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Here at In-House Plumbing we promise “A” work for a “C” price. As nice as it would be to offer the lowest price in town, it’s just not realistic — especially when the lowest prices are usually a deceptive tactic used by many in the underslab plumbing industry.

Today I want to go over a couple of the most common ways you could get ripped off. I’m also going to tell you what you can ask to know if you’re dealing with a reputable and knowledgeable plumber.

Foot In the Door

Why Some Companies Charge So Little for Tests

Almost every job in the underslab plumbing industry starts with some kind of test whether it be to determine if you have a leak or to locate leaks.

We have a flat rate for all of our tests. Some of our competitors, however, quote an hourly rate and estimate their tests take about an hour. Typically many of the plumbers doing this will only run a sewer camera to find leaks.

And if you’ve read some of our blogs, you know that it’s impossible to find leaks using a sewer camera.

So one of two things is happening here.

One, by running a camera to “find” leaks, that plumber can’t give you an accurate test result.

Or two, if that plumber is low on appointments that week or month or just feels like making more money that day, suddenly after that one hour they tell you the test is taking longer than expected and they need more time. And now that one hour turns into two or three or four and the $100 or $200 dollars you were prepared to spend is a lot more.

A Shady Business Model

It is our policy to do everything we can to find every leak when we perform a leak location test. I will admit, though, sometimes that’s not possible. Until we get under the slab, it’s hard to know every time how many leaks there are. But our goal is to find every single leak to the best of our abilities.

However, there are some plumbing companies out there whose entire business model is to find ONE leak. They tell you you only have one leak and set up a time to come back for the repair knowing full well there might be more.

Why? Because once they are there and they’ve dug a tunnel under your home or punched a hole through the slab, you’re trapped. So when they tell you “Oh we found all these other leaks,” they’ve got you exactly where they want you.

What are your options? Tell them no and watch them drive away while you’re stuck with a big hole in your floor or a long tunnel under your home’s foundation? No, you’re going to pay them whatever they ask to repair the leaks.

I’ve even known companies to locate a leak, tunnel to where they said it was to find there is no leak there. Then they either backfill the tunnel and charge you for a leak that wasn’t there leaving you with a leak still somewhere. Or they tell you they repaired the leak, go find the real leak, and charge you for both repairs.

No Repair Estimate

While nobody, including us, can give an exact price with certainty for repairs, they should be able to give you a ballpark figure per leak area in a normal situation.

We do our best to let our customers know about how much they should expect to pay for repairs. But some of our competitors give absolutely no repair estimate. The idea here is to give the customer an extremely low price on the testing because once the repairs are made, the price is much higher than other companies.

So instead of considering the price of just the testing, you should look at the price for the entire process from the initial testing, the leak location testing, and the repairs. But this doesn’t mean you should use one company for testing and another for repairs.

I actually go into detail about why this is a bad idea in this post. Essentially it can turn into a he said/she said situation and in the end nobody wins, including you — in fact, most likely, especially you.

We believe whoever does the excavation is responsible for the leak being there. So if we tunnel to a leak and it’s not there, we won’t charge the customer for any unnecessary work. And we won’t make that guarantee if we weren’t the ones to say where the leak is.

But you should be wary of a company that agrees to repair a leak they didn’t locate. Oftentimes what ends up happening is they will dig to the leak, find nothing but tell you they did and charge you for a repair. Or tell you there was no leak but charge you for the work anyway. They didn’t locate the leak so they don’t feel responsible for it not being there.

Not to mention it would be stupid to use another company’s test results — a company they know nothing about. They have no idea about the experience (or lack of) for the plumbers, the business owner’s motives, the business model, etc. That is placing a lot of trust in a company they don’t work for and a job they had no involvement in.

What You Should Ask

So here’s what you can ask to help lessen the possibility of getting ripped off.

When you call around and talk to different plumbing companies always ask how they plan to locate leaks — what type of test they perform for both the initial test and the leak location test.

If they tell you they are going to use a sewer camera, do not go with that company. As I’ve explained before, a leak is water escaping out of a pipe. So a sewer camera inside the pipe won’t be able to see that. Just because something looks like a leak inside a pipe that’s been accumulating years of waste and other refuse doesn’t mean it is.

If they can’t answer the question at all, that’s just really bad. Hang up and don’t look back.

However, if they tell you for the initial test they perform a hydrostatic test and for the leak location a hydrostatic leak isolation test using test balls, we might have a winner. Remember, a hydrostatic leak isolation test aka using test balls to narrow down/isolate the leak location or locations is the only way to find leaks in an underslab sewer system.

So then if you’re comparison shopping our testing prices with another company’s hydrostatic tests, you are comparing apples to apples and not apples to oranges.

However, don’t forget about the repair estimates as well. If they can’t give you a ballpark estimate per leak location like we can, you may not be getting as good a deal as you thought once they come to you with the final price.

Why Free Isn’t Free

Let’s say you call three different companies.

