My dad has always been dedicated to his craft as a plumber, pouring meticulous attention into every job as if he were working on his own home. This work ethic had won him many loyal customers over the years, but it also meant he occasionally ran into those who would exploit his dedication. This story is about one such encounter.
Dad was hired for an extensive bathroom remodel that included high-end tiles and fixtures—a real luxury project. The homeowners were involved in every decision, from the selection of materials to the layout of the plumbing fixtures. After weeks of hard labor, ensuring everything met not only the standards of his profession but the homeowners’ exacting specifications, the job was nearly complete.
On the final day, as Dad was applying the last of the grout, the homeowners’ demeanor drastically changed. They began nitpicking the work, claiming the tiles weren’t what they had envisioned, despite having chosen them themselves. Their real intentions became clear when they brazenly informed my dad that they would only pay him half of the agreed price, dismissing him to “finish up and get lost.”
Knowing he was being unfairly treated and recognizing that a legal battle might be costly and time-consuming, Dad decided to resolve the matter with a bit of cleverness. As he finished the grouting, he calmly installed a custom, easily accessible shut-off valve that controlled the flow to the new fixtures—but he didn’t tell the homeowners about it.
After receiving just half his payment, Dad left the property without a word. A few days later, as expected, he received a furious call from the homeowners: none of the bathroom fixtures were working. Smiling to himself, Dad politely offered to come back and “take a look” for an additional fee, on top of the rest of the payment they owed him.
Cornered and desperate, the homeowners agreed. Dad returned, took the remaining payment upfront, and quickly “fixed” the issue by turning the hidden valve back on. He explained how essential it was to pay for skilled labor, not just for the work done but for the knowledge of the workman.
From then on, word spread in the community about not only the quality of Dad’s work but also his clever resolve in dealing with difficult clients. The homeowners learned a valuable lesson in respect and fairness, traits just as important as any fixture in a bathroom remodel. And Dad, he continued his work with the pride and respect he had always shown, now with a little more validation that no matter how skilled, one should never tolerate being undervalued.