Drain Works Plumbing

Rating: 4.8 out of 5

Drain Works Plumbing reviews (1701)

  • Review from HomeOwner
    Rating: 1 out of 5
    Review left on 5 Jun 2012

    Fixing a leaking kitchen faucet

    I feel like I have been fleeced out of $500. Our Moen kitchen faucet was leaking. The plumber replaced the cartridge only to find the lever of the faucet "too top heavy" and due to the "smooth action" of the new cartridge he installed, it would shut itself off from the weight of the lever. When asked if they could order the appropriate cartridge for this model, I was told that DrainWorks will not order parts for you and that I would need to do that myself with Moen. Shouldn't any reputable plumber do this for you as part of their service if they did not have the part in their van/in stock? So here we are with a cartridge that obviously isn't compatible with the Moen faucet and the only alternative given by DrainWorks is to order it ourselves or purchase from them a completely new faucet system, including spout and sprayer, which were not in need of repair. Buying this new faucet system added $270 more to the original quote given. Yes, I agreed to it, given that my sink was now in pieces and inoperable, I felt this was the only choice I had. I had instant buyer remorse upon trying it out myself because it wasn't the same as our original kitchen faucet system. This one has a much lower profile spout far less practical than our high arcing original. The only other alternative given by DrainWorks was to pay more for a more appropriate model that would suit our needs. We were already in way over our heads at this point, so I declined. My husband and I very disappointed with the outcome feeling that we put on the spot to make a high pressure decision. My husband phoned them the next day and asked what DrainWorks could offer us if we chose to purchase a suitable replacement closer to the original and whether we could get them to install it for us. Their reply: they were only willing to do so for an additional $300 on top of the $500 we have already paid them. We obviously declined. Feeling totally ripped off and completely taken advantage of. [CUSTOMER EDIT AFTER COMPANY RESPONSE] DrainWork’s response to our review is inaccurate, and does not reflect our experience with this company. Nowhere on DrainWork’s invoice does it state that “a short amount of time would need to pass, at which point, this issue would go away completely.” What the invoice does say is: “ (A) Attempt repair of Moen 3-component Kit faucet w/no guarantee of success”. The invoice goes on to read: “Faucet replacement is an option w/various prices. Found repair (A) was problematic, since existing faucet was shutting off automatically, therefore owner opted for new faucet”. We were never advised that repair (A) would work in time, nor is that stated on Drainwork’s invoice. The only option provided was replacement with another Moen faucet the plumber had on hand. Contrary to DrainWork’s assertion below, the part was not correct. We were advised that DrainWorks does not order parts, and that we would have to order the part from Moen ourselves (as correctly stated in the initial review). My wife and I were not satisfied with the outcome and decided to post a review of our experience on Homestars. Then came the call from Eddie, the Vice President of Drainworks, at my (husband’s) place of work. The pretext for the call was to “find a resolution”, but it wasn’t long before Eddie advised me to “be a man” and “admit our review was full of lies”. A bad experience was made infinitely worse by these mean-spirited, insulting comments, and no effort at resolution was ever made or offered. If your one of Drainwork’s satisfied customers, good. If you are not satisfied with their work, you should not expect any genuine effort to resolve the issue, much less professionalism or common courtesy.

    Answer from pro:

    **Sharyn** Despite the inaccuracies in your review, that contradict what’s written on our invoice, in the sake of keeping this response streamlined, we’ll keep our reply to the heart of the issue. We were called by you to address your leaky kitchen faucet; we came out the same day, within a few hours, and gave you a price upfront, before any work was done, to attempt to repair the leak on your faucet, which we fixed and stopped the leak at the agreed cost of $159+hst. Now, as a byproduct of your pre-existing faucet handle being too top heavy, and the cartridge being brand new, a short amount of time would need to pass, at which point, this issue would go away completely. Up until that time the faucet would have still been fully operable. It was never “left in pieces, inoperable” at any point, nothing needed to be ordered as this part was correct. All of this was explained in detail, every step of the way. Instead, you chose to replace the faucet altogether. It is also important to note, that in the name of customer service, we put the aforementioned $159 repair cost, towards our supply and installation of the new kitchen faucet. In essence, you got that service for free. Further, we reduced the book cost of the kitchen faucet install, on top of the $159+hst reduction for the repair (which was successful). Ultimately, as you said, this came down to “buyer remorse” and you disliking the aesthetic of a faucet you had seen and agreed to, prior to our installation of it. When your husband called the office, he inquired for a cost to install a faucet that you would supply since you no longer liked the faucet you chose to be installed, the day prior. A standard price was provided as the faucet we already installed cannot be returned and it cannot be sold to anyone else and the labour to install it cannot be erased. We followed through exactly as we said we would when the appointment was booked, and we adhered to your requests to proceed with service every step of the way. We do listen to our customers Sharyn; in fact, how could we have listened to you any more than we did? What more could we have done? Disregard your consent to proceed and refuse you the service you requested and walk away? It is with great displeasure to hear that you are unsatisfied, however, DrainWorks has done nothing wrong, and will abide by that.

