Alpha Plumbing

They replaced the water heater. They did a very good job. They are very professional and I know I can rely on them.

Overall the job went extremely well. Even though the scale of this project was small I would still highly recommend Alpha Plumbing. I am very satisfied with the ease of scheduling an appointment for an estimate, the promptness of arrival, the ability to do the job immediately after providing the estimate, the professionalism of the technician, the quality of the work, the ability to get the work completed within the stated time frame, and the clean-up upon completion.

The serviceman was on time. He looked at the work and performed the service within the allotted time. We had a leaking toilet as a result of having floor tile installed last year. We didn't know the toilet was leaking until we saw a wet spot in the ceiling below the bathroom. He knew exactly what to do to appropriately set the toilet into the floor. The cost for the visit was $129.00 and the cost for the tools was only $7.00. He was done within 30 minutes. We will definitely use the company again for all plumbing work.

Tuesday, January 29, 2013, 18:00: I had a sudden sewer line backup as the washer began a drain cycle. Anne Arundel County responded to check for blockage at the street (which has occurred in the past). AA Co determined drainage into the county line was open and that the problem was on the house side of their clean out. Angie's List was consulted for plumbers capable of troubleshooting/snaking drain lines. Chose Alpha Plumbing and logged a future work request on their web site at 19:30 Tuesday night. After further browsing on the site I found a service email address which should have been used instead of the "future work request" form I filled out. Called Alpha at 08:30 Wednesday morning to find out if in fact they had received the request. I was told they were reading it and an appointment was scheduled between 12:00 and 14:00, I would get a phone closer to arrival time. Chris called about 12:10 to advise he was on his way and arrived at 12:30. Job completed at 13:30. Very professional and efficient response and resolution. In this situation, the work had to be done and I did not have time to compare costs of competitors. Well satisfied with the outcome.

