Absolute Plumbing & Mechanical

I am writing to share a very positive customer service experience with Aboslute Plumbing, because of which I would recommend them and use them again. We had a plumbing emergency happen on a Thursday (septic was backing up into our downstairs toilet whenever water was running upstairs.) They were the first of 5 plumbers to respond to the call and came that same day. The issue was fixed, $400 later. The following Saturday, the issue returned and (with only the smallest bit of hysteria on my part) Absolute came out and worked further on our issue, making it right both in terms of service and not gouging us with weekend prices. The man who came out on a Saturday was courteous, kind, focused, and had a sense of humor which helped to lighten the mood. As of today the issue is still resolved, and I'm left with a really positive opinion of the company - excellent customer service from a plumber is not something I'm conditioned to expect, but we were happy to find it here.

Called on Monday for an appointment, they arrived the next morning to do the work. They got right to work and finished in about two hours. Great clean up of their work.

Discussed all the issues with Jerry prior to arrival. Stressed that I wanted a 16" toilette (I'm short.) Described my noisy pipes when I ran washing machine. From my description, he analyzed this problem and said the noise was coming from the toilettes. Plumbers arrived and following Jerry's protocol, started to work on toilettes. I assumed someone would run the washing machine and LISTEN to the noise, but that didn't appear to happen. Plumber was just following Jerry's directions. As a side note, as a selling point, Jerry had said unlike other companies, he sends two plumbers so that they can be working on separate issues. I never saw this. There was a hard-working plumber and a gopher, who either stood or retrieved tools. During this visit, the toilette was replaced, gas valve installed for new range, root-rooted shower stall drain, rebuilt seal kits in 2 shower faucets (dripping problem) and parts in 2 toilettes rebuilt to prevent the noise in the pipes. Upon completion, the plumber gave me a tour. When he got to the toilette, he said, "It's a little taller, but I didn't charge you." Charge me? I requested 16". He wrote on the invoice: "Tested every fixture. Units test good." The next day the shower faucet was dripping. I ran the washing machine and the pipes were noisy. So, it didn't appear that the plumber tested anything -- certainly not the noisy pipes. Also, the new toilette is 1 1/2" taller than what I requested. A week later, the plumber and helper returned, along with Jerry. The old dripping faucet, that they'd worked on so long during the first visit, obviously couldn't be fixed, so he brought replacements - $1130. First time I've ever spent over 1K on something sight unseen. When I peeked in the bathroom, they had everything ripped apart and were ready to install. I wanted to know what they looked like and couldn't believe he hadn't considered that I might want to see what I was paying for. Jerry left and the remaining plumber followed Jerry's protocol to fix the noisy pipes -- a water line to the washing machine was replaced. Finally, I got involved and ran the washing machine and the pipes still were noisy. This plumber said he thought the noise was coming from the washing machine and I should call a washing machine repair person. And that's how it ended. I just wanted them out of my house. (Another side note: the towels in the master bath, where they replaced the toilette and shower faucets and toro-rooted, were soaking wet. I can only guess they were used to mop up.) My trusted washing machine repair guy came and replaced a valve on the back of the washer, and said, "This is a no brainer." The noise in the pipes was gone. I hired another plumber to connect my new gas range, and when he weighed in on Jerry's protocol to fix the noise in the pipes generated by the washer, he said, "I wouldn't have started with the toilettes. You run the washing machine and you get a noise in the pipes. You start with the washing machine." Jerry's protocol was misleading and led to unnecessary work and an unresolved issue. From the invoices, I couldn't tell what he charged me for this work. Time and materials were not itemized. The best I can decipher is that the cost for the misguided "pipe work" was buried in charges totally $611, although this could include some inexpensive parts. I sent Jerry two letters requesting reimbursement for his protocol work, but never heard back. Follow-up to provider's response: For the record, my house is a 20-year-old California contemporary with a two-story rose sandstone chimney (with two fireplaces), rising through the center of the house -- not quite the old, ramshackle house that the provider suggests.

The problem came back almost right away. I called a neighbor who owns a water service business, and he came over, adjusted it, and it was fine. He said we probably needed the new tank, but didn't need a new pump. As soon as they adjusted it the problem went away.

