Investor · Houston, TX · Member since 2015 · 176 posts · 121 votes
Help! The hourly rate and added line items are getting out of control for the maintenance costs in my San Mateo properties. Is this just me, or is this also happening to others???
I use a property manager who does a straight pass through of the maintenance costs, so I know it is not the PM's fault. But Plumbers are now charging $145/hour, and are adding an inspection fee and travel time into their bills. A simple unclogging of the drain is $350+!!! It used to be around $95-$120 before.
Fixing the dishwasher drain tube was $300! All they did was pull out the dishwasher and replace the drain tube.
I can't sustain this level of increased maintenance without significantly increasing the rent. Rent is slightly below market but just raised it 5%. Renters are nearing 50% of their income for rent, so this cant go much higher. Anyone have a solution? Anyone have a good plumber or handy man in the San Mateo Area?
Find subs and vendors that won't charge so much. Prices are market specific I know, but I've never seen costs like that. I can get a plumber for an 8 hour day for 5-600.
We used to use a plumber that charged $140 for a service call and that would cover the 1st hour of labor. But I have called 4 separate plumbers now and all charge around $145/hour + charge their regular hourly rate for the travel time.
For my Houston properties, I am currently paying around $100 for a service call + any parts. Unclogging a drain is around $65 to $100.
I looking to see if this is now normal for the SF area, or do I continue to call plumbers until I find one who does not charge for travel time.
I guess persistence pays off. Found a plumber who is more reasonable and does not charge for their travel time. Still waiting to see if the quality is acceptable. time will tell.