Anderson Plumbing Heating & Air

I've used Anderson Plumbing before. Ricardo was prompt, knew what needed to be done, and did not recommend unnecessary services. Thank you.

The guys were great - very friendly, professional, knowledgeable, and thorough. And the quality of work was great. What I did not expect was that (according to them) "since they were the last people to work on the furnace, they said they were required to bring it up to code." Although they ended up doing more work on the AC unit later, at that time (after inspecting just the furnace) they told me that the cost to do that would be 1148.05 but I could purchase the 1 yr maintenance agreement for 999.30 and it would be covered. Basically a no-brainer for the savings, but ... That was for just replacing a short gas flex hose with hard pipe and un-bypassing the safety switch -- basically what shouldn't have been more than a two hour job, even if I did it. But later he did also find the low voltage wires on the AC that were chewed up and bare going into the house and had to replace them which included cutting a small hole in the wall inside the garage. So they were there for a few hours after all. And they did a very good job at everything. I just didn't like being hit with the 1000 charge fairly quickly into the service call. I felt like they they had me by the short hairs. Be aware of this "tune up special" and know that if they find anything out of code you're pretty much at their mercy for whatever they want to charge you.

Everything went fine, no problems.

Anderson called me before 8:30 am June 10, 2013 to set up an appointment to repair my toilet. The only time frame they had was starting on Tuesday June 11, 2013. As this is the only toilet in my home I needed it done sooner.

The job went very well. It was a big job and Danny spent some hot days under my house digging out and removing old broken pipe in some pretty unpleasant circumstances. Danny was careful to let me know what was going on and looked for ways to help the job go smoother. He also recognized that a previous contractor failed to secure a flashing on the roof exhaust pipe and secured it while on the roof completing the job. This young man is a true benefit to the company, works hard, is serious about his work product and friendly and helpful to the client.

Our water lines were in the slab, and over time the pipes got holes in them. So everything needed repaired so it wouldn't keep happening.They re-piped with all copper piping. They had to remove walls and portions of the ceilings. When they were done I couldn't even tell where they had been! I had got 3 estimates and the pricing was comparable, but Anderson's was the ONLY company to also quote the sheet rock and painting and also gave us a 20 year warranty. They were very punctual and professional and cleaned up very well. I have recommended them to several people and they have used them as well and been just as happy.

My entire experience with Anderson plumbing up until the price quote was very professional. From my initial contact on the phone through the inspection and diagnosis, this company did what they are supposed to do and they did it well. As a do-it-yourselfer I walked with the service technician and took notes on everything that he found. He then proceeded to write up 4 pricing options. The pricing ranged from $1,089 (2 capacitors, shut-off switch, cleaning and membership) to $498 (1 capacitor and cleaning). Our home is equipped with a Trane XL1200 central AC that has run flawlessly since we bought the home 3 years ago. The unit stopped working suddenly when we ran it for the first time this season. It turns out that the "capacitor" in the AC unit failed. Upon arriving, the technician introduced himself and put on booties. He examined the furnace/blower unit inside first. There he removed the filter and showed me how dirty it was. He then removed the small capacitor, tested it and explained that it was under performing and why it ought to be replaced. He pointed out that the emergency drain pipe on the unit was improperly installed and could lead to problems. Next, he went outside and examined the AC unit. There he told me it needed to be cleaned and immediately noticed that the larger capacitor had failed which was easily identifiable as it looked like an expanded soda can ready to pop. I began asking questions about approximate costs when he indicated that "HVAC parts are expensive." Shortly after that comment he finished his diagnosis and showed me some colorful printouts that looked very technical but happened to be irrelevant to our discussion. The sheet showed a capacitor starter assist unit that he said is expensive and yet my unit has one and he explained it was working properly. Anyhow, he drew up the 4 pricing options mentioned above and I was aghast at the totals. I politely asked him what I owed him thus far. He said, "$68 for the service call." I wrote the check and he put the units back the way he found them. Since sending Anderson plumbing on their way, I spent about 2 hours doing the repairs that included phone calls, driving to the electrical supply store, cleaning the filter and replacing both capacitors. I spent $28 on the 2 capacitors which are incredibly easy to replace. In total, I spent $96 and my AC unit is humming along keeping us very nice and cool. The pricing options he drew up included $305 for the large capacitor (size of a soda can with 5 wires that slide easily on and off) and $289 for the small capacitor (size of a box of raisins with 2 wires that slide off and on). I've never done the repair before and it took me 30 minutes. On his quotes, for both capacitors, that amounts to $566 in labor which mathematically works out to over $1000/hour. There are more details from the price quotes for a switch and some other stuff he recommended, but when I looked at those capacitors which I had never seen before, I KNEW they shouldn't cost $300 each. I could have stomached $150/hour + parts + 50% business profit markup. According to my business model, the 2 capacitors installed would have cost $267 assuming a 1 hour minimum charge (($150 + $28) x 150% = $267). As indicated, he priced the job for capacitor replacement at $566 which is $299 above my calculation. Not fair; not reasonable and I?m unhappy. I'm glad I watched what he did and fixed it myself.