Absolute Plumbing called on the day of the appointment and said they had an earlier opening...which was nice of them. The plumber used a liquid to to detect the leak...once he found the site of the leak, he left to purchase the needed replacement parts. The job was done in less than 2 hours. The liquid that he used to identify the site of the leak is a purple leak-detecting liquid that got sprayed all over the possible site of the leak. The only problem is that is got sprayed all over my floor and was not cleaned up. If it's my job to clean it up, then it's my job..but it would have been nice for them to clean it up. As far as the price goes, I don't know if it was pricey or a good deal. My neighbor has used them and seemed ok with what they charged to fix burst pipes. $204 for the job seemed a bit much, but I don't have a good frame of reference for this kind of thing...if $204 what you should pay for replacing a section of leaky gas line and installing a shut-off valve...that's cool. I'd use Absolute Plumbing again...they were very quick to come out after my initial call to them.

If I could them Jerry and his crew any higher than an A+++, I would. They went above and beyond to make sure we were taken care of and they did it all with a smile. I don't think our situation is unique but it was not the typical removal and install. We had just bought our home with the home warranty and noticed rust on the water heater. The home warranty would not pay until it failed but we wanted to avoid that so we hired someone to proactively take care of the problem and pay them out of pocket. I found a Absolute plumbing on Angie's list and decided to go with them because of the reviews and price. I was not dissappointed. The appointment was set and I had guys at the home in 2 days working on the unit. The techs Rick and Brandon were professional and did an excellent job. Everything was going as planned until the water heater was removed. It had been leaking all along but was such a slow leak, no one, not even our home inspector, noticed. Rick with Absolute plumbing mentioned he did notice it was leaning so he had a suspsion. The leak was so bad it had completely rusted trough the metal drain pan, rotted the subfloor, and ruined the cabinets next to the unit. We called the home warranty but were denied because they do not reimburse and you must use one if their contractors. Absolute Plumbing was not one. We called our home insurance and they refused because they only pay for sudden leaks, not one that occurs over "weeks to months", whatever that means, so we were out of luck. On top of that, we could not reinstall the new water heater because it would probably fall through the floor and needed to have someone replace the floors first, so we had no hot water. Absolute recommended Wertz Flooring (another excellent company). I called them at 5pm and they came out the next day as a courtesy because of the situation. While we waited to have the sub floor and the laundry room floor replaced, Jerry at Absolute was so patient with us and even offered to call the home warranty people to explain the situation and also to become a contractor so it would be easier to reimburse if they decided to do so. It wasn't easy and it took a few days and many frustrating calls but Jerry and my husband finally got the home warranty to agree to reimburse for the water heater. Absolute plumbing was so patient and helpful and Jerry took the time out in his busy schedule to call and wait on hold with the warranty people for us. This was not his problem but he wanted to do all he could to help us out. In addition to this, he did not charge for the return visit and when we finally had the floors replaced, he was able to get me in the next day! Not only is Absolute a knowledgable,honest, and decent company, they have professional techs that are patient in answering questions, polite and friendly and they clean up after. We had two quotes and they were also the more afforable one! As for Jerry, I don't have the words to describe him. He really went above and beyond and I am not sure how I can ever adequately thank him. He helped me keep my sanity throughout this very frustrating process and was so kind, professional, and patient the whole time. I am very pleased with our new water heater. It is up to code, has a plastic drain pan, and drains outside in case this happens again. I expect a good install and product but it came with such a high level of compassion for perfect strangers, it surprised me...Jerry and Absolute Plumbing has earned a customer for life.

In talking with the provider I've decided to do a tankless water heater instead of a standard. They are actually coming out tomorrow to perform the installation which will also require some additional plumbing work.

THe kitchen sink water faucet is a single faucet that has a handle that turns right or left for cold or hot. Before they left, I did not check the hot/cold operation. After they left, I found that the faucet only moves to hot or slightly lukewarm. It does not move to the "cold" side. I was so frustrated with this plumber that I decided not to call them back. Later, I replaced the washers in my other sink by myself and it no longer leaks. Youtube has great "how-to" videos. The reason they get a poor grade is that the sink faucet still has a problem.

They were professional over the phone. They were kind enough to squeeze us in that same day to come fix our upstairs bathroom, which we really appreciated! Rick came back out again to help us out. He was very polite and professional and was able to unclog the drain quickly. I was disappointed that we had to wait to finish the job a second time because a piece of equipment that was needed hadn't been brought along - the first time they needed larger equipment than they realized and had to go back to the shop, while this time Rick didn't bring a big enough camera for our drain and we had to wait another half hour or so for someone to bring over a larger one from another job. They did a very good job of getting the drain taken care of and relaying what they found the real problem to be. We did not move forward with them at this time for the second part of the job just so that we can check around for some other quotes first. Overall, they were very responsive and efficient. Their pricing might be perfectly reasonable - we just haven't really shopped around just yet to make sure.

