Emergency repair · Brian Walsh
Burst pipe at night
Sales director working from home today, in and out of calls. Wants this handled quickly.
What you know walking in
After-hours emergency call, 10:40 at night. Water is coming through the kitchen ceiling under the upstairs bathroom, and the customer cannot find the main shutoff. Two-story home built in 2004.
- 3/4-inch copper hot water line in the kitchen ceiling, 22 yrs
- Main shutoff ball valve on the front garage wall, 22 yrs
- Recessed light in the kitchen ceiling
What you found
- Water is still pouring through the kitchen ceiling when the tech arrives. Stopping it comes first.
- Water came through a recessed light. The breaker for that circuit needs to be off, and nobody should touch the fixture.
- The drywall around the light is sagging with water. A small hole into a bucket drains it under control.
- A 3/4-inch copper hot water line split at an elbow in the ceiling, where the pipe wall wore thin. It is one failed spot.
- Pressure is 68 psi, inside the normal range. Pressure did not cause this.
Your price book for this job
Make it safe tonight, repair later
After-hours visit · Main water shut off and the ceiling drained into a bucket · Breaker off for the wet light · Water stays off until the repair · Repair during business hours priced separately at $500
$225
Make it safe and repair tonight Fits this home
Everything in the make-safe option · Open the ceiling at the break · Replace the failed elbow and a short section of pipe · Pressure test and water back on tonight · Drywall repair and drying not included
$725
The honest fit is marked. Recommend what the home needs, and only that.
Your goal
Stop the water and make the home safe before talking price. Then give calm, honest after-hours pricing, recommend repairing tonight, and point him to insurance and drying help without fear selling.
Difficulty: Real world
Plan you can offer
- Summit Care Club$19.95 a month
Speak naturally. Brian hears you, reacts to how you say things, and remembers. Headphones make it feel real.