Drain Works Plumbing

Rating: 4.8 out of 5

Drain Works Plumbing reviews (1701)

  • Review from HomeOwner
    Rating: 5 out of 5
    Review left on 10 Jun 2010

    Blocked sewer drain

    Our basement sewer drain started to back up and we found ourselves with a basement filling up with dirty water. It was late in the evening, around 11:00 p.m., so we checked the Yellow Pages for a 24 hour service and discovered the Drainworks ad. It was a bad night for drains and all their plumbers were already out on calls so the earliest they could send someone was between 10:00 - 12:00 the following day. The dispatch said he would get someone to us as soon as he could. The plumbers arrrived around 10:15 a.m., were very pleasant, courteous and informative. They asked verious questions to get a fix on what was happening and then after putting on bootees over their shoes, proceeded to the basement. They inspected the line via stack cleanout at @60', were unable to pass snaked line so brought in another piece of equipment. Encountered blockage at 60-70', inspected line again and found a large buildup of stones down stream of the mutual line with neighbour in pvc on city property. The stones appeared to be from the construction that was taking place next door. They temporarily cleared the blockage and suggested we call the city on the 311 line, because the blockage was on city property. Throughout the whole procedure Mike and his partner were very informative, walked us through what was happening, suggested we might want to take some photos ourselves, and were very encouraging. They provided us with a video of what they found and told us how we should proceed. We were very impressed with these two gentlemen and would not hesitate to recommend Drainworks to others and will certainly use them again, should the need arise. We have never had drainage problems before and were quite interested to watch the video to see what was happening underground.

    Answer from pro:

    **Thanks Fran** It was a pleasure reading your review to learn how pleased you were with our service. We thank you in advance for any referrals your make on our behalf and we look forward to being the plumbing and drain service providers you can rely on should you require our services again in the future.

    Reply created 15 Jun 2010
  • Review from HomeOwner
    Rating: 4 out of 5
    Review left on 7 Jun 2010

    Kitchen faucet installment and leakage

    having my kitchen sink broken for a while, i needed a plumber to fix them right away. As i was browsing google, i found drainworks and went to their website. the company looks very reliable so i called and tell them about my problems. in 30 minutes i had someone came right away. as he was inspecting my kitchen sink, he told me that i need to reinstall anew faucet since my old one has worn out. to get the replacement of something similar from what i had, its going to cost me $500. i was taken by surprise by the price. since i needed to get it done fast and want no problems with installing it my self, i agreed to it. the service was excellent i have to say, he was very friendly and easy going. he also fixed a little leakage on the pipes, and it was free of charge (thankfully). over all i have to say it was an excellent service, although price ways i was a bit disappointed since i found out that the faucet costs less than $200 dollars ifi install them my self.

    Answer from pro:

    **Thanks Michelle** It is nice to know that you appreciated our quick, reliable service and the friendly, easy going demeanour of our plumber. We understand that it is frustrating to pay for services one wishes they could do themselves, but like you say in your review; if you want it done fast and with no problems, you hire a professional to do it right the first time. In addition, it is important to note that our pricing is in line with the industry standard for a licensed and insured plumber completing fully warrantable work at your home and we always get approval before proceeding. We hope we have cleared up any concerns you may have had and we look forward to being the plumbing and drain service providers you can rely on.

    Reply created 8 Jun 2010
  • Review from Rob Quan
    Rating: 4 out of 5
    Review left on 5 Jun 2010

    Blocked sewer

    Armando and Massimo came to my house and explained what my choices were going to be. I opted for the camera inspection to see where the problem was. They were very professional and came with little boot slip covers. They snaked the camera in and quickly came to the blockage but unfortunately couldn't unblock with the camera itself. They brought in the big guns and was able to quickly remove some roots which got the water running. They scoped out the drain and marked off where the blockage was on my lawn so that the city could come out and do another inspection and decide if they would have to come excavate. I contacted the city and since the drain was unblocked, we felt it was safe to wait (7 days) for them to come. The city referred company showed up and ran the camera and came up to the same blockage at 55ft which shouldn't have been there since it's only been 7 days since Drainworks cleared it. We then discovered another blockage further down before the main sewer line at 75ft that should have been cleared out the first time.