I saw a good deal for a 50gallon on Angie's List and was worried they'd talk me into a bigger unit so I asked to confirm size before they showed up and then raised the price. It was explained that with a jetted tub and an extra shower added to the basement we'd have trouble if we ever tried to sell the house (which we happen to plan on doing soon.) It was a tough swallow paying for the extra 25 gallons but we are very pleased we did. The price was fair and 10% AL discount helped. We called Monday afternoon and had the new unit in before lunch on Wednesday. Both workers were polite and quick to take care of business. Nothing was left behind except for a new water heater. This one meets next year's code so we don't worry about potential home inspectors flagging it to prospective buyers. We may have a little clean-up plumbing to do before we put the house on the market and will call Absolute, absolutely. (you must tolerate that joke to use them, otherwise they are great.)

They were prompt and professional, explained everything they were doing, and the cost was extremely reasonable. Expect to have them back for an estimate on another job in the near future.

The experienced plumber was fantastic and his helper was worthless - very lazy. He even sat down to watch TV while the experienced worker did everything. Thanks to the employee who had work ethic, everything was installed correctly. An unexpected leak under the sink developed in this older home when the dishwasher was hooked up. Although it was late and the lazy helper was hungry and complaining, the experienced plumber stayed to ensure the job would be completed that day. A leak sprung in the basement due to the pressure of water in older pipes causing another weak spot to give out. It was a Saturday but the company was prompt in sending the plumber on call, who was also gracious and efficient. There have been no further issues. I based my rating on the experienced plumber's performance and the plumber on call on Saturday because I can tell that the company they represent strives to do things right. I highly recommend Absolute Plumbing & Mechanical of Midlothian, VA

I called this place because of the high rating. They do gas plumbing and I was interested in having two fire places converted to gas logs or gas inserts. I made the appointment and the guy did show up on time and as scheduled. I never received a quote. I waited over a week before I called back. The lady on the phone said she was sorry and I should have received it. She repeated my email address back to me which was correct. I still never received the quote. Not receiving the email is one thing however, they could have sent a copy in the mail which wasn't done. I figure if the company, regardless of their rating can't get a quote to me, then they don't deserve my business.

We experienced some plumbing problems in our second floor bathroom on Wednesday morning. The toilet drain was backed up and caused water all over the floor and dripping down into our kitchen ceiling. We called that afternoon, and Absolute was able to make it out by Friday evening. They were on time and very professional. Rick was very polite and good about explaining what the problem was. They did have to leave our house to go back to the shop and get a different piece of equipment for unblocking the drain during the service call which may have been included in the labor time, but the rest of the job was done quickly and quietly. Overall, we were happy with the results.

I used Absolute Plumbing to replace two shower heads and check out why the hot water was so slow to get to parts of my new condo. They were on time, very polite and friendly. The work they did was well done but as important they took the time to answer many of my questions. Since they knew that I was replacing the shower heads in an attempt to get better water flow in the shower, they spent time testing the shower head with me to ensure I was happy with it. As I was writing this review, I tried to think of anything they could have done to improve the service call, and I could not think of any. The price was as discussed. They communicated service times and stuck to them. I didn't rate the price because I didn't shop around since the job wasn't very large so I don't know if the price was higher or lower than it should be.

Fixed leak from upstairs tub that was leaing in dining room

On the first time, our kitchen sink was backed up. It was about three in the afternoon and it had started snowing. They still came out on Saturday for no extra charges. They were unable to get it unclogged because it was the original drain line. He ended up replacing the piping. The technician was able to get the parts and replace them all in that same day! Our kitchen sink has a faucet with a sprayer. When it was turned on, it was leaking and flooding under the sink. We tried to replace it ourselves, but we were unable to get the hose off. When we called them, they were about to come out quickly as well on a Friday evening. They were unable to get the hose off as well. They ended up installing an entire new faucet for us that we had already purchased. When they had to turn off the water on the past jobs, they had to go out to where the main water line comes on to our property to turn the water off. Our shut off valve was so old that none of them would work and they came back on another visit to replace the shut off valves. I thought that their costs were reasonable, even with the time and a half rate we were changed for them to come out on a Friday evening. The technicians who came out were very friendly and explained things well. They did have to come back on two different visits for the replacement of the shut off valve. One of the technicians was very apologetic and even gave us his number to reach him if ever needed. Our overall experience with them has been great!

