McDonagh & Sons Plumbing & Sewer Inc

They were great overall!

We contacted McDonagh & Sons after completion of our last plumbing job in order to have drain tile put in around the base of our entire foundation for piece of mind. Patrick worked with us to insure that everthing was done right. They got extremely busy during the permit process with sevral emergency jobs that did cause a minor delay, however we would not consider that to be any sort of a detriment. We were very satisfied with the work performed and would recommend McDonagh & Sons to anyone!

Patrick came by to clean out a catch basin located in a crawl space beneath a housing addition that had not been cleaned out for many years.  We in fact were not even aware of it's existence until recently, and were interested in getting it cleaned out as quickly as possible.  I spoke to Patrick on a Friday, and he advised he would be available to come clean out the basin on the following Wednesday.  Although Patrick was approximately 40 minutes late, he was apologetic and began working on the issue right away.  He had two other employees with him, and they quickly discovered our basin was not only difficult to access but very full.  Patrick went to great lengths to make sure that the basin was cleaned and safe to continue using.  He actually had to climb down into the basin to remove enough material, and I really appreciated him taking the time to do what he said he would, despite it being a nasty job.
Patrick also recommended I have the catch basin closed off because of its outdated technology and the fortunate close proximity of my kitchen drain to the main drain line running through the basement floor.  He took the time to explain to me what that job would entail and why it was a good idea.  I felt like he was looking out for the interests of me, the homeowner, and did not feel like he was just trying to sell me something more.  It is something that I will consider and most likely do in the future, and I'm glad he brought it to my attention.  I would definitely recommend Patrick and will use him again.

We woke up this morning to our basement plumbing not working and sewage backed up into our pump room. This would always be a problem, however, my in-laws were staying down there in our guest room because they were here for my daughter's 3rd birthday. Since the party was to be held partially in the basement, we needed help fast.  I found Patrick through Angie's List and called him up. I woke him up and he was here within two hours, diagnosed the failed ejector pump, and had it repaired within an hour after his arrival.  He did a great job, put in a better pump than was originally there, and was incredibly patient with the birthday girl and all her questions. Thankfully, the party will now be able to go on as planned.

First contacted McDonagh through Angies list and got a call back right away, and was able to set up appointment shortly thereafter for 6:00 pm on a weekday.  Traffic was bad that day and both of us were running late, so we pushed it back to 7:00, and Patrick arrived about half hour late.  Patrick indicated I would get the estimate the following day, but I didn't hear from him, so decided to call him around 4:00 pm.  He gave me a verbal estimate over the phone (a lump sum for several jobs), and we set up an appointment for that weekend. 

At the time of the appointment, he called and cancelled.  As a token, he offered to include camera imaging free of charge with the main line sewer rodding (which he recommended as a preventative measure).  Because of the cancellation, I requested a written estimate via email, as I decided to just have him do the rodding and not the other issues we discussed.  He responded back asking for a fax number, which I provided, but then I didn't hear from him for a few days.  Then I received an emailed estimate from Tarah, which was for $195, indicating a discount from $225 for the delay.  I emailed back Friday morning to confirm this included the camera, but did not get a response.  

The next day was the appointment, Saturday between 11:00-1:00.  I called at 11:00 to get a more precise time and Patrick said 12:15.   At 12:50 his employee Josh called and was lost, not near my house.  Patrick never informed me that someone else was going to be doing the job.  I asked Josh if he had the camera, which he did not (I don't think the info. was relayed to him), and he would not be able to get it that day, so we had to cancel another appointment.  Josh was very professional on the phone and he made a personal gesture to come out the next day at 8:30 with the camera and do the job, even though Sunday was his day off.

Sunday morning Patrick called around 8:30 and said he would be at my house soon (I was expecting Josh).  Because my wife was out of town, I put my dog in his crate to avoid him jumping on the workers.  Then an hour went by without hearing from them, and finally Josh (and an apprentice) showed up, not Patrick.  Since they had cancelled two appointments, I was annoyed that they were late and almost cancelled the job.  However, Josh was again very professional in explaining the confusion, so we went ahead with the work.

Josh started to rod the line from the catch basin using a special attachment (not the cutter), just to check for obstructions, since the previous owners had cemented over the entry way to the line (we broke it off) and we were not sure why.  The rodder did get stuck after only going in a few feet.  After pulling the rodder out, he decided to see what was going on with the camera.  He was able to run the camera through the entire line, which showed no problems (roots, clogs, etc.).  The line was clean.  He also ran the camera through the catch basin line, which showed some dirt buildup do to structural damage at the joints.  He recommended against rodding due to the high possibility of causing further damage.

