Strike 1:
Maybe I just got the really bad employees, but after a disposal was installed by Maddox, we thought we just had bad drain pipes in this old home, because it just didn't work well. Suddenly, neither did our new dishwasher. Finally, a year later - another plumber with Speedy Plumbing found the issue. Maddox had installed the disposal incorrectly, wrong hoses hooked up to wrong inlet/outlet lines and none of the plugs were removed from the disposal which is required for installation, so of course in addition to the disposal not working correctly, the dishwasher couldn't either because the air gap hose from the dishwasher was incorrectly attached to the disposal and the plug which allows the air gap to work was not removed from the disposal.
Maddox is nice on the phone and does send a plumber quickly, but what is that worth if they charge you for a job poorly done, when you have to get another plumber to fix their work and charge you again?
Strike 2:
During this same time period, before we knew the disposal was installed incorrectly, we also needed our sewer cap clean outs raised above ground. Yep, called Maddox. Two guys came. They "installed" risers /cleanout caps, put soil back around the caps & left.
Three days later, thanks to our dogs running around the yard and kicking the top-out caps which fell over immediately, we discovered the caps were simply set on top of the existing open hole in sewer pipes. Not screwed in, not glued, not attached in any way. So when we saw the risers/caps laying sideways on the ground we inspected. Sure enough, sewer line now full of dirt because the caps were just set on top of the old sewer line and buried in 6 inches of dirt. Great Job. We paid $365 for these plumbers to dig 6", take the old WORKING SEALED caps off, and simply lay $20 of plastic risers/caps on top and bury in 6" of dirt. I called and told Maddox what had been done. They sent 2 more to fix it. Charged another $365 for the job that wasn't done the first time. Astounding.
Strike 3:
Just before we discovered the disposal issue, we needed a hot water heater removed from the house during floor renovations. I specifically said I wanted the water heater flushed upon removal, then flushed again before re-install because it would sit outside for at least a couple of weeks in the hot weather. The same two who had lazily done the original sewer pipe risers came. When I watched them take the water heater outside and drain it, then leave it outside I asked, did you flush it? The lead plumber said "No. We only need to flush it before we put it back." I said I had asked for it to be flushed both when removed, AND before re-installing. He again said "No. We only need to flush it before putting it back. He also said since I had the old metal hoses they would need to install new ones because after the old ones had been bent in several directions to remove the water heater, those old hoses would leak if not replaced. Then they left.
Weeks later upon needing it re-installed, same two plumbers came. I watched them stick the dolly under the water heater and cart it inside and begin re-install. There was mud and dried dirt clumped all over the bottom of the water heater. They didn't even try to clean it off. They dropped it onto the new flooring and began twisting and scooting it around the floor, grinding mud and dirt into the new flooring. They also left it sitting lop-sided and tried to put it into place. I stopped them. I told them it is rocking because there are clumps of dirt all over the bottom of the water heater. Of course they knew this because the helper had my dust pan and a rag and was trying to scoop up dirt from the floor before I could catch them. I was understandably upset. I had to make them clean the bottom of the water heater before they scratched & ruined the new flooring. They did not like this!
Then, they were hooking it up to the old hoses that they said would leak if re-used. I stopped them. Made them put new hoses on.
Then, after having watched the entire process, I asked "Did you flush the water heater before you brought it in the house?" The lead plumber said "No. We flushed it when we took it out." I reminded him that they had NOT flushed it on removal because I watched the entire process and reminded him that HE specifically told me they had NOT flushed it upon removal and that he had stated they only needed to flush it before re-installing it. He again said "No. We flushed it when we took it out". This conversation went three rounds before I gave up because it was clear they had no intention of doing the job correctly.
We were charged a hefty fee for this experience.
We dealt with black hot water, chunky water, and settlings from the hot water heater for a couple of weeks.
We flushed it.
When I explained to the person on the other end of the phone at Maddox this horrible experience, I was met with excuses.
They were kind enough to give me a $100 discount off a $600+ bill.
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