Seems like they're trying to rip customers off. I've used Baker Elman for a number of years and generally been happy with the service. Technicians have seemed good and friendly. We recently had an issue and had someone come for a repair. The tech quoted a number, to which I agreed, although it seemed high at the time. I expected to be able to review the bill for cost of labor and parts, but it came as one line item. When I called and asked for a breakdown, they said they couldn't provide it for me and they did lump sum billing now based on putting a job into their system. Now I feel like I am getting ripped off (the $1,600 discount to sign up for their membership reinforced this, what must the markup be?). Sadly it is impossible to prove otherwise since they won't provide any additional information on parts and labor rates. I will be going elsewhere from now on. read more

I started working with the original Baker Elman Plumbing 30 years ago., It is now part of a larger group, but the service is still fantastic. All of their plumbers are expert. They solve every problem, large or small, and are courteous and prompt. I haven't used them for my HVAC service but am thinking of switching so I have one provider for everything. They have service plans that can provide some discounts. Call. Them. Now. read more

The culture of this company has definitely changed. They used to be reasonably priced with good service. As far as I can tell, they still do good work but now it feels like they try to rip you for as much $$ as possible. I had them come out to fix two running toilets. He looked at them and quoted me $750. I was appalled. He said it was two fill valves, two flappers and the $165 inspection fee. They were going to charge an inspection fee on top of the work. I understand charging the fee if I decided not to do anything but to charge it on top of the work is nuts. I talked him down to $380 which is more reasonable but still seems a bit expensive for a job that took two guys less than an hour. Time to find a new plumber. read more

We've had help from Baker Elman (now called Accurate Baker Elman) over the years, for plumbing jobs and gas leaks. Most recently we had the pleasure, yet again, of helpful brainstorming with Susan, who often answers the phone. She's smart and kind and saves us a lot of time. She has sent people out immediately for emergencies and most recently talked us through concerns we had about a leak. We can't recommend Susan and this business highly enough! read more

we were having a heating problem, and the plumber who came resolved it. He and his helper were polite and friendly. They thought there might be another problem also, but waited until it resolved itself. The charges for the work were reasonable, and we will certainly use them again if we have a plumbing issue. read more

Called them because my pipes started banging periodically around my furnace. They came out and placed foam rubber around where the pipes were banging. Cost $140 for the service and did nothing to find the source of the banging which continued (only quieter). I then called Devaney, who sent someone out who immediately diagnosed the issue which was a malfunctioning sensor, which he replaced as well as a leaking expansion tank and a new auto vent. It's working perfectly now. I've been a customer of Accurate Baker Elman for over 15 years. They refused to refund the $140. Offered a 10% discount on my next service call. There won't be one with them. read more

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I found these guys through Angie's list. They were responsive and came out and unclogged my shower drain when they said they would. The only thing I had to chase them for was the bill, LOL! I reminded them to charge me last night and got the bill this morning. Their pricing seems very fair to me. I will definitely call them next time I need a plumber! read more

Dishonest company that wanted to sell me a completely new heating system on the lie that my boiler was irreparably broken. Ion came out for an emergency visit over a weekend when we had no hot water and was able to tell me the system was in bad need of a cleaning as it was overrun with soot. I paid for the emergency visit, and was grateful to have the assurance we were not in danger, but no actual work was done. Ion then no showed on the scheduled appointment time the following Monday, and I had to call the office, where it was confirmed that my visit was never added to the calendar.. I am giving 2 stars because the ladies I spoke to in the office - Kathleen and Lisa - were courteous, patient and lovely to deal with. Ion finally came out Tuesday, with one other person. He started to vacuum the boiler and quickly brought me over to show me white specks in the soot, explaining that these were "shards of metal from what has to be a broken heat exchanger" and said he will see what they find when they complete the cleaning. I gave them space to work. In about 90 minutes, the techs tried to turn on the boiler and it released smoke again. At that point, they came upstairs and told me that there was nothing else that could be done for the boiler and a complete heating system replacement was my only option. I asked if Ion was 100% sure and clarified if this was due to a cracked heat exchanger, and Ion confirmed it. Within minutes, he was measuring spaces in the wall and telling me about forced air system options and the rebates and financing I could receive from MassSave. If Ion would have followed up with the estimate that night, like he said he would, it would have been likely that I would have hired Affiliate Baker Ellman to do the work right away - that is how desperate I was to get hot water back. I am a single mom, it is COVID times and one of my children is too young for the vaccine. Ion and I talked about these factors, and he seemed sympathetic, but also quick to take advantage. Fast forward 2 days, Ion still had failed to provide any written estimates, and I had done my own research and was ready to move forward with a propane install. I called a different HVAC co and instead of just proceeding with giving me an estimate for propane install, the technician got curious about the boiler and after looking at it, confirmed that the heat exchanger was indeed intact, and that the cleaning that was done by Affiliate Baker Ellman was only partially done. The system was still filthy (pics attached) and I had paid Baker Ellman a total of $600 to date. Worse, the heat exchanger info was blatantly incorrect, because it was explained to me by the other tech that in the case of this, water would be leaking from the boiler, and Ion never even turned the water off. I tried to speak to Affiliate Baker Ellman and request a refund of the non-emergency visit, but was ultimately mansplained and talked over by the supervisor there, who basically denied that the heat exchanger info was communicated as it was, as if he was here when it happened, or a homeowner like me with no knowledge around HVAC would be able to make up a story about a heat exchanger. I am disputing the charge with my bank and have a complaint on file with the Attorney General's office. Please be careful and check in on any older folks and single moms you know - companies are taking advantage!!! Update: another HVAC company completed the cleaning and successfully fixed the issue!! I will be working with them exclusively going forward. read more