Company A tells you it’s $100 for the initial test, $300 for the leak location test, and $1,600 for a single leak repair.

Company B charges $200 for the initial test, $600 for the leak location test, and $1,200 for a single leak repair.

And company C quotes $0 for the initial test, $400 for the leak location test, and $1,600 for a single leak repair.

At the end of the day, your total cost is $2,000 no matter which company you go with.

So you may think you’re getting a deal with that zero cost testing. But really nobody is getting a deal. You think you’re getting a deal with “free” testing but really nobody is giving you something for free. What you need to understand is that when someone in this industry says their tests are free, someone still ends up paying for it.

If you’re lucky and are dealing with one of the more honest companies, the testing is still not “free” because that cost gets passed on to other customers. When you consider we find zero leaks in 60 out of 100 tests, where do you think they make up for these “free” tests? It’s added onto the other services.

And if you’re not lucky and are dealing with one of the more dishonest companies in this field, you’re more than likely going to be paying for repairs on a nonexistent leak.

Nothing is free. It’s sleight of hand, it’s marketing, to get you to do what they want you to do. Everything that is “free” costs somebody something.

Give Us a Call

It’s an unfortunate truth that there are a lot of companies in this industry who are knowingly and unknowingly ripping people off. It’s one of the reasons why my wife and I started In-House Plumbing Company.

We do NOT play games. There’s no sleight of hand or sleazy marketing being done here.

Honesty and integrity are of the utmost importance to us. So we work everyday to make sure you get all the information you need to make an informed decision.

As always if you have any questions or concerns, give us a call at 972-494-1750. You can also email [email protected] and we’ll get back as soon as possible.

 

The Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex has a population of more than 7 million. And because we serve a large portion of the metroplex, it only stands to reason we receive many, many calls and emails everyday. And many of those turn into customers.

After almost 18 years in business and countless customers, not to mention the experience we had coming from other companies, we’ve got our scheduling and processes almost down to a science.

However, it’s understandable why something that is so second nature to us might not seem to make as much sense to someone calling just wanting to know if something is wrong with their underslab plumbing and, if so, to get it fixed right away.

Because I believe in being as transparent and open and honest as possible, I want to take a little time today and explain why we schedule tests and repairs the way we do.

How It Begins

So let’s say someone calls and says they think they might have a leak. We talk with the homeowner to get a better understanding of the situation so we can then determine what test we need to schedule.

It’s usually around the point when we’re setting up a time to come out and test the system that the homeowner asks if a repair does need to be done, can we do it the same day we do the test.

The answer to that question is no. And this is where the confusion comes in. It might seem at first glance a logical thing — find the problem, fix the problem all in one visit.

However, that’s not the best way for us to do business. It’s inefficient for us and is a disservice to our customers as well.

The Initial Testing

We know, for the most part, an initial test is going to take 45 minutes to an hour and a half.

Also on average, out of 100 tests about one is a fresh water leak — usually above ground like a leaky faucet — about 40 are sewer leaks and the rest are not plumbing issues and won’t need any repairs. (There are always exceptions but generally this is how it usually goes.)

Because we know how long the tests take, we know how many tests we can schedule in a day. What we don’t know at this point is what, if any, repairs are needed and how long it will take to make those repairs.

So say we came out, performed a test, found a leak, and determined it’s a three day job. We would have to cancel all of our other appointments for the next three days leaving those customers hanging out to dry.

But let’s flip that scenario. Instead, we go ahead and schedule three days for the initial testing and any potential repairs. We have to make sure the schedule is clear for those three days, meaning no other customers can get any testing or repairs done.

Then we come out to find there is nothing wrong and no repairs are needed (which, remember, is the case about 60 out of a 100 times). We now have three days with nothing on the schedule.

So we are left with either zero work for the next three days, or our office staff then goes into a mad scramble to schedule appointments with all the people who we had to turn away because of this three-day appointment.

As you can see this is not good for us or our customers.

The Leak Location Test and Repairs

OK! So then what about when we know there is a leak, fresh water or sewer. Why can’t we do the repairs the same day as the leak location test?

It’s pretty much the same reason as why we can’t schedule repairs for the same time as the initial testing. We know how long the leak location tests take but that’s about all we know at this point.

You have at least one leak. We know this because of the initial testing. But is it just one or is it 10? And even if it is just one, where is it? Is it in the middle of the house where we would have to tunnel or punch a hole in the foundation? Or is it near the perimeter of the house?

Added to that. Because we don’t know what kind or how many repairs will be needed, we don’t know what we need to bring in terms of materials and tools. It isn’t realistic for us to take everything we might need for every possible repair scenario.

Also the number of people needed for each part of the process is different. The initial testing is done by one person. A leak location test is a two person job. Repairs are at least two people, possibly more. So we would have to send at least two people every time which would be too many for the initial test and not enough for a repair job.

A $25,000 Decision?

But let’s take our scheduling, manpower, and what materials we’d need out of the equation for a second and talk about you, the homeowner, needing to make a split second decision about a repair.

