay for their technician's time to track down an adapter. I
> think he was pissed because he didn't get to do the entire install
> (for which they and other places wanted $3000 - $3500 to do). I don't
> understand this attitude because he got all of the job that was
> available, and I could have taken my business anywhere.
>
> Am I being overly picky about this? It just doesn't seem right to pay
> for the guy's labor for getting an adapter when he came unprepared to
> do the job. How would you have handled this situation as an
> installer? Ultimately, assuming the guy was truthful about the GPS
> records, we're only off by $32.50, so I don't plan to fight it any
> more. I'm just wondering if I should shop around for another service
> outfit next time.
>
> Regards,
> John.