Plumbers
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2013 - 2014 Recommendations
Aug 2014
RE: Need another Toilet in Our Small House
I recommend Jac Weber. Her business is called 'Women's Plumbing Repair' and she can be reached at 510-465-8168. Mailisha
Larry Price, my handyman/contractor, did great work on my bathroom, and fast. He also remodeled many bathrooms before. 510-258-8854, babhandyman [at] aol.com. Wei
Looking for good, honest plumber in Oakland
May 2014
I am looking for a plumber who really knows what they are doing and who is honest. I have to repipe a house. The pipes are old and I want to replace them. I need someone near or who will work near the Rockridge BART station. I would like someone who is on time, and follows through on their word. I have had plumbers over charge me and rip me off so price is a concern. If you have a great plumber please let me know their contact information. Am I asking too much?!? Thank you so much! Anon
I am always happy to recommend Big Blue Plumbing. Ask for Danny, she was extremely informative and patient with us when we did repiping on our home in Oakland. I spoke with a couple of plumbers and prices were all over the place. We chose Big Blue because we felt they had integrity and were the most professional. They did a great job and a very impressive clean up after. They handled the permit and inspection and patched the walls after. Everything was on time and on budget. All in all,a very professional and pleasant experience. Big Blue Plumbing 510-540-6060, I think they are in Berkeley but they work in Oakland. Good luck. Barry
Good, honest plumber? Happily and with total confidence I recommend Anam Paldgyee, master plumber & owner of Green Eagle Plumbing http://greeneagleplumbing.com/ phone: (510) 928-0759 (located in Kensington, he works all over the Bay area--including a friend's home in Davis) For many years Paldgyee has worked for ATP Plumbing; he continues to do so while he births Green Eagle. We rent part of a rickety old house hanging off the edge of Wildcat Canyon. On 6 different occasions in the last 3.5 years, Paldgyee rescued us from inept work done by other plumbers; the landlady was still allowing 2 of those unskilled people to do repairs when we first moved here (she lives in Canada & now has us handling repairs) Paldgyee also saved us during emergency situations, caused by carelessness of the other 5 tenants living in this rambling house. Moreover, he's installed new bathroom plumbing, repaired tricky overhead pipes and worked on a gas heater. With a depth of experience: from designing, executing & completing commercial/governmental jobs to tending this old house with its chronic problems, Paldgyee is the best. In our case, he's recommended more permanent solutions to the ongoing problems here, but landlady isn't ready to admit that inferior plumbing work she had done a few years ago was a mistake & needs to be torn out and redone. (This is why we should hire competent crafts people & buy good quality materials from the get go-- as you are wanting to do). So apart from doing 1st class work, Paldgyee is punctual, honest, polite and meticulous. In addition to his personal integrity he is officially licensed, bonded & fully permitted; his work will pass any inspection. Cost? Paldgyee's prices aren't the cheapest but neither are they the highest. As for cheap: Sadly, my landlady's attempt to 'save' money a few years ago will continue to nag her until all is put right. Top dollar? Simply because we pay a lot of $ doesn't guarantee 'professional' work in exchange. We became educated about the differences in plumbers, electricians, earth movers, carpenters, etc. over a period of 21 years, as Texas homeowners. We are very grateful to have found Paldgyee. KZ
If only everyone we hired had the integrity, craftsmanship and expertise of Anam Paldgyee of Green Eagle Plumbing. He is totally honest and trustworthy, works very hard and always communicates what he is doing and why. His main concern is the safety of your home. He replaced all the dangerous old gas lines, fixed leaking toilets, sinks and shower heads, installed a new gas range, and replaced the bathtub valve and fixtures so it no longer takes 40 minutes to fill the tub! He also replaced leaking intake water line. He is a full service plumber and I will soon have him install a tankless water heater and earthquake shut off valve. AND Paldgyee charges fair prices! What a find! I unhesitatingly recommend him for all your plumbing needs. In case you own a business, he does commercial plumbing as well. greeneagleplumbing.com Anam Paldgyee 510 928-0759 Sacha
Sean Collins of Collin's Plumbing. professional and does excellent work. anon
Plumber for DIY bathroom makeover
Feb 2014
I am looking for a plumber who would be willing to come and remove the toilet and bathtub before I re-tile, then come back and re-install after I am finished with the job. Does anyone have a suggestion about who to call? Thanks anon
Sammy Capurro, Capurro Family Plumbing. The best! Reliable advice, will work with you, trustworthy, great guy. 510-220-6697 Raissa
Plumber/handyman for small jobs
Feb 2014
I am looking for a general handyman or plumber recommendation. One who will do small jobs. The guys I've used in the past are both too busy now to come work on a leaky tub faucet or other random things that stop working. I'm in the Rockridge area if that helps. Thanks! sf
I HIGHLY recommend Pat O'Neill for plumbing and Chris Bailey for a handyman. These two frequently work together on various projects that call for different areas of expertise and they do a PHENOMENAL job. Their collaboration would be the perfect solution for any project to make sure the job gets done right the first time. You can reach Pat at 510-333-2157 or patmoneill [at] gmail.com or visit her website at www.berkeleybestplumber.com. Chris can be reached at 510-415-3168 or cpmbailey [at] sbcglobal.net. Hope this helps, Alex
Plumber Wanted!
Dec 2013
Hi there, We need recommendations for followings: Plumber, to install sink faucet, garbage disposal and dishwasher. Electrician, to install our electric cooktop. Painter, to paint kitchen cabinets, walls and baseboards. Please email me your recommendations if you are a homeowner who has worked with any of above or a contractor with any of these specialties. Thanks, Sam
Albert Nahman Heating and Plumbing is my go-to plumber. I both own a home and manage apartments and I only use them. Why? Because they are honest, clean, stand behind their work and products and use quality parts. No one wants to have to call the plumber, but when you have to, Albert Nahman is the one to call. Their phone is: (510) 843-6904 and web site is: www.albertnahmanplumbing.com Shoey
Looking for a licensed professional plumber
Nov 2013
Hey , We need a licensed professional plumber who do a quality works, start to finish, honest and fairly priced . We are in Berkeley. Any suggestions? Thanks very much. Ben G
Anam Paldgyee at Green Eagle Plumbing - 510 928-0759 I found a licensed plumber who is totally knowledgeable, absolutely honest and reasonably priced. Wow. I have used him 5 times. He has replaced our old electric range with a gas range, fixed a toilet that was beginning to leak into our floor, fixed our clogged dishwasher line, replaced all the gas lines in our rental home. Last week he replaced a broken pipe at the main line into our home. All his work is done with the utmost care and safety. He looks at the problem and communicates why (or why not!) the work is necessary. I trust his integrity and his expertise. He keeps you informed about what needed to be done and why. ( Or why it could wait! ) I can honestly say this man is the best. And really nice as well. sacha
Try Leonard Garvey at One Step Plumbing. He is very professional, knowledgable about the full range of plumbing issues, gets the job done in a timely manner, and charges reasonable rates. Leonard has solved a variety of the tricky plumbing problems in our aging home, and we have recommended him to many friends! Leonard can be reached at One Step Plumbing (510) 682-9075. happy customer
We've used Albert Nahman Plumbing in Berkeley for 15 years and have received very good service, very good advice, and always pleasant and courteous plumbers. Highly recommend! albertnahmanplumbing.com. 510-843-6904 Jennifer
I recommend Hank's Plumbing. 1.800.411.4265. He does the best work, on time and at a reasonable rate. For the last fifteen years I call Hank first thing for any plumbing concern. I have met other people by chance in the East Bay who call him regularly for plumbing repairs and updates. Lance
Sept 2013
Re: Stinky Toilet
I suggest you try Lunt Marymor if your toilet is stinky, it could be many things associated with your toilet, maybe the seal or something below the surface but I have used them numerable times and they are terrific at diagnosing issues related to plumbing and quick! They are very reasonable on the pricing and excellent customer service! They also arrive on time!! They are the best plumbing company I have ever used. Here is their telephone number: (510) 985-2889. http://luntmarymor.com/about.html Sharon
Plumber (Sewer) for EBMUD PSL
Aug 2013
Please let me know if you can recommend a plumber to replace a private sewer lateral (ideally under the requirements of EBMUD's rebate program). I would like to be able to evaluate our options compared with the city contractor's proposal. We have five days to decide. Thanks Ann
We just had our PSL completed with the EBMUD rebate. We ended up using the EBMUD contractor - Andes Construction. We got a couple of other bids from other contractors but they were way more expensive than Andes. I think Andes was able to provide a more competitive bid since they are doing so many of the PSLs and are also being used by EBMUD to do the city lines. They probably have an inside track to getting the PSL certificates quickly and efficiently from EBMUD. We had a really good experience with Andes. They did a good job on our PSL and we had no complaints. However, my husband was on hand to oversee which I would recommend. Andes also did our neighbor's PSL and they also seemed happy with their work. FYI - be prepared for it to take a while. I think from actual point of contact to finished project and receipt of certificate, it took about 3 to 4 months. You have to make sure to call them and be on top of things to make sure everything moves smoothly as they are doing many of these PSLs. Good luck! Happy with PSL
I wanted to add my recommendation for ATP plumbing for your plumbing needs. they were efficient, reliable, trustworthy, and very reasonably priced. They did a great job for us on several projects replacing sewer lines , of course always pass the city inpectors no problems .They are the most honest plumbers in this area and they do very good works .you can reach them at 510 928 8807 Jack H
Plumber to look at sewage ejector pump
June 2013
We bought a house last December and have a bathroom that is below grade. We have a sewage ejector pump that, to our knowledge, has not been maintained since its installation in 2005. I'd like recommendations for plumbers who have experience with these types of pumps and can give us recommendations for improving the system (if necessary) and do any necessary maintenance. Thank you. Rebecca
Bebe at Bebe Construction is an excellent plumber - I would recommend him for any plumbing needs. He just came to my house to fix a garbage disposal that was broken and to unclog a sink. He has also fixed our hot water heater. Both times he came the same day I called and he got right back to me. Very reasonable rates too, and a nice guy. Bebe Construction: 510-566-6685 or bebeconstruction [at] yahoo.com. T.A.
HI There, Living with a pump does require a little maintence from time to time. I have used Albert Nahmen twice on the past, they always do the job right! They also have a wide variety of services, here is there number, 510-843-6904. They are located in Berkeley and service the entire bay area. Good luck! Eric S
I highly recommend Bebe Construction. 510-566-6685. We had a plumbing emergency and Bebe was at our house only a few hours after we called. He was quick, his work was great and price was totally reasonable. All plumbing problems resolved!
I agree with the previous suggestion for Bebe at Bebe Construction. He's done multiple plumbing and gas related jobs for us, and just a few days ago we contacted him about a leaky toilet and he was there the next day. He always does high-quality work, is very courteous, and charges a fair price. His number is 510-566- 6685. Gann B.
Plumber needed to improve water pressure
Jan 2013
We just bought a home a year ago and want to improve the water pressure to our upstairs. The water takes forever to heat up (wasteful!) and it barely comes out of the shower faucet (very unsatisfactory showers). Does anyone have a plumber/handy person that they would recommend to help with this? Thank you! No more cold, weak showers
For this project I suggest you call Al Weber Plumbing. They perform very good work, are courteous, reliable and reasonable in their prices. I have used them many times for jobs around our house. Their number is: 510-523-0628. Roger
2010 - 2012 Recommendations
Nov 2010
RE: Replace toilet-recommendation for design build
I recently found a new plumber I want to recommend. Triola Plumbing responded immediately to a need I had and came out promptly, assessed the work and had it done quickly.Their number is 510-848-6275 or email triplu [at] hotmail.com. Licensed, reasonably priced and very competent. MJS Albany
Oct 2012
I rely on BNP recommendations and obtained Tony's name from the list. Tony has fixed a number of problems for us, including a pesky toilet that continued to leak. He replaced the toilet. But that did not repair the problem. Eventually, a year later, he replaced the toilet at no charge because it was still leaking. He called us up to ask about the problem and offered to fix it. This kind of service is rare and commendable. My heartfelt thanks to Tony. Tony Cardenas: plumberooter510 [at] yahoo.com
Plumber to install water pressure valve
July 2012
I am looking for a plumber to install a water pressure valve at our home in the Berkeley Hills. Can anyone recommend a plumber who has performed this task?
