Downing Plumbing
Plumber · East Chicago, IN · Open 24 hours per Google listing
Our verdict
4.4 Google stars across 194 reviews (100 analyzed); fast_response=24 and professional=48 are dominant themes, but 13 1-star reviews and surprise_fees=2 + poor_workmanship=2 flag pricing and quality outliers. BBB A+ accredited.
Scores are our editorial reading of published customer reviews — not a verification, license check, or guarantee.
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
Same-day arrival common — 19 of 100 reviews mention same-day service; 1 reviewer had a tech out in under 40 minutes of calling
1 cited review
“Bob from Downing, showed probably in less than 40 minutes of my calling. We had two jobs, and he completed them in less than an hour. He is easily well-trained with Downing's price reasonably affordable.”
Cited in 3 of the 100 reviews we analyzed — 2 cited reviews not excerpted here.
Sewer line work praised for staying within quoted price and adding two clean-out access points — reviewer cites full scope transparency
1 cited review
“Ray and his team were straight forward and stayed within quoted price, talked us through every step and ensured that we understood the scope of the project. Two new clean-out access points and a new stretch of upgraded sewer material.”
Technicians explain every step before, during, and after — cited in 3 high-signal reviews from Chad, Bob, and Mike respectively
Cited in 3 of the 100 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
2 surprise_fees complaints in 100 reviews: charged $69 service fee with no hands-on inspection; diagnosed wrong location and billed $400 for unneeded repair
“He insisted it was coming out from a different area and replaced three inches of pipe for nearly 400.00!! When I got home that night, it was still leaking from where i told him originally.”
Cited in 2 of the 100 reviews we analyzed.
Red flag
poor_workmanship flagged in 2 of 100 reviews (0.02 frequency) — small signal but distinct from the otherwise positive workmanship=12 theme
“He insisted it was coming out from a different area and replaced three inches of pipe for nearly 400.00!! When I got home that night, it was still leaking from where i told him originally.”
Pricing on major jobs runs high — $828 for a water heater gas control install and $2,098 for a full heater replacement cited in 1 review; $900 quote without hands-on inspection cited in another
“OMG, they are so overpriced, $ 828.00 for a water heater gas control, supply and install. $ 2,098 to replace the Water Heater.”
Cited in 2 of the 100 reviews we analyzed.
Yelp 1-star reviews flag diagnosis errors and arrival windows missed — 1 reviewer paid $400 for a repair at the wrong location; 1 cites a near-hour late arrival with no follow-up
“He insisted it was coming out from a different area and replaced three inches of pipe for nearly 400.00!! When I got home that night, it was still leaking from where i told him originally.”
Cited in 2 of the 100 reviews we analyzed.
Keep it in proportion: these concerns are cited in 4 of the 100 reviews we analyzed. Most reviewers report positive experiences — see the full rating picture below.
The evidence — in reviewers' own words
Critical
“I called them about a water pipe that had burst under my mobile home that I currently live in I was quoted almost $900 and the tech did not even bother to look at the pipe didn't bother to climb under my trailer to see what the problem was looked at it from outside the trailer went into my home looked at the hot water tank didn't even bother to put his hands on the pipe to tell me that there was anything wrong with …”
“I gave Downing/Benjamin Franklin Plumbing a 1 because they simply do not stand behind their claims. I was told the plumber would arrive between 11 and 1 p.m. by the lady who answered the phone. The plumber did not arrive until 1:55 p.m. CST, almost an hour past the promised 2 hour window. I had to call Downing to get a status update as the window began to close, there was no pro-activity at all. Based upon the …”
“We have used this company several times within the last three years and paid quite a bit for their services. We always got good service and problems were resolved. However, after using them several months ago, I would not call them again. They did the work, but 10 minutes after they left there was no hot water coming from the faucet they replaced. I called the same day asking them to come back and fix it and …”
Positive
“We initially had a different plumbing company come out to take a look at our clogged drain. Weirdly enough they didn’t have the proper equipment and recommend Downing Plumbing. Sooo thankful! Always, always, always go with Downing Plumbing first. Chad came out same day not even an hour after our call. He explained everything he planned on doing before he started, while he was working and even after the job was …”
“As a peculiar and a bit quick needy individual, I wanted the work done, immediately. Bob from Downing, showed probably in less than 40 minutes of my calling. I was delighted to hear the sound of a knock at my door. Bob was pleasantly down to earth and plain spoken. We had two jobs, and he completed them in less than an hour. He is easily well-trained with Downing's price reasonably affordable. Tried tackling the …”
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: Mar 2026.
Across platforms
Google 4.4 vs. Yelp reviews include 2 negative entries (1-star) flagging diagnostic errors and scheduling misses — Yelp sample skews more negative than Google aggregate.
Should you hire Downing Plumbing?
Hire if
- You need fast same-day or after-hours response
- You need clear communication and upfront explanations
Think twice if
- You need rock-bottom prices with zero flexibility on the quote
- You need airtight scheduling and guaranteed arrival times
Look elsewhere if
- You're highly price-sensitive
Advice derived from the review analysis above — how we decide.
Own Downing Plumbing?
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
Downing Plumbingisn't in one of our ranked city guides yet — the nearest covered markets are below.
Nearby: Portage · Valparaiso · Chesterton · Hammond