Depending on how many leaks, where the leaks are located and the work we have to do to get to the leak or leaks, it could cost anywhere from $3,000 to $25,000. In fact, just recently, we had an $80,000 job.

Who wants to make a $10,000, $25,000, $80,000 decision on the spot? We certainly don’t want to put our customers in that position.

Efficiency and Lower Prices

We focus a lot on doing what’s best for our customers. And we’ve found that the way we schedule tests and repairs is what works out best for everyone.

Some potential customers worry that by not doing everything the same day, it will end up costing them more. But the opposite is true.

It’s more efficient for us, and it keeps our costs lower which in turn keeps our prices lower. And because we’re able to do the maximum number of jobs, we can then help as many people as possible.

I hope this clears things up a bit. But if you still have any questions about this, we’re always happy to answer them. Give us a call at 972-494-1750 or email at [email protected].

 

Deciding to buy a house is a big decision and one you probably didn’t come to lightly. You’re making a significant commitment both with your finances and your time.

So it only makes sense you want to make sure you are getting the best house for you buck.

This is why buyers are often strongly encouraged and motivated to have a thorough inspection performed before completing the sale. Because if you don’t and a problem is found before the sale goes through, it is the seller’s problem. But if it is found after the sale, it is your problem.

And the last thing you want after making a down payment and signing a 30 year mortgage is an unexpected and costly repair on your hands.

This is why I find the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) Addendum for Authorizing Hydrostatic Testing particularly frustrating.

What Is the Addendum for Authorizing Hydrostatic Testing?

The Addendum for Authorizing Hydrostatic Testing is a form stating the buyer is responsible for paying for the test, and makes either the buyer or the seller responsible for any damage that might be caused by the test (most often the buyer).

So if you want to make sure the underslab sewer pipes in the house you are about to buy is free from leaks or other damage, this addendum might make you think twice before getting a hydrostatic test. I should also mention here: this test is the only way to find out if there are any leaks or damage in underslab sewer pipes.

Why This Addendum Doesn’t Make Sense

If you know nothing about underslab plumbing and the testing the industry uses to find problems, this addendum might scare you away from having the sewer system tested. It implies that the testing itself might cause damage.

However, hydrostatic testing has been used by the underslab plumbing industry since the 1970s. So how, if the tests themselves cause damage, are they still being used to test anyone’s sewer pipes?
The short answer. Because these tests do not cause damage.

Not to mention, all cities require this test on all new homes. If the test causes damage, there’s no way the city would require them.

So if any damage or leaks are found by the test, it is because the damage was already there to begin with.

So What’s Up With This Addendum?

I believe this misconception exists because of — at best — confusion about the actual test itself and — at worst — being a scare tactic used to prevent a buyer from knowing about potentially expensive sewer pipe leak repairs and/or replacements. And as this could essentially kill the sale leaving all agents unpaid, it is an added incentive for both the seller and the buyer agents to encourage the seller to not allow the test.

The potential confusion could be related to what can be referred to as “pressurized hydrostatic tests” which are performed by other industries, for instance, utility companies and gas lines. But with a hydrostatic plumbing test nothing is pressurized.

Instead we create a “blockage” with a rubber test ball and fill the sewer lines with water, what the pipes are built to withstand. (You can read about the entire process in this blog post.) If the pipes were to incur any damage or burst because they were filled with water — again, what they are designed and built to hold — the pipes were already bad.

To illustrate this point, I like to compare this to a glass of water. If you pour water to the top of a glass, imagining the bottom of the glass as our “blockage,” and the integrity of the glass is intact, nothing will happen. But if that glass were to leak or burst, there was something wrong with the glass in the first place.

The act of pouring water and the standing water itself doesn’t damage the glass. The glass had to have had something wrong with it for it to leak or break. This also holds true for a hydrostatic plumbing test and sewer pipes.

Sewer Camera Inspections Do NOT Find Leaks

Additionally, I think it is important to repeat here that a hydrostatic plumbing test is the only way to determine if there is a leak or damage in the underslab sewer pipes. I know some agents and plumbers believe a sewer camera can find leaks but that is not possible.

A sewer camera can be used to locate lines, find blockage or stoppage problems, and to determine what type of pipe is under the house, PVC or cast iron. Because a leak is water escaping out of a crack or a hole, there is no way a camera inside the pipe can see if water is leaking outside of the pipe.

It’s also worth noting, a camera cannot reach all sections of the system leaving some portions of it unseen. And how can someone use a camera to find leaks if they can’t see the whole system in the first place?

The Addendum for Authorizing Hydrostatic Testing Should Not Be Required

Based on my 22 years of experience, my primary master plumber’s 50 years of experience, and the combined 152 years of experience of In-House Plumbing Company personnel, we know the only way to determine if there is a leak is with the hydrostatic plumbing test. And we know the test itself does not cause any damage.