We have hired Marx Snodgrass for over 20 years for all our plumbing installations and repairs. He is friendly, knowledgeable,and his prices are very reasonable-certainly a lot less than the large plumbing companies. His number is 510-886-5452. Roger
I manage a couple of properties and have used Big Blue in Berkeley for a couple of plumbing issues. They are very thorough and probably the tidiest plumbers I have ever seen! The inspector commented on how neat the work looked. 510-540-6060 Property manager
Plumber - Josh, Old Skool Plumbing. 510 759.3106, just like the title of his company, his work is like the olden days. Does a complete job, fair price, and knows a huge amount about the trade. Dad was a plumber. Looks intimidating, but very kind man. Laurel
Hank the Plumber is the first person that I call for plumbing questions. He has worked on my house since 1995. He has replaced water lines, installed a toilet and cleared pipes in the house. He is skilled, trustworthy and will discuss all possible options with you. 1-800-411-HANK Lance
Small family-owned plumber
Feb 2012
I'd appreciate recommendations for small family-owned and operated plumbers. I need a sink faucet replaced that will involve removing some marble and would like to find someone who prides him/herself on doing careful work and is skilled at finding good solutions to not-so-straight-forward problems. I am familiar with Albert Nahman and some of the other local reputable plumbing businesses, but I have not been impressed. Thanks for your help with other recommendations. can't wait to have normal water flow
Hank the Plumber is your guy. He's not just a small business, he's pretty much a one-man show. He's extremely reasonable, hard working, shows up when he says he's going to, and doesn't try to sell you work you don't need. I thought I needed a new sump pump for my basement and he just said I needed a replacement part. He's done a bunch of stuff for us - earthquake gas shut off valve, water pressure regulator, new sink piping in 1 bathroom, and he re-piped our entire master bath. He's the kind of guy I'll leave with keys to our house because he's so trustworthy. 1-800-411-HANK Fan of Hank
Hello, I highly recommend The HandyChick. She has done everything from plumbing to electrical to construction and I have always been satisfied with her bid and her work. She's dependable and very careful. Her number is 415-713-6974. Monique
I have used Reid Miller Plumbing in Berkeley since 1991 and was thrilled with his craftsmanship and attention to detail. The first time I saw one of his water heater installations I thought to myself I have to meet this guy as he does work just as fancy as I do. Reid is not the cheapest plumber around but you will be hard pressed to find one as clever or meticulous. Cell:510-928-9305, message: 510-704-0779. Reid runs his own business, does the work himself, and will bring a helper for larger jobs as needed. He is a delight to have in your home as well. I trusted him to set all my tubs, showers, toilets, and all faucets on marble and granite counter-tops. Other folks I have referred to him have always been pleased as well. satisfied customer
Hello, I have worked with Tom Peterson of ATP Plumbing. It is a small company 2-3 people. Tom is straight forward and I have been pleased with his work. He recently replaced a tub/shower with new shower valve. Very nice. Feel free to contact him. Tom Peterson 510-928-8807 Eric
We have had very good experiences with Bart McCoy (510) 289-1402 for plumbing and Pacific Drain & Rooter (510) 452-4606 for sewer line clearing. Both were recommended by BPN and were great! Bart McCoy always takes the time to walk me through what he is doing and why Prices were reasonable and Nasir from Pacific Drain came out on a Sunday when we had a sewer emergency within 40 minutes. Jennifer Martin
I have used Jurek Bruzda at Dolphin Plumbing. 510-493- 6415. He is very reasonably priced, honest and does a good job. He is out of the area but will be back in May (2012). Alena
We used Ralph Philips of Philips Plumbing Company for several projects at our house. It is a small family business (Ralph and his son). I found them to be extremely honest and their work was excellent. You can find out more at http://phillipsplumbingco.com/default.aspx anon
Plumber to replace pipe embedded in wall
Aug 2011
We have a 3 inch pipe coming out of the house that needs replaced. The rest of the plumbing has been replaced with four inch. But this section is imbedded in the walls. But what's happening is that this section clogs up every few months and needs snaked. So, replacing it might pay off in a few years. Any plumber recommendations? Stephanie
I would like to recommend Eric of Cal Plumbing (510-215-0200). I called Eric because he was highly recommended by other BPN members for his good work, fair prices, and good service. He gives clear explanations of the problems and solutions. He works efficiently and leaves everything in clean, working order. He's very polite and courteous. I highly recommend Eric and Cal Plumbing. I would definitely call him again lm
I have used Pelican Plumbers twice and can personally vouch for their professionalism and pride in workmanship. Also, the quote I was given was very fair. They were a pleasure to have around and so friendly to my son and my dog. I never hesitate to recommend them to all of my friends. anon.
We love our go-to plumber: Ed Asuncion from Bonafide Plumbing in Alameda. We've recommended him to many friends, and they always come back with glowing reviews, too. He's quick, fair, and affordable---and for plumbing emergencies, will even assess problems using emailed photos if he can't get out immediately. Happily plumbed!
In 2002, we did a massive remodel of our 100 year old house--2 separate flats over 3 floors. Our plumber, Ray Triola (510) 848-6275, was great! Gave great advice and guidance, was reliable and easy to work with, always cleaned up after working (since we were living in the house at the time). Since then, we've always used Ray for our plumbing issues (though we haven't had many, just general maintenance). ch.
Sammy Capurro is a fantastic plumber, very reasonable and responsive. Totally reliable, friendly and fixes the problem the first time! Capurro Family Plumbing: 220-6697 Raissa
Anyone knows a reasonable priced gas plumber?
June 2011
I am remodeling a kitchen/ family room and a gas fireplace and need to upgrade the fireplace with an insert and redirect the gas lines. Does anyone know a plumber specializing in gas lines who is reasonable? Where do you recommend purchasing a fireplace from? On line vs at store? Thanks very much! T.T.
We've used Bebe from Bebe Construction (510-566-6685) a few times for gas related tasks and were very impressed. The first time we contacted him was to install an earthquake shutoff valve, and he came that evening and took care of it. The second time was when we got our new gas range and the gas line was sticking too far out of the wall for it to fit properly. He came and took care of that very quickly as well. Both times his estimate was accurate and he did a very clean, professional job. We'll certainly be calling him again the next time we need something. Gann
Reliable and cost effective plumber for small job
Feb 2011
We need a plumber for a number of small jobs, like fixing a gasket leak under a sink. There are a number recommended from last year. But what about costs? Our experience is that we pay a charge for them to come to the house, and double for the first half hour. It's even worse if the plumber comes from a company. Any advice? Lee
We highly recommend Leonard Garvey of One Step Plumbing. He has done several small and medium size jobs for us, including replacing a sink, fixing leaky pipes, and installing a garbage disposal and water pressure system. We particularly appreciated his skill and calm manner when a pipe beneath the kitchen sink ruptured, gushing water and flooding the whole kitchen. He arrived promptly, fixed the pipe, and mopped up all the water as well! He is very personable, charges reasonable rates (including free estimates), and we are always pleased with all the quality of his work. Leonard can be reached at (510) 682-9075. satisfied customer
I just used last week a wonderful plumber who I found in past recommendations of the BPN. After calling my first choice, also found on BPN, and finding his voicemail full for two days, I then called the next in line, Bebe of Bebe Construction. Bebe made a next day appointment, and arrived on time. What I thought was a simple gasket replacement to my kitchen faucet and a minor leak became a half day repair. Bebe showed me where my granite countertop had been incorrectly installed 8 years ago and the water damage that had been occurring ever since. He had to cut out decayed wood under the counter top, remove the faucet, remove my new garbage disposal installed just the week before, and rebuild the faucet as the initial installation had parts inset backwards. He sent me down to the plumbing supply store for parts to save money, which I appreciated. He had to cut new plywood and create a patch for the rotten area, install brackets, and re-set the disposal and faucet. He re-sealed my sink with a beautiful bead of silicon that is clean and straight. After 4 1/2 hours of work I was dreading the bill...I was pleasantly surprised when he charged me for about 1 and 1/2 hours of a normal plumber rate for everything, including all the parts he supplied!! I highly recommend him--he is a one person shop and as far as I know he does not charge for a visit or a minimum of time. In fact, I know he does not charge for a visit as I called him back a couple days later to look at a possible bath remodel. I find him trustworthy, honest, reasonable, and informative as to what he is doing. He seems to really understand construction which helps with the plumbing corrections. Bebe Construction (510) 566-6685 Kay
We recently used Bebe from Bebe Construction (510) 566-6685. We found that our shower drain was not draining one weekend. I did a quick search for a plumber on BPN not very hopeful anyone would come out on a weekend. His name came up often so I called him. He came out within an hour and fixed the problem in about an hour. The best thing is that he cleaned up after (actually scrubbed our shower)! His rate was very reasonable ($175 for a weekend call). He seemed very honest and conscientious. I would highly recommend him. anon
I highly recommend Bebe, from Bebe Construction (510-566- 6685) for plumbing repairs. I called Bebe because of his positive reviews on BPN, and I was very happy that I did. Bebe was at my house in Piedmont within 1 hour of my call, and he fixed a nagging leak under my kitchen sink. Bebe is very professional, clean, and was very nice to my family. His prices were reasonable too. Overall, excellent experience! Michael
Good general plumber for small jobs ?
Nov 2010
Hi, We have a small bungalow in-need of some simple plumbing upgrades such as kitchen/bathroom fixture replacements and perhaps a tankless water heater in the near future. Any suggestions for a licensed professional plumber who will do a quality job start to finish and clean up without a trace? Thanks! Joanne
I just had Spencer come in from Mr. Rooter Plumbing (510- 843-6378) and he did an amazing job with the pipes. He cleaned up afterward and even wore shoe covers when he came inside my home. He was fast, competent and it was done right the first time. LL
Hank the Plumber is your guy - he's fast, clean, honest and is super nice and trustworthy. He's done several jobs for us after a contractor neighbor of ours recommended him, and he's also done my parents' house and some of their friends as well. Everyone loves him! 1-800-411-HANK (4265) Very happy customer
I'm following-up to share my experience in regards to the plumber we hired earlier this month to replace our kitchen, bathroom, and basement sink fixtures in our small bungalow. We hired Triola Plumbing, based in Berkeley owned and operated by Ray Triola. Ray was responsive, knowledgeable and patient. He took the time to understand what we wanted, and upon closer inspection of a leak in our basement, spotted the original source of the trouble spot (which was out of view) . He clearly explained the cause of the leak and his repair solution. Ray has a good working relationship with local plumbing supply stores, as I experienced when the Kolher faucet we purchased turned out to have a defect. He spoke directly with the plumbing supplier and within the hour we had a replacement.
Ray takes great pride in his work and is a true craftsman. That said, the name Home Depot makes him cringe so be prepared to buy quality parts from local suppliers. Our home is less than a mile from Home Depot, so this was a mind shift for me, but in the end -- the parts are clearly higher quality, customer service is knowledgeable, and cost of parts is the same if not less than HD. Bottom-line, the peace of mind we got from having the job done right was worth it. We will use Triola Plumbing again in the future! Triola Plumbing (510) 848- 6275. Joanne in El Cerrito
Charles Fong is a great local plumber with whom I've had a lot of experience (I'm a contractor myself and have worked with him on a number of projects over the years). He's efficient, reasonably priced, clean and very trustworthy. His number: (415)519-8434 bmj
We just had a pipe break under the kitchen sink and had to find a plumber right away. I found several recommendations for Bebe from Bebe Construction on the BPN website and called him at 7 am on a Monday. He came right away, did a great job, and charged a reasonable fee. We will definitely use him again. Happy Customer
April 2010
I had a very positive experience with Bebbe, who I called about a plumbing problem. He was quickly responsive, came exactly when he said he would, and not only fixed the problem I called him for, but fixed another clog for us, and was very reasonably priced. He was very nice, knew what he was doing and is going to do some other home improvements for us -- build a fence and a gate, etcetera.. Erica
2007 - 2009 Recommendations
August 2009
i love mr. rooter of berkeley! yes, they are not the cheapest in the area. however, they are a solid business that treats their employees well and keeps them for a long time. i had them do work ay my house a few times and know many others who have used them. i have never heard anything negative about them. i guess if your only complaint is price, well often you get what you pay for. HAPPY CUSTOMER!
