I have used Ben Franklin a few times and overall I would say they are a good company to call if you need work done quickly. Positives: They are very responsive and when I have needed same day service they have been able to come pretty quickly. The staff is also very nice and I've never had any issues with the quality of their work. Negatives: They are expensive. I don't think I have ever spent less than $500 on any service. This can include a pretty hefty fee if you have an emergency situation (and unfortunately many plumbing situations do end up being fairly urgent). I have also noticed that they won't really try to find cost efficient options and they may even try to add on extra services (like an extra servicing schedule for your hot water heater even though you didn't even call them about the hot water heater). Bottom line: They will get the job done but it will cost you, so if you have work that can wait you might want to get a few estimates to compare before moving forward. read more

I was out of town and my wife called to have a toilet installed. They charged 1200$ to set a toilet and left with a kink in the supply line and stated on the invoice that the water line had a pressure issue. The plumber also caulked around the base of the toilet and left it looking like a child threw paste at it. There was also a complaint of having to drill a pilot hole through tile to mount the unit. Do plumbers not have to use a drill bit ever? One of the worst jobs ever preformed. What plumber charges this much to set a toilet and leaves with it not working? read more

Benjamin Franklin Plumbing - Poor caulking around toilet base. - Plumbing Near Me - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

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The technician said he couldn't relight my pilot light. He said the igniter had gone out and that I needed to replace the whole burner unit. He said I would be better off replacing the entire water heater considering it was 16 years old. He lied to me. The water heater is only 10 years old. My friend relit the water heater with a lighter the next day. This place is a complete rip off. Zero out of 10 would not recommend. read more

Overpriced, took advantage of my 90 year old grandma. She paid what normally should of been $2,000 or less over $5,000. They installed a waterheater..... when asked for a breakdown of the job was told they don't do that. Came after hours to do job. Should of been done during busses hours. When questioned further told this is how they do business. read more

They came out early 2021 to snake our difficult to snake pipes via our basement clean out valve. They damaged the screw-on closure so it no longer screwed in and therefore could not seal. I very reluctantly paid them to replace the clean out. Fast forward to today, summer 2023, our clean out valve is leaking where it connects to the bottom pipe. I call to explain our delina. It turns out, the work done is now "past the 2 yr warrantee." I didn't expect a limited warrantee for replacing something that never leaked since the house was built in 1997. The guy I spoke to over the phone said he understands my frustration and will discount the work to fix it. I was expecting a $100 to $150 estimate. Their quote was only $60 less than today's installation cost. Even with the discount, it was over $360. read more

Benjamin Franklin Plumbing - Plumbing Near Me - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

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Nate was very diligent, knowledgeable and did a great job fixing our plumbing. He saved the day for our family!!

If I could pick 0 stars, I would. Double-charged me for a "fuel surcharge," charged me $218 for a limited access upcharge (the drain in question was in the middle of our basement floor), and charged me $900 total and did NOTHING to fix the problem. I called Roto Rooter and they fixed the problem later the same day, completely and forever, for $85. Not a typo. $85. On top of all of their overcharging incompetence, they "accidentally" put a hole in the wall of my basement bathroom when one tripped and put the leg of an ironing board through it. They did not mention this when they provided the bill. Never, ever call them. The worst I have ever experienced. read more

SCAM! SCAM! SCAM! Do not get involved with this company. They are a SCAM company and will STEAL your money. Original problem was rust in water. The said we needed a repipe and it will take two days. After two days they were only 10% done. Plumbers arrived each day after 10 AM and only worked around 5 hours a day. The second day, the plumber left and one of his solder joints was incorrectly done, and leaking water through the walls creating a huge expensive mess. Several other mistakes and doing work that is not per code. At this point I fired them because of horrible quality. Unfortunately, I already had given them my credit card, and they are STEALING the original $7000 dollar estimate. I am taking them to small claims court. DISCLAIMER: Every statement in this review is solely of my own personal opinion and personal experience. read more

