Berkeley Plumbing & Heating Co., Inc.
Plumber · Berkeley, CA
Our verdict
3.9★ Google across 14 reviews; 59-review cross-platform set shows 42.4% negative sentiment with surprise_fees=3, expensive=7, poor_workmanship=2 — sharply polarized between 28 five-star and 23 one-star reviews (reviewConsistency=0.121).
Scores are our editorial reading of published customer reviews — not a verification, license check, or guarantee.
Our opinion, based on the 59 reviews we analyzed from Google, Yelp and BBB · Analysis updated Jun 2026 · How we decide ↗
What reviewers praise
6-year ongoing relationship with a multi-property rental owner who reports no issues across multiple jobs per 1 Google review.
Cited in 1 of the 59 reviews we analyzed.
Specialized older-system expertise: Gordon, trained by the US Navy, successfully quoted and installed a 60-year-old radiant heat system replacement per 1 Yelp review.
Cited in 1 of the 59 reviews we analyzed.
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
surprise_fees=3 in 59-review dataset; 1 reviewer was told billing starts when the tech gets in the truck at $176/hour, another received a quote double competitors' for the same part.
“Berkeley Plumbing quoted me double what everyone else has = $352. They added on an hour for travel time because I'm in Oakland and they're in Berkeley.”
Cited in 2 of the 59 reviews we analyzed.
Red flag
poor_workmanship=2 in 59-review dataset; 1 Yelp review details a technician spending 50 minutes on a repair, giving up, charging $176 for no fix — the same repair was completed in 20 minutes by a handyman.
“They came out and after spending about 50 minutes trying to remove the heating assembly, gave up, saying heaters that old had to be "taken apart from the top down." They recommended just getting a new heater and still took our check for $176, even though they didn't fix anything.”
Red flag
unprofessional=4 in 59-review dataset; 1 Yelp review describes a technician who was rude and accused the customer of arguing when she questioned his explanation.
“he was rude and defensive and accused me of arguing with him when I said that his explanation of the banging in our wall furnace didn't make sense to me.”
expensive=7 and surprise_fees=3 in 59-review dataset; multiple reviewers report hourly billing that includes travel time, and quotes that doubled competitors' prices.
“Berkeley Plumbing quoted me double what everyone else has = $352. They added on an hour for travel time because I'm in Oakland and they're in Berkeley.”
Cited in 2 of the 59 reviews we analyzed.
slow_response=5 in 59-review dataset; 1 Google review details a missed appointment window and no-show after two confirmed bookings.
Cited in 1 of the 59 reviews we analyzed.
Keep it in proportion: these concerns are cited in 5 of the 59 reviews we analyzed. Most reviewers report positive experiences — see the full rating picture below.
The evidence — in reviewers' own words
Critical
“Horrible experience. Two weeks ago, I had an AC service done by a technician, and it cost me more than $800. Since I have a service contract, another technician came out a week later to inspect the system and assured me it was functioning properly. However, just a few days later, my system failed again, leaving me without air conditioning in 90-degree heat. I reachede out and was informed that my appointment was …”
“this place is crazy, said i have to pay for the tech as soon as he gets in his truck!! are you crazy.. then had the nerve to say "well someone has to pay them" i replied yes your company not me, i pay for work/labor. not his regular business hours. ) $176 a hour starting from the time he gets in the truck...)”
“Our usual handyman was out of town so we called Berkeley Plumbing and Heating to fix an old two sided wall heater that wasn't heating on one side. They came out and after spending about 50 minutes trying to remove the heating assembly, gave up, saying heaters that old had to be "taken apart from the top down." They recommended just getting a new heater and still took our check for $176, even though they didn't fix …”
Positive
“These guys do a great job, especially on older systems. They’ve been maintaining several properties for me for over six years now. I recommend them to all my clients.”
“tough job and Gordon (expert plumber) kicked ass. I've owned rentals for 35 years in North Oakland and Berkeley and I've used this company several times. no issues. Most likely the bad reviews come from weenies that have no clue how hard being a plumber really is.”
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
Newest review in our sample: Dec 2025.
Across platforms
Google 3.9★ (14 reviews) vs. 59-review cross-platform dataset showing 42.4% negative sentiment and a reviewConsistency of 0.121 — the lowest consistency score in this batch, indicating highly polarized experiences.
Should you hire Berkeley Plumbing & Heating Co., Inc.?
Hire if
- You need high-quality work that holds up over time
- You need a plumber who actually shows up when scheduled
Think twice if
- You need predictable, consistent service across every visit
- You want detailed upfront explanations
- You need rock-bottom prices with zero flexibility on the quote
- You need guaranteed sub-hour response for true emergencies
Look elsewhere if
- You're highly price-sensitive
- You need this for a complex or high-stakes install
Advice derived from the review analysis above — how we decide.
Own Berkeley Plumbing & Heating Co., Inc.?
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.
Find plumbers near you
Berkeley Plumbing & Heating Co., Inc.isn't in one of our ranked city guides yet — the nearest covered markets are below.
Nearby: Richmond · Daly City · San Rafael · Vallejo