Designing Kitchens and Bathrooms - Bad Plumber

I recently contracted a plumber to assist in a DIY project to redo our bathroom and kitchen. My wife and I are doing most of the work but figured it would be safer to go to the pros for the important stuff. The plumber agreed to install our tub and connect the drain, install the shower body, and reroute a gas line in our kitchen. After the plumber left, we discovered that the tub is not level (the front is 1 1/2 inches higher than the back so it does not drain properly), the hot and cold water pipes were switched going in to the shower body (we have a one-piece unit so the hot water comes out first and gets gradually cooler as you turn, so there is potential for a burn if someone doesn't know), and while installing the gas line, the plumber broke a hole into the wall that goes out into the hallway of the building we live in (which went unnoticed because we had sheetrock against the wall in the hall). We have not yet paid the plumber and I frankly don't think we should have to. What is a fair way to handle the situation?

What I didn't note is that it took them 3 tries to get the tub in, 6 hours to figure out how to use the shower body (a simple Kohler unit), and they complained about the price of the project the entire time ($1300 for 3 'simple' tasks).

Did you have a contract? Did you get a written estimate or sign anything? It's tricky because they did do some work. You have to give them a chance to make it right. If you think they are incompetant and misrepresented themselves then thats another story. If they are professional plumbers and just had a bad day then that can happen too. I wouldn't pay until everything is right. Are they calling you for payment? See, I am a contractor. I sometimes make mistakes. Not many, but...(lol). I would want a chance to make things right. On the other hand there are some shady characters out there that give us all a bad name. I say if they say "sure I will come back and do whats right for the same money" then let them. If they give you any grief then save your cash for someone who will get the job right.

Thanks for the feedback. My plan is to call the owner of the business and see if they will right the wrong. The problem is that we have finished installing the walls (including tiles & grout) over the pipes and the tub so there is little we can do to re-install the tub (a fourth time) or re-route the pipes.

Any ideas how to help our tub drain more quickly since we can't really move it??

Coops28 asked for some very important detailed questions on whether you properly followed steps to protect yourself from bad workmanship.


Since you did not answer any of the questions, we are to expect the answer be no. If you are lucky, you might get a resolution to this problem, but when the steps are not taken to protect yourself as Coops28 mentions, you have only yourself to blame.


I would either refuse to pay for such shoddy workmanship, or have them come back and completely redo the entire bathtub install.


Why would you proceed with tile and grout on a tub that does not drain or the mixing valve not operating properly?


Any mixing valve that is installed wrong that starts with hot is a code violation and can cause physical harm to the unknowing.

If you are wanting them to honor the workmanship of the tub, they are going to ask why you set the walls when knowing that the tub was improperly installed.



That tub will be nothing but problems, especially if you think about putting up shower doors. I am almost afraid to ask for pics.:o

The rates you paid for this work were clearly professional rates and not amature pay, so you should be able to expect this to be handled in a professional way.

Although it is true that the safest course in these matters is to distrust everyone and get everything in writing and signed in blood, some of us would rather live in a civilized world where a person's word is as good as any contract and what is reasonable is right. The only way a signed contract will be of more value to you than a handshake in a situation like this is if you would be willing to pay a lawyer a couple of thousand bucks to enforce it if things go wrong. In fact, most times, the tiny print on the contract that no normal person is capable of reading or understanding, can actually hurt you a lot more than a handshake contract if a dispute arises, since the lawyers who crafted the contract that you are signing designed it to protect the plumbing company who was paying them - not you.

If I were the plumbing company on this job, this is what I would do if you called and reported this situation to me:

I would send a different guy to check out your claims of bad work and verify that the tub was not level and the hot/cold was reversed, hole was punched in wall etc. I would assume you are correct until proven otherwise.

If all your complaints were true, I would want to know if you finished tiling the walls before or after you found out the work was bad.

