CroppMetcalfe

I had a partially clogged shower drain that had been getting worse each day. I decided that I needed to unclog it before the weekend and fix it properly. I do not know how to snake a drain so I used Angie's List to find a plumber in the area. I called Cropp Metcalfe to schedule the appointment for Friday morning. The plmuber showed up on time and proceeded to troubleshoot the drain clog. He found a fistful of grout in the shower drain from the original construction of my townhouse. He also snaked the toilet since the drains were connected. He found a contractor pencil and a broken flapper in the toilet. However, due to the location of the clog, I needed a new toilet. He went out and got a brand-new toilet and replaced the old one within 20 minutes of arriving back at the house. I was not charged for any of the toilet troubleshooting work and only paid for the shower snaking and installation of the new toilet. The plumber was very clean and professional while in the house. I recommend using this company if you have any plumbing problems due to the excellent troubleshooting.

Cropp Metcalfe arrived on time and cleaned my Air Ducts. Very professional, quite and neat. They did not make any mess very careful with moving the equipment around. Will be using them in 3 years when I need my air ducts cleaned again.

We found that the release valve on our water heater had a leak. We called CroppMetcalfe to have the valve repaired. When the technician came out he said that since the valve was made of plastic there was the possibility that it would break off and we would then have to have it replaced and he also found that the heater thermostat needed to be replaced since it was not properly controlling the water temperature. We decided that it made more sense to get a new water heater than to put more money into one that was over ten years old. The water heater was replaced two days later. The installation went off without any problems. We have dealt with CroppmMetcalfe for many years with a service maintenance contract for our heating and airconditioning system and we have found them to be a very reliable company.

Everything always goes well. We've had them a long time and they do a great job.

He was able to verify that they plumbing issues were ok, even though the inspector stated I had failed a few items. He even did a few extra things while he was out including replacing shower heads. I have always had excellent service with them. I have a contract with them so they guarantee someone will be there within 24 hours. I got the same plumber who I have used for the last 4 years.

Installers were there on time, worked quickly and cleaned up after themselves. A problem was identified after the old system was removed that required fabrication that had to be done in the shop so the job stretched over 2 days. The problem was identified and resolved quickly and with a reasonable charge.

We hired Croppe Metcalfe because they were the only company we found that did both air duct cleaning and HVAC servicing, which we were required to do per the buyer's inspection of the condo. Although they were going to send two different technicians for the services, we hoped to have both visits completed on the same day, with HVAC first and then air duct cleaning afterwards. The pricing seemed fair, as I got several quotes from other companies and Croppe Metcalfe's prices were approximately the same. The HVAC techs were EXTREMELY late. Instead of arriving at 10 in the morning, they didn't get there until around 4:30 p.m. at the end of the day. Meanwhile, the air duct cleaning techs arrived on time, but neglected to bring the correct equipment they would need for our 4th floor apartment (they knew it was on the 4th floor in advance). The air duct cleaning had to be rescheduled for another day. Once the techs were there, however, they did good work. The main office staff were extremely uncoordinated. We don't live in DC, so our real estate agent was going to meet both the techs and sign for the work. The late arrival and need for rescheduling was a huge inconvenience for both us and him - a real waste of time. The office didn't properly notify either of us about the scheduling issues, and couldn't seem to understand that while one person was scheduling/paying, there was another person meeting the techs who needed to be called and updated about the situation. Finally, despite two separate requests of the office staff for mailed work receipts for tax purposes, we have not received them more than a month later. In sum, I would say the office and scheduling services were a disaster, but once the techs arrived, their work was fine. Still, trying to coordinate this repair/cleaning work from a distance turned into a real fiasco thanks to Croppe Metcalfe.

I had a flood so I had a water survey done and they determined that the hot water heater would only last a few more years. I decided to have it installed now and they also installed a pressure valve for the house and an overflow pressure tank to keep it from ever overflowing. I also received a 10 year warranty. They were very nice, explained everything, and were punctual.

