I have an Irish name, live in Alexandria, in the Parkfairfax area, and needed a plumber. So, I read all the reviews and decided to try the Irish Plumber as it is a family business, and seemed to be a good, reputable company. Steve showed up and reviewed my kitchen sink, giving me his opinion, stating the pipes and garbage disposal are old (that's what Parkfairfax building are...old), and asked me if he should still do the service I requested....to snake out the kitchen sink. I admit the price was steep, and I had to ask for some help to cover the cost. But, I already had 2 weeks of enduring a slow, then a backed up sink, so I say OK. He carefully put down plastic to cover the kitchen floor and dove under the kitchen sink, pulling out lots of supplies I stored there. After a while, he said that there was a blockage but he had "punched through" and he ran the water which went down easily. He checked all the bathroom tub, sink and toilet to make sure they all ran normally; they did. Then, he took up all the plastic and I asked him if he had put all the bottles back under the sink and he looked straight at me and said Yes. I gave him a check and he left. I should have checked myself, but I have limited mobility (and no way to bend down under the sink to put things back). Well, he left everything out on the floor, and the area under the sink was left very wet because he had to open the pipe, of course, to snake it out. But, he didn't clean up and there was a puddle the size of the kitchen sink area.
I couldn't catch up with him, with a cane, so I called the main number and very luckily, someone answered, and said they would call the truck. Minutes later he appeared, a little less happy this time, but he did TOSS the bottles back under the sink, after removing the layer of newspapers I had placed under the bottles years earlier in case of a drip. He didn't feel the need to take the new newspapers I have available to replace them, said it wasn't necessary. Then, after literally tossing the bottles, helter skelter, under the sink (not neatly placed upright as I had done long earlier, and that he found them when he arrived), he left.
So, I say the visit was only OK because the BASIC service call was accomplished, the pride in the work was not there (because that means leaving the place as neat as it was when you arrived). The bottles are still helter skelter as I can't bend down to straighten them, as I don't know when I will get to finding someone to help me erect those laying on their sides.
The Better Business Bureau grades this company with a A+. I printed off all the reviews and gave them to Steve so he could see how so many people appreciated his, Kieran's, and Bolt's work.
But that last oversight under the sink, after telling me straight out that he had put things back, and leaving the floor and under sink is disarray, considering I paid a royal fee for the service, has left me a disappointed, as I was looking for the best local service to call AGAIN when the need arises.
I'll have to think about it. Take this review and the others to heart; some are great, a couple not so. Like I said, the basic need was take care of promptly, but the followup that you expect came up short, and the fee was definitely hard to pay, even with a senior discount. read more