Plumbing nightmare (long)

[lizerdbits]

This is work I had done, not done myself so maybe this should be in another forum. Mods please move if you see fit.

I bought a TH condo 3 years ago with polybutylene pipes that I knew I would have to replace because of their tendency to leak and I finally did after a small leak in the interior of the house. I already had the pipes in my hot water heater room, which is in a closet attached to but on the outside of the house that you have to go outside to access (where the temperature fluctuates even though there's a separate heater) after a few pinhole leaks. Luckily I never had a huge leak that resulted in damage so I'm grateful for that.

I have company A do a complete repipe since they had replaced the pipes in the HWH room and everything was fine with what they did there. The problem with the repipe occurred because of my heating. My heat comes from piping in hot water to the air handler to make hot air and then piping it back out to the HWH. When company A does the repipe instead of having 4 pipes coming into the house from the HWH room I have 2 so my heat doesn't work. It was a 3 day job to repipe and it's not until the second day I'm informed that they can't hook up pipes to the air distributor so I don't have heat when they're done anyway. They put CPVC in and copper has to be welded to the unit so I have Company B do that. Company B attaches the copper pipes but I have no hot air coming out even though I have hot water. The pipes going to/from the air distributor are both cold. One guy suspects that they piped water IN using both lines so no water could go back out to the HWH. They say that I need more pipes (the 4 I had before company A consolidated it down to 2) and a mixing valve, which is now a code requirement, to prevent scalding hot tap water since to run the heat it's best to have the HWH turned up pretty high. The code requirement is for new installations so I don't know if a repipe legally qualifies as "new installation" like building a new house does. I call company A back and ask them if they will come fix it because I paid for a repipe and they didn't do it right. They say no it will cost more because they replaced what I had. I said no you didn't, I had 4 pipes coming in originally and now I have 2. Nope, it will cost more and we don't do mixing valves. I have company B put the extra pipes and mixing valve in and now I no longer wake up to temps in the low 50's in the morning like the last 4 days so I am pleased with their work and now I just have to have drywall done.

I want to file a complaint with the BBB about company A but would like some insight from plumbers, professional or DIYers, especially anyone who has knowledge of this kind of heating system. My county (Montgomery in MD) also has a consumer complaint form I can send in but a coworker had excellent results with the BBB and recommended doing that instead. I took pictures of the HWH room after company A and before company B and will take pictures now that I have heat to include with my complaint. Unfortunately I don't have pictures of the original piping. My complaint is 3 fold.

1. I wasn't told until day 2 that they wouldn't be able to attach pipes to the air handler.
2. They put in fewer pipes than I originally had so my heat didn't work and were going to charge me more to fix what they didn't do properly the first time. If the guy wasn't familiar with this type of heating system he should have told me to have someone else do it.
3. This applies only if the mixing valve is a requirement for repipes: I wasn't informed that this was a code requirement, if my heat would have worked my installation would be a code violation that I probably wouldn't have found out until I tried to sell it.

If you're still reading I thank you! And I'd like to note that I thought this would be only going on for 3 days, not 3 weeks in case you're wondering what possessed me to do something that affected my heat in March. It was actually fine most of the time except for the end of last week and this past weekend because I have a center unit, and I decided to go ahead and have it done while I had gaping holes in my ceiling.

Thank you to anyone who can offer advice/insight!
:hi:

[NMDemDist2]

1. i can't offer any professional advice but it sounds like instead of BBB

you should be thinking small claims court eh?

:hug:

[lizerdbits]

4. I don't have any leave left after all this

Just started a new job in October so I'll have to look into how much time off work will be required. My boss is anxious for some assay results which have been delayed due to this whole issue. My mom also recommended trying that and also noted I'd have to take more time off to do it which I can't do right now. But thank you and I will look into doing it!

[Kingshakabobo]

2. You should try this site:

http://www.plbg.com/forum/list.php?1

There are several pros that post there. Good people. This is right up their alley.

I, like many others, post there to get help for my do-it-your-self projects. They are very helpful. Although, they get a little cagey with DYIers trying to cut out the pros and/or getting in over their head...........but this is right up their alley because you did the right thing and hired a "professional." They take their trade VERY seriously.

One bit of advice I might have, and the pros will probably tell you the same........call your local building department...Even if you didn't pull a permit. I'm assuming these people were licensed??? The building department will be MUCH more lenient with you than they will be with the "pro" as THEY should have pulled a permit. They MIGHT give you a talking-to about not having a permit but ultimately they will come down hard on the "pro." Remember, a permit is cheap insurance and a nice resource to have your work inspected - especially when it comes to health and safety issues associated with plumbing. I'm thinking you SHOULD still be able to pull a permit on this job and get it inspected even though it's done.

While the BBB is a good resource, it's the building department and code enforcement that can makes these people's lives miserable if they don't make it right. Also, check with the local AND state licensing authority........hit 'em in the license. That's where it hurts.

Good luck!!

[lizerdbits]

5. Thank you!

I'll post over there tonight, I've got to get ready for work right now.

I was wondering about permits because my sister and brother in law had to have one in their window when they had their bathroom redone but they live in VA so maybe different rules apply. I would think if I needed a permit the company would have told me but I'm a relatively new owner and never done major repairs before so maybe I'm supposed to figure it out myself. I won't have the drywall done for a few weeks anyway in order to play catch up at work so if I need one everything is still exposed right now and easily visible. Company A is licensed.

[sbj405]

3. Check with the MD licensing board

http://www.dllr.state.md.us/license/occprof/plumber.html

I believe they at least track complaints.


Also, PM the co name to me so I never use them. I am also in Montgomery County.

[lizerdbits]

6. Thanks!

And the info is in your inbox. :)

[Whoa_Nelly]

7. Don't forget to file a complaint with the local/state contractors' board

Am thinking the company would have to have a contractor's license as those hired to do jobs such as yours would have to be licensed journeymen.