The Plumbing Dr
Plumber · Reston, VA · Open 24 hours per Google listing
Our verdict
The Plumbing Dr holds 4.7★ across 358 reviews with BBB accredited A+ and zero complaints in 46 years; 100-review sample shows themeCounts.surprise_fees=3 and 11 one-star reviews, mostly around pricing disputes and a rude scheduling rep.
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
After-hours emergency response confirmed: licensed plumber dispatched within 90 minutes of an 11pm call during a heavy rain sump pump failure; call-out fee under $100
1 cited review
“I recently had an emergency after-hours issue with a malfunctioning sump pump during a heavy rain storm. I called The Plumbing Dr. after 11pm and within 90 mins they had a licensed plumber at my door working to triage and fix the issue. Phillip was very professional and courteous. He did a great job replacing the faulty pump and getting everything up and running in short order. The callout fee was very reasonable (less than $100).”
Complex mystery leak resolved using multiple diagnostic technologies; team of 4 (Bill, Turé, Ken, Lloyd) praised for patience and thoroughness in 1 of 12 sampled reviews
1 cited review
“Exceptional! Skilled, honest plumbing companies are hard to come by. Bill (the owner), Turé, Ken, and Lloyd were all outstanding to work with. They took the time to understand a very mysterious leak in our home that required multiple technologies, experience, and real problem-solving know-how.”
themeCounts.professional=56 in 100 reviews — highest single theme count; burst pipe work delivered on Christmas Day within hours of call
Cited in 2 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
themeCounts.surprise_fees=3 in 100 reviews; one technician allegedly charged $500 to 'walk around, find the shutoff, and cover with a tarp' — then disputed this when recalled for a recurring leak
Cited in 1 of the 100 reviews we analyzed.
Red flag
Misdiagnosis documented: technician diagnosed a clogged drain without turning on the water; $800-900 minimum estimate for an issue the homeowner fixed himself as a vapor lock/clogged vent
Cited in 1 of the 100 reviews we analyzed.
Pricing transparency complaints in 3 of 100 reviews: one reviewer was quoted $800 to fix 2 fill valves (less than 30 min work), another $600 for an unnecessary faucet replacement before the actual fix took 5 minutes
“Overpriced. I called Pipe Doctor to fix a loose kitchen faucet handle that was leaking... The plumber said I needed a whole new faucet, he had one, and it would be $600. I said no... Then he said he had to get an Allen wrench from the truck to check it out further. He comes back, flips off the cover, literally tightens a screw, and is done in 5 minutes.”
Cited in 2 of the 100 reviews we analyzed.
Scheduling communication failure documented: callback promised and never delivered; rep told urgent caller 'we're running a small business; we'll get back to you when we can' before hanging up
“I called to schedule an appointment. The woman who answered said that someone would call me back after 1 P.M. that day. No one ever called, so the next day, I called back. This time, I was told I'd get a call later in the week. I asked for an E.T.A., since the issue was urgent. The woman said, "We're running a small business; we'll get back to you when we can. Have a nice day." Then she hung up.”
Keep it in proportion: these concerns are cited in 5 of the 100 reviews we analyzed. Most reviewers report positive experiences — see the full rating picture below.
The evidence — in reviewers' own words
Critical
“UPDATE: The technician who diagnosed my clogged kitchen sink drain was incorrect in their assessment. Upon further reflection, it's silly to think the technician could properly diagnose the issue considering they didn't even turn on the water. What ended up being a vapor lock caused by a clogged drain vent (diagnosed and fixed personally) was originally diagnosed as either a clogged drain pipe or improper drain …”
“When I first purchased my house 1.5 years ago I asked The Plumbing Dr. to send someone out to make sure my sump pump system was in good shape. The plumber they sent said everything looked good, but it turns out there was no check valve installed or weep holes drilled which eventually caused a failure that dumped gallons of water into my basement. It turns out these are pretty basic parts of a sump pump system that …”
“Oh my, I'm absolutely shocked to see Gary responding to my initial review of 3 stars! Not only did I think he handled the whole situation poorly I'm now actually seeing that he's unable to be completely honest. I was sympathetic the loss of his grandfather, as I myself have just lost 2 son's in the last 5 year's. With that being said, all I said to Gary was you didn't leave any way of notifying your customers that …”
Positive
“It is our privilege to write this commendation on the services received from the plumbing Dr in Arlington, Va. From the time we scheduled an appointment to have repair services on our toilet with Tracey, to the repair completed by Ture, the overall service that we received was more than exemplary!! We were treated with the utmost humble respect and patience that any and all customers would expect. Tracey scheduled …”
“Incredible work by Turé. Walked me through what needed to happen after a pipe burst. Did the work at a much more reasonable price than a competitor. Will be using Plumbing Dr. for all future plumbing needs!”
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: Jan 2026.
Across platforms
Should you hire The Plumbing Dr?
Hire if
- You need high-quality work that holds up over time
- You need fast same-day or after-hours response
Think twice if
- You want detailed upfront explanations
- 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 The Plumbing Dr?
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
The Plumbing Drisn't in one of our ranked city guides yet — the nearest covered markets are below.
Nearby: Reston · Centreville · District Heights · Woodbridge