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• By Tirtha G.

  August 19, 2025

  Water Heater Leak Fixing - did only inspection

  $175

  I rarely write negative reviews, but I feel obligated to share my experience so others can make an informed decision.

  I reached out to Juan at Jem Plumbing on Aug 6 after being referred by a trusted contractor. Communication lagged for several days, and on Sunday, Aug 10, Juan messaged and pushed for a Monday morning visit. I rearranged my schedule accordingly.

  The visit itself was brief (about 10 minutes) and consisted of a quick visual check and relighting the water heater. No diagnosis of the underlying issue, no repair, and—despite my asking the same day—no replacement quote was provided. Instead, I later received an invoice for $175 for what was essentially a short look and relight.

  When I questioned the fee, I was told this was a standard “service call” charge and that the $175 would have been “blended into” a same-day replacement—a detail never disclosed upfront or on the invoice. The response also shifted responsibility to me for “taking up an hour,” despite the very short onsite time and the lack of any meaningful solution delivered.

  Why I’m leaving this review:

  No upfront disclosure of fees. The $175 service charge was never clearly communicated before or during the visit. Only after I challenged the invoice did the “credit toward replacement” get mentioned.

  Minimal value delivered. The visit didn’t diagnose or resolve the actual problem; it simply relit the unit.

  Slow and uneven communication. Several-day gaps, followed by late-Sunday pressure to schedule Monday morning.

  No follow-through on a quote. I asked for a replacement quote during the visit and followed up—no quote ever arrived.

  Unprofessional tone when questioned. The reply emphasized overhead and “not being the cheapest,” implied my job was “too small,” and framed the undisclosed fee as standard policy after the fact.

  For comparison, another licensed company visited the next day, conducted an inspection at no charge, and provided a written quote the same day—a level of professionalism and transparency I expected here, especially given the referral.

  I’ve paid the invoice because I should have asked about fees upfront; that’s on me. But based on this experience—lack of fee transparency, minimal service delivered, no quote as requested, and a defensive response—I cannot recommend Jem Plumbing. If you do proceed with them, I strongly suggest getting all fees and credits in writing before scheduling.

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