And scaring people away from having one performed with this addendum is potentially leaving a new homeowner, you, with thousands of dollars of unexpected repairs from the sewer line to the foundation. The purpose of the option period is to give you the chance to check for any possible problems with the home. And this addendum contradicts the purpose of the option period. It’s like telling you to buy the house no questions asked and to just assume that everything is fine.

I recently sent the TREC a letter stating all of the information above in an effort to do away with this addendum. And I’ll be sure to keep you updated if and when I have any new information regarding the addendum.

One quick note for anyone buying a home built before 1986. If this is the case, call us before getting any tests done; the house might have cast iron plumbing. In this situation, you need to have the pipes replaced, not repaired.

So instead of a test, we can give you a free estimate to replace the pipe so you know what you’re getting into. And when you do call, make sure you speak with me, the owner, or our general manager.

If you have any questions, feel free to give us a call at 972-494-1750. You can also email us at [email protected].

Tell me if you’ve ever heard this one: Terms and conditions may apply.

If you’ve ever purchased something and it came with a warranty, there are almost always “terms and conditions,” the fine print that many never bother to read.

The same holds true in the plumbing industry. However, here at In-House we like to be very upfront and clear about our warranty.

What Is a Warranty?

So let’s quickly go over what a warranty is.

Very simply, a warranty is a promise given by a manufacturer or service provider to the customer promising to repair and/or replace what was purchased within a certain amount of time under certain conditions.

Essentially, a warranty protects both the buyer and the manufacturer/service provider. The buyer won’t get ripped off by shoddy work and materials, and the latter is protected from liability for the rest of time.
Simple enough, right? Well it is until you add in those pesky “terms and conditions.”

For example, say a hypothetical warranty covers repairs and replacement parts for the lifetime of an appliance like a fridge or a stove. Pretty straightforward, right? Yes, if the purchaser understands that the lifetime of this particular appliance may only be 10 years.

25 Year Underslab Plumbing Warranty?

Now there are some plumbing companies in the Dallas area telling customers they provide a 25 year warranty. And there are even some claiming lifetime warranties.

But here’s the thing about these “long-term” warranties. The likelihood of any company covering any repairs when you call them five, 10, 20 years down the road is pretty much zero to none. They will come out and then say something along the lines of the damage being out of their control or did not occur because of anything they did and the repair will not be covered.

Now that’s not to say that isn’t true. In our experience, if there is something wrong with the materials or the work, it is noticeable pretty early on. So while it may be true that any repairs needed 20 years down the road is not because of anything the plumber did, you are still being misled when you are told there is a 25 year—or lifetime—warranty.

In-House Plumbing Company Warranty

Because honesty and integrity are overriding tenets in how we do business, it is important to us here at In-House to always be upfront with everyone we talk to and work with.

We currently have a one year, no questions asked warranty. Sure we could also use a long-term warranty to help “sell” ourselves and our work but knowing what we know, that is all but an empty promise.

First, the clay soil in the North Texas area expands when it gets wet and contracts as it dries. Because of this frequent expansion and contraction, it’s very possible for a home’s foundation to shift.

Second, as I mentioned before, if there is a problem with the parts or if we did something wrong, in the overwhelming number of situations, the customer will know within a year.

If a problem doesn’t occur within the first year, it’s most likely not something we did. And most, if not all, plumbing companies in the Dallas area are aware of this as well. So they can “sell” you on a 25 year warranty knowing it’s unlikely they will ever have to cover any repairs.

But with our warranty—even if it isn’t our fault—if it happens within the first year, we cover it.
Now that’s not to say if something happens after that first year and it turns out it is our fault, that we won’t cover it. We will.

We don’t need a warranty, written or not, to stand behind our work. Unlike other companies in the area, we do what we say.

Watch Out For Empty Promises

So if a plumbing company uses a long-term warranty as a selling point for using their services, it’s important for you to know what is and isn’t covered. Make sure you understand what the “terms and conditions” are.

Remember, it’s extremely easy to say something but it’s another thing to back it up.

If you have any question about anything here or about something another company told you, do not hesitate to give us a call at 972-203-6479. Or you can also email us at [email protected].

In the last blog post, I talked about a disturbing trend in the industry where homeowners are being lied to about how much tunneling is needed for a repair.

This week I want to discuss a related and also concerning trend.

As I mentioned before, many underslab plumbers in the area are one to two man outfits who hire an outside crew—an excavation company—to dig the tunnel under the house. The outside excavation crew is subcontracted by the plumbing company to dig the tunnel and the plumber goes in and makes the repair.
In this case, the homeowner deals directly and only with the plumbing company. And the plumbing company is responsible for the work done by subcontracted excavation crew.

The plumbing company is the retailer whereas the excavation crew is a wholesaler.

The Trend

But lately I’ve been seeing one of two things happening.

Excavation crews, in an effort to build their own business and to make more money, are going directly to homeowners and selling them tunneling at the retail price. Then they either offer to do the repair themselves—typically without a plumbing license which is not legal in the state of Texas (and if there are any problems with the repair, you have no recourse).

