It should be standard on every install, or professionally maintained pool IMO. The service folks pop pieces back in here and there all the gol darn time. They're already on site for the weekly cleaning and 4 mins of labor isn't a cash cow. Nor will $30 break the builders profit, and he likely gets it cheaper than we can.
Instead, they both get repeat issues with upset customers. I don't get it.
On the plus side, it's about the easiest thing you can DIY, and on the cheap.
The opposite side of that argument is, " I didn't ask you to touch my liner!"
"The liner is leaking and you were the last to work on it, I saw you!"
"There's a tear right where you touched my liner!" though I worked on the opposite side of the pool, or only on the equipment.
And on and on.
The vast majority of the service techs I know would gladly help a customer in the way you suggest, but the liability issues are just too great and in any arbitration or court case, "the customer is always right" is the prevailing result.
Most pool-service policies have an automatic $500.00 (deductible) cost to defend or settle any claim, even if it is decided in favor of the tech.
Makes "trying to do the right thing" not worth the risk in most cases. And once the customer knows you did something at no cost it is expected all the time, meaning that my knowledge and experience is worth nothing in their mind.
This is not an easy business.
For a good, long-time customer, I will do a lot of little things, like repair a minor leak that is not in the scope of work I bid, for no cost as it benefits us both, but I never tell the customer about it. For a new one, or one who doesn't really appreciate the work I do, not a chance, and those don't last long as my customer.
