The owner of Drainmaster, Bob Davis, came to my house on Saturday, 5/31/08 to give an estimate on a large plumbing leak from the upstairs ceiling to the basement. Because he would not give a free estimate, he cleared the blockage from the upstairs shower faucet, installed a new shower head, and reattached the drain to the shower while he was there. I approved this work, since he was there anyway. All of this cost $140, and did not even require that the water be shut off. It also had nothing to do with the large leak. He told me that the large leak would require an entire main pipe replacement that would cost $1500 and take 2 men two days. Then he revised the estimate and said it would cost $2000. He said his prices were the best ones anywhere and that Drainmaster was his own business.
When he got ready to leave, I pointed out that he had left off the plastic piece that covers the shower diverter screw. He looked around for some time, and I finally found it in a corner where he had dropped it. He stuck it back on, collected his money, and left. When he had left I went back to the bathroom and found the piece had fallen off into the tub. When I put it back on, I noticed that he had broken off the plastic prongs that hold it in place. I reinserted it and again it fell off.
When I called him the following Monday, 5/2 and told him about it, he said, "I'll see if I can find one." I told him he could just drop it in my mailbox to save another house call. That weekend I got another estimate on the major plumbing work, this time from Roto Rooter. They estimated only 1 day's work and a cost of $1785. I still had not received the part from Drainmaster, so I called Mr. Davis again on Monday, 5/9. I told Mr. Davis that I still had not received the part, and he said, "Well, I don't think I broke it." I told him it had never fallen off before he took it out, and now it wouldn't stay in. I said it was only a $3 part, but I shouldn't have to go out and buy one when I had paid him $140 and he broke it. Then I told him Roto Rooter had outbid him by about $300 and were willing to do the work in one day. He said he would match their price. I said I still had not decided who would do the work. I never heard from him again.
I left messages for Mr. Davis on 5/18 and 5/25, and he never returned my calls. When I called his answering service on 5/26, they would only give me a Post Office Box number for his address. Although there are 3 phone numbers on the card he gave me, there is no address or website number.
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