Call Ron Walters at (510) 712-7235. He has done quite a few project for me such as converting a single home to a duplex with includes two kitchens and bathrooms to just putting a new ring on a toilet. The average person, who calls him, hires him not only for the plumbing but for the rest of the remodel. He also does sheetrock, tile, carpentry, electrical you name it but he was a union plumber for quite some time and really enjoys this work. He does not advertise. He is the best and really easy to work with.
I love our rock star plumber, Edgar! He's done a few small projects around our 1920's tudor and is professional, on-time and reasonably priced. http://www.pipeartsplumbing.net/
Hello I have used Master Plumber Bill Tinkey in Oakland. He did my shower and has done toilet and garbage disposal repairs for me. I have never had a money problem with him, he is reasonable and does good work. I found his personality easy going. I believe he is teaching a Green Plumbing course this fall. Bill Tinkey 510-206-1825 ANON
I highly recommend Pelican Plumbers. Working with these guys was great! Bought a fixer-upper house recently and Raul and his crew put in all new copper pipes, installed a new hot water heater in a new location (and got rid of all traces of the old one), put in a new kitchen sink drain line and repaired a big hole in the main drain line under the house, moved the laundry hook ups (water and gas), ran a new gas line and hooked up the new stove... He was great to work with -- straight shooter, gave me all the info I needed to make good decisions, did what he said, fast and reasonable. Great company! www.pelicanplumbers.com (510) 812-1996 Chris
we highly recommend A.T.P.PLUMBING of Tom petersen who has done extensive work at 2 different locations for us. They has installed 2 radiant,munchkin Boiler Heating systems for us, put in a new bathroom start to finish including the new sewer line and installed a new Tankeless water heater.The quality of his work is first rate.He is personable, easy to communicate with, does the work in a timely manner and actually likes the work he does. His rates are competitive and no job is to large or small for him to handle. He can be reached at 510 928 8807 Jack H
I recently had to use BPN for plumber referral. While most were unavailable, Tony @ Plumber Rooter (510 860 2147) was able to come the next day. Another plumber estimated that the leaky faucets would cost upward of $300, Tony fixed the leaks promptly for $55. I originally found Tony on BPN and recommend him heartily. He is excellent and honest. Nhu
Our water heater failed on Monday and on Tuesday -- for I only called Tuesday morning at 7 a.m. -- we had a new tank installed. Our plumber this time was Olivero Plumbing Co. at 11360 San Pablo in El Cerrito, phones: 510.529.2762 or 510.233.3511; email: oliveroplumbing [at] sbcglobal.net ; website: http://www.oliveroplumbing.com/
Bill came out in the afternoon, assessed the situation, and then surprised us as he made arrangements for the work to be done that very afternoon. When I first called in the job, due to doctor's appointments that day, we had expected a new hot water tank to be installed the following day. Bill didn't want us without hot water if he could do something about it . . . And he did, with a huge smile on his face and joy for his job in his heart.
Besides that, I've a great deal of trouble with modern fragrances, and he arrived free of petrochemically derived scents. A bonus!!!! MAJOR BONUS for me because in my anxiousness to get water into our home, even just cold water, I forgot to mention how crucial it was to me to have a fragrance-free worker.
So on all scores, from my experience yesterday with Olivero Plumbing, I can highly recommend that firm. I cannot say the same for two other firms in Berkeley that we had previously used down through the years here. Barb
I wanted to give a huge ''thumbs up'' to Bebe (510-566-6685). My family had an emergency repair - not only was Bebe responsive, he was timely, professional and efficient. The reasonable price was an added bonus. My whole family will be using him for every job going forward. Kim
I had leak in galvanized pipe in 1924 house. Leak was between the meter and the house. Eric who owns Bay Valley Plumbing (google for web site) came out to estimate the job on a Thursday and did the job with a couple of helpers on Saturday. Knows what he is doing and was reasonable and fast. Explained everything, options about where to dig, install and put in a hose bib. Cleared all filters in house at the end of the job to prevent clogging. Recommended.. helen
For plumbing, I use Pascal, from the French Connection. He is an independent plumber, and I've used him for re-running both water and gas for a kitchen remodel, for unplugging a bathtub that drained slow, for running gas and hot water lines to the back of the house, and adding a pressure reducer on the water line over the years. He is always very professional, listens to what you need and offers suggestions, and does neat clean work. His number is 843-9295 Bryan
Michael, Your Plumber is an amazing plumber. I could go on and one but won't. Check out his yelp reviews (25 perfect reviews). nd
Experience installing dual-flush toilets
May 2009
I'm interested in finding a plumber who has had experience installing dual-flush toilets in old Berkeley houses. anon
Bart McCoy installed two dual-flush toilets for me in my 1901 home. He seemed knowledgable and was definitely quick and reasonable. His number is 510-289-1402. Blaine
April 2009
We highly recommend Bebe Construction. We had an emergency, due to our leaking kitchen faucet. We contacted Bebe and were very lucky he was just around in our neighborhood for another project and was able to come over immediately. We were very happy with the work he did for us. He is very responsive, honest and professional. In additional to plumbing, he also does general construction, home remodeling, and home additions. You can reach him at (510)566- 6685 bebeconstruction [at] yahoo.com jh
Trustworthy plumber for old house
March 2009
Hi, does anyone have a recommendation for a really great, hard working, and honest plumber? We have an old house (1915) and need new pipes throughout. We also want to have some small(er) projects done - put in a new energy efficient toilet, attach a water line for the fridge, tankless water heater, etc. We'd like to hire an independent plumber that has a lot of integrity and that we can trust, and who may consider giving us a bit of a deal, or be a bit flexible with the hourly rate, by packaging a lot of small projects into one. If you know of someone we would really appreciate hearing about him (or her)! Thanks for your time. Still living in the 20th century with plumbing
We have had excellent and skilled service from Tony Rogosich (510-964-0191). He believes in doing things right and will be upfront about what needs to be done for your plumbing issues. He does residential and commercial installation and repairs. He's been helpful and friendly and stands by his work. I highly recommend him. Jocelyn
Call Hank the Plumber - he's great, honest, doesn't over charge and can do both large and small jobs. We've used him a bunch in our 1920 house, my parents have used him and a friend/neighbor who is a contractor also uses and recommends him. 1-800-411-HANK!
Hi - I recommend my plumber, Adrian Fick, of Aloha Plumbing (he is an independent plumber) -- 510.507.2500. He is responsive, fast, reliable, honest and has what I believe are very reasonable rates. I had to call him back for a minor issue after he did a bunch of work for me -- he came out right away and fixed it for free -- even though I was not at all certain the issue was his fault. He's also very pleasant to be around, which I appreciate in my vendors. jaia
Michael, Your Plumber at 510) 472-0123. I found Michael from the Parents Network, there are many posts about him. He's great, honest (so honest, he has a key to our house for scheduling ease), does smaller project, etc. We have an older house with newer plumbing but there are always little things that need to be taken apart, adjusted, fixed and he's the guy. He's one guy so he doesn't do ''emergency'' plumbing because of scheduling, but totally dependable. I think one time I did have a slight emergency, called a big company that quoted me $500, Michael was available and came out, looked at the problem quoted me $50 and fixed it. cindy
Ryan Loria is a fabulous plumber. He was recommended to me by another contractor as a ''plumbing prodigy'' and he definitely lived up to the compliment. He installed radiant floor heating throughout our entire house, including a new boiler for our domestic hot water and radiant system. He also did a few other odd plumbing jobs as well. His work is impeccable and he has a great deal of honesty and integrity. He really takes pride in his work, and it shows. I don't know how flexible he is about pricing, but he will give you an honest and straightforward answer about your work, either way. You can reach him at 510-316-4943. You can also feel free to contact me if you want more information about my experience working with him. Kara
I recommend the Plumbing Ministry, Louis Ray, License # 894946, who helped with a sewer problem recently. Prompt, reliable, reasonable. 510.430.1290; plumbingministry [at] att.net Kathy
We've used Bart McCoy (found him on BPN) twice with great results. He's cheap and has many years of experience. 510-350-7093. Previous recs below.
Blaine
I would always recommend Pascal Debergue of The French Connection for Plumbing. He's been great for us. His mobile number is 510-517- 0183. Rachel
Hello Bill Tinkey is a Master Plumber and teaches at Laney College. He has a easy going personality and is a honest guy. Bill Tinkey 510-206-1825 anon
Plumber for small job on a budget
Feb 2009
Hello, We have a tiny bathroom that a previous contractor has left with a non-working sink, which needs replacement. Sink is very small in size (as is the bathroom, as is the budget!). In addition. the bathtub needs either ''re-surfacing'' (not sure of the correct term?), or, replacement. Do you have a reliable plumber, with excellent skills and communication, who would do a relatively small job like this, and not charge a fortune? And the reverse: any plumbers you would recommend staying away from? Thanks for your recommendations, advice, referrals. Need a functional bathroom again!
I can recommend a great handyman to do plumbing, remodeling, etc. He is working on becoming a licensed contractor, has an established crew of men he works with, and he does good work. He's also reasonable, calls and meets you WHEN HE TELLS YOU HE WILL (which is amazing in an of itself!) and is very nice, too. His name is Jerry McDaniel -- phone # 510-918-5356.
Llyana
Eric at Cal Plumbing! He replaced our tub, installed a pedestal sink, and rebuilt our shower valve several months ago...we couldn't be happier. He explained everything clearly, showed up on time, and performed the work in a professional and friendly manner. We got about a half dozen estimates for the job and we knew immediately that we could trust him. Call Eric's cell: 229-8022. Happy Customer
Experience with Mr. Rooter
Nov 2008
Based on comments on the BPN website I called Mr. Rooter (aka family owned plumbing business, Mr. Ferguson) for an estimate to install a Toto toilet and investigate a leak in an upstairs bath/shower. Unfortunately, they sent an estimator with very limited knowledge and expertise. He had never heard of Toto, had to look it up in his estimator's manual, and then quoted us $810 for installation! We questioned that perhaps that would include the cost of the toilet (which we already have), but he could not say -- he only could rely on what his manual told him. Also -- he quoted us $200 to investigate the leak but had no insights or ideas how that would be done. In retrospect, the positive comments on BPN seem mystifying. Anon
Hi we used Mr Rooter- very expensive due to their ''fixed rate'' prices as opposed to by the hour or job. So to diagnose a leaky faucet they charge -\\+ $240 - a 15 minute job. I highly recommend Raul Delgado of Pelican Plumbers so great and cheap and very fair! anon
Reliable plumber for pipe & drain work
August 2008
We need a good, reliable, dependable, & fairly priced plumber for some pipe & drain work. We hope it won't be a huge job! Must be licensed. Please contact me at: lila
Re: Pipe Arts, Pipeline, Service One, and Albert Nahman plumbers. I would like to contribute my recent (summer 2008) experiences with plumbers. I first contacted Pipe Arts Plumbing. They were responsive and came out to inspect my property pretty quickly, but they seemed impatient and although they listened to what I wanted, were not able to answer some of the questions that I had (because I am not a plumber, I needed an explanation of why they wanted to do certain things, and they minimally explained what was necessary, with a response like, ''We know what we are doing. We're just going to wait until she finishes her questions and then do what we have to do.'')
Next was Pipeline Plumbing, who said they would be happy to do the job, and in fact sent me a contract. I asked that it be modified to add on something extra (but small). I kept calling and calling, but when I eventually got hold of the person (Paul) he said they were no longer interested in the job because it was too small ($2500 is too small?). I would have appreciated if they had called me back two weeks earlier while I was expecting to have work done!
I also called Service One Plumbing - they were great, but the estimate was slightly higher than everyone else's.