Or they tell the homeowner to hire a plumber to come in and make the repair after they dig the tunnel.
And similarly, homeowners are themselves going out and hiring day laborers to do the excavation and then calling plumbing companies to come out and make the repair.

We’ve been seeing both scenarios more and more as we’ve been getting calls from homeowners letting us know they’ve hired an excavation crew and just need to know the cost of the repair.

Why This Is Bad for the Homeowner aka You

While it might sound like this a good idea or just another way to get a repair done, it’s usually ends up costing more in the long run and can even put you and your home at risk.

Usually the tunneling is not done right and often it has to be dug out more for the plumber to reach the repair. Since the laborers or crew who did the digging were paid to dig the existing tunnel, what happens when a plumber comes out and says, it’s not enough?

You have to pay the excavation company more money to come out and dig additional tunnel. So already you are paying more than you were originally quoted and originally planned.

Next, the plumber was paid to make the repair. So what if something happens to the plumbing work during the backfill process? Who pays to fix that? Not the plumber. The plumber will only cover the work he or she actually did.

So in cases like this, the homeowner has to pay again for everything—the digging, the repair, etc. A plumbing company is only able to warranty work done by the plumber and a crew subcontracted by the company.

Using an Unlicensed “Plumber”

There are so many things that can go wrong in this situation. If someone tells you they can make the repairs but they aren’t licensed to do so, you open yourself up to countless potential problems.

Because they most likely don’t have the experience or the expertise, the work they do might not be in compliance with the current plumbing codes (if they even do any work at all).

You could be sued if they are injured during the repair because they won’t have the proper insurance. Your own homeowner’s insurance will be invalidated if something goes wrong.

If the job takes longer than expected, not done properly, needs to be redone, you are at the mercy of the unlicensed “plumber.”

If something is damaged, the repair makes things worse, the materials are of poor quality, there’s nothing you can do legally.

Here’s a short list of some of the possible problems that can happen:

• Foundation and other structural problems
• Sewer backups/stoppages
• Sewer system not working as it should
• Rodents and insect issues

And depending on the repair, you could be putting you and your family’s health and lives at risk like potentially deadly sewer gas odor issues.

Not to mention the potential danger to the plumbing crew themselves. In December 2017 a plumber in Flower Mound died when a tunnel collapsed while he was in it making a repair proving how dangerous tunneling under a home can be and why not just anyone should do it.

Honestly, the number of things that could go wrong are too many to list here. To be safe and know the job was done right and you are protected, I strongly urge you to always hire a licensed plumber if you need a repair.

Still Want to Directly Hire an Excavation Crew Yourself?

While I maintain that hiring two different companies is a horrible idea, if after reading this post, you still want to—hire one for the digging and one for the plumbing—give us a call here at In-House Plumbing Company.

Our top priority is you, the customer, so we will work to find a solution that works for everybody. AND we’ll make sure it gets done right.

For example, we once worked with a homeowner who had been told by a contractor they needed 25 feet of tunnel. But after our evaluation, turns out the actual amount needed was only three feet. Again, our interest is finding the best solution for everyone involved while looking out for your best interest.

As always if you have any questions, give us a call at 972-494-1750. Or email us at [email protected].

There’s a trend in the underslab plumbing and other related industries that I feel is necessary to address.

The amount of excavation many plumbers are recommending.

As I’ve mentioned before, there are unscrupulous business owners in this industry. Business owners who are more interested in filling their own pockets than serving their customers.

And I feel it’s important to give you, the homeowner, as much information as possible so you can make an educated decision.

Subcontracted Excavation Crews

First off, you should know the majority of plumbing companies in the Dallas area are one or two man operations. Because of this, they have to hire a subcontractor to do the excavation, or tunneling, under a house so that the plumber can make repairs to the pipes under the slab.

And there are a lot of these independent excavation crews for plumbers to choose from. So while the crews are technically working for the plumbing company, they are not employed by the company.

The Goal of Most Plumbers and Excavation Crews

An overwhelming majority of plumbers and excavation crews want to do AS MUCH tunneling under the house as possible. They do not want to punch a hole in the slab that is closer to the leak.

Why? Because the number one goal for 98% of these businesses— plumbers and excavation companies— is to make the most amount of money as possible. And more tunneling means more money.

But of course, this isn’t how they sell it to you, the customer. Instead they say it’s the best option for you and your home. And they know well and good these things are not true.

“Tunneling is safer for your foundation.” LIE

Too much tunneling — such as tunneling 30 feet to get to leak instead of punching a hole in the slab — is worse for your home’s foundation than creating an access hole through the slab to fix a leak.

Think about it, the ground under your house helps support the foundation. The more you tunnel, the less support there is.

And yes, once the repairs are made, they backfill the hole. But the more tunnel there is, the more difficult it is to fill in properly. Not to mention the changeable nature of North Texas soil. It’s possible once the soil has settled and shifted, with 10, 20, 30 feet of tunnel, you’re could be left with essentially pockets of air under your foundation.

