I've lived in some states with excellent consumer protection and enforcement
of licensing laws. I just checked my state (Tennessee) and it says that
because of the large number of complaints against contractors and the lack
of staff for enforcement, the board has jurisdiction only over work which
exceeds $25,000 in value. Bubba the licensed plumber knows this and
therefore has no incentive to do good work on an $850 job. Now that I've
calmed down, I think the best thing is for me to fix his mistakes, dry out
the carpet and have it cleaned and then get on with my life, and then next
time do the work myself even if it takes longer to do.

Bob

"AZGuy" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 25 Jan 2005 03:50:03 GMT, "rck"
wrote:

Just paid licensed, bonded, insured plumber $850. When he finished the
work,
he turned water back on and didn't check for leaks. There was nothing
obvious at first, but 15 minutes after he left the bedroom carpet was
soaked
in one corner. He had put the ferrule in backwards in a compression
fitting
in the bathroom. I fixed that leak and phoned his answering machine to
express my displeasure and ask him what he was going to do about the
stained
carpet. An hour later I discovered a second leak on a compression fitting
on
5/8 inch copper pipe. I phoned again and again and he won't call back.
Since
this guy is licensed, should I notify the state licensing board?

Absolutely. If your state is the same as mine, contractors take such
complaints very seriously as failure to resolve can lead to loss of
licence. I had a fence guy mess up my fence when he did a job for a
neighbor. Two weeks of calls got zero action other then a claim that
"it was like that, I didn't do it". Within a few days of filing the
complaint with the Registrar of Contractors he was on the phone trying
to set up a meeting and start the repairs.


I'm afraid
to call another licensed plumber because the next guy might be worse than
the first one so I'll get out my torch and sweat in a decent fitting to
replace the compression fitting, but I'm still p*ssed about the carpet. I
somehow thought a licensed professional would know how to connect two
pipes
together.

Bob


--
Elbridge Gerry, of Massachusetts:

"What, sir, is the use of militia? It is to prevent the
establishment of a standing army, the bane of liberty. . .
Whenever Government means to invade the rights and liberties of
the people, they always attempt to destroy the militia, in order
to raise a standing army upon its ruins." -- Debate, U.S. House
of Representatives, August 17, 1789