My wife owns a two multi-unit buildings in Pilsen Chicago and has a long time plumber with whom she grew up. He is an incredible tradesman and always our preferred choice where his services are warranted. We, however, live in Winnetka and this is outside "Armando's" service area. He, however, recommended HT Strenger to us and we are extremely happy that he did. We experienced a leak behind a kitchen wall that another vendor purported to fix yet to no avail so this was a re-do. David of Strenger reported precisely on time and opened the wall as if he was instead a laproscopic surgeon, unlike the previous failed vendor whose access hole/port was four times larger and created a mess that required the acquisition of a drywaller and several hours of collective inconvenience. The first failed plumbing contractor billed in 15 minute increments and, if I am not mistaken, so did Strenger, with the difference being the former's "efficacy coefficient" was zero. Stenger's work lacked the haphazard, sloppy and careless inputs of the first acquistion, one of those "always on the radio" suppliers whose name a collegue supplied, and who regretfully I called, as the job seemed perfunctory to say the least. Unfortunately, my belief of the strong inverse correlation that exists between a company's propensity to run obnoxious radio ads and its tendency to screw up the simplest job remains. Neither my wife nor I believed it necessary to ask a real plumber for a more proximate recommendation ("Armando, who would you hire if you lived up here" was indeed the targeted vernacular) but such is the world in which we now live. Another reviewer apparently thought it strange that the company requests "five star" reviews post completion. David made the same request but I construed this not as a plea of desperation inasmuch as affirmation that one would be forthcoming IF and only IF, we felt comfortable rendering such. Strenger's management, unlike the radio advertisers, seemingly understand that loyality, and the ability to thus eschew spending thousands of dollars or whatever these others pay on psychobabble laden. platitude filled ads, comes from telling customers what you will do and for how much, doing it as promised and then billing appropriately. We now have two favorite household plumbers with Strenger being our preferred provider up north. It's just a shame, however, that it takes typically two suppliers, both requiring remuneration, to acquire one good outcome. Strenger made write all that was wrong and I am very grateful for its excellent work. You will be too. read more

I hired Strenger for two major plumbing projects in recent years, totaling more than $14,000. During the most recent project, the plumbers closed a valve for a spigot on the outside of the house, but didn't reopen the valve when they were done with the work. I couldn't locate the valve when I needed to use the outdoor spigot, so I called Strenger to reopen it. It took the plumber no more than five minutes to locate it and reopen it, then charged me $199 for doing it. I maintained that they should have returned the settings to the way they were before the work began, but Strenger insisted it was a service call. I would think twice about hiring a company that seems more committed to the dollar than its customers who have hired them for major projects. read more

Review: I thought these guys would be great based on reviews, but it turned out to not be so. First I talk to a guy there and explain the situation and send pictures and am told me I'll need a camera inspection before doing a pipe repair, and the camera inspection will be $600. OK no worries, let's do it. So then they come out to do the inspection, take a look and tell me I don't need the camera inspection after all. OK great. Then they charge me $200 for coming over for 10 minutes and telling me that....OK. So the guy tells me it will be a couple of thousand dollars to dig down into the basement floor and fix the pipe, and I'm like oh that's not too bad. He says he'll send a quote over. So five days pass and I still don't have the quote after reaching out to them twice to ask for it eventually the quote comes in, and to my surprise it's over $5000. And at that point, I give up. read more

Similar to the review from August 2025 - Had HTS rod my main sewer line. Was told that the charge is $275 for first 30 minutes plus $105 for each succeeding 15 minutes (2 man crew - again, seems excessive for simple rodding). From the time they arrived to the time they left was 1.5 hours. Somehow an "extra" 15 minutes was added on though my doorbell cam clearly shows when they arrived and when they left. I called the office and they said that time starts when they arrive, not when they start work. I disputed the timing and was told they could pull the GPS records from the trucks and the tech's phones. I asked them do so to justify the extra charge. No response - 3 weeks later. I used HTS on complex work in the past and they always did good a job, but I would never again ask them to something of this nature. They're over market priced, shady time keeping practices and poor customer service. Update: Didn't mention that somehow they slipped in a $75 "camera fee" that wasn't mentioned when I called before the service. HTS did call me (left a vm) and stated that they checked their records and the "timing was slightly different" from what I reported. It was enough to run into the next 15 min. window because they start the clock when they arrive, not when they start work. Wholly unsatisfactory all around for me. As stated above, they're not the right contractor for this kind of work. read more

