What happens when you call
Before you call — three things that help
If water is actively running, shut the water off first. The main shut-off is usually at the meter where the line comes into the house, or on a wall near where the line enters. Turn the valve clockwise until it stops. If you cannot reach the valve inside, the meter box is usually out by the street under a lid — turn the shut-off valve there the same way, clockwise until it stops.
On a slab house the main is often near the front wall where the line comes up through the slab. On a pier-and-beam house it is usually under the floor, near where the line comes in from the meter. Either way, clockwise to close.
Second, if the water heater is the problem, grab the brand and the label off the side of the tank before you call. It tells Jacob the size, the fuel and the age without a trip.
Third, a photo of what is happening — the leak, the puddle, the heater label — saves a trip. Text it over and Jacob can see the job before he rolls.
You call, Jacob answers
There is no call center and no dispatcher. When the phone rings, Jacob picks it up. He will ask what is happening, what town you are in, whether water is running right now, whether the house is on a slab or pier-and-beam, how old the house is, and whether it is a home or a business. That tells him what to bring and what to expect before he rolls.
You get a real arrival window
Lexington-area calls are usually same day. Further out is often next day. An emergency — a burst line, a sewer backing up into the house — gets moved ahead of routine work. Jacob would rather give you a window he can hit than a promise he cannot. You will know when to expect him before he hangs up.
We look at it, and the estimate is free
If the problem is something visible — a leaking heater, a running toilet, a fixture — looking is free and the price comes before any work. If the problem is hidden and has to be found first, locating it is the diagnostic, which starts at $125 and can run higher on a complex job that takes an hour or more to locate. Either way, the number comes before the work.
You get a price before anything starts
A fixed price is agreed first. No work begins on a "we will see where it lands" basis. You know what it costs before a tool comes out of the truck.
The permit, if there is one
JK Ranch pulls it. Inside city limits the city building department handles the permit and the inspection. Out in the unincorporated county there is usually no permit and no inspection at all — which is exactly why the license matters more out there, not less. Either way, the permit is on JK Ranch.
Permits and licensingThe work, and what you're left with
The job is done to code, and the work site is cleaned up before Jacob leaves. Two years on workmanship and on the parts JK Ranch supplies. Water heater manufacturer warranties get registered on your behalf, so the paperwork is handled from day one.
Paying
Cash, check, or card. The 3% card processing fee is stated before the invoice, not after. Veterans get 10% off, up to $250. There is no financing and no payment plan — payment is at the time the work is done.
If it's after hours
After-hours and Saturday calls carry a $75 service fee that is non-refundable and is not waived, even though the estimate is free. What it is for: somebody is leaving their house at eleven at night.
Be honest about what counts as after hours — outside 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM Monday to Saturday, and Sunday. Between 10 PM and 6 AM the phone may not be answered immediately. If water is actively running, shut the water off first, leave a message or send a text, and Jacob will pick it up as early as he can.
A gas smell is different. If there is a strong gas smell, leave the building and call the gas utility or 911 first, then call us.
Ready to call?
Jacob answers the phone himself. Free estimates on any job.
Monday to Saturday, 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM. Closed Sunday.