[Master Mark]

I got burned last week by HD on a Rheem gas 12 year tank warranty water heater from
HD.... The customer had called to tell me it was leaking and I was able to take it out and
return the unit to HD only to find out it was red flagged for some reason ... It still had 4 yars left on
the tank warranty and they could not tell me why or what was the matter... they insisted on me
producing a receipt for the heater from 6 years ago... of course this was thrown away long ago....

One thing led to another and I eventually had to install my own rheem 50 heater for a discounted price just
to get the job completed on the same day because theywould not honor the warranty.....
I called Rheem , gave them a picture of the rating tag and they told me their
was nothing wrong and just to take it back to another HD store..... I did this and they denied me the store credit too..

I ended up just leaving the old unit in the parking lot and walking away from the whole experience older but wiser.....

If you do decide to replace a Rheem HD water heater you could get yourself into a lot of troubles and end up
in a mess with the customer.... I am on Rheems site as a contractor to repair or replace water heaters but
the next time I hear from someone wanting me to replace their leaking HD water heater I am gonna tell them to
have the new unit waiting for me at their house and then I might install it for them....

I am not gonna waste my time taking the word of some clown at Rheem telling me its under warranty and
just take it back to the store and wasting my day

 

[OpenSights]

Any call about a box store warranty is a no go for me! Unfortunately with the supply BS I can’t even get rental grade faucets from the supply house.

I’m thinking of switching from Rheem to leaknivor. BW fuged over my master years ago, so that’s a big no.

 

[Master Mark]

Any call about a box store warranty is a no go for me! Unfortunately with the supply BS I can’t even get rental grade faucets from the supply house.

I’m thinking of switching from Rheem to leaknivor. BW fuged over my master years ago, so that’s a big no.

They basically hung me out to dry on this one.... but Iwill get
my revenge one way or another

I normally will get an in store credit for the cost of the heater
and then go on a huge shopping spree... I am like a kid in a candy store

but this time they just hem hawed around about the heater and I began to
think that it was me who was black balled for some reason even though I had the customers
name, 'telephone number and address and had called it in the night before.

I only do this once or twice a year.....

 

[rooterboy]

Had problems with Home Depot water heaters before. A lot of times they prorate the heater and you need to pay a additional $200 to get another water heater.

Have done the same thing with Home Depot Credit tool spree whoooo.

 

[goeswiththeflow]

It's like that Seinfeld episode about taking a reservation. They just don't understand the concept of what it really means to offer a warrantee.

 

[KCPlumb]

Sometimes I will install a water heater that the customer purchased from Home Depot, but I tell the customer if it the unit fails it is their responsibility to haul it back to HD for a replacement. I charge to uninstall and charge to install new unit. I won't haul it out of the basement that's on the customer.

 

[Master Mark]

Sometimes I will install a water heater that the customer purchased from Home Depot, but I tell the customer if it the unit fails it is their responsibility to haul it back to HD for a replacement. I charge to uninstall and charge to install new unit. I won't haul it out of the basement that's on the customer.

It is just a lot of trouble and they dont want to pay the price you quote them.... they had a freind or brother-in-law install
the original heater and are in shock for what they have to pay now that its gone bad under warranty....

from now on, please just have the heater waiting on me at the job site and I will install it for you for $$$.
and you can return the old unit yourself and waste half the day standing in the return line at HD

 

[dhal22]

Surprised to see ANY plumber using/ dealing with any big box retailer water heater. The stories speak for themselves.

No way in hell.

 

[Master Mark]

Surprised to see ANY plumber using/ dealing with any big box retailer water heater. The stories speak for themselves.

No way in hell.

Well, It really just depends on how busy you are or if they are your customers...

We have been extremely slow for the whole month of may so I did not mind doing the heater....
The customer squealed pretty loudly when I told them the price to replace the unit.
...

I actually did not lose any money on the job,
just wasted a few evenings dragging that heater back to 2 HD stores
I was just disappointed I did not get the refund
so I could go on a shopping spree....