Background I called Alpha Plumbing at about 2:00 pm and spoke with John who asked if the problem was just a clogged drain or ?a whole house problem?. I conveyed that it was indeed a whole house problem. John said a plumber would be to our house within an hour and would call prior to his arrival. Chris Taylor, a plumber with Alpha Plumbing, arrived at our house by 2:30 pm. He made a quick survey of the situation and concluded that there was a blockage somewhere in the Drain Pipe, likely between the house and the street. All household Waste Drain and Ventilation (WDV) Systems include a ?Clean-Out?, or removable Pipe Plug installed in the Drain Line at the lowest point in the system, before the Drain Line exits the house. This provides a plumber ready access to the Drain/Sewer Line and a direct point of insertion of a Motorized Plumbing Snake. However, if the Drain/Sewer Line is clogged, any standing water within the Pipe will drain out of the Line when the Clean-Out Plug is removed. Therefore, when the Clean-Out is located in a finished space, it is a common practice for a plumber to remove a toilet from an upstairs bathroom in order to access the liquid filled pipe from a high point in the system, i.e. above the water line, thus avoiding any flow of ?black-water? into a finished space. Chris elected to remove the toilet fixture in the upstairs hall bathroom and insert his Motorized Plumbing Snake into the Drain Pipe below. A problem was soon apparent when I, observed black-water spraying from the Clean-Out Fitting into the downstairs bathroom. I quickly ran to the upstairs bathroom to stop Chris from whatever he was doing. He, along with my 34-year old son, accompanied me back downstairs to the Soil Stack Clean-Out where the black-water was spraying from the Fitting. Together we rushed to collect the effluent into whatever containers we could find, resorting to heavy duty trash bags ?bungeed? around the Clean-Out Fitting. Chris, the plumber, was very surprised to see what had occurred, saying that he?d never encountered this kind of situation before. What Happened The Motorized Plumbing Snake, being fed down the 3-inch diameter vertical Drain Pipe from the upstairs bathroom Toilet Flange, entered the Sanitary-Tee from above but instead of following the fluid flow path to the left, through the basement wall and exiting the house, it veered to the right toward the removable Plug. When it did so, it broke the Seal at the Plug, creating a small hole from which the effluent sprayed behind the bathroom wall and into the bathroom, wetting the walls, bathroom door, and of course the floor. The effluent flowed into an adjacent storage room. I?ve had a plumber to my house to clear tree roots clogging the Drain Pipe on only one previous occasion. That was approximately 15-years ago, and at that time there was no unexpected mess, damage, or cleanup associated with the plumber?s work. Therefore I was unclear about the appropriate protocol regarding clean-up and repair of any damage that was caused by such an event. I asked Chris about Alpha Plumbing being insured against this kind thing and what I should do. Chris volunteered to call his boss and find out for me. Chris called his boss, who turned out to be his older brother, Chuck Taylor. Chris told Chuck about the Motorized Plumbing Snake taking the unexpected turn within the Sanitary-Tee and causing a leak, resulting in black-water effluent spraying into the finished downstairs bathroom. I could hear Chuck say that such an event isn?t supposed to happen and had never happened in his experience, and therefore there must have been something defective about the Clean-Out Plug in the Sanitary-Tee. (Subsequent inspection of the Sanitary-Tee, and Clean-Out Plug, and Plug Seal revealed nothing to suggest any defect or faulty installation. There had been no evidence of leaking since the Plug had been installed by the previous plumber approximately 15-years prior). Chuck disavowed any responsibility and told Chris that we, the customer, should contact our homeowner?s insurance company and work with them to arrange for cleanup. Chuck told Chris that he would send another plumber to assist Chris since this was no longer just ?a simple snake job?. I then called Chris?s boss, Chuck, to discuss the mater since I wasn?t convinced that Chuck had correctly understood what had occurred. To my surprise Chuck stuck with the idea that Alpha Plumbing bore no responsibility, quite literally, because what had occurred wasn?t supposed to happen. He said that Chris, the plumber could help clean up the mess, but of course I would be charged the plumber?s hourly rate if he were to do so, and then he reiterated that I should contact my homeowner?s insurance company. Chris returned to the upstairs bathroom to resume operation of the Snake. Matt, the assistant plumber from Alpha Plumbing, arrived shortly thereafter and the two of them continued to work the Motorized Plumbing Snake into the Drain Pipe attempting to open the clog. Chris and Matt were unable to get the Motorized Plumbing Snake very far into the Drain Pipe between the house and the street, and were unable to locate a specific blockage in the Pipe. Chris again conferred with his bother by telephone who suggested that instead of going through the upstairs Toilet Flange, they (Chris and Matt) might be more successful if they ran the Snake directly into the Clean-Out in the Sanitary-Tee behind the wall in the finished bathroom in the basement. This would give the Snake a much shorter, and more importantly, a straighter path to the clog. Chris and Matt heeded Chuck?s advice and moved their machine from the upstairs bathroom to the bathroom in the basement. They proceeded to work the Snake into the Drain Pipe until they reached a point approximately 75-feet from the house beyond which they could no longer proceed. Chris again phoned his older brother Chuck. Chuck suggested that he could bring his remotely controlled video camera to actually see the obstruction which, because they were unable to penetrate it with their Motorized Plumbing Snake, they now suspected was a broken pipe, not simply a clog. I was told the charge for Chuck to come and operate his camera would be $300. If Chuck was able to get his camera to the location of the blockage, then for an additional fee he would mark the spot in my front yard where the blockage in the underground Drain Pipe was located ? the camera is equipped with a transmitter and he could identify the position of the camera/transmitter below by using a receiver at ground level. Identifying the specific location of the blockage, or perhaps a break in the Drain Pipe, would do two things. One, if the obstruction was between the Main Sewer Line in the street and an outdoor Drain Pipe Clean-Out Fitting located on my property, then it would be the responsibility of Anne Arundel County to correct. If the blockage was between my house and the outdoor Drain Pipe Clean-Out Fitting, then knowing the location of the blockage would enable Alpha Plumbing to know where to dig with a backhoe in order to affect the repair. Chuck came to the house and used this camera/transmitter to locate the blockage in the Drain Pipe. He also located the Drain Pipe Clean-Out Fitting in my front yard that had, over the years since the house was built, become covered by earth and lawn. Chuck determined that the blockage/break in the Drain Pipe was between the Clean-Out Fitting and the street, and therefore I should call Anne Arundel County Department of Public Works. By this time it was after 9:00 pm. As an aside, I called the Anne Arundel County Department of Public Works at about 9:30 pm and explained the problem. They had a truck at my house within 30-minutes. Within fifteen minutes of arrival the first responder had run a camera into the Outside Clean-Out, identified the blockage to be tree root infiltration, and run a more powerful Motorized Plumbing Snake than that used by Alpha Plumbing into the Drain Pipe, thus clearing the blockage. There was no broken section of pipe. Why Alpha Plumbing Gets a Failing Grade Chris, the plumber who arrived at my house at about 2:30 pm in response to my emergency call was polite and professional. I think the leak at the Sanitary-Tee Clean-Out Plug that caused the mess wasn?t his fault per se, although it was his Motorized Plumbing Snake that produced it. I didn?t object to having to pay four hours labor charge for an assistant plumber, or even the additional $300 charge to have the third plumber use instrumentation to locate the obstruction that they had failed to remove. I can also understand that the Motorized Plumbing Snake used by Alpha Plumbing was inadequate to clear the clog despite their best efforts. I even accept responsibility for the clean-up. However, I give Alpha Plumbing a failing grade because the boss, Chuck, argued with me and refused to accept any responsibility for causing the mess. Had he offered to take even $50 off the $1,100 bill as an apology for having made such a horrific mess I?d have been okay with it. I?d have chalked it up to experience and could have convinced myself that this is just standard operating procedure for plumbers. After all, my Drain Pipe was cleared (thanks to the Anne Arundel County Department of Public Works), and all?s well that ends well. However, I found it beyond the pale that Alpha Plumbing refused to accept ANY responsibility for the mess even though it is obvious that what they did caused it. By simply acknowledging some responsibility they could have left me with a mess but still feeling satisfied, instead they chose to leave me feeling insulted. And for that they get an F.

