I am delighted to post a review of Michael & Son Services; specifically, highlight Brandon M.. To provide some perspective, I contacted Michael & Son for assistance troubleshooting a performance issue with my State Tankless Water Heater. For four years, I experienced inconsistent water temperatures. When I showered the water would be lukewarm; yet, when I washed my hands in the kitchen, the temperature would be perfect. Over the years I had Bradley Mechanical perform a diagnostic assessment. The results were inconclusive. One technician said, "the hot and cold lines are mixing somewhere in the house." Another said, "the recirculation system is functioning appropriately, but you're receiving backflow of cold water into the hot line because of a malfunctioning valve." I paid to change the valve, descale the unit, and adjust the recirculation schedule. Each visit cost me a dispatch fee, parts and labor, but failed to resolve the problem. I also reported an issue with the bathtub faucet. Bradley suggested the unit was off brand; therefore, required a total replacement. I found this answer bizarre because fixtures throughout the house were purchased from Ferguson and all (except the bathtub) performed according to specification. I never used my beautiful soaker tub! I remained resolute in my quest to get to the bottom of these issues. I setup a tracking system to document the time, duration, outdoor temperature, and whether the shower performed according to my liking. To my surprise, the data pointed to specific timeframes of optimal performance. This provided me additional insight, so I decided to consult a different plumber - Michael and Son. Things started off on a positive footing from my ability to schedule an appointment online. Michael & Son's online scheduling system is clean, efficient, and simple to use. I viewed their appointment availability and booked a next day appointment -- without contacting a Customer Service Representative (CSR). Further, their business practice of having a CSR follow-up and confirm the details gave me the opportunity to speak with the plumbing supervisor to further discuss my dilemma. He was patient, empathetic, and knowledgeable. He thanked me for the insights and agreed to assign the call to Brandon - their resident State Certified Technician. This reassured me - regardless of the potential cost - I would in good hands. Brandon arrived on-time, branded in his uniform, and filled with inquisition. Brandon demonstrated active listening techniques as I vented my frustrations, explained my analysis, and showed him the unit. It took Brandon minutes to validate the issue was related to recirculation pump and settings. He educated me on the purpose of the pump and advised me on how to adjust the settings as my water usage changes. It's day-three, post visit, and everything is functioning properly. Based on my spreadsheet, I have never experienced temperature consistency since I started tracking performance. During the wrap up conversation, I mentioned to Brandon the bathroom faucet issue. His detective nature couldn't resist looking into it. It didn't hurt I was about to pay another dispatch fee for a service call that resulted in the pressing of a button! I digress. Brandon heard my concerns and agreed this scenario had to be the result a mixing value. Brandon asked me to open my vanity cabinet to see if he could locate the valve and there it was - while not common -- conveniently located under the bathroom sink. He noticed the valve was set to the default setting, which didn't allow for optimal temperature flow. Brandon used a simple tool to adjust the valve and the bathtub faucet produced hot water! This review is small gesture of appreciation for a gentlemen and consummate professional. In the age of fake reviews, greedy corporations, and swindling contractors, it is comforting to know Michael and Son's hasn't deviated from proven the business principle of service excellence. Brandon is a model employee of Michael and Son's mission of delivering plumbing service "you can rely on, at any time, to your complete satisfaction!" read more

