Columbia Drain Co. Servicing Your Sewer And Drain Cleaning Needs Since 1987

Servicing your sewer and drain cleaning needs since 1987!

We are licensed in both Oregon and Washington!

OR license: CCB 117602
WA license: COLUMDCO44RB

FEATURED ARTICLE

Flat Rate vs. Time & Materials Pricing
Plumbers charge by the hour (time + material) or they charge by the job (flat-rate). Both types of pricing have been around from the beginning of time. There is nothing new about either method. I have done both types of pricing most days for the thirty years I have been a plumber. All plumbing repairs represent some level of risk that the job will turn into a larger project than originally anticipated.

The two pricing methods determine who is taking that risk. When a plumber is charging by the hour the customer is taking the risk that the job could take longer or be more costly. When a “flat-rate” or contract amount has been agreed to in advance the plumber is taking that risk.

QI got a quote from another rooter company that was much higher than the one Columbia Drain gave me. Why such a large price difference?
A We have a one-hour minimum on all of our services plus a small truck charge. If you look closely you will see that the other company was charging you for two hours.

Q We called ****** Drain Service and they wanted $250.00 to clean our main sewer line. When we told them that we had a phone quote from Columbia drain for $165.00 they quickly dropped their price to $150.00. Do you negotiate on your prices also?
A NO, we do not negotiate with our rates. Would you shop for a better deal if you needed surgery? Of course not, you want the best doctor you can get. Most of the major Rooter companies are paying their service people on commission. The higher the sale the more money they make. I have always wondered, if they are so quick to cut their rates, are they cutting the quality of their service?

Q I paid $325.00 to have my main sewer cleaned only to have it back up again in 6 months. I called the company back and they wanted another $325.00, telling me it was warranty for only 90days. How long is your warranty?
A In most cases out warranty is one year. There are of course some cases were we couldn’t provide the warranty, Toilet blockages are only warranted for 72hours.

If you have a broken line, or a history of over loading the drain with the disposal that will also shorten the warranty.

If you have any other questions please feel free to send us an e-mail and we will be happy to get back to you with an answer.

503.313.7246 Portland / 360.903.7246 Vancouver