    Answer from pro:

    **RoQ** If there was a way to post the invoice here on HomeStars for the service you received, we could easily illustrate that the review posted is not totally inline with what is documented. The snaking we performed did clear the blockage at 55ft and got your system flowing, but the snaking alone cannot fix the problem. That is why we left you with a quote for a permanent solution. In addition, the blockage you speak of at 75ft was disclosed to you as a blockage on city side. City side issues are out of our jurisdiction as private contractors. We cannot clear blockages on city side and it is not the responsibility of homeowners to pay private contractors to fix city side issues. That is why we told you and documented on the invoice to call the city. We hope this has shed some light on the service you received and cleared up any questions or concerns you may have had.

    Reply created 8 Jun 2010
  • Review from HomeOwner
    Rating: 5 out of 5
    Review left on 5 Jun 2010

    blocked drains

    We had been experiences clogged toilets for several years. Despite employing plumbers to fix the problem, it became progressively worse and worse. One of our neighbors had their drains scooped and routed and so we decided to do the same. We called DrainWorks and Matt arrived promptly, was neat and efficient and showed us everything. He originally missed the root causing the problem but on a second look found it and removed it. He couldn't locate the actual location outside, in order to did and remove the root entirely, but he did explain why and gave us his best guess as to its location. He did everything he could and was very polite and professional. If you are constantly plunging your toilets for no apparent reason, give them a call. Sooner the better as roots will eventually block your drain completely.

    Answer from pro:

    **Thanks Charles** We appreciate the review and are glad to read that you were so pleased with Matt’s service and efforts to assist you. We look forward to hearing from you should you require our services again in the future. Thanks for choosing DrainWorks.

    Reply created 8 Jun 2010
  • Review from HomeOwner
    Rating: 4 out of 5
    Review left on 4 Jun 2010

    Drain installation

    First and foremost, I would like to say the plumber who came to my house was top notch. He was friendly, courteous and competent. Based on his performance alone I have no apprehensions about recommending the abilities of DrainWorks plumbers. There is however something about DrainWorks that does bother me. They claim upfront pricing, but I think this is selective representation. When I initially called DrainWorks for an estimate on the job I wanted them to do, but I was told that they do not offer pricing without coming to see what needs to be done. However, the plumber from DrainWorks refers to a booklet of jobs, and based on that booklet quotes a price. So there was no reason the person on the phone would have been unable to give me a price. I wanted a drain installed for a kitchen sink with a single basin. He could have opened the book, said that service falls into this category and quoted me the standard $269.99 price point. Now the only reason I can assume they do this is because their prices must be a little high. Once a plumber is already in your unit, looks at the job and tells you the price, you're likely to just tell them to go ahead with the work rather than send them away so you can get other quotes. It's smart business, but I would have liked to see them be truly up front about their pricing since it IS all printed out in a little book anyway. That price booklet should be on their website, and the phone reps should be willing to tell people what the jobs cost if they fit within the criteria. Also, should my drain required a minor repair and not a replacement, I don't think DrainWorks would be the company to do it. I get the impression they can only work within the framework of their little book. So for example, if I need a small repair to the drain, not a replacement they might not have had an entry in the book for it. But this is something they would be able to tell you on site, and it would be no charge to you.

    Answer from pro:

    **Thanks rbs** We appreciate the feedback and are glad you found our plumber and his service top notch. We would however, like to address your concerns with the price book and we invite you to call or come into our office so that we can spend some time with you to explain it fully. Essentially though, only a qualified professional should assess and provide pricing for any job that needs to be performed. We respect the fact that our customers like to self diagnose their own repairs, but sometimes what one hopes to have done and what is possible may be two different things. The only way to know for certain is to have a licensed plumber sent over to accurately assess, and that is why we sent our plumber over at no charge. In addition there is a whole section in the price book for repairs, so albeit a customer who says they want a replacement might not know that a repair could be a cost effective alternative, saving you money, and wouldn’t have known about such an alternative unless the qualified plumber was sent to the home to visually assess and go through the options. It is also important to us to clarify that our pricing is in line with the going rate for service from a licensed and insured plumber, and no illusion, our pricing is exact and provided up front to our customers for approval before we proceed. As we sent the plumber over at no charge, there is no obligation and no recourse for not proceeding if you are not satisfied. We hope this has shed some light on some of your concerns and we do look forward to hearing from you should you care to go over those concerns in more detail.