When the work was done, Patrick still charged me $195, even though they didn't really rod the line.  I do understand the value of having the camera work done, and I have the peace of mind that the line is clear.  So, I don't think I got a bad deal, but can't give them an 'A' on price since the charge was supposed to be for rodding, not camera.  I will say that they are flexible and quick with setting up appointments, but my experience was that they were not as good at being on time.

Patrick and Josh came to our house on Saturday morning after an initial walkthrough Friday evening. At first glance our troubles seemed easy, but the further they got, the bigger the problem was realized to be. They discovered that the problem in fact was the result of shortcuts taken by the previous owner and walked us through the work that was needed.. They came back the following morning to start breaking the foundation to find and fix the problem. Our sewage line had been left open to drain into a sump pump pit, and work had to be done to correct these shortcuts and correctly connect everything to the sewer line.

Partrick was honest and up front regarding the cost estimate, giving us several options, including both best and worst case scenarios. He and Josh were very professional and polite, staying late to finish up Monday night.

Our situation quickly went from what we thought would be a quick and easy fix, to what was in my eyes a rather large operation. Throughout the whole process my wife and I never once were worried, trusting the knowledge and know how of McDonagh & Sons Plumbing. With work now complete and the hum of our new ejection pump quietly in the background, we are happy to recommend this company to anyone in need of plumbing and/or sewer help. In a world where couples like us often wonder if we've been treated fairly, we feel like we were given a fair price for the extensive work that was done. They saved us, and can save you too!

The kitchen faucet was leaking and I was expecting out of town guests for the weekend. I called McDonagh & Sons Plumbing and spoke directly to Patrick. He worked me into his schedule that same day. When traffic slowed him down he called with an adjusted ETA. I appreciated that extra touch and same day service.  He fixed the sink and clearly explained the problem to me. He then corrected the cartridge in the shower where the hot and cold water was reversed by an incorrectly placed cartridge.

I was impressed with his knowledge and professional demeanor along with his partner, John. Although I couldn't fix these items myself I appreciate his explanation of each project and prompt service.

I have one more project of a non emergency matter that I will schedule to have done with Patrick in the near future. This experience was so positive that I will have McDonagh on my speed dial for future plumbing jobs.

I was given the Angie's list discount as advertised on his site. His pricing is fair and competitive.

The tree roots were extracted from our pipes and everything is working perfectly.

I contacted Patrick in mid-November to give me an estimate on a problem that I was having in my townhouse in the south loop.  I had a contractor (I gotta guy services) renovate my bathroom in the spring and since then had problems with a leaking shower head and reversal of the hot/cold controls on the shower faucet.  Patrick came over to give me an estimate to fix the problem.  Patrick was very thorough in looking for the cause of the problem and spent a better part of a morning driving around looking for parts in the hopes that he could remedy the problem without knocking down tile.  Unfortunately, my previous contractor screwed me over and did a poor job.  As a result, Patrick had to knock down the tile to correct the piping issues.  He came back 2 days later with his wife to do the job.  They corrected the problem and cleaned up well afterwards.  Patrick was very professional in his interaction and was able to do the work very quickly.  I also felt that Patrick's pricing was more than fair considering all the work/driving around he had to do.  I would highly recommend McDonagh and sons to anyone who needs plumbing work.  They will get to the job quickly, do good work, and have fair pricing.

Patrick McDonagh came out on Sunday, 11/27/11, on very short notice to open up a bath tub drain as it was stopped up. The following Friday (12/2/11) he needed to come out and rod out the main sewer line. He did outstanding work on both days. He was very timely in his arrival, he did excellent work, he cleaned up after himself, and he was very courteous. I would definitely use him again and would recommend him to others.

See above. Job well done.

