Spartan Plumbing, Heating & Cooling

Initial Business Response /(1000, 5, 2019/03/07) */
Contact Name and Title: ***
Contact Phone: XXX-XXX-XXXX
Contact Email: ***
On Feb 23rd 2019, Spartan Plumbing was dispatched to *** for a water leak in the front yard. After excavating and inspection, we found a water leak to be coming from connection at the point of transition from p.v.c. to pex. Spartan Plumbing then made the repair. we did not back fill the site of excavation because we were asked by the home owners to return and replace the p.v.c. with pex from transition point to the copper service riser. Approximately 3 years ago, spartan was dispatched by Lennar Homes to *** to replace the defective pipe which is HDPE (high density polyethylene) otherwise known as "ranch" pipe. which was what was the piping being used during development of heritage highlands/dove mountain. It was later discovered that the HDPE water pipe was defective and Lennar was replacing them as they failed. Spartan Plumbing would replace all the HDPE piping from the meter to transition point of the service leaders. In the early development, Lennar did use p.v.c. piping for their leaders. The HDPE piping is the defective water line that fails and causes water leaks. P.V.C. piping has been used for many years and has had no issues, problems, or defective properties other than installation error. Spartan Plumbing provides a 2 year warranty beginning the day of installation being completed. In conclusion, Spartan Plumbing feels that the installation was done correctly.

Initial Consumer Rebuttal /(3000, 7, 2019/03/11) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
Spartan states: " After excavating and inspection, we found a water leak to be coming from connection at the point of transition from p.v.c. to pex. Spartan Plumbing then made the repair."
Our response: "My parents are elderly and are snowbirds who are only here 3 months of the year. I am their daughter, and live in the Dove Mountain area as well, and help caretake for them. When my parents purchased their home five years ago, they began encountering several costly water line breaks. Three years ago, we were advised by the HOA that this was because Lennar had discovered defective HDPE pipe had been used in Dove Mountain and they were replacing this defective HDPE pipe with PEX pipe for the homeowners in Heritage Highlands who encountered the water line breaks like my parents. We immediately contacted Lennar and they agreed they would fix this problem and replace the defective pipe. Lennar hired Spartan to replace the defective HDPE pipe with PEX pipe. What we now know is that Spartan, during the repair, made the error of leaving intact a totally incompatible 'temporary repair coupling' to connect the PEX pipe to the p.v.c. pipe leader running to the copper service riser. This temporary repair coupling had been used by my parents, as a temporary fix, to stop one of the many major leaks they had experienced with the HDPE pipe, until Lennar could get Spartan over to replace the defective HDPE pipe with PEX pipe. There were two Lennar gentleman who would be overseeing this project, *** and Bob. What we have discovered, was that during the initial repair 3 years ago, Spartan connected PEX pipe to this incompatible temporary repair coupling and ran the PEX pipe down to the meter. On 2/23/19, my parents encountered a major water leak in the same area as all of the other the water leaks 3 years ago. Lennar instructed the homeowners to contact Spartan, who did the initial repair work, and have them come out and find out what was wrong. The Spartan techs who came to repair the water leak on 2/23/19, were shocked to discover that the temporary repair coupling had been left intact 3 years ago, which is a completely improper coupling to connect PEX pipe to p.v.c. AND should never be used for a permanent repair in the first place. According to the Spartan techs who came on 2/23/19, an experienced service tech should have NEVER left that temporary repair coupling on, because that is not a proper repair. What should have been used was a much-heavier-duty Smith Blair coupling which has now been properly installed on 2/23/19 by these Spartan techs. The Spartan service techs also cautioned my parents to keep the old, incorrect repair coupling for proof of what had been left on and used for the repair 3 years ago. The Spartan techs were also alarmed at how much water they encountered and cautioned us that the leak must have been going on for quite some time and to be prepared for a HIGH water bill!
My parents promptly contacted the water company who will be providing my parents with a meter reading on 3/15 and will help them calculate the excess expense due to the water line break."

