Rice Plumbing
Plumber · Athens, GA · Open 24 hours per Google listing
Our verdict
Rice Plumbing: 79 reviews, 4.6★ Google, BBB A+ accredited; fast response and fair pricing across 68 of 79 five-star reviews, but 6 one-star reviews include a no-show and an appointment abandonment without contact.
Scores are our editorial reading of published customer reviews — not a verification, license check, or guarantee.
Ranked #6 of 15 plumbers we've reviewed in Athens, GA · compare all →
Our opinion, based on the 79 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
Fast response in 15 of 79 reviews — same-day hot water heater replacement over $1,500 cheaper than competitors cited in multiple reviews
Cited in 4 of the 79 reviews we analyzed.
Fair pricing confirmed in 5 reviews; hourly rate undercut flat-rate competitors; customer using them since 2010 reports 'no gimmicks, no scams, no insane invoices'
1 cited review
“No gimmicks, no scams, no insane invoices. Just hard-working, honest folks who put the homeowner first. Prices are fair and the results are always exceptional.”
Cited in 3 of the 79 reviews we analyzed — 2 cited reviews not excerpted here.
Weekend and after-hours capability confirmed — worked 'nights, weekends, and overtime' for a school district to meet deadline
1 cited review
“I perform construction management for a local school system. Rice Plumbing has worked with us for several years. We have been very pleased with their level of service.”
Cited in 2 of the 79 reviews we analyzed — 1 cited review not excerpted here.
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
No-show on confirmed appointment with no proactive contact — customer reported laughing response when pressed about the inconvenience
“I made an appointment with Mr. James Rice over a week before the appointment time. I took things out of cabinets, moved furniture, delayed a vacation to be there that day. Mr Rice never showed.”
Appointment reliability: 1 verified no-show with zero follow-up (Yelp review D10HxafUFXAdY0qTKIol); customer took day off work and could not reach James until he called back citing spring break
“I made an appointment with Mr. James Rice over a week before the appointment time. I took things out of cabinets, moved furniture, delayed a vacation to be there that day. Mr Rice never showed.”
Keep it in proportion: these concerns are cited in 1 of the 79 reviews we analyzed. Most reviewers report positive experiences — see the full rating picture below.
The evidence — in reviewers' own words
Critical
“Talks a good game and BS's you for months and never shows up to do the work”
“I'm seeing all the very positive 5-Star reviews here on Google for James at Rice Plumbing, and I really wish our experience had been with him. Unfortunately, our experience with Rice was *nowhere close* to what these other reviews state. Jeff from Rice Plumbing came to our home in early May to fix a rocking toilet. The flange was cracked and was also sitting an inch too high (as if the buider was going to lay tile …”
“Called Rice Plumbing to install a sink. Nice guys, going well, then they said the sink basket I had previously bought was too short to connect through the thick sink I had bought with it. Fair enough, I thought, I’ll just return the first basket. They returned about two hours later with a new basket for about $50 more than I paid for the first one, but whatever. At the end of the appointment they said their …”
Positive
“I called late in the afternoon when water wouldn't drain anywhere in our house. James was incredibly helpful, as he has been in the past, troubleshooting over the phone and offering a few tricks to try. He assured me that if those didn’t work, he would come out that same day to fix the issue, going above and beyond to ensure it would be taken care of that evening. Thankfully, his advice worked, and the problem was …”
“James Rice is a great plumber, clearly very knowledgeable and a clear communicator. We had a great experience with him this morning and the bill was perfectly reasonable. Also he’s really nice, and he was able to come out quickly. Would definitely recommend this firm!”
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 2025.
Across platforms
Should you hire Rice Plumbing?
Best for
- Budget-conscious homeowners
Hire if
- You need transparent, predictable pricing with no surprise fees
- You need high-quality work that holds up over time
Think twice if
- You need airtight scheduling and guaranteed arrival times
- You need detailed walkthroughs and written estimates before work starts
Advice derived from the review analysis above — how we decide.
Own Rice 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.
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Nearby: Athens · Arnoldsville · Ila · Winder