As I said earlier, I make no claims that my response was perfect.

As soon as I found the real problem, and having some issues with what I had been told to that point, the customer presented me with the other guys' (TOG's) invoice. That made me react so strongly I went into "automatic mode" as soon as I got back to my truck. (No point putting on a show for the customer).

The invoice diagnosed a bad element. Then, the 'fix' was to replace one 2-pole breaker, and three 1-pole breakers. Not only was the element perfectly good (in a new water heater), but I had difficulty spotting any new breakers in the panel. There was also a scorch mark, and a burnt wiring smell, in the panel that I could not explain; I wasn't getting the whole picture.

So I "reacted" without thinking. Knowing the shop had a good rep, and considering that the bos never has any idea what happens in the fiels -he can't be everywhere- I thought he would be interested. If, as I suspected, his guy was either a crook, or incompetent, I wanted him to see things for himself.

I called, and was very polite. I made clear that I was "not at war," but thought he should come and see before I tore it all apart.

He came, and was quite professional. He didn't really seem convinced, however, until he saw the fried wires himself. After that, he had no problem recognising that just maybe two breakers had been changed - not four.

He then explained to the customer that he would be making a major reduction to the invoice, only charging for the service call. A $450 bill, reduced to $95. The customer was thrilled.

What happend back at the shop, only the shadow knows....

It looks as if my response was pretty close to what many of you have suggested.

As for my price, well, I sharpened my pencil. This poor guy had already been screwed by whoever had replaced the water heater, as well as the other EC.
Though it would not surprise me at all, if the property owner -who has several such rental homes- calls me in the future! [Linked Image]