Her granddaughter discovered the problem. Sewage coming up through a lower level drain.

Millie McGuffin is blind so she had no idea about the extent of damage till she called a plumbing company.

Millie says workers put a camera in the line and told her it would cost upwards of $17,000 to clear out the roots.

Millie says, "I was told by one of them if I don't take care of it I could have a tsunami. He used the term, tsunami."

Millie signed paperwork, paid the company $6,000, and then tried to take out a loan for the rest. That's when her daughter Natalee got involved.

Natalee says, "It seems as if they're taking advantage of people that are nice, that are trusting."

Natalee wanted a second opinion so she called Dan Burleson with Mr. Rooter Plumbing. His bid came in much lower, almost half the price of the first company.

Dan says, "Please get a second opinion... I encourage every customer I go to cause I know where I'm at."

Dan not not only covered up the ten foot gaping hole the other crew left behind, but also told Millie and Natalee about a program that helps those who are disadvantaged.

Millie applied and got $7,300 worth of work done free... thanks to a fedral grant administered by the city.

Only problem since millie signed a contract with the first company she was still on the hook for the $17,000... So I called an attorney who helped her out for free.

He was able to negotiate a deal with the first company which agreed to only charge millie $1,000 for work performed, releasing her from the contract.

We also talked to two other plumbing companies and their bids were also much lower than the first.
Bottom line, it really pays to do your homework. By talking to different companies you get a better feel for the issues you're facing, the level of experience each crew offers, and if the price you're being asked to pay is a fair one.

$2.3 million dollars in federal funds is available every year in Colorado Springs for those who qualify.

It's based on income and other requirements, but the program pays for everything from electrical work and emergency sewer repairs to hot water heaters and new furnaces.

To learn more head see the link below.