We had an exterior pipe leak that needed immediate attention as we were unsure just how long the problem had been going on. We reached out to Benjamin Franklin for service and they promptly provided us a next day appointment. Now, here is where things may seem like a 5 star review is crazy talk, but bear with me. I was given a four hour window for service so I decided to work from home to be available for the plumber. The window lapsed and I checked in on the appointment and it turns out that a previous job had taken longer than expected. Look, I get it, it's plumbing, quite literally "you-know-what" happens. (that's a scatological euphemism in case you didn't notice) A mustachioed plumber named Russell arrived and was apologetic and cordial. Already feeling more at ease because he fully embraced the Super Mario motif, I directed him to the problem. While doing so, he let me know that the company has a policy for "broken promises" when it comes to punctuality and that I essentially had a credit for the day. He swiftly fixed the pipe and capped off a gas line that we had needed to have taken care of as part of the day's service. So here is the thing - quality of work and customer service were fantastic. The lateness is disappointing, but any company that has a policy to address tardiness and honors said policy the way Russell and Benjamin Franklin did - is a company I'd use again. read more

Call on weekend about a pinhole leak in hot water pipi. Said it would be very expensive on the weekend so we waited until Monday. Technician came out Monday and switched out to a new pipe. I thought he estimated the cost at about $260, but after he finished he charged over $300 for about 10 minutes work. read more

We requested for a quote yesterday June 3 2024 from Benjamin Franklin. Benjamin Franklin sent a plumber to give us an estimate. The quote to change a 50 gallon water heater was $4900 plus. Today we got a quote from a Yelp endorsed plumber. The bill we paid today is $2400! after the 50 gallon water heater was installed! Caveat Emptor! read more

Update: We needed some plumbing work done ASAP to complete a landscaping project. Cree from Benjamin Franklin Plumbing was on the phone the day I phoned in my request. (The woman who answered the phone, whose name I hope I'm remembering correctly as Cathy, remembered us from a previous call, and we had a great chat.) Cree sent Mark and Angel the next day. They did the work quickly, explained what they were going to do clearly before they did it, and were polite, professional, and friendly. As all of the folks we've dealt with at Benjamin Franklin Plumbing have been for the 14 years we've worked with them. If you need plumbing services, call Benjamin Franklin Plumbing first. And if you want to know what consistently great customer service looks, feels, and acts like, do business with them again. And again. read more

Jerry came to my home in November about a running toilet. He gave me an estimate on a tank rebuild of $521.00. While discussing this high price, understanding the need for Kohler parts, I mentioned wouldn't it be just the same to buy new and have it replaced. I specifically asked if I were to pick out a toilet could Benjamin Franklin pick it up and install I was told YES. I called to set up an appointment to have this done. When I called I specifically asked again about Benjamin Franklin picking up the toilet at Home Depot and it was confirmed that they COULD pick up the toilet for me just purchase it and put it at will call, so I did. I got a call on the day of appointment from Jerry stating he didn't remember our conversation about picking up and installing. He asked if he gave me a quote, and if he told me he could pick up the toilet because Benjamin Franklin doesn't do that. Frustrated I told him fine I will go pick up the toilet. Then he proceeds to tell me he can't install it only come by and give me a quote. I told him to forget it cancel the appointment. Upset to say the least, if I could give no star I would. Apparently I couldn't speak with a manager because there isn't one in the office. Get everything they say in writing and if it's by phone I would get them to email what they say they will do. Corporation........! read more

I highly recommend this company. They were quick, friendly and had fair pricing. They also explained what they were doing the whole time so that we understood how to prevent future issues. They are also available on weekends in case of an emergency! Thank you, Devin (the person who helped us directly.) read more

We had a plugged drain Friday afternoon, called Ben Franklin plumbing and they sent someone out first thing Saturday morning. Steve was their service person and did a great job of getting our drains un-plugged. Never had such a good time with a plumber. Smart ,funny and knowledgeable. Would highly recommend Steve and Ben Franklin Plumbing. read more

Cree came and helped us fix our tub drain. He was efficient, knowledgeable and had a great attitude. You have an excellent employee on your hands. read more