Last was Albert Nahman Plumbing, who was responsive, professional, and straightforward. They were willing to answer my questions, send an itemized contract, and when there was an issue, the owner of the company even came out to make sure things were ok. I would choose them again over Pipe Arts and Pipeline, even though those people have in the past received good reviews on BPN. Anonymous
We highly recommend for Tom Petersen of ATP Plumbing. We were very happy with the work he did for us on our Albany remodel. He almost entirely re-plumbed our house. They also installed a radiant heating system that includes a concrete slab that's approximately 1000 sq. feet and another 800 sq. feet or so under existing hardware floors. In addition to all the heating, the Munchkin boiler they installed also heats the tank that supplies the household hot water. we've always found him to be very responsive, honest and thorough. He's in Berkeley and you can reach him at 510-928-8807.
justin aulday of AULDAY PLUMBING is very good, quick and affordable. i'm a certified green builder and home improvement specialist and he's my number one guy when it comes to plumbing on my projects. his number is 510 815 0931. idan
Highly recommend Raul Delgado at Pelican Plumbers (510) 812-1996. Chris
I also recommend Raul/ Pelican plumbers. He saved as a fortune over other bids and is very nice and responsible. happy pipes
I highly recommend Raul Delgado, Pelican Plumbers (www.pelicanplumbers.com, 510-812-1996). I have done extensive remodeling on a large, old house in the Berkeley Hills. Raul basically redid all the plumbing for the house (sewer, gas, and water). In spite of all the quirks of an old house, the plumbing work went smoothly and it all passed inspections no problem. Plus it was a pleasure to work with Raul. He always made an effort to understand what I wanted and to make it happen. rebekah
Need an independent plumber
June 2008
We need a good independent electrician and a plumber. When we lived in Washington DC we were horrified to see that 1/2 hour of one of these might cost two hours of company time with overhead, while independents were both cheaper and more reliable. North Berkeley Lee
My strong recommendation for a plumber is Rey LaCayo. I've used him for nearly 8 years for a wide variety of problems. He put in new pipes for my entire house, he put in a French drain (which has saved me from near catastrophe), he put in a dishwasher, a disposal, a hot water heater, and two sinks with fixtures. I have always known him to be honest and fair. I've found his work to be good all around. Berkeley Professor
April 2008
I had a different experience with the plumber Aaron Ray, who I hired based on this site's recommendation. He took far longer on our project than he said he would, putting in fewer hours per week than he had promised (since he is not licensed and does these projects evenings and weekends on the side). Finally, he just stopped showing up or returning phone calls, with the project unfinished, and without any explanation. Before he disappeared he was asking for more money -- I paid him what I thought covered the work he had already completed, and he accepted this amount without disagreement. Bonnie
Plumber to fix leaking shower
March 2008
Our shower has a leak. This is not a new problem. We just bought the house, and it was disclosed in the disclosure packet by the previous owner. Can anyone suggest a reliable plumber? Katharine
Try Mallard Plumbing in Oakland. They do good work and have reasonable prices. We have used them for years and are very happy with their service. kim
Mr. Rooter Plumbing, 1516 University Ave. Berkeley 510-843- 6378. They are family owned and operated by 3rd or 4th generation plumbers. They are very professional, straight forward and they do great work. Julie Contact Raul Delgado at Pelican Plumbers. His phone is 812-1996, or email raul at pelicanplumbers.com. David
Erik, of Cal Plumbing, is great. He is quick to respond, knows what he's doing, offers alternatives (cheapest to more expensive) and is a nice guy. He's done a range of projects for us: fixed leaks, removed gas lines, installed a water heater, created new plumbing for the washer/dryer. His number is (510) 229-8022. Cecily
Jan 2008
I call SUPERIOR PLUMBING AND DRAIN from a recommendation posted in here and the plumber was veri friendly, profesional and helpfull really good experience, they call ahead to let you know your plumber is on the way plus fair prices. call them 510.222.7608 gARDENIA Oct 2007
Great Plumber-Eric of Cal Plumbing
I called Eric because he got a great review on BPN. I called him on a Sunday, he came to my house and fixed my plumbing problem that same day. He was professional, on time, friendly, affordable, and fast. I highly recommend his work. He did a great job. thanks Eric! Maybe I'll update my bathroom next! -frank
I am general contractor, and I highly recommend, Sorin Gamalie, a plumber, who did a lot of work for me, from a small project, to big project, from rough plumbing, to finish plumbing.He is onest, and very easy to work with him.When I faces some problems, he really explain me the problem.He can be reach at 510-8286559 or at 510-2479281
mariusconstruction.com
Sept 2007
The recent spat of earthquakes were a reminder to get that gas shutoff valve for our house that I've been putting off for years. I called almost a dozen different plumbers in the area, most of whom had no idea on how to speak to a potential customer, some of whom never called back. I got a hold of Eric at Cal Plumbing right away, and he explained to me in plain English what was involved in installing the earthquake gas shutoff valve. He was very patient and answered all of my questions in a competent manner. He came out the next week, neatly installed the gas shutoff valve, explained to me how it worked, and charged me what he said he'd charge me. Done. Money well spent, and our family feels safer. Call Eric at Cal Plumbing at (510)215-0200 or on his cell at (510)229-8022. Satisfied Customer
July 2007
If you've been in a plumbing emergency situation you will know how grateful I am to BPN for the referrals. I called several listed plumbers, got three replys, two were booked but within three hours Bart McCoy had given me a very clear assessment of the problem and possible solutions- then he proceded to fix the problem. Emergency situation solved quickly, reasonably and by a man that I would definitely recommend to a friend. Holly
Thanks to recommendations from BPN, we recently engaged Albert Nahman to install a new water main and tankless water heater. What a pleasure! Albert and Gabe worked with us to help us understand our options and assisted us in selecting a plan of action that was cost effective and has resulted in solving our problems with hot water availability and overall water pressure. We were extremely pleased with the customer focus and attention to detail delivered by Albert and his entire staff. We found them to be professional, prompt and courteous. The work was accomplished on schedule and within the estimate we were provided. There is a reason these guys are Diamond rated and they deserve it. John and Sherry
If anyone out there is looking for an awesome plumber we have found just the guy. His name is Aaron Ray and his phone number is: 510. 229.2533.
We just finished a long and exhausting kitchen and bath remodel is our Kensington home. I had heard horror stories of flaky subcontractors who overcharge and don't show up on time... While that was certainly the case for our tile guy and our painter (don't even get me started), Aaron the plumber was perfect. He was punctual, reliable, smart, fast, fair priced and overall had a great, easy going personality. Our bathroom project was fairly complex but he did it all flawlessly. (double person shower, steam unit, two shower heads, moved the sinks and toilet to new locations...) Our kitchen project was more straightforwad but was done with great skill and attention to detail.
Anyway, I just wanted to let anyone know who might be looking for an ethical and reliable plumber to give Aaron a call. Sarah
We called Kleker Plumbing to come to our home to replace our old 23-year old water heater with a new water heater. They sent over a plumber who was very nice and professional. He quickly removed the old water heater and then installed the new one. He cleaned up the area when he was done and placed the old water heater inside his vehicle. While the plumber was here, he did a spot check of our plumbing and was kind enough to stop a couple of minor leaks - that was great! Their number is (510) 261-1425. fred
Affordable plumber to install dishwasher
June 2007
we're looking for an affordable plumber (and actually electrician too!) to install our dishwasher. this would be a new installation for our kitchen. any leads on reliable, affordable folks would be tremendously helpful! vivian
You don't need to hire a plumber. We bought our dishwasher at Sears, and just paid for the installation. There was not a dishwasher previously installed there, and the person Sears sent plumbed in a line off of our sink, and through a cabinet. We did have a plug already that we could use, but you should ask, they may be able to do electrical as well. It was a pretty reasonable charge and a perfectly fine installation job - a year later we have had no problems. anon
Call Galvin Appliances in Albany and ask them for the name of the independent installation service they refer people to. I can't remember the name off hand, but I've had him install one dishwasher, and a microwave/oven wall unit, and all the work was excellent (and not as expensive as a plumber might be).
I am a handyman and carpenter based in Berkeley who has done this. Installing a dishwasher where there was no dishwasher before needs multiple skills: a good carpenter (to modify the cabinets), electrician (to install a proper plug under cabinet) AND plumber (to hook up feed and drain lines) ... or a GOOD handyman
June 2007
If anyone is in need of a great plumber Jeff Moore is your guy. His number is 510-351-7778 or 510-910-3586. He is very responsive, reasonably priced and, of course, extremely competent. We have used him for any number of jobs/problems (new bathroom and repairs on old plumbing) and he has fixed every one of them quickly. We've had a few different guys from his team and each one has been a pleasure and they are all very kid friendly.
emily
April 2007
I recommend Superior Plumbing in Pinole 510-222-7608. I learned about them through my insurance company. They are very responsive, polite, responsible and competent with reasonable prices. Last Thanksgiving they saved my dinner party when my garbage disposal broke and water backed up into the bathtub!!! I plan to use them for all my plumbing needs. Susan
April 2007
Facing a possible water shortage this year, I wanted to do something to make my 1940s-ish house a little more ''green''. I spoke with Eric at Cal Plumbing and he educated me about the efficiency of the Kohler low-flow toilet, telling me I would save thousands of gallons of water a year. I couldn't believe he talked me into letting go of our trusty commode, but he did, and I love our new Kohler! It's fast, efficient, and saves me money (about $10 off our last bill). While he was at my house, he also installed an earthquake shutoff valve to my gas line which qualified me for a discount on my homeowners insurance (and brings me some peace of mind in the event of the next shaker!). Yes, I had to spend a little bit of money, but I feel good about the investment in my home. He's had good reviews on BPN, and don't hesitate to call Eric at (510) 215-0200. Satisfied Customer
April 2007
Bart McCoy (510-350-7093) is a local plumber who is professional, friendly, and honest. He took the time to come to my house early in the morning, and arrived on time. After diagnosing the problem within 15 minutes, he left to buy parts and returned within half an hour. All in all, I'm a happy camper...would definitely use him again. Tom
April 2007
I want to recommend my plumber for any plumbing job. He just finished a whole house repipe for me in Oakland and did a fantastic job. Off all the plumbers I solicited, he was the only one to spend a lot of time on the estimate, come up with a plan to fix my problems, and give me a price idea on the spot. When he got the job, he started promptly, worked the whole job every day, stayed late to make sure the water was back on each day, cleaned up, and troubleshoot any further problems he found as he worked. He and his crew were super nice, and my son loved them. I had him do a small job a few weeks later and it went just as smoothly. His prices are also great, and they didn't inflate even with small changes after the job began. His references were all as enthusiastic as this one. He is a licensed contractor and his name is Armando Perez, telephone 510-253-8049. Liz
Plumber to upgrade our Concord house
April 2007
We have a laundry list of things to upgrade around our Concord area house as it is looking like it needs some updating. We need to install new bathroom cabinets, flooring, & replacing the kitchen sink & the entry door. Does anyone have any recent recommendations for a plumber and/or carpenter please? Thanx for your reply in advance! Susan
I would like to recommend Rynearson Plumbing & Heating of Pinole for all your plumbing needs. Steven Rynearson always returns my calls promptly, is efficient, and his prices are reasonable. He ran the pipes for the gas stove I bought (to replace the electric stove) when I moved into my new house, and has done other plumbing jobs since then. He can be reached at 510/223-5495. Lori
If you still need a plumber, I highly recommend Edgar Amaya from Pipe Arts Plumbing, also recommend by others on BPN. We recently needed a repair done on a very old shower. We called another plumber first (one who was recommended on the BPN site) and let's just say that the shower remained unfixed. When I called Edgar from Pipe Arts, he showed up when he said he would (I had to wait a week for an appointment but it was worth it), he called to follow up the next day, and he came back the following day to finish everything up. It turned out that the part we needed was no longer made, and we were on the brink of having a custom part made at a very high cost. Edgar came up with a creative solution which saved us hundreds of dollars. He fixed the problem, and it looks great. He also put in a disposal for us. Next time around, I'll call him first. He is smart, courteous, efficient, and does what he says he will do. His number is (510) 526-7589, and his website is http://pipeartsplumbing.net/ M.Bailey
Plumber near Walnut Creek/Lafayette
March 2007
Any recommendations for a plumber in the Walnut Creek/Lafayette area? Many thanks, NS
Diablo Rooter in Walnut Creek (925-934-1944) is a small, family-owned plumbing business that I was recently very impressed with. They have been in business for a long time and received check ratings (top group) for both quality and price in a recent Consumers Checkbook survey. I called them to re-install a washer and dryer that had been removed after our water heater broke and flooded part of our house, requiring some pretty major disaster recovery work. The owner and his one employee came out together--I got the feeling they frequently or always work as a team--and were very pleasant and very knowledgeable. They pointed out some minor flaws in the way the new water heater had been installed, and fixed what they could for no charge. They have very high standards about how they do their work, yet their charges were quite reasonable. And they made a major effort to re-arrange their schedule so they could get to my house the day I called, which I really appreciated after having been unable to do any laundry for two weeks. They had suggested I call CoCo (for Contra Costa) Plumbing when they initially thought they wouldn't be able to make it, so I would guess that they're good, too. Happy with my plumbers
March 2007
Re: Jim Bustos Plumbing Alameda
First, I want to say that we have no issues with the quality of work they did. We had our main water line replaced. We've had no problems with it. The water line was first looked at by this company and my husband was told that if he dug the trench himself, we'd save $100/hour in labor. We dug the trench. A year later we had him back to discuss the work. He vaguely told my husband it would be ''a few hours at $90/hour'' and wouldn't cost more than $1000 and about $100 in parts. I didn't like the vagueness of this negotiating and called the owner myself, trying to get an estimate in writing. He sweet talked me out of it, adding that he hadn't survived 35 years in this town by cheating people. The employee came to do the work, did it in 2.5 hours, and left the amounts for the parts blank on the bill my husband signed. My husband was home the entire time they did the work. However, the bill my husband signed said ''3 hours at $90'' and my husband figured that included travel time. One month later their copy of the bill came to us in the mail (fortunately they had given us a copy of what we signed). The new bill had ''3'' crossed out, replaced with 3.5, then crossed out and replaced with 4. As for the rate, $90 was crossed out and replaced with $120. ? The parts came out to around $150. Needless to say, we paid 3 hours at $90, played phone tag with the company over the bill and at the end of the day they cashed our check and we've never heard from them again. However, we've since heard similar stories and are truly stunned by this business practice. Based on our story alone, we would never recommend this business. Get it in writing, always