“You don’t want dust everywhere!” LIE

As to the “dust everywhere” myth. There are tricks of the trade, so to speak. When done right with the right tools, there is very little dust to deal with.

We even have a “cleanliness guarantee” where if you are not completely satisfied with our final cleanup, we give you $100 towards having the area professionally cleaned.

We take your home’s cleanliness so seriously, we’ve had jobs where a customer comes back and didn’t even realize we had been there.

In-House Plumbing Goal

Our goal is not to make the most amount of money as possible. Our goal is to do the least amount of tunneling and to do what’s best for the customer.

Because we are more interested in doing the best quality work at a reasonable price, or as we like to say “A” work for a “C” price, we always suggest what is in the customer’s best interest.

For instance, it’s not unheard of for another company to recommend 30 feet of tunnel to repair one leak. Then use scare tactics to sell that tunneling rather than punching a hole through the slab. And that will run you about, $12,000.

And yes, once the repairs are made, they backfill the hole. But the more tunnel there is, the more difficult it is to fill in properly. Not to mention the changeable nature of North Texas soil. It’s possible once the soil has settled and shifted, with 10, 20, 30 feet of tunnel, you’re could be left with essentially pockets of air under your foundation.

“You don’t want dust everywhere!” LIE

As to the “dust everywhere” myth. There are tricks of the trade, so to speak. When done right with the right tools, there is very little dust to deal with.

We even have a “cleanliness guarantee” where if you are not completely satisfied with our final cleanup, we give you $100 towards having the area professionally cleaned.

We take your home’s cleanliness so seriously, we’ve had jobs where a customer comes back and didn’t even realize we had been there.

In-House Plumbing Goal

Our goal is not to make the most amount of money as possible. Our goal is to do the least amount of tunneling and to do what’s best for the customer.

Because we are more interested in doing the best quality work at a reasonable price, or as we like to say “A” work for a “C” price, we always suggest what is in the customer’s best interest.

For instance, it’s not unheard of for another company to recommend 30 feet of tunnel to repair one leak. Then use scare tactics to sell that tunneling rather than punching a hole through the slab. And that will run you about, $12,000.

But we will often suggest, if it’s possible, to punch a hole through the slab closer to the leak therefore needing far less tunneling. Our cost for this same job in this particular example? Around $2500.

Now yes, we don’t put the flooring back once we’ve patched the access hole. But even with replacing that part of the carpet or tile, your end cost is maybe an additional $500 to $1,000. So you’re looking at a total of around $3,000 to $3,500.

$12,000 vs. $3,500.

Keep in mind, though, every home and situation is unique. So yours could be different but generally, the cost with replacing the flooring is around $3,500.

Now full disclosure.

At one point we had a tunneling crew on staff. But in the end, it made better business sense to subcontract with an outside excavation crew. The difference, though, the owner of the excavation company we subcontract with used to be one of our employees before he went on to start his own business.

So he knows and works within our goal to do as little tunneling as possible.

Price Shopping

As I talked about in the last post about pricing in the industry, many customers are shopping around for the best price. We’ll get a call asking how much our leak location test is. And we know other companies are selling the same test for a lower price.

However, that is just another tactic these companies use to get their foot in the door. They sell you a cheap leak location test only to come in and give you an unnecessary high-priced repair once they’re past the door — like our $12,000 vs $3,500 scenario.

I believe it’s important for you to understand the ultimate goal for the majority of these plumbing and excavation companies. You need to know what’s really going on in the industry before you decide what’s best for you and your home.

And as always, if you have any questions or concerns, give us a call at 972-494-1750 or email [email protected].

We’re always happy to discuss anything you’ve read here or experienced with other companies.

“So how much is it?”

Anyone selling or buying goods and services is inevitably confronted with this question: What’s the price?

And it’s a reasonable question. You have to know how much something is in order to know if you can buy it.

I get it. Everyone wants a good deal. We want to know we are getting a good value for the dollars we spend. And if you can get it at a lower price, all the better.

However, I must caution, if you’re choosing on price alone— especially when it comes to plumbing and home repairs— it could end up costing you more in the long run.

Motivated by Money Alone

“But he said he replaced all the pipes under the house.”

I can’t tell you how many times we’ve gone out on a job to hear the homeowner paid another company a lot of money to fix something only to find nothing was done. Not to mention the countless stories homeowners share about being ripped off on the neighborhood app, Nextdoor, and the never-ending stories on the nightly news.

This is what happens when a business owner is motivated purely by money, particularly in the underslab plumbing industry where you, the homeowner, can’t check the work.

As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, before starting In-House Plumbing Company, I worked for other local plumbers who often ripped off their customers. (In fact, it was the impetus for my wife and I starting this company.) And it’s not only me; several of my employees also have similar stories.

