Terms of Service

About these terms

These terms apply to your use of this website and to plumbing services provided by Collins & Sons LLC, 209 Westowne Rd, Catonsville, MD 21229, licensed MHIC #117712. By using this site you agree to them.

Information on this website

The guidance published on this site — including our blog articles, service pages and location pages — is general information based on our experience working on Maryland homes. It is not a diagnosis of your specific property.

Plumbing systems vary enormously between houses, and an article cannot see your basement. Nothing here replaces an on-site inspection by a licensed plumber, and you should not rely on it as the sole basis for a decision about your property.

We describe local conditions such as water hardness and typical construction eras in good faith and from direct experience. Conditions vary by address and over time, which is why we test on site rather than assuming.

Estimates and pricing

• We do not publish fixed prices, because a number that does not match your house is worse than no number at all.
• Written estimates are provided before work begins and are valid for the period stated on the estimate.
• If we open a wall or a floor and find something the estimate could not have accounted for, we stop and talk to you before continuing. You will not receive an invoice for work you did not agree to.
• Free estimates are offered for larger projects such as water heater replacement, sewer line work and whole-house repiping. Diagnostic service calls carry a service charge, which we state on the phone before dispatch.

Scheduling and emergency service

Arrival windows are given in good faith based on where our trucks are and what is ahead of you. Emergency work, traffic and jobs that turn out to be larger than described can affect timing, and we will tell you if that happens rather than leaving you waiting.

Emergency service is available outside normal business hours at an after-hours rate, which we state on the call before we dispatch. If waiting until the next business day is genuinely safe and cheaper for you, we will say so.

Workmanship

We stand behind our repairs and installations. Warranty terms depend on the work performed and on the manufacturer warranty attached to any equipment supplied, and are set out in writing on your invoice or estimate.

Warranties do not cover damage caused by misuse, by work performed by others after we leave, by conditions we identified and recommended addressing but were not engaged to fix, or by circumstances outside our control.

Permits and inspections

Where the work requires a permit — water heater replacement, sewer line work, gas piping and most alterations to drain, waste, vent or supply piping — we pull it and we meet the inspector. Permit and inspection fees are itemized on your estimate.

We do not perform permitted work without a permit. If you have been offered that elsewhere, it is worth thinking about what else that contractor is prepared to skip.

Your responsibilities

• Provide safe, reasonable access to the work area and to shutoff valves.
• Tell us about known hazards — asbestos, lead paint, unstable structure, aggressive animals.
• Move valuables and fragile items out of the work area before we arrive where practical.
• Confirm you are the property owner or have the owner's authority to instruct the work.

Limitation of liability

To the fullest extent permitted by Maryland law, our liability arising from work performed is limited to the cost of the work in question. We are not liable for indirect or consequential losses.

Nothing in these terms limits liability that cannot be limited by law, including liability for personal injury caused by negligence.

We carry full liability insurance and can provide a certificate of insurance on request.

Intellectual property

All text, photographs and design on this website are the property of Collins & Sons LLC unless otherwise stated. You may not reproduce substantial parts of it without permission. You are of course welcome to link to any page here.

Governing law

These terms are governed by the laws of the State of Maryland, and any dispute will be subject to the jurisdiction of the Maryland courts.

Questions

Call +1 (207) 419-2600 or email info@collinsandsonsllc.com. See also our privacy policy.