OK. Heat pump service man comes over to fix my cool-temp-challenged heat pump. He noodles around, washing things off (with water from my OWN HOSE), pulling huge toads out of the unit, and tells me that will be $150.
How can I “shout” $150?
ONE HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLARS!!! I could have doused that box with water from the hose myself! Well, he did more than that, but still….ONE HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLARS…gone in about 30 minutes! For that much he could have at least used some holy water from the pump in his truck or something.
But the air blowing from my vents felt cold again, so I wrote the check and gave him a big thank-you kiss. Karl came home just as the other guy was leaving. So here I am thinking I am being the perfect wife, making the house comfortable just in time for my man to get home, and all…
It’s been 20 minutes and the air is blowing hot again. And they tell me that they’re going to charge the $40 service call fee again because they have to drive to my house again?
I don’t think so.
As we used to say in the 90’s, “Homey don’t play dat.”
Update!
Well, Mr. Fix-it came back. Turns out the motor that we had to replace about two months ago was improperly installed. On top of poor installation, add that it was a generic motor designed to fail just about the time the warranty runs out (30 days).
Mr. Fix-it just happened to have the correct motor for our unit on his truck. Imagine that.
And since he already charged us ONE HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLARS to clean the unit when that wasn’t really the problem, he counted that toward the cost of a brand name motor, properly installed.
“That’ll be $300. My boss is going to chew me out when he sees this.”
Gee, thanks.
I just can’t get over the fact that the last guy who came here totally ripped us off!!! And how do I know that today’s Mr. Fix-it isn’t ripping me off, too?!
The other thing I’ve noticed about repairmen (because we have so many come to our house) is that right after they stick it to you, they start talking about how hard they have it financially. This guy went on and on about his millionaire mother who they just put in an assisted living facility, and when they found out how much she was worth, they upped her fee from $4000 a month to $7500. And she told him the other day that he owes her $28,000 for all the money she wasted on gas the last 12 years. Lawyers and cheaters and boo-hoo-hoo. And he has an uncle who installed the plumbing system in Cape Canaveral yada yada yada.
I really don’t enjoy having strange men in my house. Call me crazy, but I don’t! I certainly don’t enjoy them standing around my kitchen while I’m trying to cook dinner, talking like we’ve been pals for more than the last two hours. Fix my problem, over charge me, steal my money, and get out! It’s the American way!
I don’t want to know what you think about all of our cats and what your German Shepherds would do to them. I certainly don’t want to hear your opinion about President Bush and how he is raising the price of freon! And would you please stop calling me “Boss!”
And all the time I’m smiling and nodding and thanking him for only charging us $450 total today. What a guy!
Read part 1 and my apologies
Ads
Leslie Wiggins 
7 responses to “This is just too good…”
Yikes, that is crazy. Oh, I hope you get it worked out and don’t have to pay an extra $40.We have the same problem – things always break all at once.
LikeLike
Your brain does some strange things when it overheats.
LikeLike
LESLIE! I am SO with you! I HATE having strange men at my house (husband excluded- ha ha!)! I am always WAAAAY more comfortable if hubby is home.
LikeLike
Oh my goodness! What a scanniving thief that guy was! Where’s the shotgun when you need it?!? (just kidding!)
LikeLike
First…I love throw-back phrases. How about, “Oh no he di-ent!”Second…Can I ever relate??? I hate dealing with the repair people and contractors. There was a guy in our neighborhood for a couple weeks who was apparently drunk trying to get business cutting down dead trees. He would forget that he just talked to you yesterday and you told him, “No Thank You”.O.K. guy….here’s some advice. Try not to blow smoke in people’s faces while you are trying to get their business and consuming alcohol and then offering to drop trees around their homes is an offer that is not likely to be accepted….K?I can’t tell you how many of my friends are dealing with AC issues right now. I feel for you girl! I hope you are cooled off by now….and I hope your AC is fixed too 🙂
LikeLike
HAHA!! I don’t mean to be laughing, but I could TOTALLY hear myself talking in your posts!! I can definitely relate to the air conditioning going out. We were stranded for 3 days a few years ago at the end of July with no air. It was no picnic, let me tell ya. I am VERY glad that it is working now and hopeit stays that way.And you talking about your mother sounds JUST LIKE Mr. U talking about his mother. No joke! His,Mrs. U
LikeLike
I am so sorry . . .that doesn’t sound fun at all.In Taiwan, the repairmen still talk about crazy stuff and creep me out, but at least they come within 15 minutes and only charge me a few US dollars or only the cost of the parts.One odd thing is they always leave the old or broken part with me, to prove to me that it was indeed broken and that they are not con-men.Again, I am sorry that you had a rough day, but I am glad you have cool air again. That is a blessing!
LikeLike