Overcharged For A Very Small Repair Job
I believe it is important to share our recent experience so others can make informed decisions when selecting a plumbing company.
We contacted Meetze Plumbing of Irmo, SC to replace two sink drains (drains only, not P-traps) and four shut-off valves (hot and cold for each sink) in our master bathroom. The existing shut-off valves were builder-grade push-in types, and we requested turn-handle style replacements.
Prior to the appointment, I cleared out and thoroughly cleaned the cabinets to ensure easy access for the technician. After assessing the work, the technician presented us with an initial quote of $1,790.00. We were extremely surprised by this amount and declined. He then contacted the owner to discuss pricing. After a few minutes he returned with a “senior discount” price of $575.00.
While this was significantly lower than the original quote, we still felt it was excessive for what appeared to be a straightforward 20 minute repair. For context, I priced the same drains at $12.48 each and the shut-off valves at $9.98 each at Lowe’s Hardware. Even allowing for markup and labor costs, the pricing seemed disproportionately high for what was described as a relatively quick and easy 20 minute job.
Because we had already prepared for the work and did not want to incur a potentially high service call fee after declining, we reluctantly agreed to proceed. In hindsight, we regret not obtaining additional estimates before moving forward.
We are seniors on a fixed income, and this experience left us feeling taken advantage of. We believe pricing should be fair, transparent, and reasonable—especially when serving customers who may be more vulnerable to high service costs.
We hope others will carefully compare estimates and research companies before committing to service with Meetze Plumbing. Our intention in sharing this experience is simply to encourage informed decision-making. I do not recommend Meetze Plumbing of Irmo SC due to their disproportionately high charges