Papalia Home Services

They are very good and reliable. They clean up after themselves and maintain a clean jobsite. They are efficient as well. They explain everything that they are going to do as well.

(Please note: This is the second of two Angie's List reviews documenting my experiences with Papalia Plumbing and Heating on this project -- the first documents the initial work performed and this second report documents the completion of the project). Overview: The problem was to repair and service a 25 year old residential, central A/C system that had an interior air handler with a very clogged evaporator and rusted and leaking condensation pan. Because of the age of the system, no replacement parts were available. Papalia Plumbing and Heating was contacted after researching on Angie's List. Papalia Plumbing sent over Saul, who did a great job and was a pleasure to work with. Saul was very willing to work with the homeowner to try to salvage the existing system instead of replacing the whole, system. To that end, a three-step process was created -- Step 1: Performed by Papalia -- Drain the system of refrigerant, disconnect the evaporator from the compressor, check the compressor. Step 2: Performed by homeowner -- Construct and install a replacement condensate pan. Step 3: Performed by Paplia -- Clean the clogged evaporator, re-connect evaporator, pressure test complete system, re-charge the system, and evaluate system performance. The end result was a resounding success. Saul did a great job. He was courteous, punctual, very knowledgeable, and meticulous. We will not hesitate to call Papalia Plumbing and Heating in the future.

We initially called Papalia to address a leak in our second floor bathroom that was dripping into our kitchen on the first floor. Mike showed up on time and was extremely polite and professional. We thought the problem was in the toilet, but after he ran a few quick tests he determined this wasn't the case. He ran a leak test and found that the issue was likely the shower. After some extended experiments to determine the source of the leak, Mike concluded that we needed a new bead of silicone along the inside of the shower. This seems to have done the job quite nicely, and we haven't had a leak in that bathroom since. While Mike was on site to fix the bathroom, we had him look at a slow drip in the main stack in our basement. We could see that there was a long section (15 feet) of cast iron pipe that was beginning to rust out from the bottom, and this was causing the pipe to drip onto the basement floor. Mike assessed the situation and said that he could be back at our house the following morning with an assistant to fix the problem. The next day they showed up and made short work of the replacement. In both of the visits from Papalia we have been extremely pleased with the plumber's professionalism and kindness. Mike was always very happy to answer any questions we had and to explain the various options for solving problems. We have also been very satisfied with the work they have performed.

Called Papalia Plumbing on Monday night (5/28/12) after hubby had tried to install a new faucet and hot/cold H20 controls, and found the hot H20 shutoff valve broken. I asked for a morning call to set up an appt on Tuesday (5/29/12). We put a big bucket under the leaky valve for the night (and prayed...). The Papalia dispatcher called at 8 am and we set up service call for between 11 am - 3 pm. Plumber named Adam showed up at 1 pm and assessed the situation. He prepared a written estimate for the work including replacing the hot H20 valve shutoff which required soldering, and installing the new faucet and controls. He said that it would take about two hours to complete the work, and that's about the time the work took to complete. He waited for me to finish with using any H20, and advised when he needed to turn off the house H20 supply to do the work. He was professional, helpful, and courteous. He brought his own drop cloths and rags, and left the bathroom in better condition than when he arrived. I also asked if he could tighten floor bolts on a wobbly toilet in another bathroom and he did it quickly and without any extra charges. I also asked about getting estimates for other plumbing work needed including replacing our now 20 year old toilets, and a kitchen sink faucet that is now corroded. He gave me more written estimates on everything I asked for. Since we live in an old house that has had a variety of plumbing problems, I renewed my annual "Gold membership" which is $98/yr for a residence. That reduced my bill by about 8% on parts and labor for the current repair. I also used a coupon in the local "action" flyer and saved another $50. So what would have been nearly an $800 bill, was reduced to just $665. Though Papalia Plumbing prices are on the higher end compared to other plumbers in the area, as they use the plumbing/heating book by the job estimator, their professionalism and courtesy outweighs the price concerns. I have recommended them to neighbors already.

The real measure of a company is not what they do when things go as planned -- it is how they stand behind their work in the long term. After their initial visit at my father's home, my father noticed some minor issues in the repair. While the gas leak had been corrected, the system was now using more fuel than before, and keeping the boiler at a very high temperature. This wasn't something that could have been noticed on the initial visit, so it is easy to understand how the issue was missed. I contacted Papalia Plumbing and they were instantly responsive and stood behind their workmanship with a complete warranty. Actually, they went above and beyond just a complete warranty to insure we were satisfied with the work despite the initial issue. They care about their customers, and it shows. The very next day, one of their most experienced heating system experts was at the house. He spent hours making sure that the system was functioning properly, inspecting every aspect of the repair and insuring that my father was happy with the level of work. Towards the end of his repair, he noticed another issue, one that had not been identified on the initial visit due to the focus on the gas leak. He proactively fixed the problem for my father, returning the very next day with the part needed, and installing it. Now, I can rest assured that no matter how harsh this next New England winter may be, my father will be warm and safe in his home, that his heating system will be reliable due to the proactive repair. Papalia went far above and beyond our expectations in making sure that my father and I were both very happy with both the service and the price paid for the work performed. I would not hesitate to welcome them back for future similar work. My father's heating and hot water system now work perfectly. We both are very happy with the work performed, but even more impressed with their dedication to performing great work.