March 2007
We recently called Bart McCoy to help us with very low water pressure and annoying knocking sounds in the plumbing of our 1907 house. He called us back promptly, and arrived at our house on time the next morning, as promised. Bart was able to analyze the problem, explained the situation in laymanms terms, and although the ultimate long-term solution will be to re-pipe portions of our plumbing, he offered numerous solutions to fix the problem without draining our bank account. He was courteous, professional, reasonably priced, and really seems to know his craft. We highly recommend him, and will certainly call him again. He can be reached at 510-350-7093 (H) or on his cell at 970-361-1165. Joseph & Monika in Oakland
East Bay plumber for older house
February 2007
Can anyone recommend a good plumber who works in the East Bay? Preferably someone with experience with older houses as well as with tankless water heaters. Thanks! -- need a good plumber
For the most professional plumbing company I've ever experienced, call Steve Ferguson at Mr. Rooter Plumbing in Berkeley. I've never seen anyone more professional, more organized and more informed about everything to do with plumbing than Steve and his team. He's been in business for over 30 years and I promise, you won't be disappointed. Steve's phone number is (510)843-6378 Larry
We had a great experience recently with Ron Pringle of Heating Experts. Ron had done some excellent work for us last year on our gas line. He mentioned at that time that he also took plumbing jobs. Last week we woke up to water dripping from our ceiling from the rental unit above. Needless to say my husband and I freaked out and called numerous plumbers for same day service. It was a blessing to remember that Ron did plumbing work. He came over immediately and solved the entire problem that day. Ron gives accurate extimated and has years of experience, meaning high quality work. Call Ron for small to large plumbing and heating jobs: (510) 527-2601 Sonya
I wanted to reaffirm the earlier positive reviews of Ted Reiner, a truly service-oriented plumber. Ted has done several jobs for me, including installing a new hot water heater. Unfortunately, we had a run of bad luck in obtaining a new one that worked (would you believe that two band new hot water heaters could be defective?). The first service rep was not helpful. Ted spent countless hours at no charge, working on the heater and dealing with the supplier until we had hot water again. He's someone that you can count on, which means a lot nowadays. His office number is (510) 525-5335; cell is (510) 375-7690. Ann
January 2007
Just another recommendation for Michael Stabile. He recently came to fix a number of small problems at our house, including replacing a washing machine standpipe, and fixing our toilet and a sink drain. All were done efficiently, cleanly, and with a smile. Karen
2004 - 2006 Recommendations
Nov 2006
I can highly recommend Pipe Arts Plumbing. Edgar Amaya is the main plumber and is extremely friendly and efficient. He's definitely not the cheapest but specializes in working on old fixtures. You can contact him at 510-847-2927.
Bernadette
Oct 2006
We highly recommend Pelican Plumbers (Raul Delgado). Raul is licensed and very service oriented, has a pleasant disposition and is easy to communicate and work with.
Raul and a co-worker finished all of the plumbing for a major kitchen remodel in a timely and efficient manner and paid attention to all details. The project involved all 1st floor kitchen gas and water lines and the rerouting all of water, drainage and gas lines from a 2nd floor bathroom and furnace (which traversed a kitchen wall that was being removed).
Any surprises that arose (e.g., lmysteryn pipes and vents leading to lunknown destinationsn) were evaluated and dealt with on the spot.
Raul offered a very reasonable and competitive bid and did not lnickel and dimen us for a few small extras which arose during the project.
To contact Pelican Plumbers: 510-812-1996 www.pelicanplumbers.com, raul[at]pelicanplumbers.com,
Rafi
Sept 2006
I want to recommend a plumber (and -- full disclosure -- my brother-in-law), Bart McCoy -- he has done some work on our house including fixing some bad pipe work that was done, realigning a toilet that had been installed sloppily, etc.
He is available for repair jobs, small remodeling jobs, & service (boilers, water heaters). He is a licensed master plumber and looking for extra work on weekends and occasional workdays.
Best way to reach him is 510-350-7093 (home) 970-361-1165 (cell) (phone numbers corrected 2/24/07)
catha
I would like to recommend Eric of Cal Plumbing (510-215-0200). I called Eric because he was highly recommended by other BPN members for his good work, fair prices, and good service. I needed a bunch of ''small jobs'' taken care of and Eric set aside a day to work as long as needed. He arrived exactly on time, reviewed my list of plumbing problems (something useful to prepare in advance) and took a quick look at each project before giving me an estimate for the parts and labor -- as well as a clear explanation of the problems and solutions. He left briefly to buy needed parts (and did NOT charge me for the shopping time) and then returned to work. He worked efficiently and left everything in clean, working order. At the end of the day, he gave me a clear invoice and explained the charges. Eric was very polite and courteous. He made a special effort to remove his shoes in our house (as we do) even though he went in and out of the house to his truck many times and the shoe removal was probably a hassle. In short, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND ERIC AND CAL PLUMBING. I would definitely call him again.
Eden
If you are looking for a good plumber for an older house, I can highly recommend Eric McIntosh of Cal Plumbing. His number is (510)215-0200. I have used him three times now for different issues, and he promptly returns calls. He is obviously okay keeping older plumbing systems in working order, rather than immediately trying to sell a (pricey) upgrade. Often, with a little attention, something old still has a good number of years in it, and he is careful to explain what to look out for that would indicate an issue may need more attention. Also, he pays meticulous attention to what he's doing, and will pre-emptively fix small things that will likely turn into a major problem soon. For example, while unclogging a slow drain, he noticed that one of the pipes had a small crack in it, that while not leaking now, would inevitable cause a leak down the road. Fortunately, he had a little bit of pipe in his van and fixed it right away. He also gave really good advice on replacing some other fixtures. I don't hesitate recommending him, and will certain keep using him for small and big jobs in the future!
Johanna
THANK YOU, Eric, of Cal Plumbing! I kept putting off doing something about the numerous plumbing issues in my 1940s Berkeley house (leaky faucet, poor water pressure, inconsistent hot water). I've had a couple of plumbers come out over the years, but none of them really fixed anything. I finally called Eric and he was able to diagnose my problem over the phone, and he came to fix it the next day. He also gave me a very competitive bid to repipe my house to copper, and I can't believe the difference in water pressure...it's like a new house! He's licensed/insured and his work passed the Berkeley Building Department's inspection with flying colors. I actually feel like I got my money's worth. He does all the work himself, so call Eric, Cal Plumbing at (510) 215-0200.
Anne in Berkeley
Michael Your Plumber
Well, I have fabulous water pressure now that Michael fixed our kitchen sink and tub. I cannot say enough good about him. Efficient, on-time, economical, educational.
Happy Client
August 2006
Forbes in Oakland did all the plumbing on our second-storey addition. (510) 452-2844 They installed the usual water, etc and also a radiant heating system that we love. Excellent work and highly recommended.
John
June 2006
I called Michael Stabile (472-0123)to replace my water pressure regulator. Michael was extremely considerate, worked around my schedule and took the time to explain to me what needed to be done and what he was doing. He had to do some extra work beyond the regular job because of the way the old regulator was installed, but Michael went out of his way to replace the regulator for under the price quoted by other plumbers, and only $25 over his original estimate despite the complications. I recommend him highly! Naomi
Our hot water heater started leaking last week. So when I found a recommendation for Michael Stabile on BPN I asked him to come out to give me an estimate. He came to the house within an hour, quoted me a reasonable price and promised to come at noon the next day to take the old heater out and install a new one. In describing what I wanted done I mentioned that I wanted the new heater to sit in a metal pan with an attacked hose so that it wouldn't leak through the ceiling below the heater the way it had this time. But after giving me his quote he suggested that I go out and get the matterials for the pan, which I did. But an hour before he was scheduled to begin work he called to say that he'd double-booked himself and couldn't do the work after all. He also wouldn't reschedule for another time. I don't know why he lost interest in doing the work, but the result was that we were without hot water in the house for an additional couple of days before we were able to get somebo! dy else to come out to do the work. Bob
May 2006
I found Michael Stabile on the BPN and would like to highly recommend him to others. He was attentive, prompt, friendly and clearly loves his job. He took the time to show me everything he was doing, even though it was a relatively simple job, and warned me of things to watch for from other plumbers. He lives in Berkeley and even sent a thank you card. We have not had a single problem since he came, and we had to call him because the roto-generic plumber that came first didn't fix it and told us we needed a $1700 outside pipe replacement. Michael works for himself and seems to do the work because he wants to, which is nice. Cynthia
We adore Michael Stabile! Great plumber, great guy, capable and honest. He has worked on our house, my mum's house and I have recommended him often with no complaints. Michael Stabile - 510-472-0123 (he doesn't use email but he does return calls) Jessica
Roberto from RVO plumbing is responsive, fast, and really great to work with. He replaced and relocated a water heater and gasline, and we were very satisfied with his work. Very reasonably priced, too. (510) 245-8580 Jessica
Steve Ferguson of Mr. Rooter is awesome. Many years ago he was recommended to me and I still use his services. That is what he specializes in, keeping customers for life! His business is family run and those employees who are not family are treated like family. They are also very respectful of your house. They always wear shoe covers! They can take care of anything that involves a pipe around your house. 510-843-6378 Julie
April 2006
I also used Mike Thomas on BPN referral; We had to have everything he did torn out. After the fact, we found out he is NOT licensed. I am looking for him to take him to court for his bad work. Please contact me if you have any info on him...phone number, address, etc. Amy
Based on a BPN recommendation, we also used Mike Thomas on some jobs in our house, and sometimes left him alone in the house to go off and do other things. His work was not so good, and his dependability was abysmal. At one point he called and asked if he could be paid for some work he hadn't yet finished, so we asked if he could please come by and finish the work first. He said he would. But he never did, and we never heard from him again. A couple of weeks later, we got our bank statement (which contains copies of our checks). There was an out-of-sequence check with a forged signature that had been cashed, made out to a 'Mike Thomas'. Sure enough, the check was missing from the middle of the checkbook. We reported the theft and forgery to the local police and to our bank. (But the good news: since it was an obvious forgery, our bank reimbursed us for the check.) Disappointed
February 2006
I saw the recent recommendation for Eric at Cal Plumbing and realized that I had needed to add my thanks. I had a couple of problems - starting with a water heater that was releasing a lot of water (through the release valve). He was able to squeeze me in to fix the immediate problem, but then let me know I had the same problem that another poster had - a defective diptube and needed to replace the water heater. He came as scheduled and did the work wonderfully. He even cleaned up evidence of an old mouse infestation that was hiding behind the old water heater. He was a pleasure to work with and he couldn't have been nicer. Auban
Michael Stabile (his professional name is Michael Your Plumber)is terrific. He came on time; within 35 minutes he had replaced the washers in my shower head - instead of charging $95 he charged $85 because it was a simple job. He said that he quit working for a company because they would charge a customer over $150 and he wants to work without these huge costs to customers. A refreshing attitude for a change. jonathan
I recently called Ehret Plumbing to fix a sink and a few other minor problems. The first time they came there was no problem. A few things needed parts from the shop, and I was told he'd come by first thing in the morning to wrap it up. No show. No call. I called at the end of the morning and was told oh, he got really busy--would you like to reschedule? (gotta love that--they don't call but would I like to reschedule?) I did, for the next morning. 4 hour window. Unbelievable, but the guy didn't show. Or call. I called the dispatch, clearly peeved, and got the same thing: Sorry, he got backed up, would you like to reschedule? I let her know what I thought of this treatment in significant detail but again the only recourse was to reschedule. He came. Barely mumbled an apology--barely. I The bathroom faucet is done wrong, the kitchen sink has a part missing and poor pressure. I will not use them again and neither should you! Hosed by Ehret
I just wanted to recommend an amazing plumber, Michael Stabile 472-0123. We called him to help us with a clogged kitchen drain. He was very prompted (Gave us an actual time he was going to arrive not a 4 hour window) and completed the job and actually fixed a few other problems as well for a reasonable price. He is friendly and knows his plumbing. carla H
High Recommendations for Michael Stabile, Michael Your Plumber He repaired two leaky pipes in our house, and was quick, professional and on time. His number is 510.-472-0123
paul jenny
Note from moderator: I used Michael Stabile also to connect my new refrigerator ice maker. He was on time, efficient, accommodating, answered lots of questions. I would use him again. -kk
I wanted to add another positive review for Eric of Cal Plumbing (510) 215-0200. After our house lost significant water pressure, I tried 2 different plumbers who could not find what was causing our pressure problems. We even had a visit from EBMUD. No one could figure it out. After seeing the positive reviews for Eric on BPN I called him and left a message describing our situation. Even though we were not in the area he normally services (Moraga), he was kind enough to call me back and tell me exactly what was wrong (diptube problem in the water heater) and what to do to remedy the situation (replace the water heater.) I found a local guy to replace the water heater, and even he had never seen a situation like ours. I really think if I had not called Eric we would still not know what was wrong with our pressure. Thanks to Eric, our water problems our solved. Heather
A cautionary tale regarding contractors: Ehret Plumbing was a locally owned company (since 1974) with a well-deserved good reputation. In 1999, Ehret was bought out by a large corporation that nearly ran the company into the ground. Their work and customer service were poor, and generated many, many customer complaints. (Interestingly enough, the corporation bought several locally owned plumbing companies, but only kept the name of a couple, including Ehret, presumably because of their good reputations). In early 2004, Ehret Plumbing was purchased again and is once again a locally owned company. As far as I can tell, the new owner is doing a much better job, and it may be a good sign that I haven't heard any feedback--good or bad--about his work. (I know of one case in which the lnewn Ehret went back to make some minor corrections to work done incorrectly by lmiddlen Ehret). Essentially, Ehret Plumbing has been over the last 6 years 3 different companies with the same name.