We just had another water heater installed in another rental property by Ben Franklin. Again these guys came thru for us. They sent 2 very Respectful plumbers to do the job. They were on time, worked very hard. Polite and professional. They cleaned up area after completing job.Again we recommend this company for your repairs read more

Second time using this company on an older home. First time, Cree was out to replace a corroded/collapsed sewer drain line from the rental unit behind the main house. The second time, Dusty and Craig came out to replace the water service to the rental unit, a corroded kitchen/laundry drain pipe under the main house and cold & hot water piping throughout the main house. I have been in the construction industry for most of my adult life and am familiar with building codes and the construction trades in general. I found Cree, Dusty and Craig to be knowledgeable, professional and courteous. They wore booties whenever they came in the house, left no mess when they were done and the work was nice looking. In particular, Craig did an excellent job of patching the concrete walkways where he had to cut (the first crew that replaced the sewer drain, not so much). Plumbers are not really known for their concrete skills. If the job requires concrete patching, ask for Craig. Admittedly, they are not the cheapest company around, but the work was done correctly, on time and cleanly. It seems like you get what you pay for. read more

I hired BFP for a toilet repair. I know the parts are not expensive, but didn't want to spend the time learning how to repair on my own. Very professional, and my technician Cree was great to work with. read more

If you want to pay $2719 for a new water heater and never have questions answered, then this is your company. We needed a new water heater in an apartment we own, and the person managing them while we were out of town called this company in Novato. When we returned and saw that we were charged $2719, we were appalled, especially since we had paid $1021 the year before for a different unit and different company. So, I called the company in Novato, was referred to the tech who installed it who then referred me to his district manager who told me he would call me from the office the next day. Never happened. i had asked for a breakdown of costs and a copy of the permit they said they got for our taxes. Nothing, no response. Don't ever use them unless you want to be ripped off as we were. read more

I have been using Ben Franklin now for a few years, after my first experience with them when I was a renter. I now own my own home and continue to hire them. I really can't say enough about this branch, they really do a good job and take responsibility for the project at hand. They have a good system of checks and balances with in the branch to ensure that operations function effectively, and if there is any slack, it is quickly taken up. I would recommend this plumbing company over any smaller, less sophisticated operation because they stand behind their work, deliver excellent customer service, and are competitively priced for a licensed and bonded plumber. Thank you Dusty for helping me with my plumbing problem. 6 stars if I could. It's hard to be a perfect customer; Ben Franklin is patient helps take the stress out of a complex and often difficult home repair. read more

what can i say, JOE the plumber did a academy award winner of installing new gas water heater with all the fixing's and running great and got rid of the water hammering that occurred and went beyond expectations of other items needed to be replaced and would recommend them. read more

I belong to a program called "Home Protection Club". I pay $19.95 per month for this service. Three company's are involved. Benjamin Franklin Plumbing is the worst of them by far! It would take to long to list the complaints I have. OVER PRICED--NOT KNOWING WHAT THEY ARE DOING--NO CALL BACK WHEN I REQUESTED IT--NO FOLLOW UP ON PRODUCT THEY SOLD ME IN THE PAST (WATER FILTER) ETC. You would be crazy to call them for service! read more

Excellent service! My technician Joey took the time to fully diagnose a serious water heater problem and helped me reach manufacturer regarding warranty replacement parts with relative ease. He even helped preschedule install and personally ensured I had a successful installation of the new parts. All went smoothly and enjoying hot water! I would recommend him and Ben Franklin plumbing to all. read more

I too got screwed by this company because I did not check Yelp until now. Beware their discounted inspection which is just a paid sales call. I joined their "club" and soon got a call for a plumbing inspection from their Benjamin Franklin division. Before he was done I actually signed a finance agreement for $10,000 for a tankless water heater and a 3M water purifier. Something told me I was getting screwed and I cancelled the deal. When I looked up the price for the $6000 tankless water heater it was $1200 on line. Their One hour heating and AC division previously charged $457 to replace a capacitor and ignitor for my furnace. On line these part prices cost $33 total- so I paid them $424 to install in 15 minutes.These are predators and now they are advertising on a popular radio station. BEWARE read more

