Cabrillo Plumbing

I called the day before to use a Big Deal coupon for a water heater refurbishing, knowing it might not be possible for an older water heater. I had thought the heater was about 10-12 years old. I was told that Frank would arrive between 10AM and 1PM the next day. At 11AM I received a call saying he was running late due to traffic, but would arrive in about an hour. He arrived at around noon. Frank put booties over his shoes before entering (it was raining at the time). He took time to explain how a refurbishing is done and why, but that he would not recommend it for an older water heater. He showed me the date code on the water heater; it was 1995, so it had lasted 17 years. He said he would work up an estimate. It took him 20-30 minutes, including a phone call to ask some questions, before his estimate was complete. The cost was higher that I was expecting, but he explained what he would do. He showed me how the current supports were not sufficient to prevent the heater from moving in the next earthquake, and explained how he would fix that. Also included was a service call after one year to inspect all plumbing and to service the water heater. I had used Cabrillo before, and already had an impression that they were high quality and high price. I gave him the go ahead, and signed the contract. Frank did the work methodically. He put down runners over all the floors from the back door to the furnace room. I periodically checked how the work was going, and he always patiently answered my questions. Later Jeff arrived with the new tank, and he helped Frank remove the old tank from the house. He as also very courteous and professional. The installation was finished at around 5PM. Frank packed up his tools and tarps, called in my credit card, and left at 5:30. I feel like I got Mercedes-level service, but also paid the Mercedes price.

Appointment was easy to set up at a convenient time. The office called back to confirm and then confirmed when the technician was in route. Right on time. The plumber was friendly and professional. I did not know where the clean out valve was and he methodically searched until he found the most plausible location. This involved crawling into small spaces and under the house. He was careful to cover his shoes each time he came from outside to inside and he left all areas clean. When he found the clean out valve under a wooden deck that was inaccessable, he gave me options and clear explanations. We decided not to break through rusted screws since no plumbing was backed up. He then quickly fixed a leaking toilet and credited me for time unused. It was one of the best experiences I have had with an outside technician. I would highly recommend and use again!

The quality of the work, the responsive and scheduling was very good. It was just very expensive.

THe service performed was very etailed. a clear explaination was provided on what they serviced on our furnace. Very friendly and very clear on ther explaination of what they were doing throughout the furnace servicing.

Excellent, professional service. Technician gave three different options, explained clearly the procedures, and was clear on the price. All work was neat and the work area completely clean when the technician left. The line is now working as it is suppose to work.

They told me they couldn't do the service because my water heater was too old. He quoted me $3500 for a new water heater and installation. I didn't have it replaced by them. I'm going to use a different company, and I requested a refund from Angie's List.

Everything was just fine and I will use them again in the future.

Plumber arrived on time. Removed clean out plug. Cleared line with 3/8 shank. Replaced plug and cleaned up.

I called because I needed my kitchen faucet and hot water dispenser replaced. This was my second call to them. I called CABRILLO PLUMBING the first time because I needed my water heater refurbished. They did a pretty good job with that so I called them with my second job because I needed them to replace my faucet and hot water dispenser. My kitchen faucet and hot water dispenser needed replacing because they were old and needed updating. I called their office and they agreed to an appointment two days later. On the day of the appointment, the plumber called a few minutes before he arrived. He looked at my faucet and hot water dispenser and he quoted me a price and how long it would take. The price seemed to be reasonable and he was finished in the time he said he would. The plumber also gave me free advice on how to fix a simple problem on my bathroom faucets. I would recommend Cabrillo plumbing for my plumbing needs.

They were prompt, thorough, and did a good job. He explained a lot.

Everything went fine. Office said 8:00 AM - actual arrival was 8:15 AM.

