Is your shower not getting hot? Is the shower tub leaking and not shutting off? Is it hard to turn the handle? This is a very common issue. So common, I estimate we address these exact issues in homes 4-6 times every single week!
I started scheduling and booking calls for business in 2017. This issue is so common, I can diagnose it with accuracy 95٪ of the time!
One of the first experiences I had with a customer with this issue was when I first started taking calls. A gentleman called and stated he had a problem with his shower. He had a home warranty company and this was a covered plumbing repair. This was also my first (of many) exposures to home warranty companies.
The customer explained he paid a nominal incident fee of $95 to the home warranty company. They had sent out a plumber, and he diagnosed it as the shower valve! This was going to be a BIGGER job than the customer had hoped. The plumber explained that the tile was going to have to be removed and then replaced once the repair was made.
He then explained he did not do that type of work and that portion was not covered by the insurance. He advised the customer to seek out someone to remove the tile and open the wall, call him back to do the repairs, and then have them come back to close the wall and reinstall the tile.
That is how he found us! He sought out McCray and Sons Home Services to remove and replace the tile, so the repair could be completed by the home warranty company. I set an appointment and sent Warren out to estimate. Warren assessed the job, and definitely had confidence in performing the job the customer was requesting. He estimated the job at $600 for the two visits. For $695 he could have this $3,500 job completed through his home warranty! Thank GOD for home warranties!
Here’s the thing, Warren is a plumber by trade. He has been doing this a very long time! He suspected that the valve did not need to be replaced at all! Instead, the valve could be rebuilt with a new cartridge! For this particular valve it would cost the customer $220 and Warren was sure it would solve the issue, so that is exactly what he did! The customer called back the home warranty company. They issued a refund on his $95 incident fee for which he applied for our repair!
Since this incident, I estimate we have received anywhere from 500 to 600 calls from customers complaining of one or more of these symptoms:
HANDLE HARD TO TURN?
SHOWER NOT GETTING HOT?
SHOWER TUB LEAKING AND
NOT SHUTTING OFF?
Of these, I can only recall THREE times the actual valve had to be replaced. Every other time we have successfully repaired them by rebuilding the valve, changing out the cartridge and seats or replacing the valve stems. Many times over the years, we have saved someone from unneeded EXTENSIVE work they had been advised they needed.
If you are experiencing any of the symptoms described above, give us a call. You can also shoot us a text or email. We can typically provide an estimate over the phone if you are able to answer a few questions and send over a few pictures.
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