Many times we see adds, like on the front page of the Sunday paper, $79, ANY DRAIN, and we wonder how a plumber can snake ANY house drain for $79. The answer is they can’t and won’t. A kitchen sink line, maybe, if there is an accessible, outside, wall cleanout, as is the current plumbing code. This is usually a quick fix. It also gets you a potential future customer.It serves as an introductory offer, which is fine business practice.
But that is where the $79 ends. No plumber will drag out the mainline machine and clear the main sewer line for that price.
It ends up being the classic bait and switch scenario, once they get in front of you the games begin. They will say the $79 dollar offer was only for this circumstance, or that circumstance, and this job is $175, or $250, and so forth. This makes customers wary and skeptical and gives plumbers a bad reputation.
When people call me for estimates for basic plumbing repairs I give them the estimate for the job. I don’t give an unworkable low price and then go and argue with them. If they don’t want to hire me that’s fine. It’s only cost me a few minutes of my time to talk to them and I’d rather do that than go to their home and try to con them. People hear $79 any drain that’s what they expect
It takes a minimum amount of money in order to send a man, a truck and equipment to a job and make the gross profit necessary to remain in business. Insurances, bonds, licenses, tools, salaries, office rental, leases, etc make it expensive to be in business. It is basic mathematics. Many so called ” contractors “, have few, if any of these.expenses. This makes a $79 “any drain” offer easier to quote. A real professional will charge the right, (fair) price and stick to it. ANd he will be in business next time you need him.
