Is a plumber's license required?

[jseklund]

Is a plumbers license required for someone installing a hot water heater? I live in MA, and I have been told that if you even touch a pipe without a license you can get in trouble. I believe the sole exception is when you own the home. I could be wrong though....

I am asking because I had someone try to pull a fast one on me. He was going to install a new hot water heater in the house, and then the price kept going up....long story short I don't even think he's a licensed plumber. If he's not, it may help when and if I take further action...

[Warren]

I'd check with your local government. I suspect that most jurisdictions are similar, but I'd get the local requirements. Further, I suspect that your isurance company might have some concern about having none professionals doing technical work in your home, espceially if it involves torches and the like. Further, a fly by night plumber may not carry required insurance and bonding. Wonderful things to beable to access if the plumber burns your house down.

[Tom Slick]

more then likely a permit is required. it is up to your locality as to if a licensed plumber has to do it.
a water heater is one of the more dangerous appliances in your house.

[Hellrazor]

DIY is ok in a lot of places. If you are paying someone, they should be licensed. You insurance might not cover a claim if the person wasn't licensed.

[jseklund]

Thanks guys. I appreciate the responses. I asked a contractor I know and he says they need to be licensed. However, I think I'm going to call the Att. Gen and ask too.

Basically, this was my stupid mistake- but I rent a house and the landlord asked me if I could get the oil burner cleaned. She lives about 4-5 hours away, and we're on good terms, I have a great deal on the rent, so I don't mind helping out with the little things like that. I called around, got a reasonable price and had the guy come in. While he was here, he noticed the water heater was corroded on the bottom (it is visibly leaking) and needed to be replaced. He said it was probably under warranty and that it would take about 2 hours to replace. The landlord would only have to pay for labor- about $175. I talked to the landlord, she said go, so I told him to call her. Neither he nor his secretary ever called her. I got a call a week later and the guy came by to grab the sticker off the heater to send in for the warranty replacement. I never asked him to come out, he just did. While he was here he said that it would be $350 and that a $175 deposit was required. I asked him if he spoke with my landlord and if she said it was OK. He said yes. MY MISTAKE: I wrote a check for him for $175 to get things going. I know the landlord SHOULD pay, but she always pays me back and this just makes it easier for everyone. Anyway, the landlord hadn't ever spoken with him or his secretary and the $350 was not OK.

So I call him, tell him the situation, he says he'll send the money back. I wait a week and a half and no check. I call and speak to his receptionist (presumably his wife)- and she says they are waiting to get their deposit back on the warranty heater and that they'll send me a check for $90 once that comes in. I say it has to be $175 because they were never authorized to do the work (I cannot authorize work on someone else's house) and they argue. So, I got a check back for $90 yesterday, but I'm preparing my next move.

The guy who does the work, nor the company appear to have a plumber's license. Another point in my favor, since he is thus unable to accept payment, legally, for such work. However I am really going to look into the possibilities of fines for what he has done. If it's a major fine, he may not think twice about the $85 in order to shut me up. I have a letter that he sent with the check for all the work he had to do- including cutting and torching pipes. He also alludes to telling me a "couple hours of work" in the letter.

I know it's trivial- $85 and that my time is worth more than that, but it's a principle thing I guess. I should have known better- but I am sometimes too trusting. My bad.

[alpha]

Plumbers license?

Maybe a dumb question, but did you cash his check? If you did, you strenghtened his side of the argument.

Each state and locality has different licensing requirements. If it was me I would take the uncashed check to the county attorney and explain the situation to see what action could be taken. Your county attorney might be interested in checking out licensing issues also. If you already cashed it, I would contact the county attorney anyway.

Unfortunately it will cost you more in money, time and aggravation than it is worth. The character you are dealing with knows that as well. There are two issues here. (1) Are you trying to recover the money that is owed to you? (2) Are you trying to take punitive action against the character because he took advantage of you? There are a lot of stinkers in this world, and you just met one.

[jseklund]

Maybe a dumb question, but did you cash his check? If you did, you strenghtened his side of the argument.

Each state and locality has different licensing requirements. If it was me I would take the uncashed check to the county attorney and explain the situation to see what action could be taken. Your county attorney might be interested in checking out licensing issues also. If you already cashed it, I would contact the county attorney anyway.

Unfortunately it will cost you more in money, time and aggravation than it is worth. The character you are dealing with knows that as well. There are two issues here. (1) Are you trying to recover the money that is owed to you? (2) Are you trying to take punitive action against the character because he took advantage of you? There are a lot of stinkers in this world, and you just met one.

Yes, I did meet a stinker. It was my mistake- I should have been more careful and I feel pretty dumb. I have NOT cashed his check yet, but I know that cashing it actually has no bearing in this situation. If someone owes me $175 and they give me $90 back- that doesn't mean they don't owe me the other $85 just because I took it. If that was the law- credit card companies would be in trouble. If I took and agreed that that was the end, that would be a different story, but it is clear here that we do not have an agreement.

This would probably only be a small claims court issue. However, the leverage here is that if he doesn't have a plumber's license- he is done. It may be a little aggravation for me, but it can be a lot more for him. I now have a quote from him for the work, and a letter saying that he planned on cutting and torching pipes in doing the work. His letter also says that he did originally tell me a couple of hours and so on. Basically I am going to call the AG's or the Dept. of Licenseur's office and confirm that a plumber's license is necessary for a hot water heater installation. It appears that first time offenses for working without a license are fineable up to $1,000. Second time up to $2,500. Everything after that is free reign. So, the evidence he has given me can cost him a lot of headache for $85 too.

Also, if he is unlicensed, he is not legally able to enter into ANY contract for payment for plumbing work. This means that there never was a contract (contracts have to deal with legal matters in order to exist). It means he never had a right to money even if my land lord had agreed. Couple this with the fact that I am not legally able to enter into agreements on someone else's property- and he just has no legal footing.

But you're right- a lot of headache caused by my stupidity and his being a stinker. Hopefully a few more phone calls will clear this up.