John
Ted Reiner helped us install plumbing in our guest cottage at our home in Kensington. He was efficient and his work was excellent. I highly recommend him. He's in Kensington at 510-375-7690 or 510-525-5335.
Jane K
January 2006
I wanted to recommend Micheal Stabile, or Michael Your Plumber. Recently a transplant and new homeowner from San Francisco. We awoke one morning to a very leaky drain. We found Michael on the BPN, called him up, and he was at our house within hours. His prices were very reasonable, and we felt like we got a great deal with him. He's punctual, professional and very personable. We'll definitely call him next time!! - Happy Berkeley Resident
December 2005
I would like to recommend Michael Stabile, who I hired last week based on reference in an older post on this Network. I was worried that it would be hard to get my leaking kitchen sink pipe repaired during Thanksgiving week. He arrived within an hour of my call, was easy to talk with, patient and clear in explaining the work needed, and gave a fair estimate.
When the project got more involved, he fit in extra time to complete it within a few days, after doing a temporary fix that got my kitchen sink draining again. He left the work area clean, and was a pleasure to do business with... I'm a single female homeowner, and was relieved to find a plumber who would be fair with me. Michael can be reached at 472-0123. Kendall
November 2005
I wanted to add my recommendation for Michael Stabile (510- 472-0123) for your plumbing needs. He was efficient, reliable, trustworthy, and very reasonably priced. He did a great job for us on several projects. He also was happy to answer endless questions from my curious children! Deb
Wanted to recommend a very good plumbing company based in Alameda for those who need a plumber. I recently used Jim Bustos Plumbing, 510-521 1576 for a food disposal replacement, water pressure problems and an overflowing dishwasher. What pleasantly surprised me was that, aside from the fact they quoted me and ultimately cost less than HALF Olsson Plumbing's quote, they were friendly and responsive from first contact to job finish. So often contractors can be arrogant and curt in my experience. These guys are good. John
please save yourself a headache and do not use rey lecayo. last year we bought an old house and needed to have it entirely replumbed. we went with rey lacayo based on positive reviews from the network and his cheep price. (unfortunately, we didn't call refereneces). rey is a very nice guy, but the job was incredibly poorly done and we had to call him back several times to finish or fix his work. after the first day, he left his workers here by themselves. they did bad welding jobs so the pipes leaked at the top of the water heater, they cut a dryer vent hole in the wall in the wrong place and left the hole there, they ran a gas line at chest height through the middle of a storage space. rey misdagnosed a simple faucet problem saying he would have to tear out tiles to fix it (we told him to skip it and later had it done in 5 minutes by a different plumber). he half removed drainage pipes and left the remaining pipes hanging from the basement ceiling (still there). the list go! es on. i wish i hadn't trusted the positive reviews on the network! rey is a really nice guy, but his work is shoddy and his attitude unprofessional. i have serious doubts about the qualifications of the helpers he employs. the next time we needed a plumber to fix the leaking drains around our tub we called the lunt marymor company - 510-985-2889. they were quick professional and reasonably priced. - learned the hard way
I just read a resent review bashing Mike Thomas (plumber). My daughter recommended this site for various resources and I found Mike Thomas to be an excellent, reliable, and affordable plumber. As a single mother of three and revonavating my business ,in reach I have owned in Berkeley for over 20 years, I was very happy to find a local plumber who could work for me with my specific request. I advice all to give Mike Thomas a chance. I was highly satisfied and you will be too! DeniseG
October 2005
I find it really hard to believe that Rey LaCayo has gotten negative reviews. My experience with him was professional. His work was excellent, his prices were competitive and his crew always cleaned up after themselves. We used him at 2 different locations with complex plumbing and heating needs in a Victorian house and a new bathroom, heating and plumbing in a Tudor. I have referred several friends to him who still retain his services and would not hesitate to use him again. Deborah, RN
I have used Rey Lacayo for various plumbing jobs for the last threee years. I originally found him at this site with many positive reviews. He has replaced old gavanized pipe with copper, reconfigured the hook-up for my washer and most recently fixed a serious problem in my bathroom shower.
My basement shower drain had become disconneted and all the waste water was plowing directly into the ground below (this was an existing shower that was installed before we bought the house). Another plumber may have not thought of creative solution to get to the drain in cement floored bathroom. The obvious choice would have been to remove the shower stall. That would have meant demolishing the whole bathroom, since the shower stall is too wide to fit out the bathroom door. Rey realized that it would be much less expensive to jack hammer the floor in front of the shower and dig out the earth to get to the shower drain.
When Rey can find a way to save the client (me) money he does, when that is not possible he is upfront on the cost of a job and lets me know there is no way around the cost. Rey always does a professional job without cutting corners, he is very polite, and easy to talk to. I highly recommend him and in fact my friends now call Rey when they need a plumber. His # is 415.726.8549 (cell) or 510.336.3497 lapuls
I'm sorry to hear about the negative reviews with Rey Lacayo. From my own experience, he was honest, efficient, and a great value. We wanted to install a new forced air furnace, so I secured bids from 4 other companies (Ehret, Ceridono, Atlas, Harry Clark) and Rey was the best value of all of them. Based on our good experience with him on the furnace, we had him install a new washer/dryer hookup. Again, he was honest and timely and worked well with the electrician. I would gladly use him again and would recommended him to others. Alan
Although he is not lacking in positive reviews, I have to strongly recommend Eric/Cal Plumbing (510) 215-0200. He recently installed a utility sink in my laundry room. Not only did he bid several hundred below previous plumbers, he noticed existing pipes that stuck out too far and cut them back, refitted some bad refittings...overall, was kind, timely, affordable, very sweet. jill
I'd like to second Majorie's recommendation for Michael Stabile, at 472-0123. I was stuck with a critical plumbing problem on Saturday, found Michael's number on BPN, called him, and thanks to good timing, found he was going to be in my neighborhood within the hour. Michael came by shortly thereafter and did exactly what was needed to remedy the situation. He was knowledgeable, fast, direct, and extremely reasonable. Bill
If you have a plumbing repair issue, I'd recommend giving Michael Your Plumber Stabile a call at 510-472-0123. I had a goofy kitchen faucet repair issue (be aware, DIYers, that some new faucets are being delivered with different size hookups for your hot/cold feeds). I called on a Tuesday morning, he was able to come by on my schedule after work on Wednesday. He sized up the situation, explained what he could and could not fix on the spot, and agreed to come the next day to finish up. He was prompt, courteous, and informative. He explained what he was doing and potential issues, and some general plumbing advice. When you have a plumbing problem, Michael Your Plumber Stabile at 510-472-0123 should be one to call. Kevin E
September 2006
I want to highly recommend Michael Stabile (510) 472-0123, of Michael, Your Plumber. A friend found his name on the BPN and was more than happy with his work. He came out on a Sunday to fix a leaky toilet, showed up exactly when he said he would, did a great job and cleaned up afterward. He not only did not charge extra for the weekend, he charged below the going rate for week day service. He also threw in some smaller jobs for free and came back the next day with a part he needed to fix a leak in the basement for free as well. He was also a really great guy to talk to and thoroughly answered all questions. Beth G
I'd like to second the problems mentioned in an earlier posting with the plumber Mike Thomas. I used him after reading the favorable recommendations from BPN and it's been a disaster. He's always late, didn't fix my plumbing problem and now won't return my calls. Hopefully someone knows some other good plumbers - there have got to be more out there! -Erin
I logged in to write a note of appreciation for the recommendation I got here for Rey Lacayo. I am surprised to see that negative reviews have appeared since I last checked. I am very pleased with the work Rey has done for me. His workerms were responsive and courteous, and completed the work in less time than estimated. In addition to replacing all the pipes in the house for less than other estimates, he fixed plumbing problems that 2 plumbers botched and 2 others refused to attempt fixing. So thank you for the recommendation and I will definitely use them again. Valerie E
August 2005
I am following up on a June posting about Cal Plumbing. I just had an (Emergency!!) need for a plumbing expert, and when I called Eric McIntosh, he immediately came over and fixed my (pouring water) faucet! This is the same faucet two other plumbers have never been able to actually fix permanently (hence, the ongoing problem). He was obviously very prompt, courteous and professional. Most importantly, skilled. I would recommend giving him a call, although he says his new business is going very well, indeed. Number is 510.215.0200. Janice
We used Rey Lacayo for installation of a tankless hot water heater and for a mini-split heatpump. Both were done professionally and with no problems from either a hassle perspective or a permitting perspective. We expect to use him again when we remodel our kitchen (we'll need our gas line extended and a new sink plumbed in). Lisa
To the person who posted a poor experience with Mike Thomas, I thought I was reading about my own experience. Please contact me if you don't mind. I like to discuss further. Thanks Carole
Because Eric of Cal Plumbing (highly recommended by BPN) was booked up, I used Mike Thomas's plumbing services, also recommended by one person on your site. I just wanted to confirm that I was highly satisfied: he's reasonably-priced, competent, explained everything patiently and thought out intelligent ways to head off some potential problems in the future. Jane
I am a general contractor and regret that in early May I posted a recommendation of plumber Mike Thomas. His prices were good, but I should have waited until I had more experience with him. He has cost me considerable money on 3 jobs, has not done work according to code, has said he has done work that he has not, has not corrected mistakes he made, even though he promised to do so, and he will not return phone calls. I've had to hire other people to correct his mistakes and to finish what he left undone. He has told me that he gets many calls from people on the BPN, and I only wish there was a way for me to delete the previous recommendation. I'd be glad to elaborate by phone, -Larry G.
