c/local-services

kai564•9d ago

The plumber who fixed my toilet with a coat hanger and duct tape

I called a local guy in Dayton because my toilet was running nonstop. He shows up, looks at it for 30 seconds, then grabs a wire coat hanger from my closet and a roll of duct tape. He bent the hanger into a hook, pulled out some old part, and wrapped the tape around the float arm. Said it would hold for 2 years easy. Has anyone else had a repair guy use random stuff from your house to fix things?

2 comments

jana179•12d ago

Found a way to save $50 on my septic pumping last month

My neighbor down the road told me to call the county waste office instead of searching online, and they gave me a list of licensed pumpers with fixed rates. The guy I picked charged $200 instead of the $250 I saw advertised everywhere. Has anyone else tried going through your local govt office for service leads?

2 comments

adam_butler38•13d ago

Just realized my local auto shop was overcharging me for 2 years

I started tracking every repair on my 2015 Civic in a simple notebook six months ago. My mechanic charged me $85 for an oil change and tire rotation which seemed normal until I called around. A shop two blocks away does the exact same service for $45 and included a free safety check. I went back through my records and realized I paid over $400 extra just on basic maintenance at the old place. The new guy also found a loose belt that the old shop never mentioned during their so called inspections. Makes me wonder what else I missed out on by not shopping around earlier. Has anyone else found big price differences between shops in their town for routine stuff like this?

2 comments

kai463•16d ago

Warning: my neighbor's dryer situation made me check my own vent

I was out back last week talking to my neighbor Rick about his new fence when he mentioned his dryer was taking like 3 cycles to dry a load of jeans. I told him that sounded like a clogged vent, figured it was no big deal. But then he said his utility bill jumped $40 last month which got me thinking. I went home and pulled my own dryer away from the wall and the vent hose was totally crushed behind it, packed with lint. I vacuumed it out and pulled like a full grocery bag's worth of fluff from the line going to the outside. Now my clothes dry in one cycle and I'm wondering how much cash I wasted running it all clogged up. Has anyone else found a hidden vent problem that was costing them money without realizing it?

2 comments

ivanlewis•18d ago

Is my HVAC guy right - or just trying to sell me a new unit?

I had my 12-year-old furnace serviced last week, and the tech showed me a crack in the heat exchanger with his camera. He said it was a safety hazard and I need a whole new system for $4,800. But my neighbor had his unit looked at by the same company and they told him the exact same thing, and his furnace was only 8 years old. Now I'm wondering if this is a real safety issue or just a sales pitch. Anyone else run into this with their local HVAC companies?

2 comments

bettyh84•18d ago

That cheapo plumbing snake from the hardware store actually cleared my main drain in Milwaukee

I was sure it would snap or just spin uselessly after reading all the bad reviews online, but after a 30 minute battle with a nasty clog last Saturday it broke through and saved me from calling a $200 emergency plumber.

2 comments

victorross•18d ago

Overheard a plumber tell his apprentice 'tighten it until it breaks, then back it off half a turn' at the supply house yesterday

I was picking up some flashing and got a chuckle out of that, but it actually made me think about how much we rely on feel in this line of work. Has anyone else heard weird trade wisdom that stuck with you?

2 comments

clark.faith•19d ago

That 'organic lawn spray' I laughed at actually fixed my crabgrass problem

My neighbor Mike kept pushing some $40 bottle of corn gluten stuff. I rolled my eyes hard. Figured it was hippie nonsense. After 6 weeks of using it though, my yard looks better than his chemical-treated one. Anyone else get surprised by a local service product they doubted?

2 comments

rosebennett•19d ago

The week a plumber fixed my main line for $150 and I nearly cried from relief

Last March my sewer line backed up on a Sunday, I called five local plumbers who all wanted $400 just to show up, but this old guy named Frank came out in his beat up truck, snaked it in twenty minutes, and only charged for the call since he said I was his last stop of the day anyway - has anyone else had a local service person surprise you with a crazy low bill like that?

2 comments

reed.kim•1mo ago

Need a solid criminal defense lawyer recommendation ASAP

Hey guys, asking for a family member who got into some trouble over the weekend. We really need a good criminal defense lawyer or law firm that knows the local court system well. We're feeling pretty overwhelmed with all the options on Google and half the reviews look fake. Can anyone recommend someone they've actually had a good experience with?

3 comments