Two elderly ladies were just asking for the removal of their hot water tank and replacing it with a tankless hot water heater when a father and son team abused the trust of their customer by conning them into putting in a fake water heater.
Michael Lucosh, 66 and his son who also goes by the name of Michael, 27 was hired to install a tankless water heater. But instead, they gave their poor victims a fake hot water cylinder. Adding insult to injury, the younger Lucosh stole checks and a debit card from their victim’s purse. Meanwhile, his father was responsible for forging the signatures and then cashing the checks, as well.
They have been the ones to install the original hot water tank and had broken that trust from their customer by doing this senseless act. Aside from stealing, the fake water heater was not installed properly and could become a fire hazard. Fortunately, they have been caught by the police and are now facing charges.
How to Pick the Best Water Heater Installer Company
When picking the best installer for your needs, there are several things to look for so that you will be given the best service. One of these qualities is Professionalism. The installer should be reliable, professional and should take his job seriously otherwise, what you will receive is a below-average service.
They should be able to reassure their clients that they can get things done the soonest possible time. And, at the same time, they should be able to provide excellent service from the start of the job up to the finish line.
Another quality that one should look for is expertise. Even if you are not an expert on water heating installation, you will be able to know whether a technician really knows what he is talking about and then follow it through with exceptional work. This should also not just be about installing or replacing a water heater but also, they should be able to point out which part is having issues and then how to address it.
Experience is also a factor. Hiring a company that has long-standing reputation of excellent service should also be considered. You must first check the background of the company the technician has worked for whether they have great reviews and has been recommended by a number of people.
The experience should not be just based on the company but this should also include the experience of the technician. They should have several references and come highly recommended too.
Another thing to take into consideration is efficiency. The job should not stretch for a long time and if you have any concerns or questions, they should be able to provide you with a clear answer. Jobs should be accomplished within the promised time.
Most importantly, without this, none of the aforementioned qualities is useful. There should be trust. Trust with the company and trust with the installer. You have to make background checks with regards to the legitimacy of the company and that they should have the proper permits and licenses.
Aside from potential clients doing background checks with the company, the company itself should conduct a thorough background check with their installers. They should check that the references that they have provided are legitimate and that the job that they have rendered is up to the highest standards. Not only will the investigation focus on skills, this will also include that their staff have a clear record especially since they will be working inside the homes of families.
Warning Signs
There should be warning signs that you should not ignore when you are hiring someone to do a job for you. Some of them are as follows:
- Too good to be true – When what goes through your mind is to question whether an offer is too good to be true, most likely it is not. Reputable companies may not be the cheapest but sometimes the cheapest ones aren’t always the best ones. As they say, you get what you paid for. If an installer is offering you their services at a very low estimate compared to the average, this should raise the red flag. Are they going to provide you with sub-par materials? Do their installers actually have the skills and the experience? Do you really think that they are there to provide you with an honest service?
- Trust your emotions and Gut instinct – If you feel that there is something wrong in the picture, trust your instincts and explore further. It is always better to be over prepared, over informed than none at all. If you don’t find anything wrong then at least take comfort in the fact that you have all your boxes ticked.
- Time-pressure – If a company or technician rushes you to make hasty decisions then there is a high possibility that you will go the wrong way. Decision-making should not be done in a flash; you have to weigh your options, check further and listen to your gut before signing the dotted line.
- When they won’t take “No” for an answer – A good service provider should be able to listen and understand the client’s needs and concerns, if they don’t have this then they are in the wrong field of business. As a client, if your service provider does not listen to you, then they may not be the one for you. They should have an open mind to understand your concerns and be able to address it accordingly.
Hot Water Cylinder New Zealand has done numerous installations across the country already and because of this experience, we have developed a high level of competency that our competitors are finding it difficult in offering the same quality of service. To keep their reputation glowing, we make sure that our team are licensed and can take care of our client’s needs from beginning to end. We employ our own staff therefore we do not need to subcontract with others. Thus we can reassure our customers that they can put their trust in us.