Similar to some other reviews, I called Cabrillo because of the Big Deal coupon. There were some pros, which I'll list here, but also some cons. Pros: It was easy to schedule an estimate The estimator showed up right on time, was incredibly friendly and courteous (he put the paper shoes on when coming in the house) The estimator explained the work he would be doing clearly and checked all the code regulations Their customer service in general seems pretty good Cons: You have to pay for the estimate (it is taken off your contract price if you use their services) The price quote seemed incredibly high for the amount of work ($1,459). I was told they needed to replace the drain and pipes completely, and either punch a hole in my sink for an air gap or install a new faucet. Since the labor wasn't separated from the materials, it's hard to know what was driving the price, but replacing the pipes was $484 of the total. The other $975 was for "installing the dishwasher", which seemed rather high since the pipe work is a majority of the work and the actual installation requires minimal parts, if any (I already have the dishwasher). And this doesn't even count electrical work and cabinet removal that would need to be done by someone else. I decided to go with a general contractor who could do all the work (remove the cabinet, install electrical and plumbing) in one shot and for a lower price.

The problem is that said that I had a sewer line leak and that is why my underground smelled. They wanted to charge me $2234.00 to repair this damaged sewer line pipe. I had three plumbers come out after this estimate. All three of them, one in particular who I trusted, said that I did not have a sewer line problem. Then they said that I had a duct problem which I really did. But they said that I had abestos that would cost more to repair. They gave me an estimate of $4605 to repair the few broken areas and remove the abestos. I called a duct company that I used before and the man I trust said I do not have an abestos problem and if I did by law they would have to call an abatement company. I did need to replace my duct system which I did. But to replace the entire duct system (not just repair it) cost me $1000 dollars less than the estimate Cabrillo gave me to repair the broken areas. When they did their inspection and maintenance service they seemed honest and professional so I was really shocked to see that they were so inaccurate in making these other proposals.

Setting up the appointment was easy. I received a call letting me know the tech would arrive in a half hour. I don't remember how long exactly but I think he was about 15 minutes later than the half hour. The tech was neat, with booties on his shoes and a floor mat he used to work under the sink. My only complaint is price - it seemed extremely high for purchasing and installing a garbage disposal. I paid $99 for the $200 worth of service from Angie's List and another $599 in person. I went through with the purchase/installation since I already had the coupon and because the tech was in my house. I definitely wish I had called around to compare prices, to see if this is really a fair price. I understand the company says it's not necessarily cheapest for their quality workmanship but it sure seems like the highest. I said above I would not use the company again but if I received their estimate and 2 others all in the same ball park, I would hire them again.

I had purchased a "big deal' from Angie's list. It seemed like the prices he quoted for various jobs were about triple what they should have been. I had him do the simplest thing because at that point I was stuck - I had already paid for the coupon. I ended up paying over $700 for a faucet (not an especially nice one). He told me something that was wrong with our plumbing. I asked another plumber whether what this guy had said was true and the other plumber said no. The work was done just fine, but it was outrageously expensive and I wasn't sure whether I could believe what they guy told me.

better to get a small company with not so much overhead that doesnt charge sooo much an hour

Carmichael - McDonald has earned my trust over over 15 years of service to us. I have no reservations in recommending them to anyone.

He was very professional. I will use his services again in the future.

. I was shocked. They claimed that they burnt out the coating and so he did spend most of the day. When I got the component value from Lowes and Home Depot, the material cost he used was about $1000. The ones from Lowes actually had a better warranty. No matter how much you pay the plumber at a nice truck sitting out in the driveway it seems like a $1000 would be an upper range for a day of a plumber. That is just in my personal opinion. A $1000 profit for the company for being able to offer that service which seems to be like an awful high market, but maybe I am just being thinking negatively. There is no issue with the quality of the work. It is very well done. Being shocked by cost, I would say it is hard to rate the price. The work and the professionalism of the person who did it were very good. But the price overwhelmed everything. It was very expensive. I got a post competitive bid from somebody and I also referred the same person to another friend of mine who felt like he was being ripped off. They asked for a fresh quote from a second person and they seem to be doing the same job that I got done and found them $150 worth. Personally I was up to my neck in my problems in my work that I did not have the time to think about it, but he did say that it was $3000 and I did not think whether it was good or bad. I only wanted to get it done. Only when I got home and thought about it did I realize that I was taken in. I did talk to the company and they have agreed to refund $189 that I had given to Angies List and it seems like a token gesture on their part. With that one experience I will be much more cautious about the promotions that Angies List is offering because I actually feel like Angies List is doing a good job of protecting me. I will be much more cautious in using Angies List in the future.