If i could give 0 stars i would. I had a water heater with a pilot light that wouldn't stay lit. I googled it and diagnosed as a bad thermocouple that would be about $15 to replace. I called BF plumbing to come and take a look for a $68 service charge(seemed a little high, but oh well) They showed up on time and the kid took 5 minutes to tell me that yes it was the thermocouple but it was a proprietary part and i would have to replace the entire thermostat assembly. They could do it for $600. $600!!! Or i could buy the part for $150 and do it myself. I said no thanks and ushered him out of my house and paid the service charge that went from $68 to $80. (I guess Iowa had 18% sales tax now) I went to Menards found the part i need and fixed it myself for $8. !!!NEVER CALL BEN FRANKLIN!!! read more

I wish I could give them zero stars. I feel like this company prays on elderly people. My father needed some minor plumbing done to his bathroom faucets. They talked him into getting a water softener set up and charged him nearly $8700! this thing must be made out of gold because I had a complete reverse osmosis water filtration system and water softener set up installed in my home for only $6000. During their installation, they caused a pipe to leak, so I called them and ask them to come take care of it. They told me that they would contact myself as well as my father when the service tech would be in route, conveniently enough, they did not contact me only my father. since I hadn't received any phone calls, I messaged my dad to see if they had been there to which he replied yes and they charged him an additional $314! They told him that the leak was not their fault even though the pipe that was leaking was attached to the plumbing coming from the water softener so please explain to me how that wasn't their fault??? I feel like this company is so crooked and unethical and immoral. I've contacted them but unfortunately had to leave a voicemail again demanding that they refund my father the $314. I've never been so disgusted and appalled in my entire life. read more

Scam!! Called and made an appointment for a drain to be snaked, was quoted $80. They arrived, got on their iPad and told me that my quote was $375. I was shocked and said no, then I called the office only to be told that if I didn't pay the $80 they would add invoice fees and interest. Now I'm stuck paying them $80+ for absolutely nothing but a headache. Poor communication and not honest at all. read more

In a pinch I called Benjamin Franklin Plumbing to clear our drain leading to city sewer. It was on the weekend. The response time was quick. The technicians very nice but clearly uncomfortable when they gave me the quote even asking me if I wanted them to leave. The cost was over $425, 4x what I paid for the same service with Ken-Way. I was in a pickle, which was in no way BF fault, but this company certainly is opportunistic. The technicians tried hard to justify the quote. BF uses a camera. (so does Ken Way) BF will give you a free jug of something blue to aid in keeping your drain clear. (no thanks) I paid the bill and the men cleared the line. I called the owner the next business day to discuss a fair price for the service, and he was not having it at all. Told me that no one was holding a gun to my head to accept the service and I knew exactly what the cost would be. All very true, lesson learned. We now have annual appointment with Ken-Way. read more

Wish I could give ZERO STARS! I paid 1300 dollars to have my bathtub replumbed(outrageous!!!) All said and done the plumbing that was installed leaked!!! The young plumber put the overflow gasket in upside down and my basement walls and ceiling are ruined, so the bathtub plumbing cost me thousands!! read more

Sewer drain backed up into the basement. Response time was two days. the technician ( plumber ) and assistant took approximately 75 min. to remove tree roots that were blocking the drainage. I was happy when they left but we tried to wash clothes a few days later and the problem was still there. I called again and the response time was again two days. I was told by the dispatcher I would be second on the list. By 1:30 PM no one had responded. read more

Had Ben Franklin plumbing out the other day to fix a broken water line due to the cold weather. Pipes were froze. They replaced my pipe with PEX piping. They used a Salamander Heater to thaw the pipes out and The Plumber said my heat tape was bad so he replaced it. And he said he put insulation around the pipes but wouldn't be able to replace the insulation under the house. Well, my water froze the next day. I had a local recommended Handy man come to check the insulation which also needed replaced. He found the heat tape wasn't properly grounded. The heat tape was not properly installed. The insulation he use was some noodle material that left important parts of the pipe exposed. So he re-installed the heat tape properly. He insulated the pipes completely with self sealing insulation material. And he placed insulation under the house covering the pipes as well. Ben Franklin does not do insulation. I will NEVER use Ben Franklin Plumbing ever again. I have been burnt by them twice now. There won't be a third time. I just don't think the Plumber are well trained. At least not for manufactured homes. $1800.00 for a job that wasn't done properly. read more

