Duane Blanton Plumbing, Sewer & Drainage Inc.

Overall, a good experience and I will use them again.

It was fine. They were very considerate and knowledgeable.

Ron from Duane Blanton Plumbing was one of four plumbers who came out to our house to give us an estimate on the service. Three of the four plumbers (including Ron) gave us approximately the same plan to fix the problem, so we believed that his plan would likely be the correct one. And Ron's estimated price was several hundred dollars less expensive then the others. Although he was able to come out quickly for the original estimate, I think we had to wait a week or two to get on his calendar to come back and do the work. However, he came back, did the work, and we have had no problems at all. We left the drywall open so we could keep checking on the pipes and there has been no water backing up or leaking at all. He also came back to get rid of some extra materials that we didn't want. We would definitely use them again for plumbing issues.

All the drains, and the toilets are working great. Now we are just waiting to see if we have any signs of leaks. The man they sent out, Matt, was professional, willing to answer questions and they responded to my call very rapidly. I am happy with their service.

DB has an excellent program of checking everything in your home. Then, you can review it and move at your own pace to "fix" as you see fit. I had this review done over a year before. My home was built in 1978; much of the plumbing was original. Ron walked me through EVERYTHING. I have lived in this home for 21 years, am the decision maker & know the home inside and out. So, I am well informed. I used to use another local plumber for years - where I paid by the 1/2 hour increments no matter what service was performed, and then charged for the part. DB has a fixed price for the service w/part to be performed. So, you know up front what your total cost is going to be. It makes budgeting & prioritizing projects projects/repairs simple and fair. I've been doing this for 30 years. I love the way they do business. Ron is an excellent plumber; he is neat, clean, prompt. The office calls to tell you the exact time he will arrive. An apprentice works along with the licensed plumber. They work quietly and always take care on my carpets! When they leave, they have cleaned an replaced everything as it was.

They were referred to me by Mordini General Contracting (Tom Mordini). They arrived within a couple of hours of my call. The work was done within 48 hours. It is difficult to work in Lake Forest because of tree issues, but they worked very well with them. I could not have been more pleased.

The pump was installed and works. The installation was sloppy and there was a significant overcharge. They took advantage of my immediate situation. These are dishonest people who obviously do not care about repeat business or referrals. The job took less than 30 minutes to complete. This was a costly lesson for me. Wally Blanton and his personnel are nothing short of charlatans.

Responded to emergency water heater problem. Advised it would be between 5-7PM, he arrived just after 7. This was a busy weekend as many were having flood issues from storm.He advised of the flat rate price before work began. Was a bit expensive for the actual work, however, considering the circumstances and the expertise that they have and I don't, I am satisfied.

It went well. I don't know if they are very professional. A couple of times that we have used them, they didn’t really come when they were supposed to. They call and say that they are not going to come. It is kind of like last minute, like the cable company. They do quick work.

Jack Jr. The Plumber should rename his service Jack the Ripper, because I was totally ripped off. I called him because of a toilet leak. Jack came and gave an estimate of $375. I thought it was pretty high, but he said it would take him one hour so I figured I would go for it since I wouldn't have time to call someone else. Much to my surprise he finished the work in 15 minutes, since it was very simple. But he did not charge me any less because of that, and that's why I give him a C in professionalism - I'm sure he knew this was a simple job, but he said it would take him one hour anyway. I will NEVER hire him again.

A hot water pipe burst in our house and we had immediate need to identify and repair the problem. Matt took an after hours appointment (after 8pm) to fix the problem so we would have hot water the next day. He was extremely patient, explained the problem, and possible issues, and the resolution. The problem was that a drywaller put a screw through a stud protector into a pipe and it never burst until 3 months of use, likely due to corrosion. I was really pleased with Matt's workmanship, plumbing detective work, and genuine interest in solving our problem. I will definitely use this plumbing service again.

I really enjoyed the promptness of his visit, his patience, and his extension of all the courtesies.

They were okay. They were responsive but they were very expensive. It was just a shutoff valve on the main water line that they had to repair but they charged too high and they also charged trip charges for just coming out. I had made a down payment and I had to make several phone calls for getting my money back as I had canceled the contract and didn’t want them to do my work. I would not use them again in the future.