    Reply created 8 Jun 2010
  • Review from HomeOwner
    Rating: 4 out of 5
    Review left on 4 Jun 2010

    tree roots in basement bathroom drain

    We had a flood from our basement bathroom due to tree roots growing into our clay pipe. We called Drainworks and from the time we placed the call they had excellent follow-up, were quick, right on time and provided detail explanations of what they were doing and why they were doing it. They tarped the area they worked in, cleaned up well and were very respectful of our space. They replace our clay pipe, put new cement on the floor and everything was left clean and tidy. We would definitely call them again for any drain issues.

    Answer from pro:

    **Thanks Cathy** We are very grateful for the review and thank you for taking the time to share this experience. It is rewarding to learn that you found our service professional and reliable; two things we certainly strive for as part of our customer service obligation to you. We certainly look forward to being the plumbing and drain service providers you can rely on should you require our assistance again in the future.

    Reply created 8 Jun 2010
  • Review from HomeOwner
    Rating: 1 out of 5
    Review left on 3 Jun 2010

    Replace inside ISO valve for outdoor hose

    My wife and I along with our newborn son moved into our first home in Mimico last September knowing full well that with purchasing a house that was built in the 1930's comes many pocketbook setbacks. During our initial renovations, before we moved in, we discovered that there was a leak in our basement laundry room streaming from the wall. I decided to call the plumbing company I knew best, from seeing Terry Cord's smiling face on vans all around the city. Every review I read was positive so I did not hesitate to make the call. A DrainWorks plumber, who will remain nameless, was dispatched to our home and made me sign a $69 dollar diagnosis initiation fee that was to be waived when work began. Another fee was charged to cut through the drywall so that the problem could be found. When cutting through the drywall could not find the problem he made the diagnosis that the primer line from the laundry tub was backing up and filling the bottom plate of the drywalled wall in the laundry room and running along the plate to where the leak was spilling onto the floor. Myself being a carpenter by trade and not a plumber believed the diagnosis was true and could be taken care of easily enough. The DrainWorks plumber sold me a new tap for the laundry tub removed the primer line and that was to be that. Being impressed by the way DrainWorks had handled themselves so far I agreed to buy a new toilet for the main bathroom at approx. $600 plus installation. A couple of months later I noticed the same leak in the laundry room make its presence known. I inspected more closely and removed the cover plate in the wall of the laundry room and discovered that the valve that lead to the outdoor hose nozzle was leaking and dripping down behind the wall. Not needing the outdoor hose in the winter I decided to shut off the valve and deal with it in the spring, thinking that DrainWorks would help me out with the repairs seeing that the original diagnosis might have been incorrect. Spring came and we started to plant the garden so knowing that DrainWorks would have to get behind the drywall and I didn't want to be charged for something that I do for a living, I tore down the wall. It was lined with black mold and soft to the touch. When the wall came down I noticed that the original primer line was nowhere near the bottom plate of the wall and could have never backed up into it but the leaking valve was directly above the plate and was not able to shut off completely. I immediately made the call to DrainWorks knowing that the leak needed to be fixed ASAP. Upon speaking with their representative on the phone he told me that he could not say anything about a discount or comment about the past work because the warranty had expired and he did not do any of the original work. He gave me a possible appointment for the following Friday, two days from the call, or the following week with the original plumber. Having my hours fixed I could not meet with the original plumber on the Friday and not being able to wait for the following week I opted for another one of DrainWorks plumbers to come in on the Saturday, hoping that they could stay true to their image. Wrong. The new plumber came in, totally disregarded anything I had to say about past work done by the company and again made me sign a $69 diagnosis slip before he quoted me anything. With a new non freeze hose bib I was quoted $369. Watching the water drip into the bucket below the valve I agreed to let the work be done. He drained the pipe. Cut the pipe. Drilled a bigger hole through the original hole leading outside and cracked the brick and mortar two feet in either direction and then told me that the brick was just falling apart everywhere, maybe if he didn't drill though a joint that wouldn't have happened. He couldn't screw the new bib to the brick because he had cracked it so badly so he stuffed the hole with chunks of wood around the pipe and screwed it to that and told me that I should buy some non shrinking cement and fix the cracks to give the pipe some more support. He left and I felt hosed. Pun intended. I will make it my duty to make sure that everyone I know and everyone I do carpentry work for or renovations to never use DrainWorks. I truly had high hopes for them. I do love the toilet I bought from them. Too bad they wouldn't flush the cost of the second repair for me.

