24 replies to this topic

[Sarita]

I called in a plumber/electrician to fix a few problems in the new construction left behind by the contractor who installed most of it wrong (that is another topic altogether). This guy was here for a total of 3 hours, during which some of that time was spent training his young apprentice (likely a son). No parts were used, just tweaking various things, so the charges were strictly for 3 hours labour. He billed me 3,500 pesos!!! That is over $250 USD at todays exchange. I showed the bill to my housekeeper, and she was aghast, and said he is a 'ratero' (pickpocket).

Even back NOB, the rates are nowhere near this and they have insurance, liability, etc. The last plumber here charged a fraction of this amount. Problem is, this guy didn't bill by the hour, but gave a separate price for each task, regardless of what was involved, ie, wrong bulbs used on a dimmer causing strobe effect, he changed the bulb and charged me 200p!!! The jacuzzi tub never worked, turned out the contractor hadn't plugged it in, this guy charged me 1,300 pesos to do so. His card says 'honest' but apparently, there are different concepts of this.

Beware, the rip offs are alive and well in gringoville....

[bigd]

Do you have a name?

[doberwoman]

please, let us know his name.....anyway, they always charge more than a handy man, I guess, because they are "specialized"......

[Lexie]

Sarita--Probably best to ask a worker's charges before letting them go ahead. Better yet, get references here on the forum before hiring. And why would you pay such obvious overcharges? I'm sorry it happened.
Lexy

[mpb]

I called in a plumber/electrician to fix a few problems in the new construction left behind by the contractor who installed most of it wrong (that is another topic altogether). This guy was here for a total of 3 hours, during which some of that time was spent training his young apprentice (likely a son). No parts were used, just tweaking various things, so the charges were strictly for 3 hours labour. He billed me 3,500 pesos!!! That is over $250 USD at todays exchange. I showed the bill to my housekeeper, and she was aghast, and said he is a 'ratero' (pickpocket).

Even back NOB, the rates are nowhere near this and they have insurance, liability, etc. The last plumber here charged a fraction of this amount. Problem is, this guy didn't bill by the hour, but gave a separate price for each task, regardless of what was involved, ie, wrong bulbs used on a dimmer causing strobe effect, he changed the bulb and charged me 200p!!! The jacuzzi tub never worked, turned out the contractor hadn't plugged it in, this guy charged me 1,300 pesos to do so. His card says 'honest' but apparently, there are different concepts of this.

Beware, the rip offs are alive and well in gringoville....

Maybe you should mention the person involved so we all can receive the gringo discount.

[elbelgicano]

One big cultural mistake. You ALWAYS ask before how much it is going to cost, or at least ask for an estimate. I you don´t, it is harder to get out of it. Better even, to get it in writing (before !) and check it carefully.
So many many many times, I have seen expats not doing that, ... definitely, the number one mistake in Mexico (and believe me, I made that mistake also, and not just once).
A friend of mine had his knifes sharpened, he didn´t ask before and they charged him 100 dollars (not pesos !) and he paid it ! He could have bought a whole new set of knifes.
The one time, you are of guard, in any kind of business like that, you are "done"..... same with taking a taxi, forget to ask the price before you get in, 90 % of the time,... you are loosing big time.

[happy jackson]

We have used a plumber by the name of David for over 6 years. Never met anyone more honest than he is. My brother was here about 3 years ago, he has sinced passed on, but a therma couple failed on one of our hot water heaters. David arrived, with his "assistant" and my brother went nuts. He was a plumbing contractor running 10 trucks in Palm Springs. "two guys to change a thermacouple"? Then when he had to leave and go buy the TC. My brother again flipped out. "He doesn't carry TC's on his truck" After the TC was replaced David charged me 200 or 250 pesos, including parts. The second guy was his son, in training. I had David here yesterday.. Stopped up sewer line in our bathroom, really messy.. Again he arrived with his son, within 2 hours of my call. He had to remove the toilet, clear the line, check everything, go to the store to get parts to reset the toilet, cleaned everything up when he was finished. parts and labor for a little over an hour and 15 minutes, 350 pesos.
His name is David and he's always been to us within hours of our call. Strongly recommend him Phone
331 142 8308.

[Sarita]

I do ask the hourly rate, but this is not the first time a contractor has pulled this stunt, deciding at time of billing to suddenly charge by the job instead of by the hour, and there is no protection for consumers here for these sleezy practices. When the guy is standing in your kitchen with his palm out demanding his ransom, only a fool would argue with him. As a single woman, I realize I am an easy target, I know that if my big, burly Mexican male friend was here at the time, this would never have happened.

I will not post his name publicly due to the practice of retribution as I have recently been subject to this by a very crooked gardener I fired with subsequent police visit at 2am. I have learned a couple of things since getting off the boat. If you want his name, PM me.

For what it is worth, I found him on this board as a recommended plumber. Go figure.

