Unexpected cost by property Managment

[Nadir M.]

Hello everyone,

My PM charged me $290 for replacement of a cartridge on a tub faucet. Does $290 not sound like I was way over charged? I mean how expensive are parts and labor? Sometimes I think about trying to manage my own properties from long distance. Thoughts?

[William Joseph]

@Nadir M.

I am a property manager and want to provide the PM perspective. I think any client absolutely has the right for a breakdown and explanation of any charge. You should look at this as part of your education process too. With that said, if your PM says it was an emergency I would not second guess the decision too much unless it is a trend or your are positive it is not. I had a situation where a cartridge went bad and as a result was spraying water laterally onto the floor and flooded an entire house. If my maintenance person's diagnosis was as described I would replace ASAP.

On its face the fee seems high but if done by a licensed plumber with a hourly minimum and done after hours or as an emergency call it is not totally unreasonable. You should respectfully ask the questions and get your explanation. I would be much more inclined to respond to an e-mail that stated, "Hey, the plumbing invoice seemed a little high for something that appeared so small, maybe you could just explain it to me or help me understand."