Total Plumbing Heating & Air
Fast Response
Reviewers confirm quick response
Claims 24/7
Self-reported — not confirmed by reviews
Unknown
Based on review analysis
3 concerns
Predatory pricing on vulnerable customers: $1,289 charge to 90 year old for simple valve replacement, with manager (Jose) defending the inflated rate as 'standard'—customer obtained competing quote at $300., Scope creep and estimate manipulation: Estimates increased daily with unnecessary add ons; customer was charged for work not authorized in original scope., Refusal to correct own errors: After incomplete sprinkler repair, company refused to return without additional payment to fix their faulty work.
Trust Score: 0/100 · Based on 78 reviews
Proceed with careOur Verdict
#14 of 15 in San Luis Obispo, CA
- Water heater install/repair
- Drain and sewer work
- You're highly price-sensitive
Hire if: You need a plumber who actually shows up when scheduled
Hire if: You need high-quality work that holds up over time
Caution if: You need predictable, consistent service across every visit
Caution if: You need rock-bottom prices with zero flexibility on the quote
Caution if: You need guaranteed sub-hour response for true emergencies
How they score across what matters
Based on 5 reviews analyzed. Click a row for the quote that best illustrates the score.
What they do well (and don’t)
Green means reviews confirm they’re good at it. Red means reviewers flag issues. Gray means no reviews talk about it yet.
What 78 Reviews Tell Us
Emergency Response
Quick response and efficient work: 3 of 5 reviews praise rapid arrival and fast job completion, including one drain cleared in under 20 minutes.
What To Watch Out For
Severe pricing inconsistencies: 2 of 5 reviews document major overcharges—one customer charged $1,289 for a valve replacement quoted elsewhere at $300, another charged $400 for incomplete sprinkler work plus hidden daily estimate increases.
Quality control failures: One review reports incomplete work (sprinkler pipe not tested), refusal to return for free follow-up fixes, and unnecessary work padding (digging 3-foot hole for visible valve, charged $300).
Predatory pricing on vulnerable customers: $1,289 charge to 90 year old for simple valve replacement, with manager (Jose) defending the inflated rate as 'standard'—customer obtained competing quote at $300.
Scope creep and estimate manipulation: Estimates increased daily with unnecessary add ons; customer was charged for work not authorized in original scope.
Refusal to correct own errors: After incomplete sprinkler repair, company refused to return without additional payment to fix their faulty work.
Quality & Professionalism
Technical knowledge: 2 reviewers explicitly mention knowledgeable staff who explain work and diagnose problems accurately.
Customer service: 2 of 5 reviews highlight friendly, courteous communication and good customer service.
Quality control failures: One review reports incomplete work (sprinkler pipe not tested), refusal to return for free follow-up fixes, and unnecessary work padding (digging 3-foot hole for visible valve, charged $300).
Communication
Technical knowledge: 2 reviewers explicitly mention knowledgeable staff who explain work and diagnose problems accurately.
Customer service: 2 of 5 reviews highlight friendly, courteous communication and good customer service.
Pricing
Severe pricing inconsistencies: 2 of 5 reviews document major overcharges—one customer charged $1,289 for a valve replacement quoted elsewhere at $300, another charged $400 for incomplete sprinkler work plus hidden daily estimate increases.
Customer reviews
Reviews from Google, Yelp & more
Fidel from Total Pumbing was amazing. I had spent an hour trying to unclog a drain before calling and he had it cleared in under 20 minutes. They arrived within an hour or so of my call, upfront on pricing, very friendly and very knowledgeable. Took the time to explain how a lot of the plumbing in my house was configured. Highly recommend.
Did an amazing work and fixed up a leak I had quickly and their customer service was great and simple. I recommend them if you guys need help.
They repaired our plumbing quickly and efficiently a couple of years back. So we decided to give them a shot at our Heater, which hadn't worked in years. Jose knew exactly what was wrong, replaced a part and now it works wonderfully! Thank you!!! Courteous, professional and reasonably priced. We whole hearted recommend Total Plumbing!!
Be aware! My 90 year old mother needed a new valve for behind the refrigerator. Total plumbing came out and did this small job for $1,289 dollars( invoice #7928) Again she is 90 years old and I feel this pricing is excessive. After the fact, I got a quote for 300 dollars to do same job in this area. Just the facts. I called and spoke to Jose, i was sure it was a mistake. He maintained that his pricing of replacing valve at 1,289 dollars was standard.
I still can’t get over the added costs they charged for a drain cleaning. The final job was replacing a pvc pipe on our sprinkler system. They came out charged. Another $400 and left without testing , and of course it did not work. When we callled to have the job completed , they would not come out to fix problem ; only if we paid another fee to correct their own poor work. I left a review on yelp: they responded with “ we have no record of this customer “ . Will never hire them again. The initial estimate was increased every day with new charges and unessary work. I.e. digging a 3 ft. Hole to find a valve that was clearly in site, all along ($300)
Business details
Service area
Based in San Luis Obispo. Serves 1 nearby cities within 20 miles:
Total Plumbing Heating & Air