[wisecracker]

May I recommend an extremely good and honest contractor/handyman/painter etc.
His name is Toby Medina. Phone number 045 331 356 3169.
He has just completed some work on our place, was prompt, cleaned up every evening, had a very respectful staff who are family members, and we could not have been happier.
Due to prior experiences with this most excellent crew, we do not ask prices in advance, and have never been disappointed in either the service provided or the price charged.
I might add that he has exceptionally good contacts and can get anything done in very short order at very reasonable prices. One example was replacing a very large 6mm thick plate glass door which had been broken. Total cost 580 pesos. We were charged directly by the glass guy, who did a wonderful and very accurate job, and there was no surcharge by Toby.

[gimpychimp]

May I recommend an extremely good and honest contractor/handyman/painter etc.
His name is Toby Medina. Phone number 045 331 356 3169.
He has just completed some work on our place, was prompt, cleaned up every evening, had a very respectful staff who are family members, and we could not have been happier.
Due to prior experiences with this most excellent crew, we do not ask prices in advance, and have never been disappointed in either the service provided or the price charged.
I might add that he has exceptionally good contacts and can get anything done in very short order at very reasonable prices. One example was replacing a very large 6mm thick plate glass door which had been broken. Total cost 580 pesos. We were charged directly by the glass guy, who did a wonderful and very accurate job, and there was no surcharge by Toby.

Do you have contact info for that glass company, or do you only know how to reach them through Toby? Thanks!

[Sheldon]

well, a common thing here is that the "specialized" workers, such as plumber, technicians or other, they do not charge by the hour, they charge by the job, they figure how much time they will spend in the job, the spare parts they will use, and then, they offer a quotation. Yes, always ask for quotation in paper. is the best!

[manny]

sarita, business is business. it is no different here than USA. i get an estimate for a job, then write it down on paper, have the plumber-roofer- who ever sign it, deposit given for materials w/date & balance due for labor. once a electrician asked for 35,000 pesos (yes that is thirty five thousand for the "big job"). said he "could not find the problem, whole house needs to be re wired, system very old". then i remembered I saw a spark in an outlet. it was a "short" as they call it. when i remembered that, it solved the grand problem. 5 minute job, 150 pesos. yes i have been ripped off a few times in mexico& US, but i blame myself- i did agree in writing, & was grateful they could do it right away. (i was stressed, preoccupied, had no patience to call another worker). if its not an emergency, get 2 estimates, take a deep breath, & choose carefully. trust me, its the same nonsense everywhere!

[gringal]

There is an agency to go to when you've been ...uh....treated unfairly. Perfico? Not spelled right, I'm sure, but it exists.
I suspect this worker will keep on doing this to people until he gets his wrist slapped, and does he ever need it.

[ValGal]

Sarita has had more than her fair share of problems with contractors. I think it has a lot to do with being a, relatively, young ex-pat. I think the men can handle seeing an older woman own property.... but there is a lot of anger and jealousy when a younger woman appears affluent.

My beef is when the contractor/worker says: "Öh... pay me what ever you want to pay". I pay what I think the job is worth..... I get a sigh and a shrug and a quiet thankyou. Then I feel bad and give them more and get a big smile. They know me well! The last few jobs I have insisted on a quote. (I still end up paying extra for a job done well and on time.... but I am OK with that.)

[elbelgicano]

There is an agency to go to when you've been ...uh....treated unfairly. Perfico? Not spelled right, I'm sure, but it exists.
I suspect this worker will keep on doing this to people until he gets his wrist slapped, and does he ever need it.

Profeco in Guadalajara

[HelperGuy]

Any way you look at it, $3500 pesos for three hours of work is absolute crap. Not even lawyers get that much. 10 labourers at 35 an hour x three hours: 1,050. Only the plumber is "skilled", and he wants another $2,450? And you did say it was just him and his boy. Hmmm.

[cedros]

I would not have paid him what he asked. I would have offered him maybe 500. What can he do?

[jrm30655]

A lawyer in NYC had a problem and called a plumber. The plumber fixed the problem in an hour and presented a bill.

The lawyer looked at the bill and exploded. "My God", he said "I work for the most expensive law firm in town and I don't get this much per hour"

To which the plumber said "I couldn't get that much per hour when I worked for them either. That's when I quit and became a plumber"

[Sarita]

I would not have paid him what he asked. I would have offered him maybe 500. What can he do?

I don't know, but since he was in my house, I was in no position to argue with him. I was there alone with just my housekeeper, a fact not lost on him. I have had my share of issues with crooked contractors and am not willing to find out what lengths they might go to in order to get paid. There is no doubt this was outrageously hiked, and realistically should have been about 500p but there is no easy way to stop this kind of treatment. All I can do now is let others know so they don't hire him.

[elbelgicano]

Again.... with all due respect but don´t think "American", .... you are not in the US or Canada here. Play it the Mexican way : "I don´t have the money right now, please, come back mañana" or " my sister is sick and don´t have that much at the moment "....
In Rome... do like the Romans, it makes your life a lot easier and if people are unfair to you, I think that you have the right to treat them in the same way, but no arguments, no fights, no discussions, with a smile and patience, ..... but mañana, and then mañana, ....and mañana again. After a while, (sometimes sooner and easier than you think), they will give up or settle for an honest price.... and you will have gained a lot more money.
In a way, it is all a game, but you have to play it by the rules of the location you are at, but it takes a strong and smart person to see and accept that.
People really underestimate the cultural differences, way of thinking and doing things here....