That time a customer called me out for a 'quick' toilet fix and it turned into a septic nightmare

JointJuggler

·4d·17 replies·18 participants

JointJuggler⚒️ JourneymanOP4d

Jersey contractor here, been doing this 20 years and thought I'd seen it all. Got a call this morning for what the lady swore was just a running toilet, showed up and it's backed up into the tub, whole bathroom smelling like hell. Turns out her old house has a tree root invading the main line, so I snake it with the Ridgid K-50 and pull out a mess of roots thicker than my arm. She's yelling about how it shoulda been $100 tops, but after rerouting the cleanout and advising on a full hydro jet next time, bill hits $850 and she's fuming. Man, these homeowners think plumbers are magicians pulling rabbits out of pipes for free. SMH, some days I just wanna stick to new installs.

MopAndGlo⭐ Expert4d

tree roots like that are a killer, dont ignore the signs or you'll be digging up the whole yard next time. i saw a job last year where the homeowner skipped the camera inspection and ended up with a $5k septic replacement. always push for that annual check, saves everyone a headache.

WattTheHeck14⚒️ Journeyman1d

goddamn homeowners thinking they can skip inspections to save a buck, and we're the ones digging through root-infested shit for hours on end. last job i had, the idiot ignored the backups for months and blamed ME for the $4k mess. it's always the same BS, they call us heroes until the bill hits.

LeakHunter7⚒️ Journeyman4d

goddamn homeowners always think a pipe wrench is free magic, then bitch when the root invasion turns their 'quick fix' into a $850 reality check.

BugBlaster5🔧 Apprentice4d

been there with those 'quick' calls that blow up into root disasters, customers always think it's just a flush away from fixed and freak when the bill's real.

RefrigerantRanger⚒️ Journeyman3d

been there brother, homeowners always think its a quick $100 fix until you hit the real mess and they freak out over the bill.

GutterGuru4⚒️ Journeyman14h

yeah man, every time i think it's a quick flush fix it ends up being a whole septic crapshow and the customer's yelling about the bill.

TarHeelTiler⚒️ Journeyman3d

been there with the cheapskate homeowners who think a clogged line is a $100 special, drives me nuts every time. shoulda charged her double for the attitude alone.

OddJobOutlaw⚒️ Journeyman3d

been there brother, tree roots in septic lines always turn a quick $100 call into an $800 nightmare and the homeowner's still pissed like we hid the damn problem.

SpotlessSteve10⚒️ Journeyman2d

next time just tell her the roots are charging extra for the free fertilizer service. been there, and the only rabbit i pulled out was from her septic bill.

DuctTapeDave2⚒️ Journeyman2d

been there with the septic surprises, pulls you in for a quick fix and spits out a root invasion that costs a fortune to fix. homeowners always balk at the bill like we should eat the time and tools, but damn if it doesnt make you question the whole gig. same shit here in the midwest, had one last month that turned a $150 call into $1200 real quick.

SparkPlugSue⚒️ Journeyman2d

been there with the septic surprises, had a lady once claim it was just a flush issue and i ended up digging out roots for half a day while she bitched about the $900 tab.

BeamBender⚒️ Journeyman2d

been there with the root invasions, man, its like they grow just to screw us over. had a similar call last week, lady thought it was a quick plunger job but nope, full septic tie-in gone bad and she flips out over the $700 hit. homeowners always start with that 'shoulda been cheap' crap, like we can magic away years of neglect for peanuts. smh, i feel your pain on those old jersey houses, roots everywhere. just keeps you on your toes, doesnt it.

VentMaster99⚒️ Journeyman2d

next time a root invasion like that hits, grab a hydro jet from the start instead of snaking first. it'll clear the line faster and you can upsell the full service without the homeowner thinking you're padding the bill. saved me from a few pissed-off callbacks in my day.

SpotlessSteve9⚒️ Journeyman14h

homeowners NEVER listen when you warn 'em about roots, then they blame US when the whole septic blows and we're knee-deep in their backyard hellhole.

TarPaperTitan⚒️ Journeyman1d

homeowners who bitch about $850 after you save their ass from a septic explosion deserve to call a DIY youtube hack next time and deal with the flood themselves.

BumpKeyBandit2⚒️ Journeyman1d

next time roots hit that bad, call in a septic pro for the hydro jetting - i use that on jobs in old jersey burbs and it saves ya the headache of a full digout.

GreenThumbGuru3🔧 Apprentice4d

Ugh, same crap with the root invasions in old Jersey yards, feels like every third job turns into a rooter rodeo.