Entitled Homeowners Refused to Pay My Plumber Dad –
They Thought They Were the Smartest, but He Had the Last Laugh
My dad’s a plumber, and he once took on a full bathroom remodel for a couple in our neighborhood. On the final day, just as he was wrapping up, the homeowners suddenly claimed they “didn’t like the tiles.”
Total nonsense—they’d chosen everything themselves.
Their real goal became obvious when they told him they’d only be paying half and that he should finish up and leave. My dad is kind, but he’s not naïve. He agreed to finish the job—and quietly made a plan.
That night, he completed everything perfectly. The bathroom looked flawless, like it belonged in a magazine. The homeowners were smug.
“Great. We’ll send half the payment tomorrow,” they said.
Dad nodded and left.
What they didn’t know was that he’d used a temporary, harmless compound instead of permanent grout sealant—one that dissolves with water. The very next morning, their first shower turned the remodel into a disaster. Grout loosened, tiles shifted, and chaos followed.
They called him, panicking.
“Everything’s ruined! Fix it now!”
Dad calmly replied, “Happy to—once I’m paid in full, up front.”
They agreed instantly.
He redid the job properly, collected full payment, plus an emergency fee. End of story—or so they thought.
A week later, they left him a one-star review, accusing him of ruining their bathroom. Big mistake.
Dad brought his meticulous records to court—photos, texts, approvals, invoices. The judge ruled fully in his favor, ordering them to pay double for withheld payment and defamation.
After that, everyone knew: don’t try to scam the plumber. He doesn’t lose—and his business only grew.