I would have my 2nd man fix everything that my 1st man did wrong including reattaching the pipes, leveling the floor, and carefully removing any finished tile as necessary to do the job correctly. All of this would be done at no charge to you.

If you did check the finished work and discovered the defects before you did the tiling, I would expect you to take care of the retiling time and costs on your own since you should have contacted me about the problems before you built tile over the access points.

If you didn't check the finished work before doing the tiling, I would offer to split the cost of retiling with you 50/50 since you should have been able to assume the work was right, but you also should have checked it before proceeding with work that would get in the way of corrections.

I believe this is fair and how most professional plumbers would handle it.

Here's something I find very helpful when I'm not a job myself. I get a contract and include that the work be done under permit with final payment after the inspectiion is passed. No professional contractor I've dealt with has minded that provision. If someone does sub-standard work (it happens more often than it should!), there's no argument over payment. The job has to be fixed properly and it's the city's say-so, not mine.

It costs more this way (it filters out the cut-rate guys plus you have to pay for the permits), but I've been happier with the results.

Hi NYC ,
I live in the NYC area also. The questions that were asked here are right. Did you tile before finding out about the water drainage problem, etc, etc... Remember that NYC ( like some surrounding communities ) require that all contractors be registered with the Dept. of Consumer Affairs. Did you check them before using this contractor, also did you see if they have the proper NYC licensing permits?
The industry, in the NYC area, is rife with fly-by-night corporations, and people, who are "Licensed contractors",along with a lot of very reputable, and capable, contractors, but ( sorry guys!) the licensing is a joke. I know of one person, personally, who obtained a license and really didn't know which end of a hammer to hit a nail with ( joke guys!).
I employed one of these companies, before I retired and had no time to do the work myself, what a unmitigated disaster, and they were licensed, by the county, but it turns out not in my community! Real shame on me because of, my then, work related time pressures I did a slapdash check of his references, but not the BBB with the community I live in.
I am not a lawyer but talk to him ( the contractor) first. He may be reputable and want to rectify the work. Remember, in the NYC area, there is a lot of renovation being undertaken in areas like Alphabet City and some of these guys are streched to the limit and have to hire guys referred by a friend of a friend ( who just came across the pond, or across a river to the South of the US where English is not a primary language, and the person refered may not have a clue, but needs a job!) . They may not be aware that the workers they sent are mentally missing in action!!
I contracted with a local licensed plumber for some replumbing of some property. He came evaluated, and specified, what he would do and the price. The worker he dispatched was not really up to the task. He cut corners on the proposed job description and when I mentioned this to the owner, he sent a new worker over to redo the work to the specs we ( and he!) had envisioned. I recommend him to anyone( and everyone!) who needs a plumber.
In NYC, you also have the Dept. of Consumer Affairs, and other various city agencies, to back you in the rectification of this problem. The City is almost rabid in this area and contractors are aware of it !
Make discreet inquiries at the lybarinth that is NYC goverment. DON'T call, go there! I know it is time consuming, but it's better to go over to Centre Street (or the borough Hall that you are in) than being put on hold for 45 minutes, talking to 35 different people (who happen to pick up the phone), and not getting a answer. Then you have ammunition to talk to him with and speak from a position of knowledge.

The court of last resort ( no pun here) would be Small Claims Court. Keep in mind ( if you are a coop) the possibility of his doing a lien, if you refuse to pay him without a chance of rectification, for payment.
Now, you probably will be out the cost of the tiles that you put in but chalk that up to experience. Get if fixed NOW or , believe me, if its a coop you will be stuck with it for a LOOOOOOOOOOOOONG time when you go to sell. Not to mention possible problems with a building board.
Sorry about length, but since I own various properties, and live, in the area I thought this would help.

BTW ; (NOT A ADVERTISEMENT:-) ) If you do own ( or rent ) a coop. there is a free subscription magazine called The Cooperative ( I believe that is the name) that is very informative on housing issues in the NYC area. I subscribe but have misplaced my last issue, :-( . it is on the internet though.