I used to gripe about service costs, but after 15 years as a homeowner, my perspective has shifted. One one hand, yes $100 is a lot of money...but I've got a really good plumber that I've stuck with over the years. For that $100 starting rate, he nails most problems on the first call and on the few times there's a problem, he comes right back out and takes care of it, so I have peace of mind with that. A lot of these projects we've had, if I tried to fumble through myself, it would wind up costing at least that much, plus whatever property damage ensued. And to be honest, he occasionally cuts me a break on the bill and even gives me a little free phone advice from time-to-time since I'm a regular, and I've referred him some business. So yeah, I hate to part with a C-note, but I don't mind putting money in somebody's pocket when they take care of business like that.