    Answer from pro:

    **David** First it is important to clear up the fact that you agreed to a $69 assessment fee when you called to book the appointment. A plumber getting signatures on the invoice as confirmation of the fact is not out of line. It is also important to note that on our initial visit, as the assessment could only be done by cutting into the drywall, you were not charged both fees, but rather only the drywall access fee. The plumber made his assessment and proceeded with the repair. That repair does come with a 1 year warranty, however, there is no warranty on work that has yet to be done. In this situation a new problem developed in your 1930’s home and additional repairs were required. To assume that we are responsible for, or that additional work should come free of charge is out of line. By your standards any new leak discovered in the laundry room could be construed to have been the initial problem you called about and thus DrainWorks’ obligation to repair at no cost. What is also puzzling is why one would wait almost 7 months to even divulge that fact that there was a leak at the home, especially since you so whole heartedly believed it to be a DrainWorks error? Even more puzzling is why, if you were so dissatisfied with our service the first time, you would agree to pay us to do MORE WORK? You say it is because the leak needed to be fixed ASAP, but you had already waited for several months? Some things do not add up here or seem logical based on your review in relation to your actions. Simply put, we honour our warranties, we assessed your issue and found it to be a new problem that required additional repairs, we provided pricing and you agreed to have the work done.

    Reply created 8 Jun 2010
  • Review from HomeOwner
    Rating: 5 out of 5
    Review left on 2 Jun 2010

    Broken hose faucet line

    When I woke up in the morning I heard a Niagara Falls-like sound from outside. Hoping it wasn't coming from my house, I investigated to find that my hose faucet pipe was gushing water under my deck (where it then leaked into the basement, but that's another problem for another contractor). I tried and failed to reach another plumber, and finally tried DrainWorks at around 12:30 pm. The person who answered the telephone was friendly and efficient, and she arranged for someone to come to my house between 2 and 4. Chris arrived on time, quickly diagnosed the problem (burst pipe due to freezing, although I don't know why it waited until June to finally give up the ghost) and the cause (no inside shutoff valve to the hose faucet, shoddy plumbing when hose faucet was installed). He gave me an estimate to fix the burst pipe and also install valves on that and my other hose faucet so this wouldn't happen again. He even gave me an instruction sheet on how to shut off the faucets in fall. The work was completed quickly and (so far as I can tell) correctly, and Chris left everything clean and tidy. He was friendly, good-humoured and patient with my four-year-old's questions. All in all a very satisfying end to a stressful day.

    Answer from pro:

    **Thanks Amy** It was a pleasure reading your review to learn that we were of assistance and that you were pleased with our service from initial phone call to completion of the job. We do look forward to being the plumbing and drain service providers you can rely on should you require our services again in the future.

    Reply created 8 Jun 2010
  • Review from T
    Rating: 5 out of 5
    Review left on 2 Jun 2010

    basement flood / drain back up

    The tech was on time for appointment. After listening carefully to my problem,he assessed the potential causes and quickly gave several solutions to the problem. He answered all questions prior to beginning the work as well and potential pricing.Drain works tech was very courteous and clean and efficient.

    Answer from pro:

    **Thanks tboock** We appreciate your review and thank you for taking the time to share this experience with others. It is rewarding to learn that you were so satisfied with the service you received. Thanks for choosing DrainWorks. We look forward to being the plumbing and drain service providers you can rely on.

    Reply created 8 Jun 2010
  • Review from HomeOwner
    Rating: 5 out of 5
    Review left on 1 Jun 2010

    Leaky toilet

    Phil was very courteous and professional. Explained the situation and gave me options. Toilet performs like new. Second time I've used this company and I've never needed them to come back because the job wasn't done right the first time!

    Answer from pro:

    **Thanks Derek** We appreciate your review and we're glad to learn that you were happy with the service you received from Phil and with DrainWorks. We value your patronage and look forward to continually being the plumbing and drain service providers you rely on.

    Reply created 2 Jun 2010
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