My experience with Michael and Sons was amazing! My siblings and I have tried repeatedly to convince my parents to get central heat and air for more than 10 years. As they get older we know it will become more difficult to put in window units every summer and use the basement wood heater. My father talked to several area contractors about doing the job all of which came out and looked at the house, said they would send a quote and never got back to him. Finally, he asked if I would research more reliable and reputable companies. Michael and Sons was at the top of my list. Of course we've all heard the commercials and they are well known however I didn't even know if they would come out so far to Cumberland County, VA. After placing a call to the customer service department we had a same day appointment for the consultant to come out and speak with my parents. The Salesman/Consultant Don Carter called prior to his arrival and arrived on time. Don took my parents and I through all of their options and explained the benefits of each unit. He wasn't pushy and didn't make us feel as if we had to rush through a decision. Once we made our decision Don was able to walk me through the very quick and easy financing option through Wells Fargo which took all of 30 minutes. We were so impressed with Don's customer service that we couldn't wait for the installation. Don was able to schedule us for installation starting on November 4th. The installation started on Monday November 4th and ended on Wednesday November 6th. Our installation team was a father and son duo which made us feel like this was a real family affair. Edgar (father) and Levy (son) Hernandez are the epitome of amazing customer service. We received a call 30 minutes before arrival every morning, Edgar and Levy always arrived timely greeting us with beautiful friendly smiles. The team was polite, courteous, professional and attentive to any questions or concerns. Every day they cleaned their work area and left things neat and organized and even helped us move heavy equipment. We were extremely impressed with their workmanship, knowledge, expertise and teamwork. Watching Edgar and Levy work was not only impressive it made all of us feel comfortable that they knew exactly what they were doing. When our installation was finally complete Levy gave me the grand tour. The unit had to be installed in the attic and I'm still wondering how on earth they got all that stuff up there. Levy explained each component of the unit, how the duct work is constructed and the unit's safety features. Edgar and Levy even went above and beyond and installed a light switch so we didn't have to screw in a light bulb every time we needed to get up in the attic. Outside, Levy explained the unit and all of their work which looks amazing by the way. When it was time for my lesson on the programmable thermostat (which looks very modern and high tech) Levy patiently walked me through each setting explaining the benefits of each and what may be the easiest settings for my parents to operate. I have to say when it was time to sign the papers and the work was done I was a little sad to see them go. Edgar and Levy Hernandez are definitely a wonderful representation of Michael and Sons and the company is lucky to have such an amazing pair. Not only will we recommend Michael and Sons but we will be telling our neighbors to ask for Levy and Edgar specifically by name. Thanks guys you are awesome! read more

I wanted to share my experience with you. I am in the Generator emergency power industry myself and was very impressed with my experience from start to finish. From the original phone call to your Richmond office I was greeted with a gentlemen that was professional and had a personality while trying to schedule my house and rental house for a PM Inspection. Quintin was the gentlemen that inspected the unit and found it 2 lbs low on refrigerant. After performing a leak test with the sniffer while I was on site, I was able to see for myself the condenser was in fact leaking on the back end of the unit. After explaining my options, I decided the best option was to replace my 15 year old unit vs repairing with a band aid. Not a hard choice lol. Quinton scheduled the install date and even showed up the day of install. I did get a lower price from James River which you guys got close enough for me to stick with your company. The technicians showed up on time at 9am! That is impressive alone lol These guys went above and beyond installing my unit. I trimmed the grass as low as I could to make for a clean work area. The guys were personable, professional and quick. They loaded the old unit in the back of my truck for me. Showed me everything they did, how the float switch works on the unit and what would happen if those contacts closed form either float switch causing the thermostat to go dark. There explanation made it easy for me to pass this information on to my renters in the event of a failure on the unit. The technician showed me the antitheft Freon locking caps and told me they would have to come back when it was hot to adjust the Freon a hair if at all. Given the cooler temp outside he got it as close as he could to being correct. It is the little things that were impressive that I am sure you guys do every day, but for example the hangers holding the copper lines were insulated with rubber to eliminate chaffing. They even hung the P tube pipe which was not supported from the original install. I added some bricks around the unit for protection from the renters cutting the grass in the future. I am sure there are things I am forgetting, but I believe in giving credit where credit is due. You have some great employees and a great business model. Very pleased Michael & Son customer. Word of mouth is the life of a company and I plan on spreading nothing but good things about your company. Your technician Ralph used to purchase parts from me when I was service manager for Bay Diesel & Generator in Richmond, he is a great technician and employee as well. I hope this reaches the right people and these guys get the credit they deserve. Being in the service industry, I know the phone calls and response from customer are not always pleasant which is why I wanted to share my positive experience with your company. Brent Wilt read more

Hello, It is my pleasure to write about an experience that could have been a total disaster. Yesterday, September 8, 2015, I was experiencing an electrical issue at my home, in which I called to Michael and Son through the service call center. Now let me stop for second, as I've called companies before and received horrible service when the technicians serviced my home. Ok, back to the business, the reason for this letter is because not only did the Electrical technician - John went above and beyond, he was blessing to me and family! John arrived less than 1 hour of the call, he was professional, clean cut, about his business and spoke very professionally. John did take the time out to diagnose the issue in which he discovered, that my outside box was sparking resulting to a fire. Keep in my, I understand that I called the office requesting for service, but John went above and beyond the call of duty! He kept me calm until and actually stayed at the location for an estimated of 6 to 7 hours until he is was able to get all approvals and the issue remediated as quickly as possible. This meant a lot to me as people tend to forget about what good customer service is about. I work for a company and we are all about positive customer service as the business and my job comes from having customers. John displayed all of the characteristics of an exceptional worker. I even noticed that the Michael and Son has a form meaning...standards ( uniform, black socks, black boots, belt = presentation). You are who you represent!! If wasn't for John, my home would have a been yet another new story, displaced family due to an electrical fire was in the making. I just wanted to thank John for his service and helping me get through yesterday as I'm a women and we can become very emotional creatures. I want to recognize John and say to him, THANK YOU! John doesn't know what a blessing he was to my family yesterday. I'm in tears as I write this letter as people do not understand how important saving someone's life, exceptional service but most of all, just being a wonderful with person inside and out.....that's John! To the president of Michael and Son, you have a very dedicated worker who displays exceptional customer service and is very professional. I don't know John's last name, but he works in the Richmond, Virginia location. John is awesome and if I was the owner of the company, I would keep John around for as long as I can. If possible, I would like for this letter to be read to John to let me him that is very much appreciated. read more