I called Absolute Plumbing and Mechanical on a Tuesday afternoon and was able to schedule a technician to come out the next day. The woman who answered my call informed me that someone would arrive between 12 and 5 PM and that I would receive a call prior to the technician's arrival. At 3 PM Wednesday, I received a call from someone at the office, who confirmed my availability and informed me that the technician would be at my home in the next half hour. Promptly at 3:30, two technicians arrived at my door step. Rick and Shawn were professional throughout the visit. After checking my old disposal and determining it needed to be replaced, Rick provided me with the cost to ensure I was ok with it before proceeding to install the new one. He and Shawn worked efficiently and thoroughly; the disposal was installed within a hour's time. Rick made sure to clean up the small mess that was made during the installation. Shawn also checked the leaky faucet in my bathroom; he and Rick determined I need a new faucet, as the part that needs to be replaced is no longer available because the model has been discontinued. Rick gave me details on what to expect in terms of potential cost and amount of labor should I have them to install a new one during another service call. Rick took care of my payment and provided me with a copy of the receipt, along with a business card, before leaving. I was very pleased with their service. I recommend them and would call them to service my home again.

I broke off one of the hose bibs trying to disconnect a hose that had been cross-threaded. I bought a replacement to fix it myself. It was the type that you don't have to sweat. I'm pretty handy so I didn't think it would be a problem. After looking at the fact that I would have to make a larger hole in the brick, crawl back and forth under the house numerous times as the repair commenced, I decided to look on Angie's List. I called Absolute and they had a crew out here the next week. Rick and his assistant (I'm sorry I can't remember his name) went to work as soon as they got out of the truck. Rick discussed the options and we decided not to use the bib I had bought and have two bibs that he had on the truck soldered on. Both of the old bibs were loose and Rick sleeved the new ones so that they would not move around when you turned on the water. Rick and his assistant worked like a well oiled machine and they completed the work in thirty minutes. I'm sure that it would have taken me a couple hours to replace they one bib. Even though they were a bit late on the estimated arrival time I was given when I made the appointment I still gave them an "A" for punctuality. They were late because they had an emergency on the call before me and took care of that client with the same great customer service that they gave me.

They were prompt and did the work with no problems. They had an intern that came and did the work. They left a minimal mess but I had to wipe up some water. I probably wouldn't use them in the future. I wouldn't feel comfortable using them in the future because they didn't appear to have extensive knowledge. They were adequate. I wouldn't recommend them to my friends.

Box was installed with 1/2" gap from wall and not level with wall. Sheet rock was damaged and not repaired. The worst looking job I have ever seen. Have been in construction trade for forty years. Now I understand why their quote was so low.

They did fine. The water heater is working fine now and is very nice.

Hot water heater started to overheat the water and the red button keep tripping off. I also smell something burned at the bottom of the tank. It turned out to be the thermostat at the bottom was total fired but the upper one was fine. Our service guy, Rick, told me that we must replace the whole unit because there is must something wrong between the upper and lower thermostat that cannot be accessible. I wouldn't totally buy that because I am a profession electrical engineer and to my knowledge that might not be the case. He further explained with providing more evidence which usually the thermostat would not have gone bad like that alone and it shouldn't keep melting like that after it went bad. There must be something keep burning INSIDE so we can keep smelling it. Besides, the unit is 10 years old and I didn't take good care for it at all. So I finally agreed what he said and replaced the whole tank. The price the quoted was fair in my opinion but I kinda need the service immediately. I did not have time to compare them all out there. The total amount sounds like what it should be according to all kind of information I could find on the Internet. I tried to have him applied the 10% off coupon I found on Angie's List. That didn't go through. They said they already applied a discount on this flat rate that they cannot give me any more discount. Their service is fast, and professional. Rick explained well in every step he did and coordinate his team in a very efficient way. They finished installation in around 1.5 hours, which I think is rather fast. Rick also tough me how to maintain the new hot water heater and I think it's a good tip to prolong the life of new one. I would definitely recommend people consult their service when things come needed. Good service attitude and great overall quality.

Top marks across the board. Everything went smoothly and the new water heater works perfectly. Also, Absolute charged me half of the amount quoted to me by another well established company in town. I highly recommend this company and will use them again.

We needed a plumber to inspect the plumbing under our kitchen sink due to our disposal backing up. The tech was very helpful and noticed that we did not have the right size plumbing connection under our house which was causing the clogs. He cut out the old portion and installed a new and larger connection. The entire repair was less than an hour and it has worked well ever since.