I am being generous here with 2 stars. The technician was so slick and slick looking that he had me, for awhile anyway. He showed up one hour late. I asked about the "always on time or you don't pay a dime", yep, "I would be credited for $275". The water heater was on the fritz, and he quickly whipped out a form that showed clearly that I had a $319 repair. I was shocked, really, so I could apply a credit of $275 to the balance, and VIOLA (!) I owed just $44? "Yep".....'didn't have the part on the truck so we needed to order it.....er....I needed to order it. The water heater was under warranty for the part....but the customer needed to find it....."cause my cost is less"(?), What? I was then told that the new amount due would be $559....hmm....add a "credit" of $275 to $319, and what do you get???? 'Looks like they were trying to get it backl Add to this slick sales pitch I was handed a Home Warranty folder. I was pushed to buy a Home Warranty plan for just $ 259 plus a one time "processing fee" of $29. I am so over this "lack of integrity". Who would work for a company that did this kind of sales training?...it is so dishonest...but I'm sure that, given there are many vulnerable people out there that aren't able to defend themselves against this kind of business practice, that they do quite well. Sadly so. read more

My regular plumber was on vacation when we had an emergency w/ root in pipe, causing backup of dirt into our shower and tub, a common problem for many people - and BF came out and took care of it for $200. Great. What bothers me is the overkill / overpriced 3 options we were left with. When our regular plumber came out to find out what was really needed, it turns out the actual work required will only cost less than 25% of the lowest option! That's a huge difference for us, about $1500 savings. So, bottom line: good for in a pinch, but watch out for those options. read more

CONSUMER ALERT & WARNING! These people are lying liars who lie and take advantage of panicking homeowners. I paid $6,300 to have them "fix" the sewer backing up in my bathroom. for $6,300 they replumbed the toilet stack and installed a clean-out valve AND I STILL HAD SEWER BACKING UP, only now it was backing up outside on the ground, not in my house. I GUESS that's an improvement. As soon as they got that done, golly, they figured out that the problem was really in the sewer line from the bathroom to the street. They were willing to 'give; me a great price at $5,000! ADDITIONAL! They could have and should have (and indicated that they did) recognize that the problem was in the sewer line to the street BEFORE soaking me an unnecessary $6,300. The guy who came out indicated it "might" be in the line, but did not check the line BEFORE replumbing the stack and installing the totally unnecessary clean-out valve. He absolutely knew when he left the house that the problem was not fixed. My "I've been had" warning light blinked on (too late to save me $6,300). I found another plumber who confirmed a) the problem was in the line; b) the clean-out was totally unnecessary--$6,300 down the toilet, literally. The new plumber fixed the sewer line FOR A FRACTION OF WHAT BEN FRANKLIN WANTED!!!! I was also told that Ben Frnaklin's plumbers are all on commission and doing the "two-step" is routine. They work hard not to fix problems, but to make sure they can get every dime out of a homeowner they can. Shame on you, Ben Franklin. Don't be misled by the marketing. Don't call them. If you do, BE SURE you get a second opinion. These guys are out for themselves and are not honest brokers of the facts or what needs to be done. read more

We needed a plumber at about 9pm on a Saturday evening. Backed up toilets running onto the floor. We called Benjamin Franklin because they advertise 24 hour service. I was told they could not send anyone until 8:00am to 12:00 tomorrow. Seems to me if you advertise 24 hour service, you should provide 24 hour service. Won't be calling them again. read more

Had a minor leak from the water meter that must have been going on for years courtesy of shoddy construction of the house water system. It turned serious late afternoon so we shut off the water. We could not find anyone who could fix this pretty bad problem till BF. Unfortunately BF is not cheap but then again nobody else was willing to come out so sometimes you have to accept higher cost for a critical need. That said, unfortunately BF were late arriving, though they offer $5 back per late minute so this actually mitigated the problem of cost without great inconvenience in this case. The work was done very professionally, upgraded to the standard the house builder should have used originally, very cleanly and thoroughly tested. I learned a great deal about high standards that should have been used to the point that I think what I saw may explain a neighbors problem too. So, thanks BF. A great job done well and I now have a better system that will actually reduce our water bill. read more

1 star because they fail to provide good customer service with loyal customers even after they said a discount would be.given. make sure it's written on paper the discount because they don't back anything verbal. Not trust worthy. read more

