SOUTH SIDE PLUMBING & HEATING CO

Overall: Make sure you get EVERYTHING said in writing and know you are going to be responsible for many calls to get your work scheduled (even after paying down payment). When I moved into my condo there was a small leak between an old copper pipe and a more contemporary metal. I found this out in my home inspection and when I went to get it looked at I emailed my inspection to SSP&H. They looked at it and told me that it would be a simple pipe fix. I tried to explain that my inspector said that the repair would require the water to be shut off since it was a main line that was leaking. They steam rolled over that and suggested that's not true, me not being a plumber said ok. Then they show up to do the work and immediately said this is going to require that the water be shut off and we need to have someone come do an estimate. The person who showed up had also not looked at the inspection with pictures and details that I had emailed in making this appointment. Then they charged me 90$ for showing up even though the inspection would have clearly told them that it required the water being shut off and would have required an estimate. I was then told by the dispatcher that I would pay now and then if I went with them for the repair they would remove the 90$ from my final bill. Fine, I said I just want to get this done it would take another two weeks to schedule the inspection after repeated calls (and this should have probably been a warning sign, but I was trying to get this repair done). Then when I get the estimate and ask if they will remove the earlier fee from it they said that no one had ever said that and it would not be possible. I tried to ask them to honor this and explained the story of inspection, but the dispatcher who I had been speaking with before being switched over to estimates department never responded to my emails or as part of the threads between the two parts of the company when I tried to get clarification on this. Frustrated and about 6 weeks into no repair I just decided to use these folk. I paid the deposit and then after me calling many times after not hearing from them I was finally able to get on the schedule. But, once again I had to do all of this calling and leaving repeated messages after being told that I would be reached out in a day or two. I do not think I would use them again, and would really caution others about being misled and warn folks to make sure they are aware they are likely to need to do a lot of legwork to make the appointments happen. This place was a recommendation from a friend, but now I would not recommend them. I am still leaving two stars as at least there is no problems with the quality of the work so far.

They came, looked at the job, I never heard from them again. I called a week later asking for an estimate, was told that the individual who estimated the job was out of the office and would call me the next day. Three months later, I'm still waiting.

I was happy with the air conditioning work but when it came to inspection and service of my tankless water heater, I though they charged too much. I did not use them since the cost was high.

I would give them A+ if I could. I was selling my home and the buyer found a problem with my sewer line under the street during the inspection (I never had a plumbing problem in the house). It was my responsibility to tear up the entire street in front of the house and replace the line. I had 3 other companies give me estimates for this job and Southside was by far the least expensive (over $20,000) in one case. They were kind, did a fantastic job, and fought with the county on my behalf. They made a terrible situation and financial burden easier to handle. I would recommend this company to anybody!

.

They did a good job. They came out when they were needed.

The repairman came, cleaned the thermocouple on the 22 year old hot water water and lit the pilot. A week later the pilot went out and would not light again. I called the company objecting to cost of this work that failed. The manager reviewed the time and travel and said it was justified. Apparently the time the repair man talked extensively about his hobbies was all part of the cost. We will not call them again. We had a different company install a new hot water heater.

I have been using them for about 15 years and I can trust them. Their plumbers are knowledgeable and know exactly what to do. They don't come to my house and experiment. I highly recommend them to others.

I had a furnace that was not working in an apartment building that I own. I called them and they sent some people over who said they were plumbers, but they were not. They worked on the furnace and gave me a pretty hefty bill. After thier work, there was a gas leak and I had to evacuate the whole building. They kept sending different people out to work on the furnace, billing me for multiple visits, but they never fixed it. I had to turn them over to the attorney generals office in order to get them to actually fix it right.

The plumber who came out was rude. He was supposed to come out on monday 2/24/14 and he never showed up. I called my insurance agent and he said the plumber would be there tuesday 2/25/14 but he again did not show up on tuseday. He finally came out wednesday and was late. He thought the problem was a clogged drain and when that was not the problem I had to ask him to check the sump pump as he was not going to. The sump pump was fine and he then said I must have shut off the breaker for the sump pump on the electric panel. I informed him that I never touched the breaker panel and asked if it could have been tripped. He said absolutely not and that someone had to of manually shut off the breaker. The water has caused mold damage and has caused my furnace to stop working as the water got so high it got into the electrical components of my furnace. So I have been without heat now for a week. The plumber was in my house for 5 hours and the problem is still not resolved and he refused to tell me what he did. The plumber even unplugged my sump pump and then next day I had water in my basement again. I had an electrician come out to check the electric panel and the electrician said the sump pump was actually attached to a completely separate braker then the plumber said. So the plumber put this incorrect information on my insurance claim, which has now been denied. I have tried to call the plumber multiple times to get the issues resolved and have never heard back from them. I left messages with the receptionist and voicemails and they have still not contacted me.