Very professional and responsible technician. Showed up on time and worked quickly. Cleaned up very carefully.He could not provide an estimate for the replacement of the second unit and we are waiting for someone from the sales department to come out to take a look.

I have a maintenance contract with them. They are good, but they are not inexpensive. The contract cost varies according to the level you choose. They will be coming out shortly for checking my air conditioning unit. I will continue to use them.

Went well. He put on "dust covers" over his shoes whenever he came in the condo. Very professional and competent. He wasn't very pushy in selling things, but he just gave me options that I can take. See above for details.

We have a service agreement with them. They do a good job but they are on the pricey side. We have used them for about five years.

I used them for an annual check-up for spring and fall on the heating and air-conditioner. The company I was using was a one man operation and he retired and this company bought his customer list. They came out and performed the spring check-up and I doubt if I have any check-ups involved in that and would have been the last contract. I paid about $300 or $400 when I was with the other company and that included the maintenance. The service guy that came out spent a good amount of time going over all the equipment and checking it out and gave me good information. The guy that did the service I thought was excellent and felt that my experience with the technician was much better than the reports on the list. The technician discovered a problem with the air-conditioner and having heard what the problems were, I have decided to get a new heating and air-conditioning system installed. I was impressed with the technician, his knowledge and demeanor. My experience with him was excellent and was good and he gave me a lot of good suggestions. He was not only prompt and arrived early and was very knowledgeable and if I could I would have stuck with him.

No problems. Two techs. Answered any questions I had. Pointed out positive (and less desirable) features of existing system. They did an above average job of cleaning up after themselves. They showed up on time and took a very short lunch break. Process took longer than originally estimated, but not unreasonably so.

I have dealt with 2 heating and A/C companies lately and they were the good ones. They were very reasonable. The technician bent over backwards to get the job done quickly, efficiently, and at a good reasonable price. He was wonderful. The gas boiler needed a lot of repair work to get it up and running before it got really cold. The guy worked long hours and he worked with me. We live in a very old house and we are renovating, so nothing is standard or ordinary. He was willing to tell me the bits of the job that I could do myself in order to save a lot of money. Most companies aren't going to do that kind of thing with a woman. They might have done it for my husband, but he is not the guy that does the work. I do the work. This repair man was willing to work with me and I can't tell you how much that impressed me about them. They will be our repairmen pretty much forever on that boiler because of that. We are going to continue to use them.

The interaction was fine. I didn't choose them because their overall rating was a B with Angie's List. Their price was also a bit on the high side. Also, the water heater brand they would provide was not as good as the one I chose.

They are reputable and professional, but I got a better bid from another company.

I was run around in circles by one department and another at Cropp Metcalfe. Every single person I spoke to was rude, transferred me without explaining which department I was being transferred to. When I finally got someone on the phone, they were asking me which part of the air conditioner was not working and expecting me to have expert knowledge that I don't have. They also quoted prices that are considerably higher than other companies out there. Without spending a dime, I am certain that they are a company I will never do business with. Other reports prove that they get consistently low marks on other websites as well.

We have been satisfied with them. They have always been professional and competent.

Oren did a great job, fixed the problem fast, educated me on how to prevent this in the future, and he was a pleasant person.

Experience with actual technician was pleasant and he was very thorough in checking all systems. He listened to all our concerns about uneven heating/cooling and showed us how to use the baffles and how to keep the humidifier working properly. Since then we have had much more even temperatures on all floors of the house. He gave us a list of six things we could do in the future to improve the efficiency and identified an evaporator coil leak that we will repair in the future. Our only small complaint was not with service but with staff on the phone who did not seem to be familiar with the info on their website regarding the "Whole House Comfort Checkup" that we wanted. All the tests listed online were not performed but maybe the technician saw that they were not necessary. However, we still would have liked a few more of the tests performed.