Never,Never, Never, again will I get this plumbing company to do anything. With exorbitant prices and disrespect for my home but also to say they would replace my dishwasher after they fixed the pipe behind without charge once the wallboard was put in. Came back the next day and wanted $90.00 to put it back in place. Ruined my carpet by spilling a can of primer and then tracking it and having to replace it all. Doug Miller very rude on the phone. Get another estimate from another plumber. No respect for the customer with this company. read more

Exorbitant prices. They gave me a quote. I honestly had little choice because they were the only ones who had an opening in the afternoon and I had guests staying with me, I had to get it done. The guy was nice, courteous, I want to make sure that is clear. But, they charged 260 dollars for about 5 minutes working to clear the basement drain. He said he was going to camera the pipes as part of his spiel but that never happened. He tried to talk me into buying some sort of chemical to keep my pipes clean. I refused, telling him that I was already in shock of what he was charging me. I was nice but I made it clear that I thought that price was just over the top. He told me "thats why I'm giving you the bottle of cleaner for free" and then more explanation about insurance and licenses and other things that supposedly other "drain cleaning businesses" don't have to pay for as part of their business expenses. It seemed apparent that he was going well to over explain what he was doing or what extra mile they were doing for us, but honestly, I just didn't see that any of it amounted to justifying what they charged me. It's an insane amount of money to charge 68 dollar service fee for just coming to the house and another flat fee of ~170 dollars to snake a drain. I accept that I put myself in that position, but any others out there considering calling them for a blocked drain, you'll be floored by what they will charge you. It's completely unreasonable amount to charge when it's regular business hours, during the day. I can see perhaps a weekend call or emergency after hours, it's reasonable to assume you are going pay a bit more. So, I believe the work is good, but they will charge you a hell of a lot so just take warning. I think a business can do both, be good at what they do and charge fair prices. It's on me, I could have told them to move on but i needed the help. This is just caveat emptor that they will overcharge you. I cannot recommend them. read more

Had a leak under my sink so I called Benjamin Franklin Plumbing. They came out and spent 45 minutes start to finish (including diagnosis), took out one metal pipe and replaced it with PVC. They charged me $329.03 for 45 minutes of labor and a few PVC pipes. Then sat in my driveway for the next 40 minutes on their phones until about 5:30pm. The work done was fine, but the prices for the time spent and materials is extreme. Will not be calling Benjamin Franklin Plumbing for any future needs. read more

UPDATE: I was finally contacted after posting this review. The manager from Benjamin Franklin called and apologized for the problems that we had occurred and said they were planning a meeting to address this issue. He also told me to send him any receipts that we would have to fix the issues (painting and cleaning) and they would reimburse us. We did the initial clean-up to stop the contamination right away but we couldn't paint the basement till later. We sent our receipts over a month ago and haven't heard nothing (01-01-2020). I had a clogged kitchen sink (disposal issue). I made an appointment since I couldn't be home that afternoon so they came the next morning. The guy who showed up, went immediately to the basement to our kitchen clean-out which was directly below the kitchen sink on the wall. I explained to him what had been happening. We'd lived in this 25 year-old house only a few years. After laying down a sheet on the floor, he got a bucket and some rags and started to twist off the cap on the clean out. A few minutes later, that cap came flying off in his hands and water & gunk came shooting out of the hole. It shot out on the technician, the walls, the floor, everywhere! I didn't expect that and he said that he put too much pressure on the line when he was releasing it (I don't know, that just what he said). Grabbing the bucket & wiping himself down, he got things under control and started to get his machine ready. He put the auger in the pipe. To make a 2 hour ordeal short, he had to go down the line twice and he put his camera in twice to get the job done. The technician was very nice but what I was left with when he drove away and the means that it took, to get my sink unclogged was very ridiculous. I will never call them again. I paid my bill in full (over $300 ) and now, I have to repaint my walls and steam vac my floors. I don't have the original paint as this was painted before we moved in. The technician's magic spray and the Magic Erasers that he said would work, didn't. I'm stuck dealing with a mess, that they created. It's very frustrating that this company creates this kind of a mess and expects their clients to clean up after them. I'd never call them again, I'll call anyone else. I was very disappointed even though I did get my sink unclogged. (9-20-19) read more