I had a plumbing backup, and Michael and Son was very prompt, sending someone. When the initial technician was unable to fix the problem, he did offer three alternatives, each more expensive; however it was MY choice which one to go with. I own an old home, from the 1950's. I had been warned by neighbors, and also know from past experience, that old homes, and old plumbing and wiring, they break- so I chose to have all my plumbing lines jetted. Ryan O Connell was the lead technician who came out, and he and another technician jetted and then ran a camera through the sewer line. I watched the video also, and they showed me that i had severly deteriorating sewer pipe going from the house cast iron ( which is in fair shape) to the street. There were roots beginning to punch through it, and gouges and bulges that would have trapped solid waste and bunged up again. Was it expensive to fix? Yes. Was it it a bill I didnt really want to have? Yes. Was it necessary to fix? Absolutely!! Ryan told me about the type of pipe - orangeburg. After we set up a service appointment to replace the 40 foot run, my sister emailed me with back up information (because both of were taught to make sure there are no shenanigans going on when it comes to repairs). Yeah, there were no shenanigans; turns out orangeburg pipe was nicknamed 'tarred toilet paper' and the stuff had a life expectancy of ten years less than the age of my home. The repairs are done now (august 2014) and the piece of walkway they had to dig up is replaced, the lawn area re-seeded, and my water lines were even flushed so they wouldnt clog up (the old copper lines had a bunch of scale that unexpectedly busted loose). I see some negative reviews about the company; however I also see that some of the expectations (free o-rings? Really) make me wonder what some expected REALLY... I had a realistic expectation of what the repairs would entail, taking into account the age of my home and condition of the "vintage" plumbing. Ryan kept me updated on every aspect of the repair, they were prepared with all the materials needed, and permits, on the job they were quick, efficient, and they cleaned up completely after the work was done. This is not my first experience either, as I have used M&Son in the past for electrical work, and other plumbing repairs. I will recommend Michael and Son without hesitation. read more

Terry M was my technician this time. I GIVE TERRY FIVE STARS...but I wish the problem had been taken into consideration in the first place so there wouldn't have been the probably of something bad happening, like fire. M&S has responded well and quickly, both times, but Terry was the third tech I have seen and is the only one who made me feel he knew what he was doing and what to look for. M&S has their own electrician department, and he was a technician, but he knew enough to see the problem when the first tech and the county inspector did not!! M&S sold and installed the top-of-the-line HVAC Carrier for me in January. At that time, I had trouble with my Home Warranty people regarding a water heater that took them three weeks to fulfill for me, so I wanted to get the best system I could when my heat went out right before blizzard-like conditions hit in January. I got the best, paid a pretty penny for it. I am pleased with it and glad for the savings for energy efficiency as well. They installed it, and Chesterfield County inspected the wiring and new circuit breaker box that M&S installed as well. I had error messages on my thermostat in April, and five days later, I had a URGENT message on my thermostat, and called M&S. They came right away. I like that! They found the wires burned out in the box outside. They fixed it by cutting the wires, and I assume splicing them. I got the same error message again last week, in July. Terry M. came and took one look at the box and said the problem was that there was 30amp hooked up with #12 wire when it should be #10. He is the ONLY one who realized that. I am so very thankful for his thorough and professional skills, and now Michael & Son has scheduled one of their electricians to come tomorrow to fix the problem with the proper wiring. I don't mind telling you my biggest fear is fire. When they fix this issue, I will certainly sleep a lot easier. THANK YOU, TERRY M. for finding the mistake and making sure I am taken care of. You rock! I recommend that Terry not only help with training other techs but that he get recognized for his customer service and receive a customer service bonus as well. He deserves it. I feel he could have saved my life. And what's that worth? Priceless. read more

