Benjamin Franklin Plumbing
Austin, TX 78729
Phone: (866) 847-0034
User Reviews for Benjamin Franklin Plumbing
03/22/2008 Posted by eastside13
I haven't had a lot of experience with plumbers, so I checked around for places with good reputations before having someone in our home. The Ben Franklin rep who came out to give us an estimate was very friendly and professional. That said, he showed up 1.5 hours late and there was never any mention of paying us for being late. We weren't familiar with this pledge, so we didn't bring it up. Afterwards, I was a little put off by having to pay a fee just to have someone come out to look at the place, especially with him showing up so late. He was very knowledgeable, but the quote we got for the work was just too high. Ben Franklin has this book with set prices for every service, and let me tell you, it really adds up. Maybe it makes sense to people with plumbing experience, but I kind of figure it's better to have some flexibility in the pricing-- like if you have the wall open to do work they should be able to adjust the price to better reflect the specific situation you're working in. The estimate fee also does not apply towards any future work they do. I liked that the Ben Franklin folks seemed responsive and willing to come out at odd times. Anyway, we went with another plumbing company for our work-- one that didn't charge to come out for an estimate, was cheaper, and was able to avoid a lot of the work Ben Franklin recommended.
Pros: seems able to give quick turn around on work
Cons: pricey, charges for estimates
12/20/2007 Posted by dirtywest
Let me first start by saying that Benjamin Franklin Plumbing did an excellent job on my toilets and sinks. The plumber came out on a Saturday and (when I had to go return two toilets) offered to hang around while I ran to the plumbing supply to replace my toilets. The plumber even agreed to come back on Sunday morning to do another job for us. He put in 3 toilets, a sink, and connected our oven to the gas line. The work was done well. Very professional. Very friendly. They even offered a 2 year warranty on parts and labor. But you must be prepared for their prices, which are HIGH. The inspection fee is $59. They charged me $269 to install a toilet (out of the box). They charged me $185 to install a toilet that was already built. They charged me $129 to hook up the sink. Ordinarily I would have sent them away and called another plumber, but I had a deadline to move in on Monday morning. They were the only plumber I could find that would agree to work over the weekend, so I paid the price. I would definitely recommend them if you are in a bind and need top notch work. Just be prepared to pay for that level of service.
Pros: worked on weekend, great service, very professional
Cons: expensive!!
