After living in a house for 22 years that had a few instances of sewer back up it was time to do something about it. We started with the big dogs and called Perma Seal. They wanted $40,000 to put in overhead sewers. I kid you not. After putting that on the back burner we started to look around again for another plumbing company. We called Alan Tinker after seeing an ad somewhere. This company has been around for decades and is a family fun shop. Alan came out and gave us an estimate. Around 1/4th of the price of Perma Seal. Checked BBB and Yelp out and went with it. The job was scheduled for a few weeks out. The guys were at the house for 5 days. We felt very comfortable with them there and we were able to leave them in the house while we were at work. Not many people you can do that with now a days. Since part of the work required digging up my front yard they had to remove some newer planted bushes. They did this carefully and replanted them when they were done. They cleaned up really well and left the house in good condition. Payment was supplies up front the remaining at the end of the job. It is such a relief to have this space free from the chance of flooding again. The only con I have is that they don't take credit cards. This does make it harder and we had to take out a personal loan to pay for it. read more

I highly recommend Alan Tinker Plumbing! From the moment I called in with my plumbing problem, it was apparent this organization was detailed and professional. Mrs. Tinker listened to my plumbing emergency, taking notes and even requested a text picture. The technicians, Jorge and Philadelphio, arrived promptly with tools and were prepared with potential replacement parts in hand. They were detailed, knowledgeable, courteous and listened to my plumbing concern. The pricing is fair and service is outstanding. Any future plumbing concerns, I'm calling Tinker Plumbing. Thank you! read more

How many professional companies do you know of that do NOT take credit cards for payment? It's SIMPLE to do. They claim "We're just a small company". So what? Really? The guy that delivers my firewood takes out his cell phone, plugs the card reader in and swipes my card. ONE person vendors at farmers market or at art fairs on the street take out their cell phones and take a credit card. Only 2 reasons a company wants cash: They don't want to pay the little fee to do a credit card transaction or they want cash because____________ You know why. If that is your policy, Tinker, PUT IT ON YOUR WEBSITE or at least tell your workers to tell you AHEAD of doing the job. read more

If this company ain't what comes to mind when you need a plumber, then your totally missing out! They were highly recommended to me and I have used them in several occasions. They are knowledgeable, totally honest, and their staff are extremely hard workers! I am super impressed with this company! Now I am highly recommending them to you because I know how hard it is to find a company like this. They are truly a needle in the haystack!!!!!!! read more

Had a great experience with Alan Tinker Plumbing in Highland Park for a home that we just bought. I called for them to investigate the cause of a backed sewage line. They provided scope, rod and analysis at very fair pricing. They were quick to arrive on site as well. They explained what they saw, provided video and photo evidence and provided an exemplary analysis of my plumbing. read more

I've been using Alan Tinker Plumbing for several years. For the past couple of years, I've had an issue with my state required backflow preventer leaking under certain conditions, when the hot water heater reached temperature and eventually leaking every time the water was turned on or off. There has been at least 2 annual inspections done since the problem started and at each inspection, I asked what the problem was, but got no straight answer. Finally the problem got to the point where the valve leaked randomly, wasting water and costing me more money on my water bills. I pressed the issue with Alan and after looking to blame me for an older hot water tank, he charged a ridiculous amount of money to install an expansion tank (something I had asked him about) and it slowed the leak for a few days, but then the problem came back with a vengeance with the added feature of knocking in my pipes. Alan referred a different plumbing service that came out and diagnosed and replaced the failing check valves in the backflow preventer, I paid again to fix my leak, but this time the leak is stopped. I still have the knocking in my pipes, but it's diminished since the preventer is operating correctly. I called to ask Alan how with failing check valves could my preventer have passed the annual inspection and I got no straight answers. I'm no expert in plumbing, but common sense would say that the check valves were going bad for the past two to three years, when the leak started, and I'm not sure how that would pass inspection. I try to do business locally, but learned that it's not always possible. A very disappointing and expensive lesson that every plumber isn't qualified or capable to take care of problems. read more

THEY ARE THE GREATEST,they rodded out areas that had not been done in a long time..We have had others come out every 2or 3 years..Everything is now working as it should..price was reasonable, would highly recommend them read more

Alan Tinker Plumbing is second to none. They give really superior service & are very experienced. You can absolutely trust them, I'd recommend for sure. read more

If I could give 10 stars I would. No one ever wants plumbing problems but especially with coronavirus you really don't. Al Senior and his son came out and fixed our leak - and they were GREAT. I so appreciate how very careful they are during COVID. They sanitize, wear masks - cleaned up and disinfect everything afterwards. Jackie, who answers the phone and sets up appointments was so efficient and also reassuring. They are prompt - come when scheduled - work quickly and efficiently. You can't go wrong with Alan Tinker Plumbing. Big thumbs up! read more