My static air handler in my central air system (the inside unit) has been catching fire for many years. I used some local places which repeatedly told me the coils would freeze and drip in my unit because the coils weren't clean. I had them cleaned over and over and one company replaced our outside unit only to have the system freeze, drip, and catch fire yet again. So, I tried Michael & Son. Daryn explained that my coolant needed to be at a certain level, not too high or too low, but my coils leaked coolant, which resulted in them freezing over and then dripping water into the rest of the unit when it thawed. Also, when my outside unit had been changed but the inside unit had not, they were mismatched in regards to how strongly they operated and were not working efficiently together (which we had experienced since the unit was changed). After years of failed fixes by other companies, getting a whole new system installed just made sense. When I made my final choice, Daryn came all the way out here to discuss financing options with me. I knew the full cost up front before the work was started and there were no surprise charges once the job was finished. The service was done on my schedule and Greg and Jimmy did a great job. We have a tight little space to work in in a small house, but they made it work. Also, when a drip tray cracked along its top during installation, they didn't try a cover up or bandaid fix, they came back with a new part. It might never have been an issue the way it happened, but Jimmy didn't want to take that chance. They put on booties every time they came in my house and cleaned up after themselves. They disclosed that I could get money for scrapping the old unit if I wanted to, but took it when I was not interested (we live in a remote area, so the amount wouldn't be worth it to us after the cost of the trip). Also, I wanted to keep using my aftermarket thermostat and they made sure it was wired properly with the new system and gave me the one that came with the new system in the box in case we ever need it. All of the techs were pleasant and friendly. Jimmy even asked if he could pet our goats. We had a speedy and pleasant experience. read more

Excellent experience -- Michael & Son sets the standard for quality plumbing and customer service! I had a truly outstanding experience with Michael & Son Services and feel they deserve every bit of praise they get. From the moment I called, their customer service was courteous, efficient, and genuinely helpful. The person who scheduled my appointment took the time to understand the problem, explained their pricing structure clearly, and set realistic expectations for arrival time -- something many companies fail to do. The technician who came to my home arrived exactly on time, was well-prepared, and greeted me with professionalism and respect. He wore protective shoe covers, treated my home carefully, and immediately went to work diagnosing the issue. Within minutes, it was obvious I was dealing with a true professional who knew plumbing inside and out. He explained every step of what he was doing, outlined all my repair options, and made sure I understood the pros and cons of each choice before moving forward. There was no pressure, no upselling -- just honest advice based on experience. Once we agreed on the solution, the work was completed efficiently and with real attention to detail. The results were excellent. The repair was done right the first time, the area was left spotless, and the plumbing system has been working perfectly ever since. What stood out most to me was the level of pride and integrity Michael & Son puts into their work. They truly live up to their reputation for professionalism, skill, and respect for their customers' homes. Their pricing was transparent and fair, and they provided full documentation and warranty information before leaving -- a level of organization and accountability that gives me total peace of mind. If you're looking for a plumbing company that combines experience, honesty, and top-notch workmanship, Michael & Son Services is absolutely the one to call. They've earned my trust completely, and I'll be recommending them to friends, family, and neighbors without hesitation. Five stars all the way -- thank you, Michael & Son, for setting the bar so high! read more

Let's start at the top- your sales agent made his money after I signed a contract and he disappeared. I had told him I needed an electrical estimate for another house and he told me to email him the address and request and then he ignored the email and never responded- yall lost that business. I guess he got what he needed to make his commission for his own department. Secondly, I was supposed to have my vents/ducts cleaned prior to install. That didn't happen. Actually it was never going to happen at all because the sales agent never scheduled it for me. It wasn't until I called weeks later asking about it that they THEN scheduled it. So if I hadn't called it wouldn't have been done. Third. My unit was installed on a new pad in the same place as the old one where there is no gutter. Apparently ice froze over the unit and the tech who came out spent the entire discussion blaming my lack of gutter on the fact that the whole unit was almost dead due to ice. Not once did the tech stop arguing with me over the gutter and own any responsibility for the fact that your professionals installed it there without ever a single mention that the lack of gutter would kill it within a week if we had cold rain. I spend all that money and your techs don't even check that it's installed somewhere free of hazard? Now I finally get a duct cleaning appointment and it gets pushed out due to weather by 2 MORE weeks. So nearly a month since my install. These guys don't even bother COVERING MY VENTS! I have dust everywhere I've been cleaning for days since they left. Didn't bother asking if I had any babies or children asleep or near the vents? I have particles all in our beds and all over my kitchen stove/ living area bathroom etc. really ridiculous. Your call center isn't much help. No one has solutions to your poor performance as a company. I would never ever recommend this company to anyone read more