July 2005
We hired Rey Lacayo to replace our hot water heater. He pushed for the tankless heater which we were a little nervous about. He quoted a price which was supposed to have a circulating pump, this ended up to not be included. He knew we had old pipes and low water pressure. This does not work with a tankless - you need high water pressure. On top of this, he did not install it correctly and we were without hot water for a couple of weeks, before we contacted the heater manufacturers to troubleshoot. I would not recommend Rey for any plumbing work. unsatisfied
I hired Mike Thomas based on a recommendation posted here, and need to report that I had a bad experience with him and I do not recommend him to anyone else on this list. In terms of the work, Mike has left me with an unfinished project. There are a good number of small, but significant, tasks, to be completed, and additionally he needs to replace a very nice porcelain faucet handle that he broke. It now seems that some of the work he did is not to code and will have to be redone. I made the BIG mistake of paying him in full for the job, trusting him to come back and make it all right, because he was desperate for money (will I ever learn?). In terms of dealing with him, he is new to self-employment and really does not have a concept of how to deal with clients, communicate about the job, etc. Given his unprofessional self-presentation, I would not have hired him if not for the PN recommendation. I have not heard from him now for 5 weeks, since I gave him the final payment. He has not returned numerous phone messages, and I have no indication that he has any intention of seeing the job through to completeion. I am now in a situation where I will probably have to hire another plumber to finish and fix the job at my own expenses. I could then take Mike to small claims court to recover the money. With proper documentation I would get an automatic judgement in my favor since he is contracting without a license (no, he doesn't have a contractors license). But since he has no money it is unlikely I would ever see it.
June 2005
Family-friendly Plumber
I just want to reiterate the good reviews of Eric at Cal Plumbing (510/215-0200) because he just started the business and I'm sure he can use more good referrals (plus his wife just gave birth to their second child 2 weeks ago!). I called him about my leaky water heater and he came out within hours to check it out and fix it. He was also very nice to my 6-year old son who had a thousand questions for him. Thanks again, Eric! Sherilyn
May 2005
Good, trustworthy plumbers are hard to find, and I found one who just started his own business so he's anxious to please for the RIGHT price! Call Eric at Cal Plumbing (510/215-0200). I own some rental property and had always used one of the BPN-recommended plumbers, but I noticed the quality of their work went way down unless Eric did the work for me. He's worked in the area for a long time so knows the ins and outs of the older homes...he has repaired and replaced fixtures, water heaters, gas lines, and quake-safe shutoff valves for me. He also installed a great water filtration system, tankless water heater, and repiped my own house at prices way below the other estimates I received. And, I was comfortable with him doing the work when no one was at home. Give Eric at Cal Plumbing a call: 510/215-0200. ksf
We used Neptune Plumbing in Hayward and worked with Gabe, who is the owner of the company. He decided to not honor the appointment we had scheduled 4 days earlier. Instead, he cancelled (2 hours after the scheduled appointment). His reasoning was so he could do other jobs of more importance because he was backed up with 20 potential clients without a scheduled appointment. We scheduled the appointment on Friday and he mentioned that we would be the 1st client on Tuesday at 8:30am. He knew we were without plumbing for 5 days already and that it was an emergency. He chose to disregard the appointment he made so he could respond to newer plumbing opportunities. We STRONGLY DON'T recommend Gabe at Neptune Plumbing. With his lack of response, disregard to us as customers and rude behavior we strongly advise you not to work with Neptune Plumbing. Frustrated home owner
I'd like to recommend a plumber, Michael Stabile, that has done repair work on our home. He is affordable, efficient, and was very responsive to our plumbing crisis when our water heater began leaking copious amounts of water. He replaced our water heater and installed a toilet sprayer nozzle for cleaning cloth diapers. He has mostly repair experience, and has been very helpful with over-the-phone advice regarding our sewer line (that actually doesn't need work YET). He is very ethical and won't try to sell you work or equipment that you don't need. His number is 472-0123. marjorie
I hired Eric from Cal Plumbing this week after seeing a recommendation in last week's newsletter, and he was great. I told him on I was on a budget but really needed my leaky faucet fixed. He showed up on time, explained what he had to do, and did it -- all in a reasonable amount of time for an extremely reasonable amount of money. He also answered a bunch of other plumbing questions I had but didn't pressure me to have it done right away. I'll definitely use him again because he did a good job and I don't feel ripped off. His number is 510.215.0200. No More Leaks in El Cerrito
April 2005
Rey Lacayo
I recently saw a few people follow up with negative reviews of Rey LaCayo and I wanted to add our experience as well. He was very well-reviewed on BPN so we used him without talking to anyone else (I know, stupid, but we had babies on the way and were anxious to get the work done). He installed a hot water on demand system for us, and while the system works fine, I now know that he overcharged us by quite a bit. The crew also left a huge mess, broke a closet door, and did a shoddy job of repairing a leaky faucet. When I asked him to come back to deal with it all, he was very put out. I hope these negative reviews go up on the site soon because I'd hate for someone to trust him blindly based on the reviews, as we did.
Feb 2005
ACP, Inc. plumbing services
I would like to thank whomever it was that recommended ACP, Inc. Plumbing services. They were terrific and I would also like to recommend them to others. They were prompt, courteous, friendly, efficient and they knew what they were doing. They can be reached at 237-8888 or 547-2578. a satisfied customer
Nov-Dec 2004
Hi, we are finally beginning to investigate replacing our refrigerator, which is 20+ years old(!)... we wanted to get one that has a built-in ice cube/water dispenser and, therefore, need to have the plumbing line installed from our sink. Sears and Best Buy said that their install could include a plumber coming to do the water line which in most cases, is ~$95. I decided to have some other plumbing work done, so I asked 3 different contractors to quote the refrigerator job, too, and they all (ALL!!) quoted more like $200-$225. The refrigerator would be only ~4-5 feet (if even that) away from the sink; you just have to go through some cabinets, with one 90 degree turn. So, are the Sears/Best Buy salespeople speaking nonsense, or are the plumbing contractors (including Albert Nahman and Rey Lecayo) really over-priced? anonymous
In response to the person requesting info about plumber Rey Lacayo, I feel I should weigh in. I understand that this newsletter does not accept unsolicited negative comments, but since you asked, . . . We hired Rey for some extensive work (based on recommendations on this website), and were quite unhappy with many aspects of his work, including both the money issues and the work itself. Among other issues, we were overcharged, and we failed our initial inspection. I would not recommend him; if you do, be sure to get a written contract before he starts the work.
I just read the most recent comments about Rey Lacayo and want to share my experience using him. My husband and I hired Rey to replace an old vanity with a pedestal sink. Rey was timely, effencient, and very reasonable. I am sorry to hear others had a different experience with him; however I want to be sure others hear another perspective as we really found him quite competent and reliable. Good luck! Dana
In the last letter there was a response about Rey Lacayo that I feel I must add to...After seeing numerous positive reviews of Rey here on the newsletter, we hired him for a small bathroom leak job, which he did well and promptly, about 2 months ago. I asked him then if he would be available in November to do 2 additional jobs in our kitchen (install new kitchen faucet and hook up ice/water piping in our new fridge). He said yes, but it took 4 weeks of calling and trying to get him to come, to finally nail down a time and day. Then he didn't show up, and never called. The next business day I called Mallard Plumbing, and they called me back (on a weekend!), came within 2 business days, did a great job, and charged a reasonable rate... Heidi
I wanted to add to the thread about Rey LaCayo, who we found on Berkeley Parents Network. We used Rey for a large remodel that involved significant plumbing overhaul. To make a long story short, our inspector told us that the plumbing work his team did in our home was shoddy and called out several items that would need to be fixed for us to pass inspection. When we called Rey and told him, he was surly with us, and it took us really riding him to get him to come back and fix the work. Even then, it took two trips (more phone calls, more riding by us) to get him to complete the things the inspector said were not to code. Rey was VERY put out about having to make adjustments to the work and tried to get us to pay more to get the job to code. When we pushed back, he made some comment about my husband being jewish, basically that all jews are cheap. If anyone does any work with Rey, I would recommend witholding part of the payment until you pass inspection. On a separate note, Rey's workers cut through structural joists when doing work in our home, which has always horrified any other contractors who have been here. Chris
April 2004
I recently had some plumbing done by Abante Rooter Plumbing and Remodeling Services. They did a great job at a reasonable price. I strongly recommend them. Paul
Jan 2004
I would like to recommend Keith Oppelt of Associated Contractors Plumbing, Inc. We found Keith through other recommendations on Berkeley Parents network. Keith and his crew completely re-plumbed our 1920 house in Berkeley including replacing all of the inside plumbing as well as running new copper pipe from the main under a sidewalk and up a thirty foot hill to our house. His was the lowest bid for the job among several plumbers and he and his crew completed all of the work flawlessly and timely. He was very pleasant to work with and completed various additional plumbing jobs within a couple of days each time we called him. Keith can be reached at 510-234-1777 William
I would like to recommend a plumber. Brian Feeney (415) 302-5275 (his number is SF, but he works out of N. Berkeley) is a rare asset: reasonable, honest, and knowledgeable. He repaired a water main rupture for us that was under a very old oak and helped us to devise a solution that would preserve the tree while keeping our costs low. His fees are 30% cheaper than anyone else and his work is excellent. He does plumbing, sewer, gas, water heaters, etc. I have called a lot of people including most of those recommended on this site, and I think he is the best of the bunch. You can use my name. Stephen on Euclid
I was lucky enough earlier this month to stumble upon a truly skilled, helpful and reasonably priced plumber who has his own business (he also works on a contract basis for a big-name East Bay contractor, but of course you'd pay a big premium to hire him through their dispatcher).
Guillermo Lewis can be reached at _____ *. He lives in San Leandro and will accept work from Hayward to Richmond. He has done the following jobs for me: fixed a leaky kitchen sink; put a new drain in my bathtub; installed a new toilet in our rental unit; and repaired my gas fireplace. He advised me on grouting and caulking my bathtub (which I successfully did myself) and on parts and supplies to buy for some of the aforementioned jobs (I preferred to purchase them myself, though of course he can provide them in the course of his work). I recommend him highly. Jenny
* [editor] 1/16/2005: per email from Paul, the phone number is no longer valid.
Nov 2004
This is a follow-up to earlier posts about plumbers/heating contractors. After many ''adventures'' with other contractors, I'm happy to be able to recommend this one!
We found Rey (Reynaldo) Lacayo of Lacayo-Colt Plumbing from a posting here about a year ago, and have had him do some major work on our 1920's Albany house since then. We've been very pleased with the quality of his work, how nice he is to work with, and his very reasonable prices. I've heard him mention that he also does house calls for smaller repair jobs, but I haven't needed that yet.
For some major work (replaced leaky gas lines, ancient water/sewer lines, venting work) we interviewed & got estimates from several other major local companies, and each had elements of bids we considered really overpriced (example, $1,100 to replace simple water heater vent pipe, which should be about $150). Rey did a lot of work, worked quickly & carefully, was responsive when we had questions, and even threw in some minor repairs for free. We chose to replace our faucets the weekend after he did all of this work, and he even called to make sure that was going well.
We replaced our furnace last month, again got several estimates, and again chose Rey. This was a conversion from a central floor furnace to registers in each room, and his work was beautiful (a concern since I love our hardwood floors) and surprisingly fast. Also came with a warranty (parts & labor, in addition to manufacturer's warranty for furnace). Again we're really pleased...and wish other contractors had been this easy & thorough!
Thank you, whoever posted the recommendations for him last year - worked out really well for us. The numbers for Rey Lacayo, Lacayo Colt Plumbing are office (510) 336-3497, and his cell (415) 726-8549.