Two guys showed up, and they were pleasant and easy to talk to. However, within 5 minutes of arriving, they said that we had calcium build-up, and that the faucet should be replaced and that they could do it. We said that we wanted to wait to see if we could find an alternative way to fix it because the faucet was only about 6 or 7 years old. Subsequently, we called the manufacturer and got some replacement parts and put them in ourselves for no charge. For the total 25 minutes of time being in the house, they charged us $190.00. This is highway robbery. When we called to dispute the charges as being entirely unreasonable, the manager was extraordinarily rude, condescending, and arrogant. Never again. read more

Dennis responded when my Mother In Law had some issues with her kitchen pipes. He quickly determine what the issue was and scheduled a time to come and do the work and fix the problems. He and his apprentice were there when they said they would be and they were very polite and professional. They worked very hard to replace damaged pipes and when they were done, they took the time to make sure everything was put back in place and cleaned up. I cannot say enough good things about them and the job they did to help my mother in law! read more

Too bad you can't put zero stars for a rating! I called this company because our bathtub was draining extremely slow. They came promptly, looked at the tub and gave me an estimate. They said if they had work on the pipes from in the basement (unfinished space) that there would be an extra charge. Looked at the estimate and said ok. They did the work and did not have work on the pipes in the basement. They were here maybe a 1/2 hour. Then the surprise they added an extra $145 onto the bill. Getting my drain snaked cost $312 !!! I will never use them again! read more

Save yourself some time and a whole lot of money, call someone else!! Wish I could give minus stars!!! read more

We found a spot on the ceiling beneath a bathroom. Plumber came out on time and soon and was professional. Said spot was a patch and unrelated to plumbing. Still, suggested tightening toilet above it, putting new wax ring, bolts, supply line, flush device in tank with flapper, and em shutoff. $649 for one hour. Seems very pricy. Company said they charge by the job not the hour and $649 is correct. Maybe that's right but it seems exorbitant. Would not use again. read more

On February 17, 2020 Repairman Glenn Candler from Benjamin Franklin Misdiagnosed our toilet problem. The Credit card charge was signed for $73 and they Falsafied it and charged the credit card $329.03. Talked to Manager Doug Miller, and he was very rude, said the repairman was not available and had a sick daughter at home. All he replaced was a $4 fill valve!! I would never recommend this place to anyone. read more

Lijah was very personable and knowledgeable. He came in and found the root cause of my issue even though it was not what I thought it was. It fixed the problem and was less expensive. read more

Overall, I think that their service was "ok" but they are REALLY PRICEY. I needed to have a bathroom sink faucet (that I provided) installed and replace a shutoff valve. The time it took to complete a rather routine job for a plumber, it took him (2hrs) for the job. My total bill was mainly all labor and was charged $500 ! That is $250 an hour for a plumber. YIKES ! My fault for letting them go ahead with the job ! read more

I won't ever be calling them again. My wife called and asked how much it would cost to unclog a main drain in our house. They said 68.50, unless an issue arose. We said ok that's a good price. Next day the service guy shows up and asks " do you want to try the $175 method or $385 method." So I said "neither I thought our price to unlog a main drain was $68.50." After going back and forth with the service guy, I ended up paying $75 for the guy to come over to my house and tell me it would cost $385 to unlog my main drain. My wife called and spoke with their service manager to see if we could get a refund since no work was done there was no communication regarding a $375 fee. The guy was rude and spoke down to her. No resolution came from this, just an assurance that we will never use this company. Hidden $400 fees really isn't the way to gain customers. read more