    Reply created 8 Jun 2012
  • Review from HomeOwner
    Rating: 5 out of 5
    Review left on 5 Jun 2012

    backed up water in basement

    They were quick and arrived in less then 2 hours fixed the issue in about 1hour. Cleaned up after themselves. Even washed the floor in the area of the backup.

    Answer from pro:

    **Thanks Pierrette** We appreciate your review and thank you for taking the time to share this experience. It is rewarding to know that you were happy with the quick and cleanly service you received. We do look forward to being the plumbing and drain service providers you continue to rely on should you require assistance again in the future.

    Reply created 6 Jun 2012
  • Review from HomeOwner
    Rating: 5 out of 5
    Review left on 30 May 2012

    Floor drain backed up

    From the moment I called Drainworks and spoke with William , I knew they were 1st class. It only got better when Mike and Eric showed up on time. They were extremely professional and they would be welcomed in my home anytime. I would not hesitate to recommend them to anyone who has a plumbing problem. Thank you, Dennis in Mississauga

    Answer from pro:

    **Thanks Dennis** It was a pleasure reading your review and learning that you were so satisfied with our service right from your initial call into our office, to the completion of the job. Thank you in advance for any referrals you make on our behalf. We do look forward to being the plumbing and drain service providers you can rely on. Thanks for choosing DrainWorks.

    Reply created 6 Jun 2012
  • Review from HomeOwner
    Rating: 5 out of 5
    Review left on 30 May 2012

    Root Removal from Floor Drain

    We had Drainworks in to our house twice. In 2006 they were amazing. I was really impressed by the fact that they never tried to persuade us to dig up the floor. They were willing to asses the problem honestly and fix it with a minimum of expense. In 2011 we had them back, but the guy they sent this time was not as stellar as the first one. He never tried to "up sell" but just wasn't as helpful. Nonetheless, he did the job well and left the place spotless.

    Answer from pro:

    **Thanks Anthony** We appreciate your review and thank you for taking the time to share this experience. It is rewarding to know that you found our service amazing with no pressure tactics, and we certainly are grateful for your patronage. We do value your feedback as it is a very informative tool for us. We kindly ask you to contact our office for a follow up so that we may learn how to improve our service and be more helpful. We will look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience. Thanks for continually choosing DrainWorks.

    Reply created 31 May 2012
  • Review from HomeOwner
    Rating: 5 out of 5
    Review left on 29 May 2012

    2 Basement drains flooding

    We had flooding from the basement drains located in the cold storage pantry & in the furnace room. My husband checked things thru & realized that we needed to get someone in to locate the blockage. He called DrainWorks & they responded within a few hours of our phone call. We were given a timeframe & DrainWorks called a second time to narrow down their arrival time. They (Mike & Eric) arrived on time, which we appreciate. They explained what they were going to do & showed us what was happening both in the camera & outside where the blockage was. They were very courteous & respectful & thoughtful & they provided explanations. They even wore booties on their shoes & they put booties on the wheels of the machine before they took it down to the basement. They told us the cost up front for the things that they had to do as the work proceeded (camera & snake costs). For the quality of the work that was done, the price was quite fair & we truly appreciated their help. They also made suggestions to us for followup with the City of Toronto. Thank you Mike & Eric for your help! Linda & Bogdan.

    Answer from pro:

    **Thanks Linda** It was an absolute pleasure reading your review, as we have learned through it, how much you appreciated the quick, punctual, clean, and affordable service that Mike and Eric provided. Thank you so much for sharing your experience here, and thank you for choosing DrainWorks. We certainly do look forward to being the plumbing and drain service providers you can and will rely on.

    Reply created 30 May 2012
  • Review from HomeOwner
    Rating: 5 out of 5
    Review left on 25 May 2012

    Kitchen sink was backing up, cleaned the main pipe from the grease all the way to the city pipe .

    Good job. Very professional. Nice equipment. Checked with the camera first. I was able to see where exactly the problem was. No guessing. Fixed it, double check with the camera. I hope not going to see this problem for a wile.

    Answer from pro:

    **Thanks Janna** We appreciate your review and thank you for taking the time to share this experience here with others. It is rewarding to know that our professionalism and efficiency was recognized and well received by you. Thanks for choosing DrainWorks, we look forward to being the plumbing and drain service providers you can rely on should you require assistance again in the future.

