I wasn't informed immediately that the company doesn't give free estimates, but charges $70 for a plumber to come and give an estimate. This wasn't disclosed until much later, and only after I had already paid for other services. The drain people used high pressure selling to convince me that I needed to pay $1600 for an excavation and $2800 for another excavation outside. The pressure continued even after the snake (which should have cost only $200) removed a piece of root and immediately cleared the drain.
- Approximate cost of services:
- $400.00
- Company Response
**Thanks Walter** We appreciate the input as it allows us the opportunity to shed some light on the situation, both to you and to all that read this. When you called DrainWorks, you had two issues; a drain issue where sewage was backing up in your basement, and a plumbing issue of a dripping shower faucet. You chose to schedule an appointment for a drain technician only to be sent over, and there is no assessment fee for that technician. You had never scheduled an appointment for a plumber, which is why the $69 assessment fee for the plumber was never mentioned. At the end of the drain technician’s service call, you inquired about booking a plumber, it was at that time that you were made aware of the plumber’s assessment charge. If you were unsatisfied with the initial service, why would you request for more work to be done? It is also important to mention that you had another company out before us, who was not prepared to perform either a snake or a camera inspection, which is why you called us in the first place. You mention that the snake should have cost only $200, and it would have had you only gone ahead with a snake, however, you requested both a snaking and a camera inspection. We travel fully equipped so we were able to perform both tasks. Of course multiple services cost more than fewer services. Regarding the services performed, the snaking is a temporary fix only as the roots will grow back; it’s just a matter of time. The benefit of having the camera inspection performed is so that we can with certainty disclose to you that your 120 year old clay line with roots penetrating it and an offset needs to be replaced to permanently solve the problem. There is no pressure to proceed as our technicians do not work on commission. They are salaried employees providing you with their honest expert opinion. Besides, it’s our job to keep you as well informed as possible and disclose all findings to you; it’s what you paid for. With the information we provide, you can decide how you wish to proceed and make the best decision for you. We certainly hope this has cleared up any confusion.