Background:   This was for a single family brick bungalow built in 1930 in Oak Park.   For years the top concrete ring on my catch basin has been crumbling.  Last year (2010) I had the sewer rodded.   It was done through the catch basin.  When I inspected the catch basin the next week I saw the iron lid was missing and guessed the rodder/rooter had dropped it inside.  I called the rodding company and they denied it but said the worker would call me about it . He never called.  I covered the basin with wood and paving stone to keep it closed.
    Since my regular plumber did not do catch basins, in August 2011 I checked on Angie's list and located some plumber services that seemed to repair catch basins.  After some calls I reached McDonagh .  They gave me an idea of the cost and I arranged for an inspection.  Eventually Pat came and inspected the catch basin and reported it only needed some patching,  replaced concrete  ring on top and lid replaced or restored.  He thought the original lid was on the bottom.  He reported the basin in basically good condition and did not need to be rebuilt, disconnected, reconnected, replaced or filled in.  It was what I hoped and expected.   I got an estimate for $525.00 which was less they they had originally guessed it would cost prior to the inspection over the phone.
    In a few weeks I had the funds to pay for it but then I delayed it for other jobs and misplaced their phone number.   Last week I located the number and called Pat on Monday (12/5/11) hoping they could still do the work before really cold weather came.  They were unscheduled for the next day, Tuesday, and so we set it for 8 am Tuesday.  Pat came  early Tuesday with an assistant and the two of them finished the work in 2 hours.  The old lid was found and reused so he only needed cement and a new concrete ring for the top.  Pat did not try to sell me unneeded work although we discussed other items concerning sewers,drains and water backing up from the city sewers. 
What more could I want/expect??

The job was handled professionally and the workers were courteous. The Job took longer then expected, because of complications related to the construction of my home. They handled every obstacle and they stayed within quote even though the job took twice as long as expected.

I had an issue with the sewer line and catch basin.  I had 4 companies come out to look at my problem.  The first company had a very extreme plan that I thought was a little over kill and over priced.  The other three all had similar solutions with slightly varying prices.  I chose McDonagh based on price and they were also referred from a neighbor.  Patrick came out the first time and gave my two quotes, the first based on fixing the current issue and a second quote to fix this problem and adding extra flood measures.  After a few thoughts, I had more questions and ideas so Patrick came out again to discuss.  A few days later I called a third time with another change, Patrick responded again.  We finalized what was going to be done and the price, the next day he and Tara were digging up my basement. Josh showed up a little later and really got the digging going.   All three were nice the whole time they were here.  They were informative in what they were doing and flexible to the surprises that arose.  The project went smoothly and looks good.  Josh cleaned up nicely and worked hard the whole time.  All and all they removed all lines going to the catch basin, closing it off and filling it in.  Cleaned and camera scoped the main to make sure everything was good.  Rerouted three drains to a pit to close off any direct backing up of the main sewer line. While they were here I asked if they could reconnect a copper pipe I had to cut and they did that for me real quick without a charge.

I

This business is Top-Notch.  Patrick, the owner, explained everything in detail and welcomed questions regarding
our  sewer  situation.  Also, the cost was more than reasonable.

Your dealing with a honest and  upright individual whose  business  does excellent work.   In fact, I  just found out
in my daughter's neighborhood,  he is  known  and has a fine reputation and following.

It was a pleasure to write this review.

A Happy  Customer.

Leo and Bonnie

Aforementioned problems occurred  on a Saturday afternoon, so I was concerned about a) finding an available plumber, and b) not getting gouged for requesting a plumber on the weekend. I called three plumbers...one didn't answer, the other was booked for the day, and the third plumber I tried calling based upon favorable Angie's List reviews was McDonagh. Patrick answered and I explained my concerns to him. He told me that there would be an extra charge for the weekend, and I might consider waiting until Monday to skip the emergency charge since I've got a working second bathroom and toilet. I didn't want to wait until Monday so figured I could deal with the expected Saturday surcharge. I was just happy to have someone come out.

Patrick fixed all three issues...the toilet issue took all of two minutes and he showed me what the problem was and how I could prevent it or fix it next time without having to call a plumber (very much appreciated). One of the leaking faucets was a simple fix whereas the other one was more complicated. Patrick fixed all of the issues and went above and beyond with certain things like adding putty to prevent future leaks.

Patrick is a very knowledgeable plumber. It's very obvious that he knows what he's doing, takes pride in and warranties his work, and educates his customers. His pricing is more than reasonable. I'm very happy to have found such a great and affordable a plumber...I'll be calling him for any plumbing needs I have in the future.

The service was outstanding. I contacted the firm through Angie's List. Patrick McDonagh called me right back, he was able to come see me soon thereafter, and he replaced the injector pump very quickly. He was very professional and courteous, knew what he was doing, and did the job well. I definitely would call Patrick again.

