Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Pompton Lakes

Great service, expert knowledge. Tyler promptly fixed pipe leaks in baseboard heating due to freezing (later assessed to be thermostat issue). Got boiler going, but assessed it was more economical to replace with new boiler than to replace myriad of parts with problems. Wade & Dylan replaced the boiler two days later in 1 day. You are paying for expert knowledge and skilled craftsmanship, and a five year guarantee. I believe that it is worth it.

I offer this as a "teachable moment" about engaging professional services and using critical thinking to avoid overpaying and overdelivering. I called this plumbing firm to clear a clogged/backup with a toilet in my home. They were responsive - came quickly and cleared the obstruction as evidenced by worry-free flushes. Within an hour, discharge from my washing machine caused the toilet to back up again. I cleaned the mess not once, but twice within an hour. Additional labor was involved to remove the toilet, perform additional snaking, and use a camera to assess the source of the blockage. I was advised to consider replacing the toilet - but when asked if that was the source of the problem, the response was no. Later, I was provided with an estimate to resolve the issue. The cost was in excess of $7,000 (on top of the $1,300) I just paid. When asked for a line itemization of the estimate, I was advised one could/would not be provided beyond what was quoted. I proceeded to get two more estimates from other plumbing firms and both were LESS THAN HALF of Benjamin Franklin's estimate. So, here's the lesson - always get a second estimate. Resist any attempts to inflate your bill with "unnecessary" services. Always get a line item estimate of the work to be done - not only to manage costs but to understand the scope of the work to be done.