Fairfax Electric, Plumbing & Gas

WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE EVER. I had them come out and replace a water heater in September, yet while replaced the water heater they broke a shut off valve for my whole house humidifier, that they had to take offer to replace the water heater. Looks like they tried to hook it back up, yet ended up stripping the screws so the valve didn't open up the main water line. Turned on the humidifier the other day to find that the water wasn't hooked up any longer so I called and talked to Stephanie, that advised me that she talked to the owner and that they would have to charge me an additional $90.00 to come out and fix this valve. The valve they broke is sold at Lowes $9.00 - that is only a 1000% mark up on a valve they broke - I glad they didn't break something that was expensive.

It is supposed to be an excellent water heater. I thought the service was great. They took out the old one, disposed it and brought in the new one. It was hard to drain for some reason. I think it was because it hadn't been drained for so long. But, they spent the time to do it and we were quite pleased. We found the price to be reasonable.

After he came out he let me know that this is not the correct water heater for me. They advised me of what type of water heater it is that I need, so I am requesting refund.

Overall it went very well. A two man took care of the job in about 2 hours. They called ahead, arrived on time, and explained everything to me clearly. They also ensured that everything, from an Alexandria permitting perspective, was taken care of. The original quote was $1,210 (which included removal of water heater, new 12yr 40 gallon water heater and thermal expansion tank). Tacked on additional $90 to replace some fittings, etc. The water heater retails for ~$650 at home depot, so paid about the same in labor. Being raised in the mid-west with a father who was always doing these types of things on his own I have a habit of always feeling like I am paying too much for services like these. However, when you put it into perspective, ~600 bucks for someone who knows what they are doing (and the peace of mind) seems like a good deal to me.

Inital communication with company and installation was great. They were very responsive and provided good customer service. There were no hidden fees as they were up front regarding costs and any additional requirements to bring installation and materials to county code. Less than a week later I had a leak at the pipes and it filled the pan below before it was founded. The water shut off valve did not stop the leak so the water to the house had to be turned off. Well that did not work either for there was a tone of water in the pipes! I called Fairfax Elec, Plumbing & Gas and spoke with Ellen. I explained the situation to her. She asked me for my name to which I provided and then without asking any additional questions she immediately stated that she did not have a technician that could come out that day (my call was in the morning) and that it would have to wait until the following day. It was the way she handled it and the tone of her voice that really upset me. She did not ask the condition of the leak or even how dire the sitaution was. I was a bit perplexed that I just had a new installation and now a leak that will not stop and there is no technician available for an emergency? I quickly ended that call because i was really getting angry and did not wish to say something I would regret. After gathering myself I called back and asked for Gina who I had dealt with before. She was professional and at least a little empathetic. She advised that a crew would be sent out sometime that day which is all I really wanted. In the interim my Father was at the house dumping water until they arrived. The technician was Cameron who oddly enough was the inital installer. That did not bother me the least bit because things happen and I am a reasonable person. He is actually fantastic. He had an assistant whose name escapes me but he was great as well. They took some time to cut pipes and redo the install but I can't say enough good things about this duo. In business your support staff or front office staff is just as vital to the customer service experience as the field techs. In this case Ellen ruined it for me but I can't hold that against Gina, Cameron, or the owner (unless owner is retaining this person knowing the terrible service she provides). All businesses have staff that are rude or hate their jobs. I won't hold that against this company and do recommend them. If it came down to it I would use them again..and hope Ellen does not answer!

I found this company on Angie's List, and took advantage of the special they were offering. The installers arrived punctually, performed the work professionally, and were very personable. I was completely satisfied with their service. When a County inspector came to ensure it was installed to the appropriate standards, he was very complimentary about their workmanship.

Quick, good quality and friendly

The took my call on Sunday 12/28/14, as I was routed to them from Home Depot's toll-free line. The dispatcher walked me through options appropriate to my home's needs and existing wiring, including the option of a wiring upgrade to support a 5500 watt tank, ordering a 4500 Watt with a much longer warranty. She asked if the hotwater heater was currently working, and as it was working, she offered to schedule for Monday. Due to other commitments, I scheduled for Friday 1/2/2015. The installers called at around 9 to give me a 15 minute warning, and arrived promptly. Both gentlemen were professional, and explained what was happening as they worked (draining old heater, opening line to bleed pipes, repressurizing system, etc.) The lead installed did an excellent job of connecting the new unit. The old was setup with three valves so that it could run in series with a solar heater or with either one or the other alone. He rebuilt the configuration with three new valve for a small additional fee. Several other plumbers we had called directly previously (including others from Angie's list) had either refused the work due to the presence of the solar hot water heater, or said they would only do the installation by cutting the solar unit out of the loop. I'm happy with my experience, and will call them directly if I have any needs for either electric or plumbing in the future.