In all honesty, I didn't check with my regular HVAC company to see what they would charge, but it seemed an okay price. I keep my water heater in tip-top shape and have a recirculation pump. The anode rod was indeed in need of replacement. The serviceman, Bob T., was very professional and really seemed to know all about the water heaters, current codes, etc. Since I had mine installed, there have been changes and any future installation would most likely need to be brought up to code, but no real major problems with my current strapping. He pointed out that I have a couple issues, and provided an estimate. I also got an estimate for a future replacement, which seemed a bit high compared to my original installer--I did get a current estimate from them too. I am not ready to do any further work on the water heater, but when I do, I will most likely get a new estimate from Cabrillo as well as a few others. I appreciate the promotional offers because it lets us get to know companies we may not have had business with before. Who knows...it may lead to a long and happy future relationship!

The plumber was on time and extremely thorough in performing his work which took about 4 hours the first day. He needed additional materials to complete the job on the main drain line and came in a week later to repair it. I provided a "3rd hand" on the first day when we worked in the basement. I appreciated his attention to detail and patience and perseverance in working in tight spaces. I learned a lot just watching him do his work. On the second day he came in and completed his work without my assistance. Each day he left the area clean and tidy. I was impressed and pleased with his work. I recommend this company without reservation to anyone who needs plumbing work done right the first time at a reasonable time.

The overall experience was positive. I certainly appreciated the fact that the owner volunteered to fix the issue at no extra cost to me. Certainly they care about the customer satisfaction and ratings.

Jeff came out and did an entire review of my home. Sure, he checked the toilets and sinks for leaks, and that's what you would expect in a review. I got a lot more; he checked the waterheater, and the pressure coming into the house (I didn't know where the main line into the house was) and jeff explained how to do the test correctly. Jeff answered any question I had and with his 20+ years of experience he answered each one crisply and in a way I could understand. Fortunately, I didn't have any plumbing issues, but I now have a Plumber that I can call on and one that I can recommend to my friends and neighbors. Cabrillo Plumbing is a keeper - put them on your list.

They were very straight forward in getting the bid. They came out when they were scheduled. They took pretty good care of us. They also fixed the urinals though there was not much of an issue and they also sent us some coupons later.

I had taken advantage of an Angie's list offer for an inspection for $100, but 8 days before the appt, my water heater broke and water was leaking all over the garage floor. Cabrillo was at my house 2 hrs after I called them...it might have been even faster, but I had to go to the East Bay and get my little nieces that I was supposed to be watching that day. Jeff Meehan and Tim Gray quickly assessed the water heater situation, explained my options for a new heater and the warranty, and one guy set to work ordering everything they would need while the other guy proceeded to perform the inspection that had been planned for the next week. When he got to my full bathroom, my question was whether it would be easier to replace my leaky, stopped up 1936 sink or to repair it. I want to remodel the bathroom completely some day as soon as possible, but I don't have the money now, so I didn't want to put a lot of money into a new sink now unless it was justified. We discussed the options and prices, covering many other aspects of remodeling that room, and I chose to replace the sink. So the sink was ordered on the spot and put in the same day. All the work was excellent and they cleaned up after themselves beautifully. All together, 2 to 3 guys were on the premises for 7 hrs. I just realized now that although I had mentioned I had already paid the $100 through Angie's list for the inspection, that amount was not subtracted from my bill as promised, but I will call and see if I can get that fixed.