ComplaintsforFante's Plumbing, Heating & Air

• Initial Complaint

  06/20/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Contracted for plumbing repairs, /replacements. The plumbing tech. damaged wall/sheetrock in one upstairs closet ,access panel. downstairs, two bathrooms ,tile in showers ,left with large holes water getting into behind wall causing more damage /and mold?? tried several times ,calling, visiting the company . damage was done on 06/06/2024,,

  

  Business response

  06/20/2024

  We are working with ******************** and our repair contractor to finalize a solution. The repair contractor is finalizing a quote to repair the tile around the shower valve. He has been scouring suppliers to find the same tile that our customer has in their shower, and we expect their proposal today (6/20) so we can then approve and schedule the work. The customer called us Tuesday (6/18) for an update but we were not able to connect with our contractor until today. 

• Initial Complaint

  05/01/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I called Fantes to resolve a problem with a toilet that was not flushing. They said it would cost about $500.00 to snake the toilet so it would flush and I said go ahead. They snaked the toilet and told me that did not resolved the problem and that a piece of the ABS pipe in my basement had bowed and needed to be replaced so the toilet would flush. I asked what it would take to make the repair and they said two technicians from 8am to 5pm (18 labor hours) and they could begin the next day. I was told I needed to sign an electronic device in order to authorize them to begin work. I signed and told them I needed a detailed cost estimate to approve before they began any work and they said they would bring it prior to doing any repairs. They showed up the next day when I was not home. My wife let them in and when I showed up the job was already done (after 2.5 hours, from 9:30am to 12 noon, a total 5 hours of labor). They handed me a bill for $5,331.50 and said my signature was agreement to pay this amount. I told them this was way too much money for that amount of labor and a few pieces of PVC (parts), and I complained they never showed me a cost estimate. Things got heated and there was a lot of yelling back and forth. I wrote them a check since they wouldn't leave otherwise. Later that day I noticed the new pipe they installed was leaking sewage water into my basement (see pictures). I had my bank stop the check I wrote them. Fantes caused a big problem for me. I paid another contractor $500 to fix the mess Fantes made (see pictures) since after all the yelling I did not feel comfortable having Fantes come back to my house. Fantes also scratched my toiled with metal tools and left a big hole in my sheet rock where they adjusted a pipe hanger (see pictures). I want my bill amount adjusted to $0. I'm already out the $500 I paid another contractor to fix us Fantes mess and I don't want Fantes coming after me for payment.

  

  Business response

  05/13/2024

  Hello,

  We are reviewing *** ************* complaint that he posted and will provide a detailed response in the next day or two after our Plumbing team has had an opportunity to review their service call notes.

  Thanks,

  Steve H******

  Customer response

  05/14/2024

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  The business response is inaccurate. I never agreed to a price and I asked for and was told I would be provided a detailed cost estimate for the work. This business is guilty of price gouging and failure to fix the problem. They caused a sewage leak in my basement, scratched the inside of my toilet and left a hole in my ceiling. I paid another contractor $500.00 to redo the work. I cannot agree to pay Fantes anything, they made a mess of my house and were rude and unprofessional.

  Regards,
  
  ****** ***********

• Initial Complaint

  09/25/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  02/27/2023 - Fantes plumbing heating and air came to replace an ignitor in my heating system. They also installed a universal transformer. I was working and they did the work while I was not in the home and my babysitter was at my home with my two small children. After replacing the ignitor and fuse, they called me at work to collect a payment. The total was ********. I gave them a payment of ****** over the phone. Later that day I received an invoice from Fante's and the work they had done. I looked up the parts that they had replaced. I found the ignitor to be $50.00 - which they had charged me $456.00 also the universal step down transformer - which has a value of less than $30.00 I was charged ******. I had multiple other HVAC companies look at my billing invoice, and they notified me that I was scammed. I would like this looked into further so others are not overcharged and taken advantage of by this company. Thank you in advance for your help.

  

  Business response

  10/06/2023

  We have reached out to the customer via email to notify her of our response. Posting our response here for BBB review.

  October 6,2023
  

  *********************
  13 ***********
  **********,** 08060
  
  Complaint ID: ********
  
  Hello ***,
  
  We are sorry that you feel that you were overcharged for the service and components that were installed during our visit.
  
  As a one-time courtesy, we are eliminating the balance of $316.00 that was due from our recent service visit to your home.
  
  We take every customer concern seriously. I would welcome the opportunity to connect; my direct line is ************.
  
  Sincerely,
  *****************************
  Fantes Plumbing, Heating & Cooling

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  01/27/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I purchased 2 HVAC systems from this company in September of 2022. I roughly paid around 20k for both. Originally, I only needed one of the A/Cs replaced. However one of their salesman, ***, strongly encouraged me to replace both of the perfectly working furnaces I had; claiming it would be more efficient by at least 30%. I went with his "professional recommendation" and I completely regret it. Since these newer furnaces were installed, the gas consumption has been out of control. Yes, the price of residential gas has increased, but I am talking about gas consumption alone which has actually increased 30% with these newer units. There's either an issue with the units themselves or the installation. I wish I could have my perfectly working older units back because this was obviously a mistake. ********'m sure was motivated by commission sales, as I should have listened to other professionals who told me not to replace the heating units. It doesn't make sense to pay 20k for either poorly installed or defective units that are way less efficient than what I previously had. This is a poor way to do business and I hope no one else is conned the way I was.

  

  Business response

  01/29/2023

  We reached out to the homeowner on Friday the 27th and Saturday, January 28, 2023. We informed him of PSE&G's lates increases in the utilities, that they deliver. PSE&G has been getting several calls with the same exact complaint. Because of PSE&G's enormous complaints recieved, PSE&G has agreed to lower their rates beginning February 2023. Homeowner acknowledged this and will continue to discuss his utility bill with us this upcoming week. We will get back to you with more information. At this point, the homeowner is not unhappy with the installation and does have heat so, we will take the necessary time to see if there's anything wrong with his utility company as well as the performance of the equipment. This could simply be due to PSE&G's increased rates.

  Thank you,

  Jeff Fante

  Customer response

  01/29/2023

   

  Complaint: 18937381

   

  I am rejecting this response because:

   

  This has nothing with the increased rates from PSEG as one can easily see the usage in gas units after conversion. There's empirical data that would support my claim that these newer units installed are less efficient; it doesn't make sense to continue blaming PSEG for higher gas rates. I guess that's the easy route. Just a bunch of false promises.  

   

  Regards,

   

  *********************

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