Bell Plumbing North Inc
About us
Additional DBA's - Bell Plumbing & Heating, Economy Plumbing, Shamrock Plumbing. Additional phones - (510) 839-6626, (650) 755-4444, (800) 235-5758. Additional contact name - Percival Agoncillo. Additional emails - [email protected], [email protected].
Business highlights
Emergency services offered
Services we offer
Sewer lines, bathroom sinks, camera inspection, dishwasher drain, drain cleaning, faucets, garbage disposals, kitchen sinks, laundry lines, showers & tubs, sump pumps & storm drain., toilets, water heaters, water lines
Amenities
Emergency Services
Yes
Accepted Payment Methods
- CreditCard
Reviews
3.524 Reviews
| Number of Stars | Image of Distribution | Number of Ratings |
|---|---|---|
| 33% | ||
| 29% | ||
| 13% | ||
| 8% | ||
| 17% |
Showing 1-24 of 24 reviews
Newton G.
Jul 2013
Bell Plumbing responded to my call for a blocked sewage line the same day. Ron, the service technician, made attempts to clear the line from the house. After unsuccessful attempts, he approached clearance from the street exit. Camera/video showed extensive blockade of the clay pipe, which could not be cleared with an auger.
The job, which required multiple workers, took 6 days to complete: city permit, open trench and removal of clay pipe, replacement metal pipe, city inspection, closure of trench, replacement of uprooted plants in the Japanese garden, pouring of cement for concrete slab which was removed for access, clean-up.
Ron paid attention to details , eliminating the necessity for follow-up calls. Additionally, he replaced an outside garden hose faucet and repaired a Grohe kitchen faucet at no additional cost.
Several months prior, my neighbor was charged $12,100 by a national company for replacement of a blocked clay pipe sewer line for approximately 25 feet: no Japanese garden, no concrete pouring.
The job, which required multiple workers, took 6 days to complete: city permit, open trench and removal of clay pipe, replacement metal pipe, city inspection, closure of trench, replacement of uprooted plants in the Japanese garden, pouring of cement for concrete slab which was removed for access, clean-up.
Ron paid attention to details , eliminating the necessity for follow-up calls. Additionally, he replaced an outside garden hose faucet and repaired a Grohe kitchen faucet at no additional cost.
Several months prior, my neighbor was charged $12,100 by a national company for replacement of a blocked clay pipe sewer line for approximately 25 feet: no Japanese garden, no concrete pouring.
Deborah W.
Sep 2012
They were going to unscrew my faucet and they were going to charge me a high amount of $200. I was looking to replace the rubber in the faucet myself. It would take them less than a minute to do, and I could not unscrew it myself. They asked if they could have certain things in my basement for free.
Bryce N.
Jun 2012
- Bell Plumbing replaced a sewer lateral on 5-April-2010 under City of Berkeley Permit 10-1093.
- The lateral was found to be deficient in an private inspection on 11-May-2011. In October of 2011 I called Bell. When it became clear what I was talking about, Jim in customer service hung up on me. I called back, and he hung up again.
- After writing a letter to Percival Agoncillo (the owner of the company) Jim called back. Jim would not fix the line but they had a "trick" that would get a sewer lateral certificate (PSL) issued by the City. For the next four months Jim and Ryan D woked on this "trick", visiting our house a half dozen times, and promising each time the issue would be resolved by that Friday. They ran video cameras through the line twice. They told me the for months the application was "sitting with the City".
--------------During all this Bell would not define what the original warranty on the work was, but I later learned they normally warrant laterals for five years. In addition the state requires: "A licensed contractor is required to give a warranty on items installed under his /her license to be free from defective installation including, but not limited to the local codes and manufacturer?s installation requirements for up to four years after the completion of a job. The claim may be made on any defect, either known or unknown, and discovered within the four-year period [CALIFORNIA BUSINESS ANDPROFESSIONS CODE SECTION 7091-a]."Jim at Bell first said he'd never heard of such a requirement, but later in the same call claimed this warranty does not apply because the property changed owners.
Our complaint:-------------------Bell has not finished the original sewer lateral job, because no record of a final inspection exists with the City of Berkeley. Bell promised to obtain a Private Sewer Lateral certificate, but failed to do so. Bell led me on for months in a manner that was just plain mean.
