On 29 Dec 2006 04:22:25 -0800, "John Ross" wrote:

:And did the crewman tell you that what he proposes is illegal in
:California? Any work of this sort that is over $500 REQUIRES a licensed
:contractor. So you have a guy who is doing the work illegally, not
:insured, not bonded, certainly won't handle the permit if required, and
:you will not get the one year labor guarantee that is required for
:contractors in Calif. to give. OH yeah, for good measure, he is also
:stealing work from his boss!
:
:Please see www.cslb.ca.gov and learn how everything you have done in
:hiring a contravor is wrong! I get a funny feeling this company is
laying games with you. The fact that these workers seem to have a
:racket going offering to steal work from their boss and haven't been
:caught and fired yet, makes me suspicious the company is breaking this
:stuff on purpose and having these guys offer the low price as a con
:game.
:
:--
:John

Your points are all valid. You might be right about the con game, maybe
not. There might have been a leak and their work made it bigger, like
they claim. Or, they might have caused the leak. Really, the pipe looks
to my inexperienced eye to be in bad shape. It's not a nice round pipe -
it's very rusted on the outside. It's not hard to imagine this thing
sprining a serious leak at the slightest provocation, judging by its
appearance.

Even if it's not an outright con game, I think the company has some
funny gaming going on - that is, the workers hustle the company's
customers for side work and the company sort of turns the other way
preferring to not notice. It's not really a good situation. I can still
back out of it -- the guys are supposed to come over this afternoon
after their regular day's work for the company and start my water main
replacement job, finishing it tomorrow, and I'd pay them cash. It's kind
of a husle, I know, but it's not horrible. Yes, he's probably not a
licensed contractor. Maybe I should get other bids. In the mean time I
have a cup a minute (guesstimate) leak.

Dan