These guys do really care about their customers. Previously, I had use them for another job that I reviewed here http://www.yelp.com/biz/benjamin-franklin-plumbing-novato-6. I had said before that I would never use them again unless it was for small jobs and I recently hired them for such a thing. The 5 stars I give isn't due to company rhetoric and I'm not being forced to. The 5 stars I gave goes to the hardworking techs and managers who, time and time again, are willing to go to bat for me. These techs in particular, Jerry, Kevin (who sadly isn't with the company anymore), and Skyler, and their manager John Rossy deserve all the praise. I had another job they did for me and their boss charged me nothing for it due to my pass experiences. Even now, I don't consider those experiences to be all that bad--just not worthy of 5 stars. So I say again, your experience will depend largely on the techs. Please hope you get one of these guys. read more

Nick at Benjamin Franklin came to my home because I thought I had a water leak after the City of Santa Rosa showed my meter still running even though all water was turned off. Nick responded to my call and was at my home within 90 minutes. He soon discovered that it was caused by a running toilet. He suggested that I have my monthly handyman repair it as it would be much less expensive for me. He refused any payment offers and was on his way. Such honesty is hard to find these days and it was nice to see that he did not take advantage of a 90 year old widow. If I ever have any type of plumbing problems in the future I will be calling Benjamin Franklin Plumbing!!!! read more

I've been using Benjamin Franklin Plumbing for several years and have been very please with their quality and professionalism. Today, while scheduling some work I had the opportunity of speaking with Mike R., a customer care representative. He handled my call with the professionalism I've come to expect from this company. I would highly recommend anyone considering any sized plumbing job to call them. read more

Here is what I know about Benjamin Franklin Plumbing and construction: About a year ago I had them out to do some work for me. The start of the job was a bit bumpy but after we started, it all went well. I am in construction also. I knew that it was extremely busy at that time. So, I was patient. In the end, I was taken care of and I was happy. Since then I have used them on numerous projects. They use a straight forward pricing program. If you can digest the price that they give you, they get the job done. They don't add any more to the price. They stay with you until it is complete. If they need a part they run right out and get it. They have a pretty good attitude. So far, every one of their guys that have come out have been easy to deal with. I haven't noticed any big egos (which is very common in construction and home repair). They even cover their shoes and clean up their mess (which is very important to me because I do the same for my clients). The most recent project that they did for me was the day before yesterday. They sent Nick G. Good job Nick! All things considered, I would recommend and have recommended them for other projects and have received good reports from my friends and clients that they have worked for. Keep doing your best guys. We customers are important! Thank you. read more

John Hand is the most thorough, skilled plumbing professional I have ever met, and I've met quite a few. He meticulously went through the home and communicated so clearly what needed attention. His report was ready immediately. Cari at the call center went above and beyond for me! I am purchasing a new home and she coordinated a COMPLETE plumbing inspection at lightning speed. She was super proactive, professional and kind. Just found my new go-to plumbing company read more

Just want to say They lived up to there advertising and more. We had a bathroom clog. Both toilets would not flush and there was a problem with the waste line. My wife called Benjamin Franklin Plumbing. Said that they would be there between 9 and 11 AM. 11 O'clock came and gone so a call was made to find out if there was someone coming. The office person said that they use a three hour window for service calls. So the time would be 9 - 12pm. We disputed that saying we were told 9-11Am. The office manager reviewed the phone tape and said they made the mistake and would honor the 5 dollars a minute last fee. So the Tech shows up looks at the crappers. Looks in the sceptic tank and said it is defective and needs to be pumped out. What does she know. Honey calls a company to pump out the tank and the sceptic guy said nothing is wrong with the system it was working fine. That was a $400 buck screwing. So I called all pissed and talked to the boss. I told him the plumber he sent did not even remove a bowl or check any waste lines just looking in the tank and left. The sceptic guy took his power hose blow it up the waste line for two seconds and the blockage was cleared. The manager from BF sent me a check for the cost of pumping out the tank. Worked for me they took responsibility for there mans poor work. Late fees and cleaning the sceptic. We made a few bucks why bitch. read more