First of all, I didn't pay a membership fee to write this review. After calling ten different plumbing companies, Alan's Plumbing was clearly the top choice. A family owned business, Alan's Plumbing are licensed, bonded, and insured professionals that offer full service. With over 45 years of knowledge in the industry, it was clear that they knew what they were doing. I tried calling ten companies for a free estimate and it was surprising that I only received four call backs. Of the four, only a few specialized in major underground piping that dealt with sewage work and the others referred me to someone else. I was able to receive two written estimates and not only were the estimates varied in cost, but the level of customer service as well. Alan's Plumbing responded immediately with warmth, eagerness, and knowledge of the process. They knew exactly what my issue was and what needed to be done. On top of that, their estimate was over $1000 less. It was a clear decision at that point who I would choose to do business with. Alan's Plumbing came out within a couple of days of the written estimate. They dug out almost six feet of dirt, cleaned out the sewage, and replaced the pipes with new PVC pipes all within a day. They even added a free follow up rodding appointment in six months just to make sure everything is going well and provided photos of the work that was underground. Surprisingly, they didn't ask for money upfront but gladly did the work before receiving payment. For your interior or exterior plumbing, go with Alan's Plumbing - licensed professionals that can do the work quickly, at a reasonable cost, and done right the first time. Even though I'm not on Angie's list, I wrote this review for free and after having a genuinely awesome experience. read more

As usual, Alan Tinker came through, on a holiday weekend no less!!! We call Alan for all our plumbing needs - he's knowledgeable, patient, and so kind. I recommend him to everyone that needs plumbing services. You won't find anyone better! read more

We have our house up for sale and had a few minor plumbing issues , handle on shower mixing valve and bath tub drain stopper . Allen and his Dad showed up on time and had every thing fixed in less than an hour . This is the kind of plumbing co . you're looking for . Family owned , honest and skilled . read more

They were fine, got the job done, and explained as they were going/finished with the job. Biggest problem I had was the huge mess that was made despite putting down cloths there was mud/sludge on my carpeting that is still faintly there to this day. Seeing that in my brand new home on my brand new carpet infuriated me. read more

After the great reviews I was **VERY** disappointed. I needed two valves replaced and a few feet gas line moved because the leaky valves were dripping onto the gas pipe, which caused it to rust. Spoke with Alan directly, explained the issue, and a plumber was scheduled for later that day. Great! Only the plumber "didn't understand" the problem, so he had to come back the next morning to do the job. The plumber came back the next morning with a "helper". It took them a combined FOUR hours to do the job. This included a lot of time in the truck searching for parts *PLUS* a run to ACE hardware because they didn't have everything they needed - seems strange as he checked out the job the night before, and knew "exactly" what was required. When all was said & done, the plumber tried to charge me $680! For four hours of "labor" (yes, he included the search time as well as the run to the hardware store) plus two valves, an elbow for the gas pipe and about four feet of pipe. I called the office and the price came down to $450. That price, while better, is still highway robbery ... BUYER BEWARE. Please note: there was no problem with the plumbing service itself. The plumber arrived on time, both times. The job site was also cleaned up afterwards. The issues I have are with the plumber being unprepared - a run to the store was necessary even after seeing what was required, bringing an assistant (unnecessary and attempted to charge a union rate) and the price charged. I will not use them again. read more

Our kitchen faucet died and I initially called Lowe's on a Thursday who charged me $35 just to give my name to a contractor who would call me in normally within 2 days. They called the next day but couldn't come until Monday just to look at my sink which has a universal hole (no measurements are required) In the meantime, a co-worker told me about Alan Tinker Plumbing who I called Friday. They came that afternoon after I got off work and waited 5-10 min until I got there since only my son was home at the time with his friends. They charged me nothing for the estimate and then came back Saturday morning to install the faucet that I bought myself. The price charged was within the low end of the estimate I was given. The gentlemen who came couldn't have been more polite and professional. Would highly recommend these guys! read more

Scheduled them to come in on a Saturday night, they never showed up. Called and rescheduled to 3pm on Wednesday, waited till 6pm and called the manager - she promised to check and get back within 10minutes. Never called back. Very disappointing and extremely unreliable customer service!!! read more

We called late in the afternoon about a backed up kitchen sink, and Alan was on our doorstep the next day. He had the pipes cleared and the area all cleaned up in less than a half hour. He's clearly a professional who takes pride in his work, and he's a sweet guy who is easy to talk to. This is a wonderful, trustworthy family business, and I'm glad we found them! We will be calling them for all of our plumbing issues in the future. read more

This local company is friendly, efficient and affordable. New to the area and having an immediate need for a plumber, I turned to Yelp. I called and the lady was able to have Alan come over between jobs. I am so grateful for this family owned company. Now I have a go to plumber to use and recommend. Thanks!! read more

