by Aaron on November 29, 2010
Here are a couple tips that should get you back up and running!
1. Be sure that your thermostat is programmed correctly. If your water heater is is new and flushed on an annual basis and you aren’t getting hot water, chances are your water heater temperature is not set correctly. We suggest that 120 to 125 degrees fahrenheit. If you find that a higher temperature setting is needed the water heater is most likely not working correctly.
2. Keep in mind hot water needs to run through the cold (usually copper) piping, which is cold when the hot water is just starting. Give he water heater 2-5 minutes to warm up the piping and see if the water gets warmer. If the piping is old and has not been inspected in your home for some time, you may have large leaks and may be losing warm water to the ground and other areas. If your water takes some time to heat up, but does heat up, you may want to consider having an inspection into your water heater and plumbing at the same time. If this is something you are interested in check here for more information.
If neither of those suggestions worked it is probably time to call in a pro. The good news is there are technicians who are able to take care of the very problem you are experiencing. In most instances we can get you back up and running in your comfortable home the same day!
Please call us with any other questions comments or… anything! We would love to hear from you.
925-462-1090
by Aaron on April 28, 2010
The Power of Transparency in Straight Forward Pricing
Everyday me or someone else at Cal Coast Plumbing answers the phones of either returning clients or new clients who are yet to use our services. One of the continual requests we get “how much is it going to cost?” It’s a good question too. Whether you are ordering food at a deli with marked prices or you are getting an estimate for a water heater replace, you want to know how much its going to cost you.
Years ago we would quote an hourly rate of what our time was worth on site to try and fix your plumbing issue. This gave a partial idea to what it might run and only covers 1 out of 3 aspects in cost of the job. The other two are HOW MUCH TIME it will take the plumber to do the work (keep in mind the amount of time in this scenario would depend on the plumbers competency) as well as materials it cost to do the job.
1. The hourly rate
2. How long it will take
3. How much materials are
So, many times when a client calls up and asks for an hourly rate I take a moment to help them understand why this is not a good measurement. In fact, speaking from experience, the lower the hourly rate we saw quoted on many jobs, the longer it would take on average for the plumber to fix the problem – costing the client MORE. (The less a plumber charges you in an hourly system typically the less education and experience he or she has). On the materials aspect of the job there is no knowing what mark up the plumber or company policy was and left a big question mark on knowing what was going to be charged to the clients. If for instance the plumber is paid on commission and there is no set price on materials, what is to stop a plumber from marking up materials 100% to 1,000%?! So we no longer quote an hourly rate as we have moved to a Straight Forward Pricing Guide.
The advantage of the Straight Forward Pricing Guide is in its transparency. It is a list of set prices for everything we do. Simple. All of our technicians are trained and understand what it is and how it works. All repairs and unclogging of drains fall into one of 10 listed categories with each item listed below it. All replacements and fixtures and water heaters ect. have between 1-3 options depending on quality and warranty that the homeowner wants. Simple. It is a pricing guide that is easy to understand and that you can hold in your hands. It is as transparent of a system that we have been able to come up with in our continual pursuit to make all our services more transparent and easy to understand for our amazing clients.
Please call with any comments or question. Out clients feedback is always valued!
-Aaron Eddy
925-462-1090
ps. a note about quoting over the phone: We currently do not quote services over the phone except of our $78 Whole Home Tune-Ups. We understand the desire to get a quote over the phone and wanted to take a moment to explain why we do not believe in this. The first reason is that the person quoting over the phone IS NOT A PLUMBER. Not at our company and not at any companies I know of. I know its frustrating but its like asking the receptionist at a doctors office to assess your symptoms – they might do it but it is for sure not in your best interest! To me personally any receptionist who is quoting job costs of a situation over the phone they have not seen or are not certified to fix are most likely just hoping to get a plumber on your doorstep. Be cautious. Also I am weary of anyone giving prices about situations they have not seen. Many times this is again just to hope to get to your doorstep
What we have done: In a desire to alleviate this frustration we often waive the service fee for a technician to come out and give a full assessment of the situations and the options for repair or replacement. This offers a complete risk free way of getting plumbing assessed by our trained technicians. There is no investment besides the time set aside for the technician to give their options.