I needed some simple rodding of my sewer pipe. First, it took me about a week to get someone out otherwise pay an emergency charge. First 1 plumber came out to tell me I needed rodding--a minimum and visit charge (no problem), naturally. Next, 1 plumber and a technician came out to rod my pipe which took about 2.5 hours. While many companies charge a flat rate, Strenger charges full rate for 2 plumbers even though one is just a tool carrying "tech." In fact, most rodding companies charge a flat rate but not Strenger. If you check Angie's List, the high charge says $575 if they have to rod from the inside which they did mine. My charge was $1,080 and they pulled out no more than a handful of grass--no tree roots. The price included 1 wax ring for my toilet. My water was still going down in my shower but slow. I called my neighbor afterwards who gets it done regularly and many local companies charge no more than $575 flat rate if they have to go inside. He pays usually only $450. Roto Rooter--way below even $575 flat high rate for indoor rodding. Usually 1 plumber and a tech like Strenger. My suggestion to you who read this is check around first instead of paying full time and material for 2 plumbers when 1 is just a tech. Then Strenger requests you give them 5 stars on Google because they have to ask? I had to request twice for my invoice and called them to tell them what my neighbor normally pays. My neighbor thinks I was burned and after reading Angie's List, I know it! Just be aware that many if not all of these 5 star posts were requested by Strenger. read more

I called up HT Strenger after a poor experience with Arrow Plumbing. If you're just using Yelp and can't tell which ones better bc they both appear to be highly ranked, let me assure you it's HT Strenger. On the surface both appear to charge time and materials, but HT doesn't misquote you like Arrow did. They also are licensed plumbers so you have peace of mind. The dispatch or customer service has been so pleasant to work with. Once they knew I was in a hurry, and they actually moved up my appointment when someone else rescheduled. So far, they've installed toilets, fixed leaks due to an old wax ring, installed kitchen sinks/disposals, and hooked up my refrigerator. They even noticed problems that I had missed and gave me peace of mind. Also, they put on booties before entering the home and extra towels to clean up. It's a lot of thoughtful touches that go the extra mile. read more

I recently needed a repair at home. Not only did they respond very quickly, but they also offered me a fair price. The plumber who came to my house was friendly and professional. I recommend these guys and will use them again in the future. read more

Brad fixed our issue quickly and very professionally for a reasonable price...even on a Sunday. We will definitely be calling them again. read more

I had a clogged kitchen sink so I found and called HT Strenger based on good reviews. They were very responsive and arrived as promised. However, once the clog was resolved within minutes it seemed as unnecessary work was created in order to bill me additional services. I felt as if I highly over paid when I shouldn't have. read more