Someone who is motivated by money itself has no qualms telling the customer anything they want to hear knowing they have zero plans to do quality— or any— work.

I’ve personally seen plumbers tunnel to where they thought a leak was, find nothing there, “fix” a fake leak in that location, and then find the real leak charging the customer for both. Or others who tunnel to a leak, don’t find it, then leave saying they fixed it knowing there is still a leak somewhere under the house.

So when searching for someone to do these types of repairs, the price alone shouldn’t be your only deciding factor. In fact, if someone has quoted you far below most other companies, that is a red flag.

You might be dealing with someone who has no intention of doing quality— or any— work at all.

Price vs. Cost

Let’s quickly go over the difference between price and cost. The two terms are often used interchangeably but there is a difference.

What you see as the customer is the price. But what you don’t see is the cost. Coming up with a price is more than just taking the price of the materials and the hours worked.

A business has to take into consideration all the costs of running a business.

Here are just some of the costs factored into the end price:

• Equipment
• Licensing fees
• Transportation to and from jobs
• Advertising
• Labor and wages for in-office and support staff as well as on-site team members
• Office space
• Vehicles and maintenance

Not to mention the specialized knowledge and skill needed to work on your underslab plumbing.

Also the state of Texas is the only state in the union that doesn’t require a business to carry workers’ compensation insurance. However, despite there being no requirement to do so, we carry workers’ comp not only to protect our employees and ourselves, but the homeowner as well.

Most homeowners have home insurance which would more than likely cover the cost of a claim if a worker is injured while on your property. But if the claim is more than your policy covers, you are ultimately responsible for it.

This is another cost of doing business that is part of determining the price of our services. It’s important to us to not only protect ourselves but also our workers and you, our customers.

“A” Work For a “C” Price

There’s a reason the dollar store sells everything for a dollar. It’s not the highest quality item on the market. Sure sometimes they get name brand products for one reason or another. In that case yes, you are getting a good deal. But for the most part, you are getting a cheaply made product.

As I stated earlier, if a company quotes you far below other companies in the area, this is a red flag. It’s impossible to do quality work at such low prices, or what we would call an “F” price.

But we also understand home repairs often leave a big dent in a homeowner’s wallet. This is why we promise to do “A” work for a “C” price.

We aren’t the most expensive underslab plumbing company in Dallas but we also aren’t the cheapest.
Because actually helping our customers matters to us, we try to keep our prices achievable for most budgets without sacrificing the quality of work we do.

Integrity & Honesty

After working with dishonest plumbers, it is important to us to serve our customers with integrity and honesty.

Something I tell many of our customers is we run towards the problem, not away from it. A lot of business owners will dodge your calls if you have a complaint or are unhappy with something.

But not us. Here at In-House Plumbing Company, we will do everything we can— within reason— to remedy any issues you have.

We also pride ourselves on being an honest company. For example, if we tell you you have a leak, tunnel to the location and find there is no leak, we do not charge for any unnecessary work done by us.

Honesty and integrity costs money.

Caring Is Important

We care about our customers, we care about our team, and we care about our work. We want to do the right thing for everyone involved— and that costs money.

If you call around, you’ll find we’re often undercut by other contractors. But you’ll also find many of those contractors happen to be ripping people off everyday. I’ve seen it and so have my employees.
When you choose us, you know you are getting the best possible work from a company that cares about what happens to you and your home.

If you have any question or want to talk about a plumbing issue, give us a call at 972-494-1750.

Bring up Yelp in a room full of business owners and you get a lot of mixed reviews.

It’s not that businesses don’t like reviews. We love reviews, in fact, both the good and the bad. From the bad, we can reach out to and build stronger relationships with unhappy customers by addressing their complaints. From the good, we can celebrate a job well done with our customers.

And thanks to the internet, there are any number of places a customer can leave a review. Google, Facebook, the Better Business Bureau, to name a few. But Yelp… Yelp is a whole other beast.

How Yelp is Different

When you search for a company’s reviews, like “In-House Plumbing Company reviews,” you’ll find any number of review sites in the results. And if you go to any of these sites except Yelp, you can see a list showing every review.

But Yelp doesn’t do this. They show some reviews and leave others out. The reviews they do show are called “recommended reviews.” And the ones they don’t are hidden below those reviews by a grayed out link. You have to click that link you want to see the reviews that are “not currently recommended.”

Recommended Reviews vs. Not Recommended

A question many business owners and the people who leave reviews have is why are some reviews recommended and some not?

With more and more plumbers relying on sewer cameras, we think it’s important everyone knows what a sewer camera can and can’t find.

Check out the infographic below to find out why a sewer camera cannot be used to find leaks. And you’ll also learn the proper uses of a sewer camera.

Read our blog post about sewer camera inspections for more in depth information.

Make sure you’re armed with all the best information so you don’t get ripped off! And as always, we’re here to answer any questions you have.

Feel free to call us anytime at 972-494-1750.

Recently two homeowners reached out to us for advice after reading our post Why Your Flooring Problem Might Not Be Plumbing Related.