A superb company to work with. They were very thorough with the installation and cleanup after the job. I would recommend them to anyone.

Originally did not make the first day, but in the end, they rescheduled and all worked out well. They did a great job, were quick about it, very professional and personable. Would use them again if needed.

They were dependable and it was fine.

They're very good and they cleaned up after themselves which is fabulous. They were on time, clean and they did what they were supposed to do. They explained it to me and that’s good. They also were dependable.

We found our rental property water heater was leaking Thursday. Called Homedepot installation line and it was answered by a lady who asked the detail address for code requirement. She gave me a quote and asked for specific model of existing water heater to finalized the quote. She also gave me their direct phone number, which I found this company on Angie's list. I got the model number and called them back next morning (Friday) and asked for the installation that day. She said it was ok and she even honored $25 Angie's list discount coupon when I mentioned.I got the final quote and gave them my credit card number. She said the installer should call me 30 minutes before arrival. It seemed to be nice. But our good experience with the company just ended there. the After 1pm, I did not get any call so I called them back. The lady said it would be about 2 hours. About an hour later, I got a call from the installers saying they are 5 minutes from the house. I told them where to find the key and a tenant was there since we were there a couple of hours ago. They said they had to have someone there to do the job. So I asked them to call me if no one was there and I was 15 minutes away. About half hour later, they called me for additional $230 to bring it up to the code to pass the county inspection and some other $250 fixing job. Since I was not sure what kind of inspection it was, I asked them to provide a phone number for the county inspector and also I was not sure about other fixing job and did not want to do it. They called me back with a name and number. I called that number and no one answered. When they called back again, I told them that. With some mumbling, they said it was free of charge. The last thing they said over the phone was they need to find water shutoff outside the house. I thought they would finish the job till I tried to verify the installation later that evening with the tenant, who said that they just left when the tenant had to leave. I was appalled. they had talked to me several times over the phone earlier and knew I was only 15 minutes away. They never followed up with me afterwords. So I immediately called their office when it was already closed and left a voicemail, which they never called me back either. I called them back next morning (Saturday) and asked if they can do it that day. The lady answered the phone said they were all booked and offered to do it next Monday. She did apologized for not calling me before they left. On Monday I called their office at 10am and 12pm to try get their approximate schedule (they never called me for this). Finally in the afternoon, I got a call from the installers saying they are 30 minutes away. I met the technicians a little before 1:30pm. They were different ones from Friday's. They checked the old water heater and we discussed some other issues and they went on their work. About half way through, I got a fraud alert email from my credit card company alerting that there was a charge from Homedepot and asked me to confirm. I declined the charge without thinking which put the credit card on hold. I never thought it was related to this job since the amount was totally different and thought they've already charged me last Friday. A little after that I got a voice mail from this company's office asking me to call them back. I called them immediately and the lady said the charge did not go through. I asked her the amount and time. The matched the charge I just declined. I asked them why it was $180 more and she transferred me to another lady. She said that technicians said they need to install two valves to bring it up to the code and each costs $90. I told her that no one told me that. She asked me to talk to the technicians. The technicians said it was on the order when they got it. It must have been put on by other technicians on Friday. I went back to the office lady. I told her on Friday they clearly told me that there was no extra charges and I was still upset they left without talking to me. She refused to back down and said they only agreed to do it free of charge on that day.I asked why they did not do it, and why they left without calling me. I asked to speak to a manager and she said she was the manager and her manager was not there. We went on and on over the phone. She even would not acknowledge and apologize for leaving without calling on Friday, saying that they did call. I told her that was bluffing. I have all the phone records. Then She repeatedly threatened to pull the technicians out, knowing that I really need this job done that day. Finally I said I wanted to talk to Homedepot and then she put me on hold. I just hang up when I found the job was done shortly after. The technicians must have heard me over the phone. They came back with paper work and said they had talked to the office and took out the extra charges.They were not bad and I told them that I just did not like surprises and upset by other technicians. So I signed the paper with the original amount. When I tried to give them credit card they said I needed to call the office. After they left I did some cleaning up work. Then I called the office ( I knew that they could not use the credit card I gave them before since it had been put on hold) and gave them another credit.The lady put me on hold for a long time and came back saying everything was ok. I was suspicious and asked her the amount they charged and she gave me the amount that included additional $180. I said it was not right and I had the signed paper here. She said she talked to the manager I spoke before. When I tried to argue, she just said thank you and hang up. I was furious. I am now disputing the additional charge through my credit card company.

