How We Handle Warranty Work at Crawl Logic
Introduction
Our Warranty Policy
TAKING CARE OF CUSTOMERS AFTER THE JOB IS DONE
I was heading to 6 AM jiu-jitsu when I got the call. A customer's sump pump had failed.
We installed it six years ago, back when I was still pretty new to running Crawl Logic.
The pump did its job for a long time, but it finally gave out.
She noticed because her humidity reader went up.
That's exactly what it's supposed to do - alert you when something's wrong.
So she called, and I'm heading out there today to take care of it.
This is a good example of how we handle warranty work.
Because when equipment fails, that's when you find out what a company's warranty is actually worth.
What Happened With This Job
The sump pump we installed six years ago stopped working. It happens. Pumps don't last forever. She's been monitoring her crawl space with the humidity reader, noticed the levels climbing, and reached out.
It's been about nine months since we last serviced the system, so I'm due for a visit anyway. I've got a new pump in the truck. I'll pull the basin, disconnect the old pump, drop the new one in, and reconnect everything. Simple swap.
Here's the part that matters - she's going to pay what I paid for the pump. That's it. No markup. No labor charge. And her warranty starts over from today.
While I'm down there, I'll also service her dehumidifier and make sure everything else looks good. Because if I'm already under the house, I might as well make sure the whole system is running right.
Our Warranty Approach
This is what I think a good warranty should look like.
The hole's already dug. The plumbing's already in place. All I'm doing is disconnecting one pump and putting another one in. That takes me maybe 30 minutes. Why would I charge her full price for a brand new installation when most of the work was done six years ago?
She pays what I paid for the pump. No markup. No labor fees. I swap it out, and her warranty clock resets. Done.
And since I'm there anyway, I'll service her dehumidifier. Check the filters, make sure it's running efficiently, clean everything up. That's just part of taking care of the system we installed.
This isn't complicated. It's just fair.
How Corporate Companies Handle Warranties
Before I started Crawl Logic, I worked for a big corporate crawl space company. I saw how they handled warranty work.
If a pump failed outside the warranty period, we had to charge full price for a replacement. Didn't matter that the basin was already there. Didn't matter that the plumbing was done. Didn't matter that swapping the pump took 20 minutes. Full price, just like a brand new install.
That never sat right with me. The customer already paid for the install. The infrastructure is there. You're just replacing a component. But the policy was the policy, and I had to follow it.
That was one of the big reasons I started my own company. I wanted to do things differently. I wanted to take care of people the way I'd want to be taken care of.
How This Helps the Homeowner
Before I started Crawl Logic, I worked for a big corporate crawl space company. I saw how they handled warranty work.
If a pump failed outside the warranty period, we had to charge full price for a replacement. Didn't matter that the basin was already there. Didn't matter that the plumbing was done. Didn't matter that swapping the pump took 20 minutes. Full price, just like a brand new install.
That never sat right with me. The customer already paid for the install. The infrastructure is there. You're just replacing a component. But the policy was the policy, and I had to follow it.
That was one of the big reasons I started my own company. I wanted to do things differently. I wanted to take care of people the way I'd want to be taken care of.
Why Our Policy Makes Sense
Look, I'm not running a charity. I need to make money to keep the lights on and pay my guys. But there's a difference between making a fair profit and squeezing every dollar out of a customer.
The hard work is already done. The hole's dug. The discharge line is run. The plumbing's connected. All I'm doing is swapping one pump for another. That's not a $1,500 job. That's a $200 part and 30 minutes of my time.
When you nickel and dime people on stuff like this, you might make more money in the short term. But you lose their trust. And trust is worth more than an extra few hundred bucks on a service call.
I want customers who call me back in six years when something needs attention. I want people who refer their neighbors because they know I'm going to treat them right. That doesn't happen if you're gouging them every time a part fails.
Questions About Our Warranty?
If you want to know more about how we handle warranty work, or if you're dealing with an issue in your crawl space, give me a call.
We offer free inspections for homeowners in the Nashville area. I'll come out, take a look at what's going on, and give you an honest assessment. No pressure, no gimmicks.
You can reach me directly. I'll answer your questions, explain how we do things, and let you decide if it makes sense for your home.
That's how we do business at Crawl Logic.