I received multiple estimates and Alpha's was very reasonable. Beyond that, the workmanship was great. They went above and beyond what I asked them to do. We asked them to rough in a new bathroom and set a shower stall. After roughing in the plumbing during the day, my husband and I were to finish installing the subfloor that evening so the shower could be set the next day. The team was so efficient they finished early, so finished installing the subfloor or me and set the shower all the same day. They were done with the whole job way ahead of schedule. I was very pleased and will definitely use them again.

My experience started with a phone call to Alpha plumbing requesting for someone to come and figure out what was causing the leak in my basement. The gentleman who answered the phone was very kind, professional, and was able to get someone out to my house within the hour. They discovered that it was the main water line that needed to be replaced, and discussed the options I had as far as the type of pipe they could use to replace the original line. I had another company come out to give me a quote, but they were about 33% higher than Alpha, and didn't even really spend much time looking at the leak to truly assess the problem. Needless to say Alpha was the way to go. They were able to get me on the schedule the very next day. Mike and Matt from Alpha plumbing showed up on time and were very professional. They went above and beyond to make sure they did a great job. I have used many contractors in the past, but I don't think I have ever had an experience that has compared to the one that I had with Alpha Plumbing. I highly recommend this company, and I will surely be using them for any and all of my plumbing needs going forward.

I initially called Alpha Plumbing to check on the low pressure in my hot water faucets and a leak in a bathroom sink. Chris clecked all the faucets, the hot water tank and fixed the leak. I also had him fix the drainage mechanism in the bathroom sink. He did an excellent job and made some recommendations about the pressure. He also told me that my hot water heater was about 25 years old and gave me an estimate for replacing it. The next week I called to ask a few questions about the water heater. The person I talked with seemed to be knowledgeable and honest in his answers. Chris returned the next day to install the water heater. He also fixed a leak in the kitchen sink and bathroom shower. I was very pleased with the work.

I had a pipe snap at the elbow joint behind the shower head. I called Alpha Plumbing and requested same day service. They were very pleasant to work with. They showed up when promised, fixed the pipe, and charged a very reasonable fee. I was more than satisfied with their work and rates. I highly recommend them and would definitely use them again.

Excellent service, service technicians were polite, accommodating and cleaned up after themselves. Willingly corrected defects that were not covered in job detail without extra charge and for which a tech had to come in another day. Mr. Taylor also personally checked on the work that was done.

Alpha's crew showed up at nine in the morning. Very professional group. The job required them to remove my basement toilet and jack hammer the concrete floor below it. They then dug down to the existing pipe which created a large pile of dirt, which they place on a canvas drop cloth. Meanwhile the outside crew used a backhoe to dig down to the connection at the sewer end of things. When the site was prepared, they readied a 30 some foot long single piece of new pipe for installing. A cable was ran through the old pipe from the sewer end into the house, which was attached to the new pipe. Using their backhoe, they hydraulically pulled the new pipe right through the old cast iron and terra cotta pipe like a hot knife through butter. After the new connections were made on both ends, they back filled the holes in both my basement and the alley. They even swept my floor afterwards. The entire job took only seven hours start to finish. I am extremely satisfied with this company and the job they did for me. Alpha Plumbing was very professional in all aspects, and far less expensive than the other plumbers I checked out. I would call them again if I have any other needs., and would recommend them to anyone else.

They were superb. I would definitely hire them again!

I called this morning at 8AM when they opened because I had a leak connected to an outside spigot and I was afraid the pipe had ruptured (it was 15 degrees outside). They promptly sent someone out to work on it. By 8:25AM, a technician was on site and inspecting it. The problem turned out to be a leaky valve, which I asked him to replace. The work performed was quick and satisfactory. By 9:15AM, the work was completed and he was out the door. Great job and fast service.