Of the 4 estimates I received, this one was a much better rate and of the same/higher quality than the unit I had in place. The 2 gentlemen that came to do the install were very friendly, professional and courteous. We had gone a week without hot water because the estimates seemed incredibly high and we needed to do our research. Once we committed to this company, they were extremely responsive and had our new hot water heater installed and working in less than 24 hours. They also gave a military discount, which a couple of the other companies did not. My husband and I are both Veterans, so even if the discount isn't a huge amount, the gesture means a lot and we will always choose companies that show their appreciation for the military.

My 16 year old water heater was nearing failure so was proactive and took advantage of their deal. It was for a quality gas Rheem unit that came with a 12 year warranty Installers called first and even showed up a little early. Both gentlemen were polite and explained what they would do and about how long it would take. They left everything clean and I would not hesitate using them again and recommending them

The deal was not good for a non residential property, but they worked out a different deal with me. They were polite and courteous, but I wish the deal had been more clearly written.

Everything went very smoothly. Very professional. We received the permit required in Fairfax Country. We still need to schedule the inspection.

They did a fantastic job. They were very professional and safety conscious. For example, when picking up the water heater at Home Depot, they opened seven boxes until they found one that was in perfect condition. They would not install even if minor dents. Also thoroughly tested for gas leaks. I would recommend them completely.

We awoke one morning just before the holidays to find our hot water heater, after a few repairs, had finally died. We family coming into town we didn't have much time. We called Fairfax Electric, Plumbing and Gas first thing and they arrived by mid-day. The install was smooth and quick, and Tony took time to answer and handful of questions about tank size, tankless units, etc. All in all, a great experience.

Was told they would come at 12:00. Call around 1:30 and found out they would come at 3:00. They arrived at 3:00 and replaced the T/P valve and pressure reducing valve. They stopped the water from leaking. Nothing was wrong with water heater which is almost 5 years old.

My tenants in the condo were complaining about the lack of hot water. I was pretty sure that one of the elements was bad and rather than trying to replace it, thought that it would be easier to replace the water heater since it was previously installed in 2003 and only had a six year warranty. Fairfax Electric, Plumbing and Gas is Home Depot's installer, which is how I ended up using them. We scheduled the installation and unfortunately the team brought the wrong water heater (they brought a gas heater but I have no gas hookup). I was pretty irritated at first, and had it not been for the lead technician (Andy) this review on Angie's list would have turned out very differently. Andy immediately started making calls to source a comparable electric heater as the one I ordered. The Fairfax electric team gave me a credit for the differential in the price between the two heaters which was applied to the final bill. Andy quickly hooked up the drain to the existing water heater to empty it and assured me that he would be back with the new correct electric heater before the existing tank was drained. All in all, the team at Fairfax electric plumbing and gas turned made the best out of a bad situation, which is why they get all A's and this great review. Their professionalism turned what could have been a very ugly situation (I was on a very tight schedule with both work that day and with my tenants for that week) into a routine water heater replacement.

The plumber, Tony, was excellent. It was clear he took a lot of pride in his work, because he took the time to do the job the right way. He changed out my water shut-off valve as well as my humidifier water line at no extra charge, which was certainly something that he didn't have to do. Tony is a licensed plumber, gas fitter, and electrician. He and Cameron, the Helper, put down floor coverings and wore booties while in my home so that they would not make a mess. I really appreciate their attention to detail.

From the initial phone call, I was impressed with the level of service provided. Kim was very friendly, she asked me a number of questions pertaining to my need and details about my water heater and space where it is located. Some of the answers I did not have on hand because I was at work. She told me it was not a problem, I could call back with the answers that evening and someone could update my information. She gave me a quote based on the information she had and was very professional. Upon calling back that evening, I spoke with Jackie who quickly and easily updated my information and confirmed that I was on the schedule for the next day. I talked to Ellen the next morning who gave me a window of time in which to expect Colin to arrive. He arrived right on time and did an excellent job of explaining what he was doing every step of the way. He and his apprentice, Tim, were careful and neat about their work. Before leaving Colin showed me how to light the pilot light and asked if I had any further questions. I couldn't have asked for a better experience!

Job was quick, 2 guys in and out within 1 hour and 20 minutes. No surprises or up-sale. Vendor took old water heater away per deal. Little confusion on how I paid, told them to check with office as this was a prepaid Angie List deal and that they did not need my credit card. Had to pay a $90 fee for Town of Herndon plumbing permit. Happy with deal, service, and water heater.

Great experience. Our hot water heater failed on a Friday and they were at my house by 10:00 a.m. the following day.The installation experience was great as well. The installer called me when he was leaving the company headquarters, he had all the necessary paperwork ready for me, got the new heater installed quickly, cleaned up after himself and made sure that I knew how to change the settings on the heater.