My dad’s a plumber, and for years he’s been known as the kind, honest guy who never cuts corners. One day, he finished a full bathroom remodel for neighbors who had personally chosen every tile and fixture. On the final day, they suddenly claimed they “didn’t like the tiles” and announced they’d only pay him half. The excuse was nonsense—they just wanted to cheat him.

Dad saw through it. Calmly, he agreed to finish the job. That night, he returned, completed the grouting, sealed the edges, and polished everything until the bathroom looked flawless. The homeowners smugly told him to leave and promised half the payment later.

What they didn’t know was that Dad had used a temporary grout compound—harmless, but designed to wash away with water. The next morning, their first shower loosened everything. Tiles slipped, grout dissolved, and their luxury remodel turned into a mess.

Panicking, they called Dad, demanding he fix it. He replied calmly, “Sure—full payment, up front.” Defeated, they agreed. Dad redid the job properly, collected every cent, plus an emergency fee.

A week later, they tried revenge with a fake one-star review. Dad responded with facts. Armed with contracts, photos, and texts, he took them to small claims court—and won. The judge ordered them to pay double.

Word spread fast: don’t mess with the plumber. His business only grew stronger.