Tony - Tuesday, December 18, 2007 [18:24:56] EDT
I just had Bollinger Electric at my house. They are rip off artists. I was referred to them by Service Magic. I asked on the phone what is the rate they charge for a furnace repair. They told me its $ 40 to come out to the house. I kept on asking what are the charges? They said until he performs the diagnostic he can not give a rate. Since they said they can be here within the hour I said ok since I have no heat and I have two small children that I need to take care of. When he got here I asked the service man what is the rate he said he needed to enter the house to look at it. I took him to the basement to show him the heater. He didn’t even get close enough to see the heater then he opened his book to a page and said its $ 200 for diagnostic fee for a furnace. Even pointed out the line to me? Gee can’t they tell me that over the phone???
I explained to him that someone had tried to help me earlier over the phone and said it most likely is the heat regulator switch since the Trane furnace is blinking 4 times if the reset does not work it would have to be replaced. The serviceman from Bolinger said no that the other person is wrong when ever he works on a furnace it's always 3 to 4 switches that need to be replaced and probably the motor when one thing goes bad it all goes bad. I said that does not sound right since the furnace is only about 4 years old. I said then how much does that costs he said he can’t tell me until I pay him $ 200 Cash or Credit Card for the diagnostic fee and $ 40 for the site visit. I asked does that $ 240 include the labor to replace those switches he said no; I asked what are the labor charges then if it is not covered. He said he could not tell me until he was paid for the diagnostic fee and the site visit charge. That to me is a rip off I asked him to leave, he refused to leave the house until i paid the $ 40.