The ladies who answer the phone at Anderson Plumbing are incredibly pleasant, knowledgeable, thorough and informative. They are all top-notch. I was given a time frame of between 10 and 2, and the was called at 1:15 and told that my plumber was on his way, and would be driving from El Cajon. I am in Oceanside, so I anticipated a wait, which was fine, since we were within the promised time. My plumber arrived promptly at 2:00, which in my book makes him punctual. The plumber assessed the situation, and quoted $368.00 for replacing the shut-off valve. That was certainly more than I had anticipated, but since I had no frame of reference for such a job, and since the current valve had a slow leak even when shut off, and since I was leaving for a two-week trip the following day, I consented. The first issue we encountered was that the plumber wanted to shut off the water for my building, as the shut-off to my unit still allowed water to flow through the pipes. I went door-to-door to notify my neighbors, while he went downstairs to shut off the water. I encountered him running frantically around the building, eyes wide, in a near-panic because he couldn't find the shut-off valve. I showed him where the water could be turned off, and he said it wouldn't be sufficient because it wasn't the main. He agreed to try it anyway, and it accomplished the task. Before too long, maybe thirty minutes, he had finished changing the valve. He showed me how it worked, (rather obvious) and then asked if the flush valve and flapper inside the toilet tank were in good condition. I said they were as far as I knew, but I would welcome his professional opinion. He lifted the tank and said that everything looked fine, but "you could replace the flapper sometime." He did not flush the toilet, just looked. He replaced the tank cover and showed me on the price list what it would cost to have all the tank innards replaced, including the flapper: $268.00. Now, I do have a frame of reference for that. It's a job I've done myself, several times, never twice for any one toilet. I have never spent more than twenty dollars for parts, and have never taken more than 45 minutes to do the job - and home repair is NOT my thing! Anyway, that's when I got the uncomfortable feeling that I had likely paid more than I should have for the valve replacement. The plumber then did flush the toilet, with the tank lid down, so he was not observing either the flush valve or the flapper. He then declared, "Everything seems to be just fine!" As he was leaving, he said something so out of left field - "Is your dog sick?" I said, "No, he's just fine." "Seems like something's wrong with him." My dog used to be my son's. We lost him while he was serving his country. The dog is now elderly, and means the world to me. These inappropriate comments were not welcomed. I did not share this information with the plumber. Approximately fifteen minutes after the plumber left, I stepped in some water just in front of the toilet. I assumed he had not dried the floor thoroughly, and did it myself. The following morning, as I was getting ready to leave for my two-week trip, I again stepped in water in front of that toilet. I dried the floor, and turned off the water supply with my new shut-off valve. (I am happy to report that the floor under the valve was completely dry.) I called Anderson Plumbing to explain the situation, and let them know that I would not be available for two weeks. The woman who answered the phone was polite and attentive. She had a "technician" sitting next to her, who suggested I also flush the toilet, besides just turning off the valve. I appreciated that suggestion, and complied. Less than one week into my trip, I received a voicemail from Kelly at Anderson Plumbing, who identified herself as the office manager. She was following up on my call, and said that they strive for customer satisfaction and would like to do whatever they could to rectify the situation. Again, the call was entirely professional, but I could not do anything when I was so far from home. This was my first time using an Angie's List referral. I read the reviews of several plumbing companies. Anderson Plumbing was the only plumbing contractor I called who had good reviews AND Saturday hours. I've had time to think about my experience, and have chosen to wait until a friend of mine, who is a professional pumber, is in the San Diego area (he has relocated to northern California, but comes down here to visit family and friends) so that he can address the issue with this nuisance toilet. I do not have confidence in the plumbing services Anderson rendered. I was also annoyed that I received a call during my trip, when I had clearly stated more than once how long I would be out of town. On a positive note, the valve does not leak. :-)

They were very helpful and informative. It was more costly than we had anticipated.

Anderson Plumbing Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. We have used them before. They are very efficient, the price is fair, responsive. trust worthy.

A couple of weeks ago, we had a water leak, and Anderson plumber Fernando Gonzalez came to fix the pipe, which required moving the water heater. Damage in the wall was extensive, with mold, and other problems.Anderson referred us to an excellent company for assessment, repairs, and restoration. Fernando competently repaired the pipe, then came back in two weeks to move and re-install the water heater. He was very capable, respectful, knowledgeable, and careful. We really appreciated that he has been assigned to help us with several plumbing problems over this year. It was reassuring to be able to discuss our situation with the same plumber and arrive at a satisfactory solution. We will definitely be using Anderson again.

t was a professional service call . She came out and inspected the system and made some recommendations.It was a professional job.

They were very helpful in giving me advise on making it last as long as possible. It is a big tank and will be expensive to replace when it does go out. I plan on having them come back in a year and do a service again. Also if in the future I have any other plumbing, furnace or A/C problems I will be giving Anderson a call. They couldn't have been more professional.