We had Patrick come out twice in the past two months. First, after the storm in July, we realized that our pump in our front yard flood control failed, resulting in our basement flooding. Patrick came out quickly to replace the pump. He knows what he's doing. He's been in the business for over 10 years, and he's a truly honest guy. The pump and the installation ran us about $500 bucks. Then, we most recently called him because we noticed a coroded pipe in our basement which was leaking. He said he was going to come out during the day, but didn't show up until dinnertime. One thing I would have appreciated if he would have just called my husband or me to let us know he wouldn't be able to make it until later.  But, it wasn't a big deal at all, the work got done and it looks great. I also appreciated when he came out to give us an estimate on the leaking pipe that he checked our pump in the front yard, without us even asking! I thought that was really nice amd showed me that he's looking out for his clients.We will definitely call McDonagh and Sons in the future.... but hopefully not too soon! :)

A good experience.

I am not the type of person that normally writes a review but I was so impressed with this company.  I had previously hired a contractor to fix an issue with a toilet that  flooded  my interior walls and basically ruined my basement Bathroom.  I spent a lot of money fixing the plumbing problem that caused all of this damage.  The Contractor just finished all of this work in June.  So I was very surprised when my tenants called and said they were having problems with the toilet and the leaking faucet in the Tub.  I called  Pat McDonagh  and he called me back within an hour and was at  my house within an hour of our phone call to give me an estimate.  I felt he was so honest and on top of it that I hired him on the spot to do the work.   A couple hours later he had fixed the problem that the other contractor created.   He was very straight forward and the price he quoted me was the price I paid.  I will definitely use him in the future.

Because of the area they did not have room for second pump. Also because of some more work that wasn't known until they hole was dug they had to charge more than the quoted price. Also they one worker said they work come back on Saturday to finish but did not come back till Monday. To be fair the owner said that he thought I was told they would not be back till Monday.  The original quote was for 3800.00 And the finish was almost 4700.00.  Overall I was OK because I thought the price was pretty fair to begin with. I am also still waiting for a receipt of the bill., I will contact them to remind them. I would  contact them for for a quote on any work in the future and maybe use them if the price was good.

We have a 60+ year old house with a plumbling system from H*#L and when we got hit with the last flood from the Chicago City sewer system, we decided to have the overhead sewer system installed.  Patrick came in and gave us an estimate of the work to be done.  We called him back after having a number of other estimates, signed the contract with him and they went to work almost immediately.

I found a lot of plumbing services that were not licensed and bonded, but seeing that McDonagh and Sons ARE we felt comfortable choosing them.

They showed up on time and ready to WORK! 

Patrick is so particular he took the material with seals he didn't care for and scraped away the bonding/glue (?) so he could use better quality material.  He told me his name means everything to him and he showed this was true in everything they did!

They finished in three days.  Usually it would be two, but we kept adding more work to the load and my senior citizen husband kept trying to be the big boss. LOL  I am telling you, these guys are like saints to put up with my hubby!

No, I am not a family member of theirs, but by the time they're done you end up feeling like you are! bg

It went great!  McDonagh & Sons is the plumber that my contractor uses, but I am reviewing them individually because I feel they went above and beyond on our job.  They did the general plumbing very well and quickly then came back in their free time to install my washer and dryer - this is not a part of their job, they were just very willing to help me out.  I really appreciate it and will use this company again for any plumbing needs I may have. 

I made an appointment with McDonagh to install a faucet, as I had a new sink installed with new countertops. Another company installed the sink and countertops but could not reconnect the faucet, and they told me that's all that needed to be done. When McDonagh got here they realized that this was not a simple faucet reconnection, but I needed new pipes, a reconnection of the disposal, and I had some parts missing from the previous installation, etc. Instead of a quick half hour job they were looking at 3 hours of work. They had another important job to get to, but since it was Friday they didn't want to leave me without water in the kitchen for the entire weekend till they could come back. They completed my job while constantly fielding calls to keep the other job going and on time, trying to keep two customers happy. I very much appreciated the effort as they could easily, and accurately, have told me that they were not given enough information to schedule the time needed to complete my job. I would have been without water in the kitchen for 3 days if they hadn't made the extra effort.

Patrick and Tara (the owners) were great. They came over immediately, and got to work straight away. Everything went according to plan. The price paid seems very reasonable for the amount of time that it took them to clean out my very full catch basin. A previous plumber who had jetted the lines wouldn't clean out the catch basin but Patrick and Tara would. I was so impressed, I am thinking about having them back for some more work. I am very happy with the work performed.