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One time they couldn't come immediately, not sure why, but thats unusual. Generally they are excellent. Been a customer for 5 + years, in Brookline. read more

I don't know how to score the stars because the work was fine, but the prices were crazy. Is this what things cost nowadays, or were we taken advantage of? We had three faucets to replace, and we already purchased the faucets. everything pretty straightforward. What would you expect it to cost, maybe $150-$200 per faucet? Try doubling or tripling that! The total price was $1300 which they discounted to $1151 by selling us a "membership". Two men were here for under two hours, and all materials were supplied by us. So more than $575/hr for the two of them. Our fault for not asking for a quote in advance? (But Patty K's review below indicates that wouldn't have helped,) We just expected a local company to be reasonable... read more

Ever since Baker-Elman Plumbing joined with Accurate Heating (they are now called Accurate Baker Elman) they have devolved enough to lose me as a customer. When my dishwasher started leaking I called them to find out how much it would cost to look at. I was quoted $175. The plumber came, looked under the dishwasher and also looked up at the pipes from the basement. Total time spend was about 15 minutes. He told me we needed to replace the dishwasher. Fair enough. Then he asked for payment of $275! I told him I was quoted $175. He said he couldn't leave without getting paid $275, and that the extra $100 was for driving to my house--which is in the middle of Newton! The very reason I originally got a quote in advance was to avoid hidden charges. He said he understood why I was unhappy, but that I should complain to the office -- his job was to collect that payment. I complained to the office, and they eventually agreed to reimburse the unexpected (and unwarranted) $100 charge after I told them that I would write a bad review about my experience if they didn't. I'm still waiting for that reimbursement several months later. Hence this review. read more

I can't believe that people complain about plumbers when they can contact Baker-Elman. They are unbelievably competent, reasonably-priced and show up when they say they will show up: in short they are everything that many plumbing companies are not. Every employee I have encountered from the front-office staff who takes care of customers to the tradespeople who come out to do the job exude competence and care for their clients. Two winters ago when our old boiler had problems, Baker-Elman came out to fix it, replaced a part for a $150 or so, and reassured me that the old boiler would more than do its job for the winter when any other plumbing company would have immediately tried to upsell me on a new boiler. This year I took advantage of gas company incentives and finally decided to upgrade to a high -efficiency boiler and could not be more pleased with the work that Baker-Elman did. read more

My hot water tank went at 10 am this morning. I definitely didn't think I could get anybody to come out quickly as I imagined all the plumbers were busy with frozen pipes. Within 30 minutes a plumber arrived, gave me an estimate and by 4 pm they had replaced my heater and some of the pipes. I couldn't imagine getting better service- Baker Elman you are the BEST!!! read more

I just had my faucet replaced. The technician was David. Very knowledgeable. The work was very quickly done. I would highly recommend them, especially David M. read more

They are overpriced. Most plumbing services charge $180 and hour. They charged $550 an hour to flush and clean our furnace but never fixed the problem of a delayed kicking on.I will never use them again. read more

These guys are great. I used them recently to install a sink and a pump in my basement so I could continually drain my dehumidifier into the sink rather than having to dump it out 3+ times a day. They were super professional throughout the entire process: gave us lots of information and were responsive during the initial consultation, showed up exactly on time for the installation appointment, did the work well and quickly, and charged a fair amount. I will definitely use them again for plumbing work. It was also great of them to service East Boston (where I live) from Newton (where their HQ is). read more