Both homeowners, one in Mesquite and the other in California, had problems with their hardwood floors buckling. And the homeowner in Mesquite also found black spots on a small area near a bathroom.

In-House Plumbing Company Owner Shawn Bucklew spoke with both homeowners on the phone. After they explained what was going on with their floors Shawn’s best guess—not being a hardwood floor expert—was that the most likely cause was either condensation on the slab or the wood didn’t have enough (or any) time to acclimate to the rooms.

Convinced these issues were not plumbing related, they wanted to know what their next steps should be. The homeowner in Mesquite was in a particularly tough situation because the flooring company that installed her floors wouldn’t return her calls.

Is It Worth the Fight?

After trying to get ahold of the flooring company to no avail, the homeowner in Mesquite also had fresh water and sewer leak tests done by another plumbing company. Both tests came back with zero leaks found. With no leaks and no returned calls from the flooring company, she was at a loss as to what to do next.

Shawn spoke with the homeowner for about 30 minutes listening to her struggles and then explained what he thought she should do moving forward.

Knowing there were no leaks, her biggest issue at the time was that the flooring company wouldn’t call her back. Clearly the company was not standing by their work.

So the first question: Is it worth the fight?

What to Look For in a Home Service Provider

If it’s not worth the fight, or if you need a problem fixed ASAP, the first thing to do is find someone to fix your problem.

So how do you do that with so many companies to choose from?

Research.

Of course, you can always ask friends and family for referrals but make sure you check out the companies before calling and setting up an appointment.

Company Website

You can tell a lot about a company and its people from the company website. Check out the homepage. Read the About Us page. Is the site one or two pages with little information? Is there a blog or a resource page for you to read to help you make a more informed decision? What about reviews or testimonials?

Shawn recommends finding someone with the heart of a teacher, not the heart of a sales person. Take for example the blog here on the In-House site. Yes, In-House is a business but we also value arming our customers with valuable information, educating them so they know what is going on with their own plumbing systems and homes.

If a company’s site is only trying to sell you something, look elsewhere.

Google

When you search a company’s name, you should be able to find a lot of information about them.

Check out their Better Business Bureau listing. Look for other online reviews that might not be on their site like Google or Angie’s List.

If they have social media business pages like on Facebook or Twitter, see if people are talking about them there or have left any reviews.

You might also find a YouTube channel for the company like the one we have here for In-House. Again, you’re looking for a company wanting more than just the sale. They also provide information or education.

Trust Your Gut

Don’t overlook your instincts. If something feels off about the company you’re investigating, trust that feeling.

We’re not saying everyone you feel uncomfortable with is going to rip you off or pull a fast one on you. It could be the employee you’re dealing with is inexperienced or isn’t the right fit for the problem you have. (Like a plumbing company for flooring issues.)

Finding a Flooring Company

Most flooring companies tell homeowners to call a plumber with issues like moisture on the floor or wood planks buckling. But as we explained in the flooring post linked above, it is highly unlikely if not impossible these types of issues are caused by plumbing problems.

For the case in Mesquite, Shawn recommended once she found a seemingly reputable flooring company to not tell them she had had the leak tests. Instead have them come out and check out the floors first.
If he then tells her to get a leak test to let him know she already did. If he says the tests were wrong and to get another one, that isn’t the right company and to keep looking. The goal is to find a company who have dealt with similar issues and can offer solutions.

So what if the fight is worth it?

When It IS Worth the Fight

If you find yourself in a situation like our homeowner in Mesquite, the original company isn’t responding to your repeated calls and/emails, you do have options.

It’s probably not worth it to take them to small claims court or to sue them. Attorney fees, court fees, these add up and could end up being more than the cost of the work. And even if you win, getting the company to pay is a whole other potentially costly battle.

But sometimes all it takes is the scare of a lawsuit. If you can, try to find a lawyer to send a letter pro bono. The goal is to get the original company to stand by their work. And if the fault is theirs, they need to cover the cost of the repairs. They can do this by either doing the work for free or paying another company to do it.

If they agree to do the work for free, do your research to find someone you trust and offer to pay them to come out and supervise the work. We’ve offered to do so for free in the past when a customer came to us frustrated with another plumbing company.

But if you have to pay them anything at all, don’t. They’ve already proved to be untrustworthy and unreliable. Put your money into someone else.

Another option is to contact your local news stations and newspapers. Which ones? All of them!

Either give them a call or check the websites for a submission form or a place to report “tips” like at NBC 5 Responds or WFAA Investigates.

Know When to Say When

There does come a time, though, when it’s better to cut your losses and move on.
If you’ve done everything you can—or if it’s just not worth the effort—it might be time to chalk it up to a lesson learned. In the end what matters is getting the work done by a company you can trust and peace of mind.

And of course, if you ever have any questions about something you read here or something going on with your home, don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

You can always give us a call at 972-494-1750 or email us at [email protected]. We’re happy to help!