Paid to have a repair done for a set price. They said it was fixed, no problem. Charged me for the work, calls the inspector to verify the work. When it fails, they tell me, too bad on paying to not get it fixed, it'll only cost an additional $1600.00 to fix it.. They don't stand behind their work and are completely shady in how they do business. Stay away from BF plumbing. read more

Mostly the pricing was terrible, it was really hard to accept the quote, but didn't think to question if there were cheaper products, assumed the quote was the only option, customer service and time was pretty good read more

Called Ben Franklin Plumbing with a water heater failure (needs to b replaced). They quoted me a price of $1799 for a 6 year 30 gal. water heater. Went to a local store bought a 40 gal one that was designed for my home for $500 and $200 to put it in place. They are Just a hair pricey for my taste. read more

Had them out in Feb to fix a freeze in the drain line under my house. They told me at that time that they needed to replace pipes because they were the wrong size. Since Feb I have nothing but problems with clogged pipes. I have lived in this house for 27 years with only one problem before this. i had them back out in April for a clog that I could not clear. At that time I was told it was just to much to paper in the drain. i now have another clog that I could not clear. Since I've had nothing but problems with the work they did I called out another company only to find out they didn't fix it correctly in Feb. I was not told in April anything about pipes not being installed correctly. I called Benjamin Franklin to find out exactly what was done and was told repeatedly that they stand behind their work and would be happy to look at it again. i already have someone fixing their mess up so I don't know what they think they're going to look at. Plus if you stand behind your work why was it not fixed in April. When I asked this question I was just told "i you would have told us this was a problem we would have fixed it" what do you think I was calling you back out for. Plus I did tell them we had had nothing but problem. so there goes the money in Feb plus another 600.00 in April and now another 1100.00 to fix their mistake. read more

They were prompt and scheduled service for us (on a garbage disposal) the same day we called. The guy took care of the problem. The drawback is that they will try to sell you a bunch of stuff like water softeners. I would use them again in a pinch but probably not for a big job. read more

$68 service fee is fine. $209 to replace a $30 cartridge is not. That markup is outrageous. They only steal from me once. Almost $300 for an hour to replace the part is too much. I am clearly in the wrong business. read more

Company is not able to keep their promise of being on time and constantly is making excuses for everyone. I wouldn't refer Benjamin Franklin to my worst enemy for service. Save your money and use someone locally owned and operated. read more

Gary & Braxton showed up on time and restored my hot water. Thank you!! Although to simply vacuum the dust off the bottom of the water heater, I think 180$ was a bit steep. read more

Think twice before you call them, period. This people charge $68.50 just to come and give you estimate. The estimate they give, will never work for you, guaranteed. Then you paying $68.50 plus tax for 5-10 min and that's all they want, to steal you money without doing anything. Not bad for 5-10 min, hum!!! It happened to me. They quoted me $611 just to replace two p-trap and remove clog of kitchen drain. I declined to do that end up paying ~$71 for nothing, made me so mad. Guess what, Action Plumbing just did it only $200. Benjamin Franklin, stop ripping off innocent customers, be honest or stay out of cheating. read more

These guys will rip you off! They quoted me over $30k for a job and that nobody could live in the house for a week. They lied about the work that was needed to be done. I got a quote from a different business for $1,128 and the job was completed in about 4 hours. Save yourself, get another quote! read more

Beware! Repair man changed prices three times during this bath tub valve repair. Started at $267 and ended with almost $500. He replaced a cylinder that cost $16 at Menards. Called the office to complain and was told we would get a call from the repairman the following Monday...never happened. Do not call this company for any repair service!!!! read more

Had a leak and was told I would get a call between 830 and 9. I got the call at 9:45. Not that big of a deal but so much if they're late it's you we pay. Had a trainee try to replace it but he had trouble so Gary had to take over. Then I found out we were the second stop when I promised I would be first. After all is said and done I'm very happy with the end result. 3 stars for not living up to their promise. read more