This company got Best of Boston 2008 for a reason. It all started with the kohler kitchen sink faucet slowly leaking at its hub. The company answers the phone. They are nice while doing it. The plumber came out within a day (they have emergency service too). They have a lot of good info online as to services available, and they are LOCAL to the burbs west of boston inside 128. When unable to fix it that day due to parts needed, he showed me the exact part numbers, and kohler shipped them to us free. Better yet, Cheryl personally came over to the house, found some parts in her warehouse to try to fix the faucet faster, and it worked. I gave her the free replacements. David Elman called the house to tell me updates. It got fixed the day before thanksgiving. My wife was losing it until then. Um, it didn't cost a lot for 3 total visits (can you guess what we paid? Less than 1 roto rooter, for sure) No, I don't have any vested interest in this company, I'm trying to help the average homeowner, because its tough out there! I can't recommend this company enough considering the sea of unknowns in metro boston. Call them before anyone else! read more

Great experience. The person who answered the phone provided great customer service. She smartly had me take a photo of our toilet so the plumber would have the right parts for the service call. I was scheduled for a same-day visit, and they had an earlier time available so a plumber was here within 2 hours after my phone call. The plumber was professional. The price seemed totally reasonable. Thrilled with the entire experience. read more

I've been using Baker-Elman for years. Great prices. Honest. Reliable. Can't beat them. read more

I'm basing this off of just one visit, and a simple job at that, but I'm really impressed so far. I had another plumber out here to do a simple kitchen faucet install, and after quoting me $400 and then saying he couldn't fit under my sink, he left. I called Baker-Elman and they were really pleasant on the phone, setting me up with an appointment a few days later. The plumber showed up on time, was very nice, and did a great job. The whole thing took just over an hour and cost me around $160. I will continue to call Baker-Elman for any future plumbing issues. These guys are great. read more

I am writing to request assistance with a concern. On July 30th of 2021, I contacted Susan Calcagni at Baker Elman Plumbing on 671 Sawmill Brook Parkway, Newton Center, MA 02459 (contact info 617-244-6500) requesting to find out what is required from me to change the toilet seat at home. I explained that my mother had undergone a recent total hip replacement and she will require a comfort-height toilet seat. Susan requested that I email her pictures of the toilet seat and the floor along with measurements. I was provided a one-page guide explaining how to measure the rough-in distance of a toilet, the height of the toilet seat, and the shape of the seat (elongated vs. round). I took 3 pictures and indicated measurements and I indicated that I am looking to install a comfort-height toilet seat. Susan suggested a comfort height toilet (Brand: Kohler, Highline series, model K-3979-0) and she also provided a cost estimate of $650.00 to supply the toilet and install. Susan mentioned that this estimate includes removing and disposing of the old toilet. I indicated to her that I am interested in the TOTO toilets and that I found one at Ferguson Plumbing in Newton. I asked her if she can order the TOTO toilet and a plumber can install it. I provided Susan with the Toto toilet's information (Toto Aquia® IV 0.8/1.28 gpf Elongated One Piece Toilet in Sedona Beige Part #TMS646124CEMFG12 | Item #7765537 | Manufacturer Part #MS646124CEMFG#12). Susan indicated that Baker Elman Plumbing does not carry fixtures and she suggested that I purchase it at Ferguson Plumbing and once the toilet is delivered, I can call her to arrange for a plumber. She explained that a one-piece toilet installation would require a plumber and a helper and would cost me $350. I agreed to this plan. I ordered the TOTO toilet from Ferguson. I paid $80 for the delivery of the TOTO toilet from Ohio to Massachusetts. I spoke to Susan and updated her once the toilet was delivered. I scheduled a plumber visit on 8/26/2021 between 2-4 PM. On August 26, 2021, the plumber and his helper from Baker Elman Plumbing showed up earlier than 2 PM. They had access to the bathroom as my mother was at home. When I showed up from work at 2 PM to answer any possible questions, the plumber had already removed the old toilet seat without even checking if the new toilet seat TOTO was a suitable fit. The plumber mentioned that the new toilet would not fit because it was a skirted toilet (the back part of the toilet was wide and was touching the water pipe that supplies the toilet tank). I asked if they are willing to order a replacement that can fit in the space. The plumber advised that I contact Susan. I called Susan on the spot. She indicated that if I choose to supply a new toilet seat that fits in the space, I will be responsible for two visit charges - a total of $750 for both the visit on 8/26 and for a possible new visit in the future. She explained that if I choose to keep the old toilet seat and make no changes, I will still be responsible for a consult fee of $170. I attempted to explain that I am not a plumber. Indicated that there is no way for me to know which toilet will be a proper fit. I explained that I was not told about a consult fee during our earlier interactions, otherwise, I would have made an informed decision on how to proceed. I ended up paying $170 cash to the plumber (I was never given a receipt). I was told that Susan cannot do anything to make up for this error even though she should have warned me about skirted toilets not fitting at times. I returned the TOTO toilet to Ferguson and incurred a loss of about $100 (the cost of shipping from Ohio was understandably not refunded and I had to pay for repackaging). I would like to get an apology and a  refund of at least $170 (if not $270) to compensate for the unfair treatment/customer service. read more