They wanted me to sign a contract that was for a different price than they originally quoted me. Then I realized that the company that they were going under wasn't who they really were. The misrepresentation really upset me. *** I would like to update my review to add that their response is simply not correct. They answered the phone "Jack the Plumber." They also set up the appointment as "Jack the Plumber." Only when they arrived did they show me paperwork that said "Duane Blanton Plumbing." They never once answered the phone "Duane Blanton Plumbing" and never said they were affiliated with them. This is why it didn't make sense and made me uncomfortable. ***

We had backup in the tub and toilet because the sewer line was blocked outside of the house. The first person to come (Matt) tried to rod the line, but he could not get it open because it was completely blocked. He explained the problem and sent for the jetspraying crew (Alex) who opened the line and sent a camera through. One of the pipes close to the house had slipped and was uneven; it needed to be replaced. A day later two other men came (Carlos) and dug up the line and added a clean out. The work that was done was excellent. We had five employees from the company over two days. Each was professional, polite, and respectful. They explained everything completely and showed me the problem. They also arrived at the time that they said they would. Each time, they cleaned up after themselves and when I look at the side of the house where they dug and replaced the pipe, it is not even noticeable. The experience was outstanding from start to finish.

I ended up not getting an estimate from them.

Our water heater suddenly refused to allow its pilot light to be lit; we could get a spark when we followed the directions on the side of the tank for relighting it, and it seemed clear we had an adequate natural gas supply since our dryer runs from the same gas line and it was functioning just fine, so we knew it was the water heater. We called this company because our standard company (also in Angie's List) was jammed up and could only service us in overtime, and this company was high on the List. The person who took my phone call was polite and responsive, and promised us a plumber within the hour. There was no disclosure of pricing or fee structure, and having dealt with a number of other plumbing companies over the years, I figured I had some idea of what to expect on an hourly basis. The plumber arrived within the hour, as advertised; he was very polite. However, he took a very quick look at our water heater and heard my husband's and my explanation of the trouble and said we had two choices: 1) the water heater was aging, and with a typical life of 8 to 10 years, we could replace it in full, or 2) he could take it apart and clean it, including replacing the thermocouple. The cost of a cleaning would be $469, and the price of a new 40-gallon heater would be $1,200. When asked how long the cleaning would take, he estimated 1 hour, 2 at the outside. Since our water heater is only 5 years old (and the date is written clearly on the tank, so the plumber knew it), we had no interest in replacing the water heater. We elected to go with the cleaning because neither my husband nor I knew how to do it, and we needed hot water restored to our home; however, after calling a couple of other plumbing companies and being told they would perform the same service according to an hourly rate that would have cost us far less than this company was quoting, we became more concerned than ever that we were being taken advantage of. I called his company's main line again and asked for an explanation of the proposed charges, and what their hourly rates are; this was when I was told that the company charges flat rates for various services, that they're not based upon an hourly fee, and that whether the plumber was on site for 1 hour or 5 hours, I would only be charged that $469. I countered that yes, that would be a good deal for a more complex or extensive job, but being as the labor time estimate I was being given for this particular job was between 1 and 2 hours, $469 was like highway robbery. He asked if he could put me on hold, and I presumed he was speaking to his supervisor. Turns out he was calling the on-site plumber via another line and telling him we were less than thrilled with the fee schedule, given our additional research into what was fair and standard. When the plumber came back into the house to begin the job, he told me that he'd received a call from his company about our dissatisfaction with his quote for the job. I told him my concerns: at $469 and an outside time estimate of 2 hours, we'd be paying him in excess of $230/hour, which far exceeded any of his competitors. How could he justify charging so much?!?! He said that this is a flat rate, and that we have to consider overhead costs like gas to get to the job site, workman's comp, etc. I countered that so do the other plumbing companies, and their rates were still effectively one-half of what he was proposing to charge. In the end, he agreed to clean the water heater only and get it re-lit for us . . . no replacement of the thermocouple . . . for $269. He was on-site and we needed our hot water, so we agreed to this service and its associated charge, but had we had any immediately-available alternatives, we would not have. Also, it appeared that he didn't, in fact, "take the whole water heater apart" to clean it, but rather did a thorough vacuuming of the filter screen beneath the heater and used our laundry lint cleaning brush to reach up inside the underneath of the unit to grab any additional lint/dust collected there. He said that there was not enough air getting to the pilot, which was why it cut out. He was a nice enough guy, and I'm assuming he adjusted the "cleaning protocol" (i.e., failing to take the water heater apart, which was how he had originally advertised the service) because we pressed for a reduced charge. Still, in the end, he was only on-site for about 30 minutes so, even with travel time, we wound up paying in excess of $200 per hour. Is the fact that some companies like this one base their fees on a flat rate clearly identified on Angie's List? If so, I missed it when I perused the company's information and its associated customer reports. If such "Flat Rate" identification is not currently up front and prominent, I think Angie's List would be doing its members a favor by making sure a change in this regard is made as quickly as possible. I wouldn't have wasted my time with this company otherwise, or I would've at least known to ask the receptionist for a list of fees before we had them send someone out.