Improper welding of pipe Rather than fixing problem, wrapping it in a washcloth (???) Failure to respond to emergency call Failure to reimburse for cost of emergency visit by another company Failure to reimburse for cost of damage Failure to inspect or have someone else inspect for possible long-term damage (e.g. mold) The installation of the lead pipe service line went apparenty well in Summer 2004, until approximately 6 months later we noticed water leaking from behind dry wall into our utility room around 7 p.m. on a weekday night. We called Cropp Metcalfe emergency service, but their emergency staff were on another job. They were unable to confirm when or even IF their emergency staff would be able to visit our house that night. The leak was getting worse. I accessed the leaky pipe through an access panel - and strangely we found that the pipe had been wrapped in a washclothe, tied with what looked like nylon fishing wire. ??? I seem to remember that they'd had difficulty turning off the water into the house completely, which may have made final welding difficult. But instead of solving the problem someone wrapped it in a washcloth?? Bizzare. We tried to staunch the leak with all sorts of things, but the leak progressively got worse. We continued to call Cropp Metcalfe every half hour for several hours, but they were never able to tell us when / if emergency technician would come out. I asked whether CM would reimburse me if I contacted another emergency plumber but the guy on the phone either said he couldn't confirm (although he personally thought CM should). With the leak getting worse, it was nearing midnight, we finally contacted another firm for emergency service. For months afterwards, I tried to get Cropp Metcalfe to reimburse me for the damage caused by their poor quality plumbing work. I wanted . cost of repairs for cost of emergency repair . repair of drywall damage due to water damage, or cost of having someone else repair it . someone from their office of their insurance company to check out for potential long-term damage from the leak (namely mold, water damage under the wooden floorboards, etc) . options for repair if any long-term damage was found Cropp Metcalfe's John Dixon, one of their managers, did nothing. I have on record that I contacted Ms. Linda Sharpe of the US Superior Court of DC's MultiDoor Dispute Resolutation Division. As a mediator for this program, I was hoping Ms Sharpe woudl be able to work with us to resolove this dispute in a way that worked for both of us rather than going to a lawsuit. Ms. Sharpe contacted Mr. Dixon, and reported back to me that either Mr. Metcalfe (owner?) or Dixon (sorry I cannot remember this detail) told her that CM would not reimburse any funds for this emergency repair. I believe the words she quoted him was "not one penny!" Thus, she said that due to their unwilling nature, attempts at dispute resolution would have to end there and my only option was small claims court. I'm busy, and the time and hassle spent in small claims court would not be worth it (although I sometimes regret that we didn't have someone chcek behind the walls for dreaded hidden mold). I tried badgering them with multiple faxes for several months, but they never budged. So I never pursued this in court, but I definitely do not recommmend Cropp Metcalfe. And now that I have become an Angie's LIst, I can finaly share this experience and get it off my chest. Yes, 5+ years later, but I just unearthed some of the correspondance I sent at the time. I have faxes sent to CM and I'm sure this is still on record with the US Superior Court of DC's Dispute Resolutation Division. I would love to hear that they have changed management and changed their attitude since 2005.

I use them because they had put the original unit in this house. They are great. They do the regular maintenance of my heating and air conditioning also.

We asked the company to give us an estimate on installing a high-velocity air conditioning system in our 1915 DC rowhouse. They came to our home as scheduled (so far, so good) but took no measurements to calculate load requirements (not a good sign). After that, they dropped off the map. Despite repeated phone calls and requests for an estimate, we never received any further information from them. They left only one voicemail saying that they had an estimate for us and "would we please call to discuss." The voicemail was not left on the phone number we requested be used for communications. Further, after our return call (which didn't reach a live person), we never heard anything more from them. We never received a written estimate by e-mail or snail mail.

They have very knowledgeable technicians. They are very punctual and thorough; they do a complete job. Their price is high. I would use them again in future.