    Reply created 30 May 2012
  • Review from HomeOwner
    Rating: 1 out of 5
    Review left on 25 May 2012

    leaky kitchen faucet

    I originally submitted this review indicating that I hadn't paid for the service then remembered that I did in deed pay for the representative $70+ to come to my house to give us an assessment and an estimate. I am relieved that I only paid for the quote and not for any other services. The representative was quick to return my call and assess the source of the leak (the faucet). For that Drainworks gets one star. But that's as far as my satisfaction goes. The representative strongly encouraged my wife to buy one of the faucets he had in his van. When she said she did not like any of the models he had available, he seemed to get annoyed/ frustrated. When she asked if we could buy our own faucet that night and have him return later to install it for us, the representative seemed very disappointed with us. There seemed to be a "hard sell" strategy in play and the representative seemed desperate to make a sale, leaving us feel rather uncomfortable. To make matters worse, the price he quoted us to install a faucet that we would purchase was alarmingly high ($320+ hst). We decided to get more quotes from other plumbers on HomeStars and sure enough most of them offered to do the job for roughly half that price! We ended up going with a different plumber highly recommended on HomeStars and the job took only an hour to wrap up. No idea why the Drainworks rep wanted $320 for a one hour , straightforward faucet swap. My experience suggests that if you are going to go with Drainworks, that you should shop around and get some other quotes before going ahead.

    Answer from pro:

    Dan, regarding how our plumber “reacted” while onsite, I can assume this was talked about at a later time with your wife, as you were never onsite during our visit. Unfortunately, we cannot disprove your claims of our plumber being “annoyed/frustrated or “disappointed”, as they are subjective claims and open to interpretation. They are, however, completely contrary to the demeanour our plumbers and technicians have in the culture of customer service we’ve created at DrainWorks. The facts though, are as follows: You called us, asked for an appointment the following day, yet we exceeded expectations and had a plumber at your home within a few hours. Once onsite, our plumber spent almost an hour with your wife, at which time, 3 different options were given, price-wise (including the option for us to come back and install a faucet of your choosing at a later date, if that was the option that suited her best), not just one to try to “pressure” her into some sort of sales tactic. As stated when the call was booked, she had no obligation beyond our assessment. In fact, all of our plumbers and technicians are salaried employees, not commission based. Dan, we can’t control how you feel about our pricing. It’s in line with legitimate industry standards. To say other companies “were cheaper”, that will always be the case, in any profession/business, if price is what you’re fixated on. Someone is always out to give you “rock bottom” pricing, but at what cost? As evidenced by well over a thousand positive reviews here on HomeStars and thousands of other, satisfied customers, elsewhere in our database, we’re dedicated to providing quality service for fair prices, day in, and day out.

    Reply created 25 May 2012
  • Review from Karen
    Rating: 5 out of 5
    Review left on 24 May 2012

    Replacement of main valve and water service lead pipe

    DrainWorks staff were quick, pleasant, accessible and clean. I was concerned about the garden/lawn that had to be dug up to replace our water service and you were hardly know that work was done in that area!

    Answer from pro:

    **Thanks Karen** We certainly are grateful for the review. It is nice to know that you were so satisfied with the quick, pleasant and cleanly service you received. Thank you for choosing DrainWorks, we look forward to being the plumbing and drain service providers you can rely on.

    Reply created 30 May 2012
  • Review from HomeOwner
    Rating: 5 out of 5
    Review left on 23 May 2012

    replaced old clay tile pipe with pvc pipe

    The service was great very efficient, I felt confident with the work that was done. The clean up was impressive. The site manager took me step by step through what was going to happen and what issues that may arise. I would highly recommend Drainworks for any plumbing need.

    Answer from pro:

    **Thanks** We certainly are grateful for the review and thank you for taking the time to share your experience here with others. It is rewarding to know you felt confident with the service provided, which lead to your confidence in referring DrainWorks. We look forward to being the plumbing and drain service providers you can rely on should you require assistance again in the future.

    Reply created 23 May 2012
  • Review from HomeOwner
    Rating: 5 out of 5
    Review left on 22 May 2012

    Unclog basement sink

    Armando arrived less than two hours after initial call, finished in half an hour. Very clear about price beforehand. Reasonable, careful about cleanliness, friendly. Will use again if we need plumbing work.

    Answer from pro:

    **Thanks Joanna** We appreciate your review and thank you for sharing these kind words regarding the positive service experience you had. It is nice to know you were so pleased with the quick, efficient, clean and friendly service Armando provided. We do look forward to being the plumbing and drain service providers you can rely on. Thanks for choosing DrainWorks.

    Reply created 23 May 2012