Last year, I was shopping for a contractor to do a complete bathroom renovation. I went to Plumbing Mart because they were close by, and seemed to have a reasonable range of bathroom accessories and shower stalls.
I met with one of the salespeople, described what I was looking for, and specifically asked that they provide me with a quote that detailed the cost off all materials and goods, and separately showed the estimate for labour. The person agreed, and told me he would get back to me within a week.
One week later, I received a phone call, asking me to come to their showroom for a "presentation". "Presentation?" I said. "I wanted a written estimate".
I was told I would get this when I came to see them. So I made an appointment. When I met the salesperson, I told him that before he started on the presentation, I just wanted to confirm that I would receive a quote for the job in the way I asked, and not just one bundled number. He then told me they don't do that - they would only quote one total number that included everything.
I asked him if he understood my original request to have the costs broken out in detail. He confirmed he did, but couldn't give me a quote that way.
I then told him he should have declared that when I first saw him, so that he wouldn't waste my time as well as his. I told him I thought their practice was deceptive and somewhat dishonest, and walked out without listening to the "presentation".
- Approximate cost of services:
- $15,000.00