Am I being a pain?

[BLL MN]

I'm just looking for some advise as to my situation and any opinions would be appreciated to see how everyone else would feel. We just got done building our house. We bought a CB5036 and had it hooked up by our plumber which is my father in law's friend that he always does business with because he's a contractor. Well they both are about 40 minutes away from where our house is. Well he hooked it all up, did an air pressure test for leaks, then we fired up the burner for a test run. Well it ran fine so he left. We kept it running and I checked on it an hour later and there were a few connections to the manifold squirting out water/antifreeze. So I shut the pumps down and gave him a call. Well he was willing to come out the next day to fix the problem. It ended up being an O Ring not properly set in there that created the leak. He came out and said he had fixed it. Well now when I just turn the pumps on I get a slow dribble of fluid still leaking from that same connection. It's a slow leak, but a constant one. It is a good thing that I have a drain next to the manifold in the floor, but I don't want to have to deal with having it leaking when it's just installed. I'm a fairly handy person (did a lot on building our house) but I'm not the most comfortable with doing plumbing because I know if I did it I would end up with the same situation.

So do I call him and expect him to come out and fix the problem? Should I expect to pay him to come out (since he already charged me that add'l time that he spend coming out to fix the first leak). All I know is that I don't want to "deal" with it leaking and just have to keep an eye on it. I would fix it if I felt comfortable doing it but I don't think it's my place to since he's the one that should be installing it correctly without leaks in the first place. Am I being a pain in the rear or am I being reasonable? What do you guys think.

I've also been waiting to fire up my boiler since it's getting under 30 degrees here at night now.

 

[bore_pig]

If you paid for the leak to be fixed, he should be sure that it is fixed the first time. You don't owe anything if he comes back. He should be trying to keep you happy since you are a new cust.

 

[pilot-werx]

No you are not being a pain. You want it fixed and you want it fixed correctly.

But honestly, that is one of the reasons I do not mix business with friendship. When something goes wrong I want it fixed like yesterday and I have hard time demanding that from friends.

 

[blackdogon57]

No you are not being a pain. You want it fixed and you want it fixed correctly.

But honestly, that is one of the reasons I do not mix business with friendship. When something goes wrong I want it fixed like yesterday and I have hard time demanding that from friends.

Well said. If you paid the guy to fix it it should not leak. He should be embarrased hat it leaked the first time not to mention the second.

I personally avoid doing any kind of business with friends.

 

[Ductape]

I'll agree with those above me. He should stand behind his work and come fix it. If its not an emergency on your end, I'd give him a few days leeway. Don't get too bothered by it all....... consider it 'working the bugs out'. I would not expect to pay for this repair.

 

[RAYINTOMBALL]

It wasn't done right to start with. Than he didn't fix it when he came back out and was paid to. So he owes you to come back out and fix it right on his dime. IMHO

PS :And yeah it's tough doing business with relatives and friends. I try to steer clear of that.

 

[Iska3]

No you are not being a pain. You want it fixed and you want it fixed correctly.

But honestly, that is one of the reasons I do not mix business with friendship. When something goes wrong I want it fixed like yesterday and I have hard time demanding that from friends.

1) I never do business with friends or relations.

2) Once the lines gets hot, they expand so that's where you'll find your leak. He should have stayed there until the line was hot.

3) Things Happen!! If you don't tell him about the prob. He'll never know he had a leak until he hears it from someone else that told. Do the guy a favor and let him know. He'll be more than happy to fix it.

 

[volks-man]

o/p:

if you paid him to install it, and it leaked a day later, you should not have had to pay him to fix it the first time and certainly not the second time!

you are not being a pain. he needs to stand behind his work.

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

If you paid for the leak to be fixed, he should be sure that it is fixed the first time. You don't owe anything if he comes back. He should be trying to keep you happy since you are a new cust.

Bingo. You paid him for his time. Therefore, you are entitled to a proper resolution.

If this had been a complete freebie, that would be different.

 

[volks-man]

Bingo. You paid him for his time. Therefore, you are entitled to a proper resolution.