I've been working with plumbers for years, and I can't honestly say that I've had a 'great' experience working with any of them, that is...until I started working with HT Strenger! David is a consummate professional. On my first day working with him he arrived on-site in Lake Forest around 8:00 am CST and I assumed he'd only be there to perform an assessment of what needed to be serviced at the property (like all the other companies/guys I've had come visit the house I'm looking to renovate over the last year or so). This was not the case at all. David's work van was fully equipped (like a plumbing supply store on wheels), and so was his work belt. From the moment he walked into my family's home, he started working. No complaints. No fuss. No waste-of-time here. He didn't shy away from literally any of the challenging issues that all the other plumbers who had an opportunity to earn my business did. All the other guys were full of a bunch of excuses, or reasons why they couldn't start the work, whereas David was an avid problem-solver. He claimed my job was 'easy' compared to many of the other jobs he's had to handle. He simply fixed everything in sight, like some sort of terminator-like machine from the future. Lol. I'm still blown away by my experiences with this company and David. Like...in awe! This was my family's entire conversation at dinner the other night. We've been wanting to de-winterize the home for a little over a year now, as the home has been winterized for over 5+ years. David lifted his entire trade's reputation on his shoulders in such a positive light. With all the negative reputation many people often associate with plumbers, David was the exact opposite of other disappointing plumbers who would charge an arm and a leg for such mediocre, almost lazy service. He has over 40+ years experience in the trade as a licensed plumber, and is with a plumber's union. It seems as though these guys get a bad rap because they charge quite bit for plumbing services, but let me tell you, what they charge for plumbing services is worth every penny! I believe their pricing was fairly priced, as it included materials and labor, and same day repair service. They were even kind enough to inform me about a "clutch club" membership that saved us a ton of money during the course of our project, which involved a little over 10+ days to complete on/off. They supply the materials on-site, get started with the work right away, do so...somehow in a happy mood, and answer your questions while this is all happening. You don't feel as though they're trying to pressure you into a sale or unnecessary repairs or modifications to the plumbing system, rather, you're encouraged as their customer to save money in avoiding costly nonsense considerations. He was calm, calculating, and upbeat about the entire scope of work, and was extremely patient and pleasant to deal with. David took his time to answer damn near a million of my questions as he was/is a wealth of knowledge for me and my family with helping us to understand the history of our property. HT Strenger seems to be a great company and they should be honored to have David on their team. He's a superstar, and nothing seems difficult for him. I'm looking forward to re-booking him again and again for all my projects (business & personal). He's a great guy, and I enjoy his company and friendship above and beyond his professionalism and work ethic. read more

We had a plumbing emergency and HT Springer was here within two hours. Mark was very efficient, diagnosed the problem within minutes, had the needed parts on his truck and our problem was solved. We would recommend this company without qualification. The only little comment...when I asked if they took credit cards, he said yes. When I got the invoice there was a $6.48 service charge for using a credit card. I could have easily written a check and saved the amount of the service charge. read more

Working with HT Stringer has been a very positive experience. Although there were issues with the manufacturer on one of the products that I installed, the employees worked with me diligently to get it replaced and dealt with the issue with great integrity. They were timely and their onsite and tech manager was knowledgeable and proactive. We appreciated their customer service and putting the customer service. We like to shop local and would recommend HT Stringer for our friends and family. read more

I called this company to replace kitchen riser water lines for the sink, in a 100 year old building in the city. These are the original galvanized steel pipes inside the walls. Greg showed up & reviewed the job site, returning the following week with all the necessary parts. Initially everything went smoothly, replace the old steel piping with copper, but once the water was turned back on, leaks appeared. This occurred multiple times, due to the age of the old pipes. However Greg is a true pro & he displayed his experience & expertise on this nightmare plumbing project. Every time a new leak sprung, we'd turn off the water and Greg would stare at the pipes for a few minutes, then say: Okay, here's what we have to due. What started out as a several hour job, extended into the evening. I can't say enough about Greg's plumbing skills, especially having to tackle this project by himself! I would also add that I've worked with various plumbers at this building over 30+ years and Greg rivals them in spite of his relatively young age. At the end of the day, I was prepared to get hit with a massive invoice, as overtime was involved, but I was quite surprised with the reasonable bill. I would highly recommend J.T. Strenger for any plumbing work! read more

HT Strenger is a business you can rely on. My water heater stopped functioning and the next day HT Strenger arrived and replaced it right away. I appreciate the friendly staff for being so accommodating and their willingness to help in such a fast and effective manner. read more

I had an emergency where my pipes under my home were leaking a terrible sewage smell. Other companies quoted me insanely overpriced numbers to complete the job. HT Strenger came out and for a fair price, and completed the work. I'm so thankful they were able to help in my time of need. I would refer them to anyone with a plumbing needs! read more

