"Robert Green" wrote in message
...
"Cheri" wrote in message
...
"CWLee" wrote in message
m...


"Doug Miller" wrote:

... you really don't have any reason to question
whether the charge was reasonable or not -- you already agreed that it
was.

I agreed that it was reasonable for ME, at that time, that place, those
circumstances. What I was seeking from others here was THEIR opinion
as
to the reasonableness of the price in the situation described.

If several posters replied that it sounded more like a $100 job to
them,
I
wouldn't use again or recommend to others this particular plumber. If
the
consensus of replies was that a more typical cost was ~$500, then I'd
certainly use this plumber again, and recommend him to my friends. As
I
interpret the responses so far I don't think I got either a bargain or
a
rip-off. I received confirmation that others think the price was
reasonable, thus reinforcing my own original opinion.

I understand exactly why you were asking, I think it's a reasonable
question. Works for me.

Cheri

Me three! I've often asked the same question and gotten sigh similar
results. The issue for me is that when a critical system is in failure
mode, you don't have the luxury or time to get a lot of competitive bids.
You bite the bullet and do it if the price doesn't strike you as highway
robbery. You still want to know afterwards whether it was high, low or
spot
on. Considering everything that went wrong on me when my buddy and I
tried
to install a new toilet, $250 sounds just about right, especially if the
right parts weren't on the truck. I am sure that you know that in that
fee
are bits of licensing, insurance, tools, truck upkeep, etc.

Reminds me of the old engineering joke. A company exec sees an engineer
fix
an expensive machine by just putting a bolt through a hole. He demands a
breakdown of the $1000 bill.

Bolt ----- $0.50
Knowing where to put bolt - $999.50

--
Bobby G.

Yes, this question and the answers will give me some idea if it happens to
me in the future, since in many areas I have no idea what the charge should
be. You always have a few know it alls with smart assed answers, but it's
worth it for the good answers you get.

Cheri