Able to get an appointment the day after my initial call due to only having one shower in house. Arrived on time, personable and professional. Great detective work in finding a leak from our tub/shower combo that ending up leaking through our garage ceiling. Found a crack in bottom of our fiberglass tub. Was able to refer us to a company that could potentially fix the crack in the tub. If unable to be fixed, we will work with Baker-Ellman again in coordinating having a new tub put in. Have used Baker-Ellman in the past and will continue to use them for any plumbing issues. read more

This place is exceptionally reliable. My condo's management office recommended this place when my shower's hot water lever broke. Calling to make an appointment was a breeze (I forget who answered the phone but she was very patient with me and pleasant). Right after making an appointment, I received an automated text message for confirmation, and another one the day before the appointment as a reminder - which means this place has a system. Connor arrived within the promised time window and fixed what I've asked for. Communicative, professional, punctual, quality work - what can one ask for more from a contractor? Should I need any future plumbing fixes, I will use Baker Elman again. Highly recommend. read more

This review is only on one visit, but have to say I was very impressed with Baker Elman from start to finish. I had my hot water tank replaced, from when I called to schedule the appointment to when the work was completed everything went smoothly. When scheduling the appointment over the phone, the person I spoke with explained in easy to understand terms what they would be doing and the cost (very helpful for someone like myself who knows very little about hot water tanks). I also needed to have my bathroom sink stopper fixed, when I emailed to see if they could take care of that as well I received a response within minutes saying they could. A very satisfying experience across the board. read more

If I could, I would give this company ZERO star. They came to my condo unit just to tell me that they cannot do the work. A day later, I receive an invoice for $160 for showing up and doing nothing. Somehow, one company that I also called stated upfront that they would charge me for the visit, which I declined. And another company that came out and inspected was able and capable to do the work. Baker-Elman Plumbing, stop hiring incapable or lazy plumbers who cannot or will not do their work and let them tell you the repair was beyond their skills and training. BTW, thank you for filing small claims and see you at the court. read more

This is the best case of a multi-generation business becoming too big for its plunger-so they do all they can to suck jobs not to their liking out of their system: 1) the "we're booked til' (name month 3 months ahead of whenever U call, 2) have a secretary "just follow orders" and lie about prev. customers/giving references to non plumber outfits (e.g Drain Busters, etc) and telling you they can do tasks without telling you it is actually best left to someone with a license, 3) have absolutely no loyalty if you're not in their affluenza burb area (which is also disjoined as "SHaron and Newton" for locations. My parents used them in the early 1960's, when I was a child...we had a sticker on our H20 heater, which is why I remember. They came over once, to change a water heater, but spare me their prices for warranty on it being "graduated scale"...I think they would more likely be doing business with me if they cleaned up the Challenger explosion Nevermind my individual experience...hope you have fun convincing them to come out themselves rapidly if you have an emergency. Baker-Elman=stale cookies in the office, Elmer's glue level of customer service-can't say they aren't technically adept though. read more

Amazing plumbers and team. One aspect of this team I appreciate is that there is a professional team dedicated to scheduling the work that comes in and communicating with homeowners- this makes all the difference in the world in terms of expectation setting and not over promising. When the plumber comes out he or she is on time, courteous, gives information and options, and respectful. Thank you for all the jobs you've done for me so far- drain clearing, boiler repair, hot water heater replacement. Every job has been top notch. read more