I've now used this company for everything from an extensive septic repair to simply installing a toilet. They probably aren't the cheapest, but clearly the most professional and no nonsense. Their estimates and work are straightforward and fair. I'll take that anytime. Had them do work today. Brad showed up on time and was a pleasure to work with. He not only did the work but took the time to intelligently explain what was going on and provide some sound advice. read more

I've used HT Strenger several time in the past few years. Their excellent service starts with the receptionist. They asked me some great questions so the service providers would have all the parts needed and they helped me schedule the perfect time for the service call. Brad came to my house once. Josh has been at my house several times. These guys are really good plumbers. They seem to know everything. Not only did they complete the projects, 100%, but they put up with all my questions and actually tried to make me a better homeowner. I really appreciated their willingness to explain every little project detail with me. They wasted no time. They are extremely professional. read more

Very disappointed.... They came and un plugged my kitchen sink 225?!!! 40 mins of work charged an hour @ 40$ per 15 mins Tacked on 2% service charge for credit card Called and tried to dispute..... wouldnt budge but would wave the 2% percent Never again will i use Not for the homeowner Pricing is designed to gouge the home owners in 15 min increments read more

Needed a Plummer to replace an outdoor leaking pipe, and to replace an indoor shutoff which caused the outside leak in the first place. My local guys have become difficult to reach, and another company could not schedule me for at least a weak. Called HT Stranger, who answered immediately and could have someone onsite by tomorrow between noon and 2:00 PM. Next day, promptly at 12:15 PM, Jesse, the service tech arrived. He quickly evaluated the situation, making some excellent suggestions about what I could purchase to alleviate the problem from occurring again, got to work and completed the project to my satisfaction. The rates were explained to me before hand, and were reasonable given the quality of work. I will definitely use in the future. read more

We, being my wife and Spike, our six pound Maltese, were attacked by a running toilet. As I had my right knee replaced on 01 February, I was not exactly prepared to get on my knees and work on a toilet. Late last year we had H.T. Strenger Plumbing repair a different toilet. We called them to fix this one, and fix it they did. We had the same technician, who easily arrived within the promised timeframe. Matt went right to work, first diagnosing the source of the leak, and then fixing it. He was here and gone before my coffee cooled. My review ~ Five Stars... A honest firm with excellent employees read more

Firstly we checked five stars and we wish we could give more. We experienced a broken water line at 4:00 AM during Chicago's freezing weather also known as the vortex when much of the city was experiencing similar problems. H. T. Strenger dispatched Josh who arrived within an hour of our initial call. Unbelievable! We later learned Josh had rarely slept in the past days yet he was quietly engaging, professional and polite. He carefully and accurately diagnosed the source of the problem and had the exact tools and knowledge needed to resolve the problem quickly. Before leaving for his next emergency assignment, Josh still took the time to sweep up his work area and remove any waste he had created. Given the nature of our disastrous water leakage experience, H. T. Strenger and Josh were no less than angels sent to take care of us. By the way, a second (different) water line broke later that same day, and H. T. Strenger said they would dispatch someone the following day. Very surprisingly within hours H. T. Strenger called back and said Josh would return around 5:00 PM. the same evening! H. T. Strenger is an amazing plumbing service. We will be loyal customers and we will always request Josh. The Millers read more

Carl from H.T.Strenger fixed an outdoor faucet at our home today. He was prompt, friendly, and communicated the problem and solution perfectly. The price was also reasonable. Based on all this, I highly recommend Carl and H.T.Strenger. read more

We have used H.T. for several small fixes around the house and they have always been prompt and efficient. If you are curious as to certain other repairs/changes, the repairmen are always very helpful in giving an honest opinion on whether the repair/change is even worth doing! Last night we had a heating inspection and the contractor smelled gas...which means the Gas Company had to come out. They found two or 3 small leaks and said they would need to shut down the gas. Called H.T. at 8:30 at night and they were out by 9:15, saving us from losing gas service. The technician, Matt, then did an amazingly quick job being that the leaks were in very tight places. The price was also very upfront in that we were told this was an overtime rate. Will always use, and recommend! read more