They were very punctual; they called to tell me they were on their way. They did what was required.

all went well as advertised. Excellent service for great price.

Every aspect of the service was excellent: the service reps, Katy F and Rubin, explained clearly everything that needed to be done. They were careful with my home by wearing shoe covers and they worked quickly and efficiently. I would never hesitate to have them return for future work

I use them all the time. I don't always have them do my little plumbing jobs because they are kind of pricey. They are a very professional group and their people are all trained to do what they do. Their trucks are all loaded up, so they never have to say they need to go to the store because everything is there. They're very good. The first time I used them the guy asked if I had any questions and I said, "Why is it so expensive?" The president of the company contacted me and told me why, so I was impressed with that and after she explained it I understood because they are so well prepared. They make sure that everything is stocked and ready to go. They also train their guys, so it isn't some little guy that sometimes does that work and I can see why they charge what they do. They always call you ahead of time. Sometimes they get held up, but they always let you know. They have a young man that just thinks plumbing is the best thing in life. I asked him do he like his job and he said he love his job.

This was the second time I used Anderson ( for different projects) and I feel confident each time that the job will be done right the first time. They are punctual and courteous professionals and I will use them again

I purchased a discount offered by Anderson Plumbing to have heating and air ducts cleaned. When I called to schedule the appt, I was told that I would have to have an inspection service first on my heating unit as I answered "yes" when asked if I ever had any possible problems-(the previous summer, a large amount of condensation caused a waterspot on the ceiling) I agreed to pay for a service charge of $59 and scheduled the appt for the "inspection". The dispatcher called me at 11 am on the day of the appt which was scheduled for arrival 12-3 pm. She asked if I was available within the next 15 minutes, and I told her I work from home, so the tech could come anytime. Two hours later I received another call that I couldn't answer immediately because I was already on a business phone call. The message left by Anderson Plumbing was that if I did not call back within 5 minutes, the tech would be send to a different address, and I would have to reschedule for another day. WHAT? I called back when I was done with my business call 5 minutes later, and was told that they could not have their techs wait around for customers- the dispatcher was the exact same woman who had called me 2 hours earlier to send someone EARLY! I reminded her of our previous conversation 2 hours earlier when she requested to send a tech early at which time I informed her I was working at home and available and that no one had ever arrived. She told me she would send someone within 10 minutes, and that I shouldn't expect her to remember me. The tech arrived 25 minutes later, looked at my heating unit, and told me the condensation spot was exactly as I had described it to the scheduling person, that no service or repair was needed, and that he could not clean my ducts as that was not his area of work. I was told to pay for the "Inspection" appointment and that I could not have the ducts cleaned until October as they were booked up until then. After this extremely bad experience with their scheduling policy and dispatching, I explained that I had no intention of ever using them for any services whatsoever, so the the tech got permission to accept my prepaid $79 duct cleaning service as payment for what turned out to be an absolutely unnecessary inspection REQUIRED by Anderson Plumbing prior to scheduling the duct cleaning service which they did not provide. What a scam! The manager I asked to speak to about this experience told me I was welcome to call back another time to tell the owner about the problem if I wanted to. I chose not to waste any more of my time with this company, and advise you not to waste your time or money either.

The service was fine. They fixed it and that was the end of it. Everything was fine and they did a satisfactory job. The pricing was fair and it was a good service.

Overall I am very satisfied with the work this company did.

They are great. Everything was good. I got into their V.I.P. program and every time I deal with them they are very cordial people. It is always good working with them. I chose them based on their reputation.

We have had a 60 year old furnace that stopped working 2 years ago. The sale rep did the most extensive onsite investigation of our property. We discussed all our options and he quoted us the next day on the options. We discussed further and picked new HVAC and it was installed in three days. All the crew were very pleasant and the work exceptional.

The customer service rep took down all the info and stated the plumber was going to be in the area and would come by after he finished his current job. An hour later the plumber called to say he was driving to the first job. Excuse me? Dispatch thinks you already there?! Two hours later (still without water), still no show. Called again, and now its outside of normal window=new customer service rep. Ten minutes on hold, and when she gets back on the line, she starts to take down all the info again. Says she has no record of original request. Excuse me? Plumber calls and says he would be another hour. Two hours later he shows up. Spends 30 seconds confirming diagnois, and states every thing is fixed price. Service call (no Angies list discount) is $100.00. Fixed price menu form charges another $370. It took about ten minutes to complete the work. The plumber was nice enough, did a good job, and we expected delays, but they could have done a better job of communicating. No Angie's discount, and what appeared to be price gouging for level of work performed means we will not use them again. We understand we had limited options and expected to pay more on a weekend, but almost $500 for what was done? Ouch. Felt like we were punished for calling a plumber. UPDATE: While I appreciate the prompt follow up, unfortunately there is nothing Anderson Plumbing can do "to make right". This is their business model. Not a one time bad experience. They charge a (high) service rate for the weekend call, and a fixed price for the work performed. OK, that is how you operate; lesson learned. Again, next time we will simply use another company.

They were very knowledgeable and explained everything to me.