The woman I spoke with on the phone was very nice and they scheduled a time for me. They never showed despite me having called and them telling me that I "was on the books." They never showed and I will never use them for any plumbing work ever again. I've heard that this has happened from other people as well.

See above

I called them and they responded promptly but I had no idea that they would charge as much as they did. The work was done competently,but the charges were extremely excessive for a five minute job. I strongly suggest you get a detailed estimate from them before using their services.

When they came out I let use one of my tools. They took the tool, and I had to call them back so they would return it. When they were finished I had more problems then when they started.

The guys doing the work were great and the work they did was fine. A problem arose when cementing the openings on the Pennco boiler did not work. I was told their boss would call Pennco and see what was up and get back to me in a couple of days. He never did and I called repeatedly and was told I would be called back, but I never was. I called Pennco and talked to a technician who was surprised they'd cement up a relatively new boiler and said that wasn't the problem it was a flue problem, insufficient draft and the boiler wasn't combusting properly. I called another plumbing and heating company who had the same diagnosis and they finished the job. I have no problem with the original mistake -- I worked in r&d for years -- and that happens, however, I suspect that's why there was no follow up from Southside even after I made repeated calls. I think they have good people working for them, but management has a problem, they're not reliable and they're not behaving responsibly. Years ago I used them regularly and they were an excellent company.

the entire area unprotected for the entire weekend forcing me to erect signs on trees telling pedestrians to contact my neighbor, SP+H, the City's Public Works Director (issued permit) or our City Council President. It wasn't until the following Monday afternoon until SP+H erected barriers. This went on until mid-February 2008 (with ineffective and inferior barriers blowing all over the neighborhood until the sidewalk was concreted again in a most hideous way. The permit specifically states that a property has to be restored to its former conditions. However, SP+H poured concrete crooked, poured concrete directly on top of tree roots, cracked adjacent concrete slabs, left giant holes underneath my property, did not replace the torn-out shrubs and bombarded my home with mud balls to intimidate my dog. My neighbor never apologized either stating she, too, was well connected with the City and that the City was responsible to restore the sidewalk and grass strip! This is ludicrous and, the City, so far has done absolutely nothing forcing me to contact my State Senator and the Governor of Pennsylvania to obtain answers as to the legality of the matter. PA State Senator Costa also, finally, obtained a copy of the permit that clearly established false dates and that the permit was doctored. However, the worst-case scenario is that this awful, incompetent plumbing company operates and claims they've been in business since 1948 with 2 locations in Pittsburgh. This is the perfect example of the horrors in Pennsylvania where charlatans can claim business knowledge due to unregulated contractors! I just recently came across South Side Plumbing and Heating's response to my complaint with regard to their incompetency and and inferiority and, needless to say, I had to laugh out loud (lol) at the audacity of this insidious company run by one John Kicinski, their outright lies regarding "repairs" they allegedly made and general "whitewashing" of their lousy work. What amazed me even more, though, is that South side Plumbing + Heating did not mention, with even one word, the fact that they completely defied the law and committed a criminal act by accessing my property without easement rights or a mutual consent agreement between my neighbor and me (Ms. Bridgett Ponte, 1341 Commercial Street) and connected her sewer lines to mine for no other reason than to save money. As for South Side Plumbing + Heating's restoration of the sidewalk, green strip between sidewalk and street on the Homestead-Street side (mine is a corner lot) and the destruction of a City of Pittsburgh tree in front of my home on Commercial Street, I can only encourage you to inspect for yourself what kind of rotten, good-for-nothing work this infamous company performs. The sidewalk on Homestead Street is crumbling + sagging, so is the green strip and the tree in front of my home is dead! So to all their response and rebuttals + coupon offerings in Angie's List, I can only say "BS!"

I've had different workmen for each job, but all were efficient and knowledgeable. They show up on time and the main office is especially helpful about scheduling times and calling with appointment reminders. I will use them again.

They went above and beyond. I would highly recommend them!

He was professional as he was dressed in a uniform and generally provided good work. I was unsure if the disposal was a new problem or something he had missed from before but he did not give me any grief about returning to finish up the repair work.

Very pleased with the work and would definitely use them again.

They were very good at explaining the various options we could choose in boilers as well as what pipes could be altered or eliminated. They returned promptly to adjust the radiators when needed and repaired a couple of connectors.

The office staff and plumbers were extremely courteous. They arrived on time, did a beautiful job, and cleaned up well. They stuck to the estimate, and he was here all day working. I was very impressed, and we will use them in the future.

THE PLUMBERS WERE ON TIME AND WORK PERFORMED WAS VERY NEAT. THEY WERE POLITE. PRICE WAS FAIR AND I WILL RECOMMEND THIS PLUMBING COMPANY TO OTHERS.