Tom and Pat arrived on the time quoted by their office and jumped right into action. These guys did a great job making sure they kept everything clean and were very professional in fixing the problem. They did run into a little bit of a challenge trying to find the blockage but after spending some time locating it they did a great job of fixing the problem (it just wasn't clogged hair in the drain). After they finished the job they stayed around to clean up and left the place as they found it. Even with the slight challenge they experienced, they finished the job within budget. Great service by these two gentlemen and the company was very easy to deal with.

They were expensive, but they did a thorough job. They were fast. I called them on Thursday because I was thinking I am going into another weekend and the guy who came previously hadn't fixed it and I don't know what's going to happen so I really wanted to get it fixed and thought let me call anther plumber so I called Duane Blanton and they said that they would be here the next day. He came and he looked at it. What stood out to me was that when I told him how I wanted it to be fixed, he understood exactly what I was telling him and had more to say so it wasn't just that he knew already about what I was saying whereas the other guy seemed like he knew all. He said we could use the one you are suggesting, but there is also a possibility of using this or using that and therefore when I come back, I'll come back with the parts. Then I didn't have to tell him anything. I knew what my repair was about. I didn't have to describe or I didn't have anything else to do. On top of that he fixed it from the bottom instead of the top which is what the other guy said couldn't be done and I really was skeptical about that and thought there must be a way to do it and this guy knew how to do it and the work looks really great. It was a completely different experience with them. Even though I didn't like their price, they did a really good job. I would use them again in the future if need be.

The work was done with a coupon for a free estimate. When the plumber came, he told my aunt (an elderly lady) that the estimate was free, but a diagnostic consultation would cost her $128, and he exacted payment from her. When I called up to discuss this matter, he firmly brushed off my concerns. This is a company that engages in deceptive advertising and pressures senior citizens into paying money they cannot afford for services they might not have required, or could have gotten at a competative price or for free. PS: My aunt did not have the work done--the consultation maxed out her budget.

It went very well. Ron is very knowledgeable, very polite, and pleasant to be around. He explained everything thoroughly and even helped us select a sink that would work best for our kitchen set-up. We will definitely use Ron again in the future.

The service techs are very knowledgeable, very articulate and explain what they are doing and why. I trust them because they are so highly skilled. I have used this company for about two years now.

I had a water heater that had been acting up since I purchased my home. It would go out every few months and I'd have to call someone over to fix it. It would run for awhile but then several months later, go out again. It finally died and I needed a new water heater and I needed it installed in a different area in my utility room to make room for another project. I didn't want to use the company that I'd used before since they were never able to permanently fix my old heater. Found Jack's company on Angie's List and gave them a call. Jack came over to assess the situation and sold me a specific brand of water heater - apparently the only brand that he carries. I was a little skeptical since I was not familiar with the brand but decided to give it a chance since I can always update my review later. His men came over and installed the new water heater in a different location - a little more complicated since it involved changing the venting and the gas line. They did a great job and the heater is working fine. I think that I notice more temperature fluctuations with the new heater than with the old one but it is not a major problem and may just be my imagination. I'd definitely use them again for water heater issues and may use them for other plumbing needs in the future. The workmanship was excellent and all the people I interacted with were pleasant, professional and prompt!

They were on time, quick, and efficient. A receptionist called me about thirty minutes after the plumber left to make sure that I was satisfied with the work, and I really appreciate that.

The plumber showed up a tiny bit late (15 minutes), put on his "inside booties" and examined the job. He gave me a quote of $550 to fix the pipe, which I thought was a little high for about two hours of work (but what do I know about what plumbing costs?!?) He spent about an hour cutting and soldering pipes to get the dishwasher connected (no leaks!). We thought the faucet would be an easy fix, but in the process, a small plastic piece inside the faucet cracked. This necessitated the plumber picking up the part the following day and returning for a few minutes to install it. Now everything works great!