 

[Logtec]

In Canada:
Basically we have a “Goods and Services Tax” or GST = 5% across Canada.

Then you add the “Provincial Sales Tax” or PST which is dif in each Provence.
(I think Alberta and Yukon only have the GST- Indigenous peoples are Tax exempt and only pay the GST):

Together both taxes are called “Harmonized Sales Tax” = HST (in Quebec pretty sure it’s called the QST, Tango may correct me)
So tax in Canada is anywhere from 5% - 15%

in Ontario it’s the HST is 13% tax on Labour and Materials. Basically anytime money changes hands the government wants its cut.

 

[Master Mark]

In Canada:
Basically we have a “Goods and Services Tax” or GST = 5% across Canada.

Then you add the “Provincial Sales Tax” or PST which is dif in each Provence.
(I think Alberta and Yukon only have the GST- Indigenous peoples are Tax exempt and only pay the GST):

Together both taxes are called “Harmonized Sales Tax” = HST (in Quebec pretty sure it’s called the QST, Tango may correct me)
So tax in Canada is anywhere from 5% - 15%

in Ontario it’s the HST is 13% tax on Labour and Materials. Basically anytime money changes hands the government wants its cut.

I think you posted this to the wrong thread.....

 

[sparky]

Surprised to see ANY plumber using/ dealing with any big box retailer water heater. The stories speak for themselves.

No way in hell.

We don’t fool with blowes or home ripoff

 

[Master Mark]

We don’t fool with blowes or home ripoff

Its all easy money to me....

I would rather do a home depot water heater twice a day
versus crawling around in someone's wet crappy crawl space cutting out
and replacing a bunch of rotten copper drain lines

 

[Tango]

I get people calling me to replace their rheem water heater they bought at HD. They have these amazing stories it's under warrantee and rheem tells them to get a plumber and he'll do all the work. I wonder if they tell them it's free. They get a rude awakening when I tell them they are paying for all my time to bring it back and install another. Which by the way will cost them more than if I installed one of my own. Seems like they all think everything is absolutely free. I never did one.

 

[sparky]

I get people calling me to replace their rheem water heater they bought at HD. They have these amazing stories it's under warrantee and rheem tells them to get a plumber and he'll do all the work. I wonder if they tell them it's free. They get a rude awakening when I tell them they are paying for all my time to bring it back and install another. Which by the way will cost them more than if I installed one of my own. Seems like they all think everything is absolutely free. I never did one.

Me neither it’s so much headache it’s not worth messing with,now If you lived in a big city like mark does it might be different but I have to drive an hour one way just to see a home ripoff

 

[dhal22]

in Ontario it’s the HST is 13% tax on Labour and Materials. Basically anytime money changes hands every government wants its cut.

Added 'every'.................

 

[Tommy plumber]

Thanks for the story Mark.

Every once in a while I get a call from someone who found me on AO Smith's website. Hotwater.com or something like that. One man called me recently for a warranty on a hybrid elec. W/H. His display was messed up, it had a brown spot on the display face. AO Smith told me that he needs a new display. His tank was past the warranty.
I told the customer that he basically needs a new unit at this point. No sense putting money into a 10 year old W/H.
He decided to live with the brown spot on his display.

 

[skoronesa]

..
.....
I told the customer that he basically needs a new unit at this point. No sense putting money into a 10 year old W/H.
He decided to live with the brown spot on his display.

That's basically my reasoning for not cleaning my toilet. It's from 1986, bound to break soon right?

 

[sparky]

That's basically my reasoning for not cleaning my toilet. It's from 1986, bound to break soon right?

Right,all you gots to do is smack it with a hammer,time for new blowhole

 

[Tango]

A previous customer called both him and his wife stuttering talking at incredible speed, I guess they feed each other on stress. Anyway they wanted to replace a leaking water heater and wanted the same fancy thing, however they are rare and only 4 in the next city. He didn't want to pay for me to go and get it. He said it wasn't right for me to charge for travel. I'm glad he didn't accept the price, 2 less wing nuts to worry about.