My toilet was clogged and the plumber came in and tried to use a snake wire but that didn't work. He told me he would have to lift the toilet and that would cost $325 dollars, but that didn't work. Then he found the main line and in a matter of about 15 minutes came back and said that it was clogged with toilet paper and all he had to do was clear it out. Now my bill came to over $600!!!! How did we go from $325 to over $600 in 15 minutes???? Does that sound like a reasonable cost or was I taken because I'm an old lady who didn't know any better and was desperate to get my toilet fixed?
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This message has been edited. Last edited by: jemshkoj,

Hard to say if you got taken or not. Prices for this will vary greatly depending on what part of the country you live in. Then, it's a matter of what he really did to make the fix. For some things, it may look like he only took a few minutes but you are paying for a guy who knows what he is doing, has the right equipment and may have to dig through some pretty nasty stuff to make the repair.

If you are really curious about your bill, call around to a few local plumbers and get an estimate for the same thing.

Jemshads:

I've found that companies like RotoRooter make money by keeping their names at the top of people's minds. They advertise on the radio with a catchy jingle, and when homeowners discover their toilet is clogged or their drain isn't working, they panic and phone the first name that comes to mind.

You'll find that you can get the same work done for less (and often by a more knowledgeable and experienced plumber) by phoning any of the places listed under Sewer and Drain Cleaning in your yellow pages that simply have a name and phone number listing. That's because large drain cleaning companies like the Rooter will hire baby plumbers right out of trade school to clear drains. It's only once these guys have made all their mistakes and learned all they can working for the Rooter that they go to the Bank of Dad to borrow the money to buy their own equipment and start their own company. And, because they're working for themselves, even charging half what the Rooter does, they're still taking home twice as much on each job as they were working for the Rooter.

Just remember that if the company has to pay $40,000 per year for a full page ad in the yellow pages and $160,000 per year to advertise on the radio, that money has to come from somewhere, and unless you live where it falls out of the sky like rain, it's coming out of your pocket.

After the fact, I know, but....I would never call a plumber for a clogged drain or a clogged toilet. The drain cleaning companies do this all day long, every day, and they are good at it. Plumbers expertise are more pipes/fixtures and waterlines.

I too call a locally owned company, but if roto-rooter is all you find, they will still be much less costly than a plumber. 85 dollar trip charge including an hours work from my drain cleaner guy. And if the repair does not take an hour, he will do sinks or tubs to fill the time if I ask. Senior discount too, my DM has used that!
(There are some extra charges for tree root removal if it requires more than 25 foot of cleaning cable.) Luckily we have no root issues.

if you had a messed up ejector pump, it would not be fixed in 15 minutes. guarantee that.

I smell massive bill inflation.