2/26/2016 --- We had to use a plumber again today for various issues and again we called Benjamin Franklin Plumbing and we were lucky enough to get Skyler again too! He is fantastic --- great personality, very personable, professional AND he knows his plumbing business!! He came to our house by 11 am and he was gone within half an hour, having fixed several little issues we had! Skyler is amazing and we just love to see him coming because he is so friendly! If you don't have a plumber of choice, we highly recommend BFP! Even the person who answers the telephone calls is so unusually polite, it makes you wonder who trained these people so well! You wish that every business you encounter had such friendly, polite, and professional employees! If you get the chance, ask for Skyler! He's super nice and knows his business! 5 STARS! ***** read more

Tim came to Foster City to snake my kitchen sink. He was prompt, courteous, and succeeded in clearing the blockage. The charge was about $260 which I am not sure how much other plumbers would charge but that may help you in your analysis of who to hire. Sabrina at the call center in Santa Rosa was very professional. I am happy and will be using BF Plumbing in the future. Thank you Tim and Sabrina! read more

I couldn't be happier with their service. We've used them for a complete house repiping and some incidentals such as toilet re-sets. Dustin and his crew are professional, polite, and their work is excellent. read more

Ben Franklin came to my home to help determine how to address a known hot water leak beneath my slab. They arrived on time for all schedules, everyone who came to my home was polite, they wore booties while in my home, they explained everything to me clearly, and they were reasonably priced. Once the repair was completed, they showed my husband the meter to illustrate that it was no longer spinning. We're no longer hearing the leak and all "symptoms" of the leak have disappeared. We're thrilled and very satisfied with the service received. read more

I would never do business with Benjamin Franklin Plumbing nor would I recommend it to anyone. Here is why: I used this company several years ago for the same job and had a pleasant memory of its work. I called to have my main sewer cleaned as two sinks and a shower were backing up. This time the technician was prompt, efficient and showed me the camera work of what he found. Thus far, very good. I was on heavy pain pills due to a damaged back and was obviously not talking or acting normally. The technician pushed for me to sign up for a replacement, trench-less, of the main sewer line. Cost $9000. It was a hard sell approach but I thought it might be a good idea. The technician did call a neighbor of mine to see if I was capable of making such a decision and the neighbor told him, yes and again reminded him that I was on a lot of pain medication. I could barely see the lines I was to sign on and had to be shown them and told what to write in the place that asked what the work was I wanted. The work was to commence the following day, a Saturday. By the middle of the night, I decided I needed to do more thinking about this and called to cancel the Saturday work. By Sunday, I had decided I needed to get references and more than one bid. I cancelled the sewer replacement entirely. Monday morning at 9:15 a.m., there was a loud knocking on my door. it was the technician and the "operations manager." The technician was quiet but the operations manager proceeded to berate me for changing my mind, to tell me how wrong I was, to explain how I didn't understand what would be done. I then asked for references and was told to read comments on the website or at Diamond Certified. I had read those, and those of Yelp as well. I wanted to talk to real people who had had the work done. He ranted that he couldn't give out that kind of customer information and when I suggested he ask one or two to call me, he became even angrier. He said the company does 3 or 4 of these jobs every week with no problems. Sounds remarkable then that not one of those people would be willing to speak with me or show me the neat completed job (and yes, I know the work is done underground. I wanted to see a neat ground-level leave after the job.) Then he insisted the job wasn't finished. That did upset me. But he only said I had not paid for it. I immediately went in the house, locking the screen door behind me, wrote out a check and gave it to them. After that I went inside, closing the door as they still stood them, the operations manager still talking. This whole episode left me very upset. I have never had company representatives of any company treat me so rudely. Indeed, I felt threatened by his anger. Everyone in the company was extremely kind and courteous and I would have perhaps come back after checking around. But that one out-of-control Operations Manager ended that thought. No one should have pushed me to sign for an expensive job when I was obviously groggy from the pills. I am being very careful with my water usage as that operations manager said the problem could reoccur. When I pushed that it should be good for at least a month or so, he implied I could have it all happen again any moment. Fear tactics don't work well with me. But it did leave me nervous about the sufficiency of the job just finished. Trudy McMahon read more

Had to have plumbing service after hours on a weekend they sent me a young man named Nick.. From the moment he knocked on our door, the service was great..he fixed my problem, gave a estimate for other work that should be done ..he was very professional and left every spotless.. He gave me a discount for seniors.. I will always use this company and tell all my friends and family about the service... Thanks Nick. read more

