Ability Septic
Plumber · Batavia, IL · Open 24 hours per Google listing
Our verdict
4.6★ from 251 reviews with 82% positive sentiment; fair_pricing cited 7 times and workmanship 12 times, but 18% negative and reviewConsistency of 0.42 reveal a polarized customer base — 18 of 100 analyzed reviews are 1-star with slow-response and availability complaints.
Scores are our editorial reading of published customer reviews — not a verification, license check, or guarantee.
Ranked #13 of 15 plumbers we've reviewed in Geneva, IL · compare all →
Our opinion, based on the 100 reviews we analyzed from Google, Yelp and BBB · Analysis updated Jun 2026 · How we decide ↗
Lists 24-hour service on its Google profile — and reviewers describe after-hours calls.
What reviewers praise
fair_pricing cited in 7 reviews; 35-year loyal customer cites courteous staff, fair prices, and prompt scheduling consistently
1 cited review
“We use Ability every two or three years. Very courteous staff, answer all our questions and suggest proper maintenance. Fair prices and prompt scheduling. 5 stars for over 35 years at our location.”
Cited in 3 of the 100 reviews we analyzed — 2 cited reviews not excerpted here.
workmanship cited in 12 reviews; septic cleanouts and pump replacements praised for thoroughness and site cleanliness
2 cited reviews
“Dom was great! Came out replaced ejector pump, pumped my septic system. Super friendly hard working and kind guy. Refreshing to see the young guys doing an awesome job and taking pride in their work.”
“The first time was over a holiday weekend when no other company would pick up the phone. On top of outstanding customer service, their pricing is very reasonable. They have quickly made me a customer for life.”
Cited in 3 of the 100 reviews we analyzed — 1 cited review not excerpted here.
Holiday-weekend emergency response: answered when no other company would pick up over a holiday weekend
1 cited review
“The first time was over a holiday weekend when no other company would pick up the phone. On top of outstanding customer service, their pricing is very reasonable. They have quickly made me a customer for life.”
What reviewers report — the concerns
Other directories bury these. We think you should read them before you call. Every concern below comes from the reviews it cites.
Red flag
Website advertises 24/7 phone answering but at least one customer couldn't reach anyone the day after a holiday — gap between advertised and actual availability
“their website says all over it that they answer the phone 24/7. they in fact do not answer 24/7. while I understand today is the day after a holiday 24/7 to me would mean everyday.”
24/7 claim disputed: website says 24/7 but customer couldn't reach anyone the day after a holiday — no emergency coverage that day
“their website says all over it that they answer the phone 24/7. they in fact do not answer 24/7. while I understand today is the day after a holiday 24/7 to me would mean everyday.”
slow_response flagged in 3 reviews; 18 of 100 analyzed are 1-star — above-average complaint rate for a 4.6★ business
Cited in 1 of the 100 reviews we analyzed.
Keep it in proportion: these concerns are cited in 2 of the 100 reviews we analyzed. Most reviewers report positive experiences — see the full rating picture below.
The evidence — in reviewers' own words
Critical
“Very poor at customer service. Took me three times to try to get them to come out and take a look at my aunt's property. Said not a problem have you an estimate in a few days. Now fourth time trying to call them back after still not getting back to me now they're telling me they can't do the job. Pretty sad company you have to beg them for business and then they never get back to me to tell me they can't do the job. …”
“*response to owner comment Can you explain any avenue at all that you pursued to get this resolved, Besides giving us the run around for 4 months and lying to me about the fact that it was your own son who was driving the truck? The reason that we didn't file a police report is because our lawyer advised us that the payout we were likely to get from a small claims court would not be worth our time, given our …”
“Job was estimated, signed the contract, scheduled the work to be done, reconfirmed the date again, took the day off, and thanks to A&P Grease Trappers (a.k.a. Ability Septic and many other names) they were a BIG FAT NO SHOW.... While the office workers are pleasant enough, I can only imagine the amount of work this company is losing due to the unorganized chaotic way they run the office. The initial reason they …”
Positive
“My nephew needed septic pumped they showed up immediately!! In Lockport today ! Very good service!!!!!!!!”
“All the work over the years has been top notch. Harold”
Quotes are reproduced verbatim from public reviews on the platforms shown; we select which to feature, and selection reflects our editorial judgment. Report a quote that doesn't match its source ↗
The rating picture
Our sample skews heavily toward critical reviews — it disagrees with the Google average shown above.
Newest review in our sample: Dec 2018.
Across platforms
Should you hire Ability Septic?
Hire if
- You need high-quality work that holds up over time
- You need transparent, predictable pricing with no surprise fees
Think twice if
- You need guaranteed sub-hour response for true emergencies
- You need airtight scheduling and guaranteed arrival times
Advice derived from the review analysis above — how we decide.
Own Ability Septic?
You can respond to our analysis, correct business facts, or dispute the accuracy of a quoted review. Responses that check out get published on this page, and factual errors get corrected — see our corrections policy. We don't remove accurate quotes, but we'll re-run your assessment as your reviews change.
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