WARNING To Susanville Ca. Area residents looking for a plumber this is a revised copy of the letter we sent to our lawyer.
Just a quick review of the problem we are having with Chuck Swetland owner of Pine Street Plumbing.in January we hired contractor Mike Smith to build an addition onto our home.in the initial cost breakdown Mike Smith gave us a rough quote of approximately $2000.00 for the plumbing work.
In January Mike Smith hired Chuck Swetland owner of Pine Street Plumbing to do the plumbing work on our addition.in March after the completion of the work Chuck gave Mike the plumbing bill. On March 6 Mike Smith left the bill with us for payment.
Upon reviewing the bill Lisa & I were a little shocked at the total of the bill for $5,495.00 We were expecting something closer to the rough quote that was given to us by Mike Smith. Upon closer review of the bill Lisa & I found several discrepancies with days and hours worked. On the evening of March 6 I called Mike Smith to discuss the cost of the bill. I also asked Mike for the original bid. Mike stated to me that Chuck had not given him a bid or a contract.
Between the dates of March 7th and March 9th several phone calls were made by Lisa and myself to the following.
1. California Contractors Board, they stated that a written bid and contract should have been issued prior to the start of work. The California Contractors Board stated that they would act as a mediator to get the issue resolved. The California Contractors Board sent us a formal complaint form to be filled against Chuck Swetland owner of Pine Street Plumbing.
2. Kevin Bailey at the Lassen County Building Division, stated to Lisa that Chuck should have issued a written bid. Kevin stated that Chuck can not bill on a time and materials basis as a subcontractor on his letter head. Kevin also said that if Chuck wanted to charge on time and materials basis as he has done he should have been paid by Mike Smith the contractor and issued a W-2 tax withholding form.
3. We also contacted several local plumbers to find the going rate for a licensed plumber and unlicensed helper. The licensed plumber was found to be paid approximately $55.00 to $60.00 per hour and not the $80.00 per hour as billed and approximately $30.00 per hour for an unlicensed helper not the $48.00 and hour as billed.
On March 10th Lisa and I had a face to face meeting with Chuck about the bill and showed him all of the discrepancies within it. We showed Chuck that there were days and hours on the bill for time worked when he was not at the job site. He said that the sequence is right but the dates may be off. We then asked to see his log books to see what he had for hours. He was unable to produce them and did not keep track. At that time we asked Chuck to reissue us a new corrected bill with a fair and competitive price. Chuck said that he would make it right. We have yet to receive a new bill.
Between the dates of March 10th and April 15th multiple phone calls were made to Chuck Swetland by us and by Mike Smith about the new bill. On several occasions Chuck stated that he would get a new bill to us. To date no bill has been received.
On April 15 Chuck came to our house to go over the bill. He did not have a revised bill as he had stated he would. Brian and Chuck went over the problems with the bill again. Chuck said that he would get a new bill to Mike or us within a week. To date no bill has been received by us.
Over the last three months we have talked to several licensed contractors, plumbers and unlicensed plumbers and workers knowledgeable in the field. After seeing the job, the blue prints and the work done, they have given estimates ranging from $2,800.00 to $3,500.00.
On May 15 the addition was inspected by Building Inspector, Gery Jones of the Lassen County Building Division. Lisa explained the problem that we have been having with Chuck Swetland and showed Gery the bill that we had gotten from Chuck. Gery reviewed the bill and asked where the contract and the bid was. Lisa stated that none had been given. Prior to becoming a building inspector Gery Jones was a licensed plumber. Gery found the bill to be unreasonable and over priced. Gery made the statement that there was not that much work that had to be done. Gery has inspected all of the work that has been done on the jobsite since the beginning of construction.
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