I had Nicolas Graham in to fix a drain line problem, He scoped it out and found multiple problems: broken hangers, bowed line, cracked pipe and a serious plug. He fixed them all. He did a great job and was very informative and pleasant. - Thanks. read more

I've been a member of their "Home Protection Club" for a number of years. I'm still a little fuzzy on what the benefits are, but...perhaps that is the reason that they are so responsive to my calls for urgent plumbing problems. Typically I get same day service and they are able to give me appointment times that don't tie me up all day. Their plumbers will give me a "window" of time, then call me about 30 minutes before they show up. Recently water started pouring out of a canister light fixture on my first floor. I shut off all of the water upstairs and called BF Plumbing the next day. Because it was apparent that several gallons of water were probably trapped in the ceiling, BF recommended that we quickly get the ceiling opened up to begin drying the affected area before mold starts to grow. They gave us a number of a remediation company that came out the same day to assess the extent of the leak. Apparently it was a large amount of water in a short period of time. The next day we removed the sheetrock, and found that the source of the leak was from below an upstairs toilet. At first I thought..."Oh no problem, probably a failed wax ring, I can replace that myself". So I removed the toilet and lo and behold, the problem wasn't the wax ring, but a broken toilet flange! Again I had to call Benjamin Franklin. It was Saturday and they said everyone was booked, but they could send someone on Sunday. A few hours later they called to tell me that one of their plumbers was finishing his last repair early, and was available if I wanted him. I said "yes" and 30 minutes later, Nick showed up. He noticed a couple of pairs of shoes outside our door, and put on a pair of shoe covers over his own work shoes without me saying a thing. He took one look at the broken toilet flange/bolts and went to work cutting off the old flange from the 3 inch pipe below and attaching a new flange upstairs. He was fast, polite, and clean. Got the job done in under 40 minutes. He even offered to carry the old toilet down the stairs and dispose of it for me. (I figured I would install a new 1.28 gal model while I was at it.) The only hiccup on the whole deal was when I got the bill...it was a bit more than I expected. Nick was in my house for a total of 50 minutes and the entire job took less than 40. So...a couple of days later I called BF Plumbing and spoke to a very polite and sympathetic young woman who promised me that the Operations Manager, John Rossi, would call me the next day as he was out of town. Much to my surprise, I did get that call. We talked about the job and the bill. He said that given the circumstances...it sounds like I was inadvertently over-charged. The bill should have been less, since I removed and was reinstalling the toilets myself. So...he immediately issued me a partial refund and followed up with a nice follow-up letter. I have used BF Plumbing about 6 times over the last 2 years. This was the only time that a charge seemed a little high and they took care of it right away. Top notch company. I will be calling them again. read more

Do not do business with this company!! I needed to replace a 50 gallon, gas water heater; in the garage with easy access, no complications. Quote for parts and labor for a 6 year warranty heater $3200. I expressed my dismay at the price and he immediately dropped it $400. Clearly the quote was padded so they could make it look like they were giving me a discount. I was in a bind to get the hot water working so I agreed and the installation was scheduled for the next day. Then I researched online for water heater prices and found the high end to be around $1200 and that installation time would average about 3 hours. $1600 for 3 hours labor was way too much for my taste so I called and cancelled. About 5 minutes later I got a call and he offered to reduce the price to $2000. So why the original quote of $3200 when they are willing to do it for $2000? Can you spell "price gouging?" I had no interest in doing any business with them ever so I called Prado's Plumbing (local, family-owned) and got the job done right away for $1650. By the way, BF also quoted me 2 higher price levels with 9 and 12 year warranties. This made it appear I would get a better heater but when I asked directly what the difference was he admitted they are all the same. Basically, they're selling extended warranties without telling the customer that's what it is. read more

I can not give them any stars. I felt like I was taken to the cleaners. 3,500 for a water heater is insane. Plus they put in things that we didn't need. I would never call on them again. They took advantage of a woman who doesn't know plumbing. read more

The tech quoted me $260 for shower washer that costs $10 at Home Depot. Before he could tell me what the labor would be I told him to leave. This company's business model is to rip off people who do not know much about home repair costs, like the elderly. Don't know how these people sleep at night. Have you ever heard of a $260 washer for a shower faucet? Ridiculous!!!! read more