I love these guys. They did brilliant job at my salon for very reasonable price. They took care of each and every thing very professionally and wisely. I would definitely recommend these people and I already did. The ladies at the reception are awesome. Overall job was brilliant. Definitely 5 stars for them. read more

My kitchen and basement sinks were not draining. I called and the crew arrived within an hour of my call. The work was done-the sinks had to be rodded-fast and efficiently. I was impressed on the work and the price. I will be using the company in the future! read more

We used Alan many times, some years ago, while living in Morton Grove. What I can say is that he's always a pleasant personality (which is saying A LOT when you consider his profession). He does excellent work and did good work on one extensive job requiring excavation. His charges may not always be lowest so you should proceed with some caution. But I always considered him the go-to guy for emergencies and have recommended him to friends. read more

Great Service. Im still new to the home owner game and needed some work. They came out and gave an honest estimate. A week later they came back to do the work needed. They were quick and left no mess. It turned out not as much worked needed to be done at this time. Alan Tinker Plumbing went above and beyond and did a few other fixes and "look at s" I will use this service again for my plumbing needs. Good work read more

In the deep freeze of Chicago, like many others we had plumbing problems. We were experiencing back up and flooding in our newly remodeled home. I called a few plumbers that didn't even return my call. So I search the Internet for a plumber in Des Plaines, read all the reviews on yelp for Alan's plumbing they were all amazing reviews and five stars. So I thought I'd give it a try. I dialed the number and honestly thought I would leave a message but a lady answered the phone and he happened to be Mrs. Tinker (Jackie) she's such a doll. She had her son Alan come within an hour. He was so honest kind and friendly nothing you would expect from a plumber. He told me what I needed at what it was going to cost and I needed to talk to my husband he said call me after you talk to him. I talk to my husband and we set it up. I called Jackie back and set up the fix for the following Tuesday they were there on time with four trucks and four guys Mr. Tinker Alan Tinker and two other men. It was a great experience it all worked out well and they were all pleasant to work with thank you very much. Allen's plumbing is now my go to plumber. read more

Professional, direct, and time conscious. They were thorough and did extra work for me....i would recommend them to anyone. Very fair pricing! read more

Had a leak from our toilet - 2 men arrived and fixed the issue within an hour. Reasonably priced, very clean, neat and punctual. If we need work done next time I will only be calling them back. Notified them on a Saturday afternoon - received received on Monday morning. This was a painless process and reasonably priced. They are our future plumbers. read more

I'm giving them one star because the came on a Saturday and fixed the problem. Otherwise it would be none. I had water coming from the ceiling on the first floor. We couldn't figure out why so my wife called these guys. The woman on the phone said the charge would be $150.00 an hour. Two guys show up and cut open a couple of spots to find the issue. It was a 1" copper pipe in the upstairs bathroom that had opened up and was leaking. I was wondering why they sent two guys. The first guy who acted like he was in charge kept expressing how dire the situation was before each step was taken to determine the cause and then the solution to the problem. Even when the issue was discovered and turned out to be a very simple and routine fix, he came up with reasons why it was going to be so difficult. Meanwhile, the second guy kept saying it wasn't a problem and proceeded to do all the work. It took about an hour and a half in all to fix. I'm figuring I'm going to get charged about $225.00 in labor. Well, I was wrong about that. Guy number 1 who did nothing but make it seem like a huge problem existed comes in with a $486.00 invoice. He tells me "oh, yes. It's $150.00 per hour but there are two of us, so it's $150.00 per hour for each of us." I protest that and he takes $20.00 off the bill and says its out of his control. It looks like a father and son business but these two guys who showed up were not the father and son. I appreciated the quick response and fix but was misled by the woman who booked the job. If I had knowing it would be $300.00 per hour for the two guys sent to do a one person job, we would have called someone else. read more

My tenants water heater went out the morning of Super Bowl Sunday. I went and delivered a new water heater to the job site,drained disconnected the old heater,and reconnected the gas line. Mr Tinker senior came by to take a look and quoted $300 to hook up the 2 water lines and connect the vent pipe, along with removing and hauling away the old 40 gallon heater. This seemed really high to me, but I was leaving that afternoon and didn't want to prolong my tenant not having hot water. I told Mr Tinker I thought this was way high, and he said he would replace an old valve above the heater, and put up a strap to support the pipes. They installed the next morning, but didn't replace the valve or support the pipes. When I got home later that week, I called and Mrs sent her son out right away to take a look, and he said the father would call me that evening. I never got a call. I feel I was overcharged and mislead. I am an unhappy customer and would never use or recommend them. read more

the bathroom sewer connection outside blew it's top last night.Thought I was in for a big hassle & large bill.Found Alan's plumbing on yelp this am.They came within a few hours of my call and fixed the problem for less than I expected to pay.So happy,I could just poop,and now that my toilet is fixed,I can...... read more