Happy Customer Rebecca
2003 & Earlier
Oct 2003
Alas, plumbing is never inexpensive but we highly recommend Paul and his crew at Pipeline Plumbing...reliable & professional Phone: (510) 540-0837 Moniz
Sept 2003
I would like to make a recommendation for a plumbing heating and cooling contractor to break concrete and install toilet plumbing. His name is Rey LaCayo of LaCayo-Colt Plumbing and Heating. He has done extensive work for us a two locations with excellent results. The work ranged from complete heating/cooling system, new bathroom including sewer line, sheetrocking, fixtures and tiling. Rey has excellent communciation skills and genuinely seems to enjoy his work. His rates are competitive and although based in Oakland will travel throughout the greater Bay Area. He can be reached at 336-3497 or by cell at (415) 726-8549. Feel free to contact me by E-mail if you have any questions. Best of luck Deborah
June 2003
In response to Heating system repair company wanted. I would like to recommend Reynaldo Lacayo of Colt-LaCayo Plumbing and Heating. (510)336-3497, his cell# is (415)726- 8549. He was recommended from the UCB Parents Recommendations for Commercial Services http://parents.berkeley.edu/recommend/services/plumber.html. (fourth down from the top) He did both plumbing and heating work for us and was great! He is easy to work with, nice and friendly, really went that extra mile for us. We were very very happy with his work. barbara
April 2003
I recently had the majority of my plumbing converted to copper, a substantial and lengthy job. The guys (Anis and Smiley) at Associated Plumbing Contractors (510-234-1777) did an excellent job. I felt very comfortable with them in my home. They were neat, conscientious and easy to work with. Most importantly, both the City Inspector and my father-in-law commented on the high quality of their work (high praise in my book!). Erin
March 2003
In the last newsletter several people were looking for handyman,electricians, and plumbers, so I thought I would post Javier Gonzonlez again. I have this fabulous handyman that does all of the above, including childproofing (installs gates and door guards, etc) and painting. He is extremely reliable, hard working, exacting in his work, affordable, honest and on time! He really does great work. My whole neighborhood uses (Claremont Hills) him and you can call me and I can pass you on to get other reccommendations for him. Or contact him directly: Javier Gonzolez (510) 599 0272
February 2003
I would like to recommend an excellent plumbing, heating and cooling contractor who does bathroom remodels as well. His name is Rey LaCayo of LaCayo-Colt Plumbing and Heating. He has done extensive work for us a two locations with excellent results in an aging Victorian and a Tudor. The work ranged from complete heating/cooling system, new bathroom including sewer line, sheetrocking, fixtures and tiling. He has remodeled a bathroom in a small space for a co-worker with great results. Rey is easy to communicate with and genuinely seems to enjoy his work. His rates are competitive and although based in Oakland will travel throughout the greater Bay Area. He can be reached at 336-3497 or by cell at (415) 726-8549. Feel free to contact me by E-mail if you have any questions about specifics. Best of luck Deborah
We just used Lacayo Colt Plumbing (510-336-3496) last week and thought they did a fantastic job! -Tina
January 2003
Walker's Plumbing Services is located in Richmond. They are a small company, really busy, but well worth it. 510 237-7457. Tina
2002
Whenever we need a plumber, the first place we call now is Olsson Plumbing in Alameda (510/522-2442). About a year ago on a 3-day weekend in winter, we were removing a bird feeder pole from the middle of our backyard. After breaking the pole off at ground level, we learned it had a live gas pipe running up the middle. After PG turned off the gas -they told us we needed to have a plumber seal off the pipe. PG cautioned that not all plumbers will turn the gas back on, so we'd need to call PG for an appointment for the following week. After calling a dozen ''24-hour'' plumbers with answering machines, we called Olsson. Not only did they send a plumber right over (to San Leandro), but the guy they sent was great. He tapped off the pipe under the house, turned on the gas so we'd have heat for the weekend, and re-lit all the pilot lights. We later had Olsson install a new hot water heater and toilet. They were always responsive, thorough, and definitely knew what they were doing.
Call Paul at Pipeline Plumbing 658-1588.
We have used R.V.O. Plumbing 510-237-8580. He was recommended to us by our neighbor. He is extremely efficient and reasonable.
I've had good luck with Mallard Plumbing for a number of jobs. Kim
A good local plumber we work with is Leonard. His phone number is 510-428-1417. Steve
We have been using Superior heating and plumbing since we moved to the area. They did some work for us early on and we've just kept using them. I doubt they are the cheapest but they are super reliable, always on time, do a great job, and are very honest about what you do and don't need so I can recommend them highly. ilfeld
I would like to recommend an excellent plumbing and heating contracter who has done extensive work at 2 different locations for us. His nsme is Reynaldo Lacayo of Colt-LaCayo Plumbing and Heating based in Oaklnd. To date he has installed 2 Central Heat systems for us, put in a new bathroom start to finish including the new sewer line and drywall, fixed a drainage problem in our backyard and installed a new water heater for us.The quality of his work is first rate.He is personable, easy to communicate with, does the work in a timely manner and actually likes the work he does. His rates are competitive and no job is to large or small for him to handle. He can be reached at (510)336-3497, his cell# is (415)726-8549.
We've recently found an excellent plumber who has done two separate water-related jobs for us. His name is Ron Schali (510) 452-5225. Ron will thoroughly analyze the problem, make sure you understand what's involved and what your options are, and/or give you ideas how to fix the problem yourself if appropriate. He will not try to sell you any repairs you don't need. His rates are much more reasonable than any of the plumber contractor's I have encountered. He runs pretty much a one-person operation, and although he is sometimes busy with his main occupation (ice sculpture carving), he is well worth it.
For the person looking for a plumber - I highly, highly recommend Joe Minsell (sp?). His company is Atlantis Plumbing and his phone number is (510) 237-6123. (Cell is (510) 301-3400). I don't know if his expertise matches the situation you have, but he did a wonderful job for us with our recent kitchen remodel (which included adding a washer and dryer). He was friendly, prompt, smart, efficient and did excellent work. (In fact, I have been meaning to write in with an unsolicited recommendation for him for several months now). When our furnace died a month after the kitchen remodel (unrelated), he came over on his lunch break from another job to take a look at it and recommend someone who could fix it.
Josh Bortin of Montclair Plumbing and Heating (cell is 510-909-6555 Oakland office 510-530-9469) installed our new heater and vents and did some other plumbing work for us recently. He was recommended to us by our real estate agent. He has done quite a bit of work for the real estate company. He did excellent work, was prompt and courteous and was very reasonably priced. He told us if certain things didn't need to be done, even though we originally planned to do them and also did some followup work for us free of charge.
Does anyone have a good, RELIABLE,plumber to recommend? Our kitchen drain pipe literally sprung a leak and a hole. I called ''Hands On Plumbing'' to schedule. They operate out of Concord and advertise that they will service the Bay Area. They booked an appointment and cancelled one-half hour before the scheduled appointment. We had arranged our schedule to be present during the two to four hour window. They were ''Valu-Star'' rated and BBB rated. So much for these recommendations. Please let me know if you have any good recommendations.
Whenever we need a plumber, the first place we call now is Olsson Plumbing in Alameda (510/522-2442). About a year ago on a 3-day weekend in winter, we were removing a bird feeder pole from the middle of our backyard. After breaking the pole off at ground level, we learned it had a live gas pipe running up the middle. After PG turned off the gas -they told us we needed to have a plumber seal off the pipe. PG cautioned that not all plumbers will turn the gas back on, so we'd need to call PG for an appointment for the following week. After calling a dozen ''24-hour'' plumbers with answering machines, we called Olsson. Not only did they send a plumber right over (to San Leandro), but the guy they sent was great. He tapped off the pipe under the house, turned on the gas so we'd have heat for the weekend, and re-lit all the pilot lights. We later had Olsson install a new hot water heater and toilet. They were always responsive, thorough, and definitely knew what they were doing.
Call Paul at Pipeline Plumbing 658-1588.
We have used R.V.O. Plumbing 510-237-8580. He was recommended to us by our neighbor. He is extremely efficient and reasonable.
I highly recommend Albert Nahman Plumbing. I located them through the UCB Parents Recommendations. They were timely, friendly, affordable, and extremely knowledgable and professional. I was quoted a flat price for the work (which was affordable compared with the other two bids I got) and they stuck to it even though the inevitable unexpected occurred. Courtney
We've recently found an excellent plumber who has done two separate water-related jobs for us. His name is Ron Schali (510) 452-5225. Ron will thoroughly analyze the problem, make sure you understand what's involved and what your options are, and/or give you ideas how to fix the problem yourself if appropriate. He will not try to sell you any repairs you don't need. His rates are much more reasonable than any of the plumber contractor's I have encountered. He runs pretty much a one-person operation, and although he is sometimes busy with his main occupation (ice sculpture carving), he is well worth it. Miguel
2001
Has someone had experience with Ted Denney / Helping Hand Home Repair and Maintenance (they are changing their name to Aapex Maintenance) ? We moved into a small in-law apartment in Berkeley which needs to be painted and has several things that need to be fixed/replaced, including a kitchen sink food waste disposer, a patio door, front door lock, and cabinet doors. Thank you !
We had a terrific experience with Ted, who did some carpentry and plumbing (gas line installation, with a plumber friend of his) on our house. Despite voicing some initial skepticism about the feasibility of the project, he did is beautifully and quickly, and at a fraction of the cost of the bids from the big plumbing firms.
I had excellent experiences with Ted Denny(except that he was busy and hard to schedule). I recommend him highly. However, the phone number I have for him seems not to be correct: it rings without an answering machine. Please list his correct phone number if you have it. I would like to follow up on some work he promised tofind time to do 2 years ago. Thank you.
We just had a visit from Bill Halligan at Olivero Plumbing in El Cerrito. He was friendly, fast, efficient and reasonably priced. He did excellent work, and we recommend him highly.
For plumbing I have used Harry Clark Plumbing, 510 444 1776. They are not cheap but their work is always done well, on time etc.
I have a fairly major leak from my upstairs bathroom into my kitchen, which I can't determine the exact source of, and need a recommendation for a handyman skilled in plumbing (preferably), or a good plumber who I don't have to wait forever for and charges reasonably, to get it fixed ASAP
Plumbing. Marc Brenner 925-283-3408 is an excellent plumber. He prefers large jobs and is deservedly very busy. Doug and Jean
Try Albert Nahman in Berkeley. He has always worked for us, is dependable and done a good job. 843-6904 -Toby
I highly recommend my husband --his name is Paul Gerrard and his company is Pipeline Plumbing. He has a long list of references and is THE most reliable person you can find. He is also English, very polite and his pants don't fall down. He does installation, remodels, repairs, service and hydronic heating. The company phone number is 510-658-1588 and/or 510-540-0837, we are in Berkeley. -Lisa Gerrard
My father has a small plumbing company that services the East Bay. His fees are reasonable--he doesn't invest in a lot of advertising. You might want to call for a free estimate. The company name is Mainstream Plumbing & Heating Co. and the number is 510-668-1924. He's done a lot of work on my house. Tell him Cindi recommended you.
I highly highly highly recommend Skip at Skip's Plumbing and Drain. He does excellent work, charges very reasonable rates, and he is a pleasure. He can be reached at 537-5540 or 895-0944. Elizabeth
2000
Albert Nahman is a decent plumber, honest and reliable. Don't have his number, but he's in Berkeley Toby
In response to the request for a plumber recommendation, I can recommend Alan Forbes of Forbes Plumbing. Alan has done a number of jobs at our (old) house. He is a master plumber and a delightful guy. Lori
1999
Mark 9/99
I recommend Reid Miller, in Berkeley at 704-0779. He prefers keeping old systems running to new construction.
A good plumber is Jeff Palmer, 527 7538. Dorothea
1998
I have used Ehret Plumbing in Berkeley based on the recommendations of several friends. They connected water to a fridge/icemaker, put in a gas line for my dryer, and serviced my furnace. They are excellent. But at $72/hour, you may want to get a handyman to repair minor drips! Ginger (7/98)
From: Patrick (7/98)
Leigh-Marymor (531-7721) in Oakland is great. I don't know what their full service area is, but they do cover Berkeley. They set a *specific* appointment and keep it (like 2:00 Tuesday, not sometime Tuesday), the woman who takes the call knows plumbing well enough herself to ask questions that help her estimate the time for the work & send the plumber ready to do the work. The plumbers themselves are nice, respect your house, and do good work and don't try to extend it. I suspect they're a bit more than some other places, but just the ability to make a specific appointment makes them worth it in my opinion.
I've been so happy with Anam Paldgyee at Green Eagle Plumbing -- he's done both large and small repairs for me, and I trust him completely. Contact info is info [at] greeneagleplumbing.com or 510-928-0759.