If this had been a complete freebie, that would be different.

:agree2:

he paid the guy to install it.
then he paid the installer to fix his own mistake?
now the question is whether to pay the installer a third time?

 

[greengoblin]

Bingo. You paid him for his time. Therefore, you are entitled to a proper resolution.

If this had been a complete freebie, that would be different.

Yep, if it was a light switch that you had installed and the lights worked when he left but shocked you every time you touched it, how patient would you be...especially if you kept getting shocked everytime after he came to fix it? If you pay for quality work you should get quality service.

 

[ericjeeper]

I have a question. Did you supply the fitting that is the leaker? That makes it a different ballgame in my opinion. If you supplied it and it is something you can fix. Then by all means I think YOU should fix it this time.

 

[greengoblin]

I have a question. Did you supply the fitting that is the leaker? That makes it a different ballgame in my opinion. If you supplied it and it is something you can fix. Then by all means I think YOU should fix it this time.

Who supplies fittings to a contractor that they are paying? Especially twice.

 

[Geese]

I disagree on the hiring friends/family thing. I would much rather support folks I know well and give them my money. Note I said know well. Maybe I just hang out with a high class of folks, they all look down on me and show me pity by doing good work...

I would call and ask for repairs, do not expect to pay but make it clear you do not expect to pay when you call. Communication skills will help, be humble but not a push over.

 

[Coldfront]

After 2 times and it still leaks I would have a good look at it myself. Did he strip the fitting and is just trying to get around not replacing the whole fitting? Something is not right, if you have him come out again suggest he bring a new fitting, or when he takes it apart have a good look at it for yourself and ask him a lot of questions, don't let him mickey mouse it back together with 1/2 a roll of Teflon tape.

 

[turnkey4099]

:agree2:

he paid the guy to install it.
then he paid the installer to fix his own mistake?
now the question is whether to pay the installer a third time?

Exactly! That should have been pointed out in the first reply. You hire a guy to install something it leaks and you pay him to fix it???. Not anyplace I do business with.

Harry K

 

[A. Stanton]

Bll,
Put the ball in his court. Tell him it's leakin again and will he be willing to fix it or should you get a guy that's closer to do it.

 

[BLL MN]

I talked with him and he had no problem coming out. He's going to get a new fitting and try that. My father in law picked up the manifold from a plumbing distributer that our plumber uses as well. He's been in contact with them about getting parts.

I'm glad I'm part of the majority that doesn't think I should have to pay him to come out again. I also don't think I need to pay for the new fitting as the new one was faulty. I guess we'll see what he says after he comes out.

I'm getting pretty anxious to start our burner. I've been running our heat pump when it's been 40's as high's and low 30's at night. Supposed to be energy efficient, but I still don't want to see our electric bill!

 

[unclemoustache]

o/p:

if you paid him to install it, and it leaked a day later, you should not have had to pay him to fix it the first time and certainly not the second time! you are not being a pain. he needs to stand behind his work.

Agreed! And keep in mind, he may be your friend, but you're obvious not his friend. A friend wouldn't charge to fix something that was supposed to be done right in the first place the day before.

 

[loadthestove]

Keep something in mind.He did not supply the parts so if they are faulty is he expected to eat the labor for replacing the faulty parts?
I own a starter and alternator rebuild shop.As part of my services we remove and install units on vehicles.A few years back a customer brought his car by and asked us to install a new alternator he had purchased somewhere else.I'm in the business to make a living so i quoted him a price to install the unit,he agreed ,,I installed .five days later he is back.The unit he had bought had quit.Who is responsible for the labor the second time around?
Not me..The service I performed was not the flaw.If it was my unit than it is my problem.I cannot warranty other people products.
Look closely at the problem.If it is something the plumber missed or failed to install correctly than by all means he is at fault--you owe nothing.
If the hardware you purchased is faulty than you owe him and hopefully you can recover your cost from the vendor.
I do loads of work for friends and have friends work for me,just lay good ground rules and let it be known that friends are friends and business is business