Response from Bell Plumbing North Inc
"For the record, Bell Plumbing North INC. has never contracted any work with the member. The previous, and now deceased, owner of the member’s address was Bell Plumbing’s customer. It clearly states in all our of invoices and contracts as excerpted “Warranties hereunder extend only to the customer and are not transferable.” As far as our contract with the member was concerned, everything was done accordingly; the plumbing job has been inspected and passed by the City of Berkeley. To shed light on the member’s claim that the permit on file (Permit #10-1093) “was rough inspected, but never final inspected,” the rough inspection entailed a pressure test, a visual assessment, and a full walkthrough of the completed project, after which the inspector will give an OK for trench backfill if it satisfies the City’s criteria for main sewer laterals; which Bell Plumbing did. The final inspection, if we are not mistake, is just a walkthrough after the backfill and/or concrete repaving (if applicable) was done. Nevertheless, as a sign of good faith, we still entertained the member’s request for a site inspection. Bell Plumbing has sent it’s technicians, at NO EXPENSE to the member for a visual and camera inspection of the complaint at least on two (2) occasions. The first camera inspection was to verify his claim of the “defective” sewer lateral that had “standing water” in the line. Bell Plumbing has found a “negligible” amount of standing water in a short section of the line approx. 1-2 feet before the foundation cleanout. As per the Appendix of the Video Inspection Guidelines Part I, Number 3. At least 70% of the pipe periphery shall be visible above the waterline, the standing water existing in the line was definitely not more that 10% if any at all. The second camera inspection was recorded with the City of Berkeley’s Private Sewer Lateral (PSL) certification guidelines. Using the guidelines provided, the company can confirm that the defect that the member is claiming is indeed insignificant to the performance of the sewer lateral. In a nutshell, the only problem that Bell Plumbing is accepting liability for is the incorrect type of permit that was issued, where Permit # 10-1093 was a plumbing permit, and not a PSL Permit. In the past six years that the PSL Certification Ordinance was passed, this is the first time we had encountered a permit issue like this. To compensate for this ‘mistake,’ we will be more than happy to provide the member a copy of the video camera inspection, at no expense to him, but any additional fees to obtain a City of Berkeley PSL certificate should be shouldered by the homeowner. Bear in mind that the City of Berkeley PSL Certificate is not something that the contractors are required to give their customers. Should you need any additional information regarding this matter, please feel free to contact us by phone at (415) 550-0777 or send correspondence at our address below and we will be more than happy to assist you. We appreciate your time in investigating this matter and we look forward to a rational outcome for this case."
Sheila W.
May 2012
He told me he would not charge me if he could not fix the problem with my bathtub. He came and fixed a washer on the tub, he told me it was a temporary fix and charged me n $189. I gave him 2 $100 bills and he said he did not have change. Said he would charge me $1800 to fix the problem permenately.
Andrew Z.
May 2011
It was two prices, the first price was $600 but that didn’t do the fix. The overall project was almost $1700. The technician was not very responsive. In hindsight, he made a guess at what the fix was and then when called out he could not provide a solution for us; so I called another technician that we have used at Bell plumbing and told him directly that I needed him to come out failing which I would not be using them anymore, and he was able to diagnose the problem but again it came at a price. The gentleman Mohammed who works there did exceptional work. He was the one who had to clean up the mess. The first gentleman’s name was Oliver who I was very disappointed with. He broke a drain and he just sort of capped it and didn’t fix it. He hydro-flushed the line but the backup was still there. It was a poor experience. They are expensive. They were not good on quality when I used them this time. I may use them but it would be one specific technician in the future.
Anke L.
Jan 2011
It is nice and they did a good job. The city paid for the work. It was fine and a good experience. I would recommend them. One guy was pretty obnoxious. They came, did the job and were gone.
GERALDINE W.
Sep 2010
They did a good job. 2nd & 3rd come back work was vary overpriced 6-2011 I WILL NOT USE AGAIN
Christine M.
Jun 2010
They have changed their name to Universal Plumbing. We wanted the whole house renovated on an emergency basis. They did something wrong and we couldn?t get cold water out of the kitchen faucet. I wasn?t too happy with them. They also did a few other things that weren?t that great. We are not going to use them again.
DIANA S.
Aug 2009
The plumbing went very smoothly. They came right away. They were very good at completing the job. They did a great job with cleaning up. We were satisfied with the service.
Robert C.
Dec 2008
They do good work and they're moderately priced. They're pretty responsive to calls. I've had a couple of emergency situations and they've come out right away. They're not cheap but they're not totally overpriced either. I hire them on an ongoing basis.
VICTOR Y.
Jul 2007
I only used this company because they were the only place I could get to me quickly in my time of need. I would never ever use them again though because of their high prices. They may do good work but they charge an arm and a leg. The prices really turned me off from using this company in the future.
Dieter L.
May 2007
The first part was done very well. Cutting the concrete of the side walk and into the house and laying the new 1" line to the shut-off valve. And a pressure regulator and refilling the ditch with dirt and cement on top. The pipes and its branches to faucets, water heater, in the basement were done pretty fast and did not always follow my layout instructions I gave, as work progressed. I did not stand by, all the time. So now I have some pipe branch-offs and a valve at spots, which are just not practical.
KB H.
Feb 2007
Work done on a non-emergency basis. Only got two estimates; this one was lower one. Next time Ill get at least two more estimates. Bell performed very well. Office staff and manager were very professional. Just wish job was cheaper!
Michael N.