Really impressed, wish I could give more than 5 stars. Called HT Strenger for a suspected blocked drain and even though not an emergency, I was able to get an appointment same day. Dave was courteous, tidy, knowledgeable and efficient. He had the issue identified within 5 minutes and had parts available for a fix. I have another plumbing issue to address and without hesitation, I will call HT Strenger again. The Yelp reviews are accurate, the expertise, customer service and price point are all impressive!! read more

I contacted H.T Strenger after a bad experience with large plumbing company Roto-Rooter concerning removing tree roots from my main sewer line. I read about Jet Rodding the main sewer and thought this would be a worthwhile expense. Customer service was friendly and told me they would have a plumber with Jet Rodding equipment sent to me about two days after my call. On the morning of my service call, two plumbers arrived at my door, and informed me that if I had an issue with tree roots that power rodding (using a metal cable) versus jet rodding (using a water powered tool) was the correct solution for me. The job proceeded to take approximately three and a half hours for them to complete which I thought was quite long. At one point, we saw the plumbing snake coming out of the plumbing vent on the roof (apparently they had taken a wrong turn in the pipes). They bill based on quarter hour of time, so it seemed they were in no hurry to complete the job. The plumber, Jim, wound up finding that I had an outside clean out installed, which Roto- Rooter had wanted to charge me about $5,000 to install. They dug around outside but were unable to find the access, despite having sewer line locating equipment. In the end, they wound up partially cleaning my line using the access inside my house. While the plumber was friendly throughout the process, I feel like I was billed an inflated amount of time to complete the work. The job wound up costing me over $1,000 just for a partial power rodding. However, with their Clutch Club membership (which costs $249 annually), and once I spoke with the plumbers supervisor, I was able to get my bill reduced to just under $900. The sewer line is flowing again, so the job was completed. When the ground thaws in spring, I will need to find my outside clean out by digging or hiring someone to do that, and paying another plumber to finish cleaning the line of all roots. They saved me from being ripped off by Roto-Rooter, but at the same time their open ended billing policy (charging per every 15 minutes) left me guessing at how long it would take for them to finish the job and ultimately paying more than I was comfortable paying for the service provided. read more

Very courteous, prompt, and professional service. Brad from H.T. Strenger has been to our house several times to fix plumbing issues in our 1920s house. Most recently, he fixed a leak in the overflow of our vintage tub, then told us which parts to order to replace the aging faucet/shower assembly and waste/overflow, which has been giving us problems for years. After we had the replacement parts, Brad came back and installed everything and replaced the original drum trap with a P trap, so our tub now drains properly. H.T. Strenger also sent an apprentice to help Brad at no charge to us, so the work was done more quickly than originally estimated. Our new shower and tub faucet look great, and everything is working well. Highly recommended! read more

Polite and very thorough service. I have shopped around and used other plumbing services, but Strenger really is the best.

They came out to give me an estimate on a simple putting in a tub before my contractor started his redo of my bathroom. The guy who came out was cocky and said he would get back to me with an estimate; never heard from him. I had to call 2 days later and ask for the estimate. The company stated he was at lunch and was "working on it". Really, how difficult is it to do an estimate for a tub or to get back to a customer same day or the next day. Guess they don't need the business. read more

We called HT Strenger when our hot water heater went out and received great service. They discussed pros and cons of alternatives openly and didn't try to just push for the most expensive option. The install was completed accurately and quickly. Afterward when our bathroom was being remodeled we called them again and were extremely pleased with the quick service we received. They stand behind their work and have integrity and pride in what they do. They are the only plumbing service I will call in the future. read more

If you're ever looking for a plumber on the North Shore this is the one to call always on time professional and great at what they do