You'd be better of flushing your money down the toilet then hiring these guys. I had a 2nd floor shower leak. I called Baker Elman. It took them 3 hrs to do the following: 1) Cut a 4 FOOT by 2 FOOT hole in the bathroom wall 2) Bash a 1 FOOT by 1 FOOT hole in the ceiling below the bathroom 3) Break a shower fixture (brass finish), and put on one with a different finish 4) Break the caulking on the fixtures Note, nowhere do I write they actually fixed the leak, because they didn't. Instead, they said, "well the leak isn't from the pipes as far as we can see. btw, here's a bill for $300". Sweet. Did I mention that they cut a hole the size of a small child in my wall???? To add insult to injury, they said they would replace the broken fixture, but that if I wanted them to do it that they would charge me for having to come out again. Sweet. Save yourself from having to hire a second plumber (and handyman) to clean up after these clowns. Avoid at all costs. read more

We were living out of town and hired Baker-Elman from afar to fix a number of plumbing issues in our condo here in Boston. When we got back to Boston and into our place, we found that things were either not fixed according to our specifications or not fixed at all. We asked them to come and fix the things that were still broken, despite us having paid B-E for the fix, and they agreed to come but charged us full price for the fix of the things they were supposed to fix in the first place! We also found out that they seriously overcharged us for some new fixtures. Keep your money. Pay someone else. read more

Baker-Elman offers the best of both worlds - the professionalism of a big company and the care of a family business. Top to bottom, every person in the office and every service tech has been terrific. Don't waste your time with other companies. read more

Thrilled with their service - the men who came to install my tankless water heater were so wonderful. They did a great job, less than competitors, cleaned up, conscientious, and loved my dog. 5 gold stars! read more

These guys have saved me more than once. Neighbors basement flooded - Baker Elman was out there within 3 hours - fixed the neighbors issue and helped me diagnose and fix any impact on my side. This has happened more than once. When I call them, they return the call. When I'm freaking out, they come to my house and calm me down. When I have an emergency, these people are there and will help you. There is no single, more reliable plumber in Boston - period. read more

I hired Baker Elman six months ago to install a new garbage disposal. One plumber came over and installed the disposal and then told me I would need an electrician to hook it up. I told him that I hired an electrician to fix the wiring about five years previous and it shouldn't be a problem. He told me that's all he could do and I had to pay $140.00 for his services, which I did. I had an illness for the past six months and I finally got to hiring an appliance company All Brands to fix the problem. In less than ten minutes it was up and running. I asked the repairman if a plumber should be able to hook something like this and he said"absolutely". All Brands cost me $135.00 so in total I paid: $80.00 garbage disposal $140.00 Baker Elman $135.00 All Brands Appliance Repair Total $355.00 I wouldn't take a chance on Baker-Elman. read more

Excellent service. I had these guys over to give an estimate for an oil-to-gas boiler conversion, and they fixed a drain and shower temp control for free. Really nice guys, and very professional. Highly recommended. read more

I called them on a Friday because my water heater started leaking and was flooding the basement. Steve came within a couple of hours, and immediately rearranged everybody's schedule so he could send one person the same day and make sure we had hot water in the weekend. Drew came only a few hours after my first call and installed the new heater with competence. No extra charge for the emergency. I was really impressed... and thankful! read more

Had a terrible experience with this company and will never be using them in the future. They are unreliable and poor communicators, to the point where I got stuck waiting for a long time and no plumber ended up coming. We scheduled an appointment so I planned to be home during the agreed upon time frame. They called and emailed saying a plumber was on the way. More than hour later, I called to find out if he was lost or had the wrong address and they said they sent him elsewhere. They were extremely rude during this phone call. I was literally waiting by the door for over an hour so the guy wouldn't ring the bell and wake up my babies, and they decided to change their plan based on what was convenient for them, not the customer. Terrible business-people & communication, very disappointed, not worth my $$. read more

Great service yesterday. We live in a condo with a unit below ours. The seal on our toilet broke and was leaking water into our neighbor's unit below. We needed fast service so that it wouldn't cause too much damage. We called and someone was at our door within 45 minutes. They did a great job, the plumber was professional and the job was done right. read more

I have used Baker-Elman for several years and have always had absolutely superb service. They will come on an emergency basis, show up as scheduled, do excellent work and clean up after themselves. I've worked with many plumbing companies and this one is the one to call!! read more

Unreliable and late for scheduled appointment, then didn't end up solving the issue. I went with another company instead to get my issue resolved because this company is incompetent. Do not use them! read more

Fantastic service. Pleasant from start to end of transaction, from the first phone call, to inspection, to installation. Our hot water heater broke in the middle of the night. Next morning we called at 8 am and had a call back within the hour, and a new tankless unit by the next day. Could not be happier. Recommend to all. read more