Feb 2007
My toilet was stopped, so I called Bell Plumbing. Jorge arrived and went to work on the problem. He used his plumbing snake on the toilet for less than 5 minutes before concluding that there was a hard object blocking it, and my only option was to buy a new toilet for $800. I declined, and he said that I could just pay him for his visit - only $129 for his 5 minutes of work. I objected and he said, "OK, fine, but $89 is the very lowest I can go." So, I paid him. Then a plumber from another place returned my voice mail and I told him what happened with Bell Plumbing. He asked if they tried to sell me a toilet. "Why yes, how did you know?" I asked. "I used to work for Bell Plumbing, and that is the standard scam." I called Bell and complained. My charge was lowered to $40. My landlady had her maintenance guy come over. He was also unsuccessful with the snake, so he removed the toilet, took it outside and removed the clog (just toilet paper) with tongs. So, no new toilet was needed.
JAY R.
Mar 2006
I would be extremely careful dealing with Bell. After leaving the house early, my wife called saying we had a serious backup in all of our basement level drains. She called Bell, who tried to use a "hydro-jet" (i.e. a high pressure water hose) to clear the block. Water blasted out of every drain, causing about $3000 in water damage. The Bell person then said our sewer lateral had collapsed, but they would replace it for $7500. We called the plumbing sub-contractor who did the renovations (Bright Plumbing.) They explained that Bell is essentially a sales company, and after they "close the deal" will call a real plumber. Bright Plumbing found they had left a t-pipe open when they did the work, and that a rat had crawled into the pipe and blocked it. They replaced the pipe at no charge. To this day, there is nothing wrong with our sewer lateral.
John G.
Mar 2006
Came in the middle of the night and repaired the problem.
Homeowner
Dec 2005
THIS PLUMBER DID A GREAT JOB. THEY WERE VERY PROFESSIONAL, AND VERY EASY TO DO BUSINESS WITH. THEY CLEANED UP ALL OR ANY MESS THAT WAS MADE, AND LEFT MY BASEMENT THE SAME WAY THEY FOUND IT. I WAS VERY HAPPY WITH THEIR SERVICES.
Homeowner
Dec 2005
THEY DID A REAL GOOD JOB. THIS COMPANY IS VERY PROFESSIONAL AND PLEASANT TO DO BUSINESS WITH. THEY CLEAN UP ANY MESS THAT THEY MAKE AND THEY DO THE JOB IN A VERY TIMELY MANNER. I AM VERY SATISFIED WITH THEIR SERVICES.
Homeowner
Dec 2005
THIS COMPANY IS AN EXCELLENT COMPANY. I WAS PLEASED WITH THE WONDERFUL WORK THAT WAS PERFORMED, THE WORK WAS DONE NEATLY AND EFFICIENT. THE WATER HEATER IS JUST RIGHT NOW.
J-ME S.
Dec 2005
MY EXPERIENCE WITH THIS COMPANY WAS PRETTY GOOD. I WAS SHOCKED WITH THE PRICE OF THE SERVICE. THE WORK WAS PERFORMED VERY EFFICIENT. I DO NOT HAVE ANYMORE LEAKAGE PROBLEMS.
RENEE T.
Oct 2005
WEVE USED THEM FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS NOW & THEYVE ALWAYS DONE GOOD WORK. THEYRE NOT THE CHEAPEST BUT THEY GUARANTEE & WARRANTY WHAT THEY DO & ARRIVE ON TIME, SO WERE VERY HAPPY WITH THEM.
Homeowner
Oct 2005
I HAVE USED THIS COMPANY FOR SOME TIME. THIS COMPANY ALWAYS RESPONDS TO MY CALLS. THE COMPANY HAS COMPETITIVE PRICES, AND MONTHLY DISCOUNTS. I WOULD RECOMMEND THEIR SERVICES.
SUSAN F.
Oct 2005
THE COMPANY IS VERY RESPONSIVE, I CAN CALL THEM IN THE MORNING, AND WITHIN TWENTY FOUR HOURS THEY WOULD COME OUT TO SERVICE. I HAVE USED THEM FOR YEARS, AND WILL CONTINUE TO USE.
Homeowner
Oct 2005
THEY WERE REALLY GOOD FOR THE FIRST TWO JOBS. THEY WERE RESPONSIVE, QUICK AND VERY RELIABLE. THEY REPLACED A WATER PIPE FROM THE HOUSE TO THE METER. THE LAST JOB WAS QUESTIONABLE, I AM WAITING TO SEE IF THEY FINISH THE JOB.
Licensing
State Contractor License Requirements
All statements concerning insurance, licenses, and bonds are informational only, and are self-reported. Since insurance, licenses and bonds can expire and can be cancelled, homeowners should always check such information for themselves. To find more licensing information for your state, visit our Find Licensing Requirements page.
*Contact business to see additional licenses.
FAQ
Bell Plumbing North Inc is currently rated 3.5 overall out of 5.
Bell Plumbing North Inc accepts the following forms of payment: CreditCard
No, Bell Plumbing North Inc does not offer free project estimates.
No, Bell Plumbing North Inc does not offer eco-friendly accreditations.
No, Bell Plumbing North Inc does not offer a senior discount.
Yes, Bell Plumbing North Inc offers emergency services.
No, Bell Plumbing North Inc does not offer warranties.