The serviceman asked to reschedule initial visit to early next morning so that attic would not be so hot. Since this was early July, I could understand his request. Serviceman identified leaking pipe. He could of replaced only a small section of pipe (the leaking area only). However he actually replaced a much larger section (approximately 16" feet) of the old copper pipe. He also removed some silly elbows that were left over from the previous owner, thus simplifying the entire piping route. I did ask that he wrap the new exposed piping with some thermal material. He informed me that he had no such material available on his truck, and would have to go to local store to purchase. Instead he told me what to buy so I could install it myself. Some people may see this as a negative. I believe that he saved me from wasting my money on something that I could could clearly do myself. Serviceman was always polite, had a good positive attitude, and answered all of my silly questions. He cleaned up his work area and left no mess behind. I will be calling them again when I need plumbing help.

Kitchen sink backed up into shower and would not drain. Called Alpha Plumbing and was told that they could have someone out within the hour. Received a call letting me know they were on their way - arrived exactly when they said they would. They were quick to diagnose the problem, snaked the drain and installed a cleanout trap under the kitchen sink. They explained everything that they did, tested the drains multiple times and gave tips on avoiding the situation in the future. Everything about the experience was A+ from the intial phone call with Chuck to the service provided by Mike and Matt - very courteous, very professional - would highly recommend.

I had a clogged kitchen sink drain that i had tried to unclog my self but could not seem to get it running. I called a few plumbers from Angies List that were not too far away from me and the only one that said they could get there that day was Alpha Plumbing. They arrived about an hour after i called and also called to tell me when they were on the way. Chris showed up when he said he would and was very professional and took care not to mess up our kitchen by using drop cloths. He went right to work and took care of the clogged drain very quickly as well as the leaking kitchen sink that he noticed. I would definitely use them again for any plumbing service i may need.

I was very happy with them. The work turned out well.

We have had a recurring issue with our main floor powder room toilet clogging. While I can often free it up with a few pumps of the old plunger, this time it was a no go. So I tried with the crank snake I got from Home Depot - still didn't work. Called Alpha Monday night, and Chris (Master Plumber) was out the next afternoon exactly when they said he would be, and he called first to verify. He freed the clog (actually snaked the line both ways to make sure), then did something our previous plumber didn't have the capability to do: he ran a camera down the line to see if there were any obstructions; fortunately, there weren't. The he gave us a some good advice about preventing it from happening again. He was there just under an hour and very friendly and professional. Would definitely recommend and use again.

I got a call back from Alpha the next morning and a plumber was at the house by noon. Buddy had the toilet flushing at full volume within 20 minutes. Professional, clean, timely work at a fair price. What more could you want from a plumber? I highly recommend Alpha based upon my experience today.

Alpha was at our house to give us an estimate less than 2 hours after calling them. The work was all completed the following day. They did a great job.

All around super nice and super professional guy!

Aside from holes in my walls/ceiling and the inevitable dust that has floated and coated absolutely everything, it was a relatively good experience for me. I felt that both Chris and Matt were very professional, and did an excellect job overall. Their communication with me - especially when they hit another wall (no pun intended), was excellent and kept me calm. I really appreciate the fact that Chris stuck with his original estimate on the repairs, and did not charge more. He even referred me to someone who repairs drywall.

We called and were able to schedule a service call the same day (a Friday.) The gentleman who answered the phone was very professional and patient while trying to help troubleshoot/diagnose the problem over the phone. Our technician was early, and we really appreciated the quick response. After about an hour of attempting to service our hot water heater, our technician informed us that we would need a replacement unit. He was very straightforward, and we did not get the feeling that we were being oversold on the repair. The appointment was scheduled for the following Monday. When the technician arrived, he brought a second technician to help remove the old unit and install the new one. Overall I would say it was a good (although expensive) experience, with professionals who take pride in their work.

I thought the price was very reasonable. They were very professional. I was really impressed with the work. Took all the garbage with him and cleaned up.

The kind man who answered the phone at Alpha Plumbing was able to schedule a same-day appointment! Buddy arrived right on time and called ahead to let me know he was on his way. He knew exactly what we needed to have done and went right to work. He removed the segment of heater and reconnected it directly under the floor, on the ceiling of our unfinished basement. He turned back on the water supply to the heaters and made sure that all rooms were functioning properly and that there were no leaks. He even cleaned up dust and debris in an area that was dirty from our bathroom reno (not caused by him). Very professional, efficient, and courteous! We will definitely be calling them in the future!