Spartan states: "We did not back fill the site of excavation because we were asked by the home owners to return and replace the p.v.c. with pex from transition point to the copper service riser."
Our response: "The Spartan service techs that came to do the repair on 2/23/19 stated that, in their opinion, PEX should have been installed all the way to the copper service riser. They felt that the p.v.c., that still ran from the PEX pipe to the copper service riser, should have been replaced with PEX pipe. They stated that the p.v.c. was part of the defective HDPE pipe used in Heritage Highlands and that the PEX pipe should have been installed to the copper service riser, rather than stopping 10' away from the copper service riser, which is where all of the leaks had occurred. They asked us to leave the excavation intact, so that they didn't need to dig it up again. They then said that Spartan would need to have them come back to complete the work to run PEX pipe to the copper service riser, and would relay that to Lennar. Additionally, the Spartan scheduler who sent the techs over for the repair on 2/23/19, insisted that my parents pay the invoice given to them by the techs, and that they would be reimbursed by Lennar who was responsible for the project in the first place. The amount my parents paid was $930.60. When we called our contact person, *** with Lennar, on 2/25/19, he stated that Spartan, not Lennar, would need to be responsible for the reimbursement - since Lennar wasn't the one who did the work incorrectly. Bob said not to worry, he would take care of calling Spartan to make sure they knew they were responsible for the reimbursement and any related excess water expenses from the water company. Relieved but cautious, I called Spartan later that day to inquire about when we could expect the reimbursement. To my surprise, they were very rude and directed us right back to Lennar for any reimbursements as they were not going to offer reimbursement, since it was Lennar's responsibility. Spartan stated that Lennar must have given them instructions to use the existing temporary repair coupling, rather than use their own coupling, which would have been the correct Smith Blair coupling. Spartan said they are only allowed to follow the paperwork instructions they receive from Lennar, but can't find that paperwork now, so they are not able to prove what Lennar instructed them to do that day. Alarmed, I called *** with Lennar. *** said sorry, unfortunately Spartan has a history of not standing behind their work - even though he said that Lennar contracts Spartan and pays them well. *** said that Lennar has paperwork of the repair order, but that they are kept in-house and not shared with the public, so I wasn't allowed a copy. *** said I just need to keep fighting with Spartan about any reimbursements, because there was nothing more he could do. I immediately called Spartan back and they informed me that *** agreed with Spartan - that Spartan wasn't responsible for anything, since they only warranty their work for 1 year (even though in the complaint, they stated the warranty was 2 years). They said it didn't matter if the job was done incorrectly, the warranty protected them. I was stunned and tried to call *** back. But *** completely shut me down. After a lot of digging, on March 1, I finally found a person with Lennar who understood the seriousness of our frustrations, and shared my story with *** VP with Lennar. That very day, I received a call from *** with Lennar. He came to inspect the situation at my parents home on 3/8/19. Upon observation, he promised my mom and dad that the remaining p.v.c., from the PEX pipe to the copper service riser, will not cause them any problems, even though Spartan felt that it should be replaced with PEX pipe. He said that the p.v.c. won't be a problem and that Lennar will leave it intact. But, he did acknowledge the coupling error and was shown the incorrect coupling, that on the wise advice from the Spartan techs, my mom and dad held onto. *** promised he would call Spartan about his observations and he would insist that they need to handle the reimbursements. He also fessed up Lennar can't find any paperwork on the repair work to see how Spartan was instructed. What a coincidence that neither Spartan or Lennar can find any paperwork on the repair to see what went wrong and who is responsible, but that doesn't negate the fact that someone needs to be held responsible for damages/expenses to my parents!

Spartan states: "We feel the installation was done correctly."
Our response: "In conclusion, we do not feel the installation job was done correctly in the first place, which voids their position regarding the 2 year warranty. The water breach happened at the repair coupling that was used improperly/incorrectly to connect the PEX pipe to the p.v.c. pipe. The homeowners were required to pay $930.60 for the work done on 2/23/19 with the promise, from Spartan, that Lennar would be reimbursing them. Lennar's position is that Spartan will need to provide the reimbursement. Lennar also feels that no further pipe replacement needs to be completed, as it is their belief that, the p.v.c. that remains from the copper service riser to the PEX pipe, will not cause any further water break issues. Lennar also feels that any excess water bill amounts need to be settled with Spartan. At some point, either Spartan or Lennar needs to help accountable for damages to the homeowners who are sadly caught in the middle!"

Phone number for *** at Lennar is XXX-XXX-XXXX. Phone number for *** at Lennar is XXX-XXX-XXXX.