Pence Septic Systems

Initially the repair worked but in less than 1 month the float switch stopped working. Called back the company today and they said "that guy doesn't work for us anymore" and they would not come fix or warranty their work. Very unprofessional.

Scheduling service went smoothly but there is a couple week lead time. Fortunately it was not an emergency. . Pence installed my septic system. The person that scheduled service said they would email me a copy of my septic plan before the pump out. They never did. Pence called and confirmed service the day before. Two workers showed up an hour early. They didn't have a copy of the septic plan with them and weren't really sure where the tank was. This required some digging around and involved a lot of arguing between the two about where to dig and not to dig. I had shown them pictures I took of the tank as it was being installed that showed it in relation to the house, but this didn't seem to help in locating it. The pump out went as expected. Unfortunately, while digging / probing looking for the tank hatch they hit one of my main sprinkler lines and put a hole in it. It's not easy to cut through schedule 40 pvc and they must have known, but they never said anything to me. About a week later I just happened to be outside when the sprinklers came on and I noticed a geyser shooting out of my lawn where they had been digging. The sprinkler lines run a couple feet away from the septic tank and should not have been an issue . I called the Pence office to discuss the situation. The person that answered the phone said they would talk to the office manager and get back to me that day. I never heard from them. All I wanted was to talk to someone and get a feeling whether this kind of problem could be avoided in the future. I guess they didn't feel like talking. If I hire them again I will make sure I am there when they start digging and not let them dig / probe anywhere near the sprinkler line. I also plan to install a concrete stepping stone over the hatch location to avoid any need to hunt for it next time.

We chose Pence Septic Systems because they were by far the least costly. They have maintained a good reputation and have been in the area for 30 years or more. Install went smoothly and was fairly impressive. I never knew how much work how much dirt how much equipment is necessary when putting in a brand-new system. I was very happy with the work the only surprise for me was how huge that mound is in my backyard. But hey that is the new code. You will note that I gave them A in every category. The only area that they did not have a strong A in was perhaps professionalism. They're old school and I like most elements of old school. What that means is that you won't get slick fast talking sales people. Nobody is going to have an iPhone and don't expect fancy-schmancy apps. They don't have handheld computers or exotic colorful wraps on their septic tank trucks. Expect them to be old-fashioned which I like because I appreciate old fashion values. They arrive on time and they do what they say when they say it. They try not to promise you anything if they don't think they can deliver it which means they have a tendency to be honest even if you don't like honest. I worked with Donna mostly in the office but other office staff are also very good. Mr. Lynn Mathis was the supervisor on my job. The man knows what he's doing. They are just good folk who have a dirty job and they do it well. So maybe they're not polished, but they are Pro's

Before we hired Pence to pump our septic, my husband called them to see if they delivered fill dirt. We ended up getting two loads of dirt from them on two separate occasions. Both times they were very professional and timely and provided an excellent quality of fill dirt (better than what we had been getting from someone else....and Pence was cheaper). Their receptionist was also excellent - very friendly, knowledgeable and professional. When we decided to get our septic tank pumped, we decided to use Pence again. We were able to quickly schedule an appointment. They showed up right on time and finished the job very quickly. They even answered questions about how to properly maintain our system. Earlier this week we called Pence again to see if they could recommend someone to fix our driveway and they were able to assist us once again. I am very pleased with Pence and would absolutely use them again and recommend them to others.

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The pumpout went well. Unfortunately, this last week we noticed some standing water over the tank area. I contacted the company, and they sent someone out to look at it today (2/16). I was informed that the gentlemen who pumped out my tanks had made a note on their paperwork that one tank was damaged by roots and there was a problem with the drain field. Serious problems and no one bothered to let me know. I find that rather frustrating. I don't know septic systems and look to experienced companies to help me. The pump out was fine, but I am planning to check with another company about the drain field.

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Re: cost. I have not compared costs with other companies. It is a hard, hot and dirty job and Palm Bay is about 30 miles away...perhaps a local company would have charge less, but we used Pence years ago for a new drain field and were pleased then. They said our older tanks were in good shape. We hope time will prove them right. Do want to say the two gentlemen were very nice and clean and dressed professionally...pleasant to work with.

Service was prompt as scheduled. System was thoroughly cleaned including the filter which was not even aware of even after two other contractors had pumped the tank without even mentioning there was a filter. They could just as easy ignored this like the other two but insisted they would clean it out for me as it should have been.

They went out ahead of time to check things out and discovered that I did not need a new drain field and that it was a pump in the bottom of the system that was not working. This discovery saved me a ton of money - something that would have cost me $4000.00 was not costing me $535.00! Big savings by their expertise in checking things out in detail!!!

Arrived promptly on scheduled date and time. They were very professional and efficient. They got the job done with no surprises or issues and they did not leave a mess. I am pleased with their service and happy to refer them.

The work turned out fine. I have no complaints against them. They were on time and left the property in good shape.

Office and field personnel were professional and courteous. Worked with me getting prepared and executing the installation. Worked well with plumbing contractor getting system connected to the existing house. Minimized damage to existing shrubs and trees. Gave good advice on care and maintenance of system. Worked out permitting issues and documents in a professional manner. These folks knew what they were doing and did a good job.