In short, they do not allow customers to talk by phone with a plumber after the inspection if they have a question. If you think you might want to contact the plumber after the service, I'd advise against using this company. Slightly longer version: The plumber and the assistant were very professional and friendly. They inspected my faucet from above and below and discovered the leak could not be fixed and recommended replacing the tub. Two days later, the faucet started to drip even though the tub was not used in the meantime. I called the company, explained the situation, and asked to speak with the plumber by phone for some advice. I was told that they do not allow customers to speak with their plumbers on the phone. Rather, they would have to send him back out to inspect (and charge another fee). I called back to say that this seemed unprofessional, especially given that the plumber may have loosened something and I just wanted advice on how to stop the drip. I was told I would receive a call the following week from a manager to explain the policy, but did not receive a call. Of all of the professionals I have worked with in the past, I've never been told that you couldn't speak by phone afterward if you had a question. Given that this is their policy, I believe that should be known by prospective customers.

We are still in the process of completing this job (see above). But to date, everything is going well and we are very satisfied.

They came two hours after I called. He did the work quickly and did a great job.

GREAT! They called me back at 7:15 am from previous evening's voicemail that I left. Offered me an appointment same day. Called me to let me know when the guys were on their way to my house. They arrived on the early half of the 4 hour window they had promised. The plumber and assistant were young, professional and nice to have around. They offered an estimate and stuck to it. I used a coupon from their website ($30 off) and no problem w. it being accepted. By far the best experience I've had with plumbers EVER!

He came and gave us two estimates; one if they supplied the fixture and the other if we did. He merely pulled out "standard charges" from a printed catalog, both alternatives seemed excessively high. We then purchased a fixture and secured the services of another plumber to install it, the net result is that we got exactly what we wanted and for considerably lower cost. We were required to pay the $39.50 "service call" charge to receive the estimate.

I would rate them highly across the board. I would use them again in the future.

Excellent. Scott was personable and kept me informed every step of the way.

Michael and his apprentice showed up on a Saturday. Michael had been here before and remembered where the shutoffs are. Looked at the problem and gave us several options for fixing it, along with the pricing for each, and the pros and cons. Had it fixed in no time. We always call Papalia for plumbing problems. They respond so quickly to regular calls as well as emergency calls. They are always very professional and are clear about pricing up front.

Unhappy about the prospect of using more poisonous drain-clearing products on a problem drain, I called Papalia at about 11am on a Friday. The person on the phone was very professional, told me someone would be at my house by 3pm that day, and that they would call about 15 minutes before arriving. Just as promised (even better), I got a call at about 12:15 from Mike, who arrived at the house at 12:30. He was very easygoing, pleasant and professional. He got straight to work after asking us a few questions about the symptoms of the drain problem. After finishing and testing that job, he helped out with a wonky toilet handle and threw in a repair to a leaky hot water handle. When I asked him about preventive maintenance, he offered to sell me a $50 container of Bio-Clean. This seemed a bit steep for a drain cleaner, but I checked online, and that's exactly what it was going for. I bought the Bio-Clean. Mike was on his way by 1:45. The next day, I had to put the Bio-Clean to the test when one of the drains slowed down again. I followed the directions, which recommend using the stuff 5 days in a row when starting with a new drain. Skeptical after two days with no visible improvement, I was thrilled when on the third day, the drain was clear as new, and it has stayed that way for several days now. I love it when a company shares something that is good for the environment, works, and helps me prevent future trouble. I will definitely call on Papalia again.

We tried to give the job to a local company, (we live in Watertown), but we could not get folks to call us back or respond with a quote , (Chase and Toland for example). We got this company through Angie's list, and I can not say enough good things about them. When they first came to the house they spent a good amount of time assessing the job and looking at our current oil set-up. They provided a quote within a reasonable time. They were a bit more than other quotes, but I felt they were the most knowledgeable and I could trust them to do a good job. They showed up on time and completed the job in two days. The last day they ran into a problem (something to do with a switch), the plumber could not resolve it after many hours, and at 6pm he called one of their technicians to help him - who was on another job 15 miles away (he is their mechanical expert), he came within an hour and they stayed until 9pm that night until the issue was finally resolved. By the way, no additional changes for the extra time either. True professionals! My heat worked great all this winter! I plan to use them many years to come!

Contacted them for a quote to install a new central AC system, and never got a response. I have no idea if they do good work or not, I only know they didn't respond to my contact through their website.

Making an appointment was easy. When the workmen were able to come a little earlier, the scheduler contacted me. Workmen arrived right on time, were very friendly (even with my big dog!), took their time in giving me an estimate, and offered me a couple of options to help meet my budget. The work was a little more expensive than I thought it would be. However, they worked quickly and did a great job. Very personable, efficient service. It's good that Papalia is around to help when you need them.

I noticed a gradual leak in my utility room coming from my what I thought was water heater. I gave Papalia a call and they were able to send someone out that night - I found this very impressive as this did not count as an emergency call yet they were very responsive to come so quickly. Andy called before hand to check and see which water heater I had so he could proactively bring the correct parts. He was running a little behind which I didn't mind at all, he continuously updated me on his ETA. When he arrived he was very nice and professional. We showed him the problem and it ended up not being the water heater at all but was the compression pump attached to the furnace. I must add that we are new homeowners and don't know much about maintenance, he spent extra time with us to describe some key maintenance strategies for our house which was very helpful. He also let us know the life span of our hot water heater and what we should expect when it comes time to fix it, very helpful so we can plan financially. Andy fixed the compressor pump quickly and was a joy to have in our home.

I called and was able to get an appointment the same day for a shower fixture repair. Adam was right on time and presented several options. The cost to replace the shower fixture was $850, the cost to rebuild the existing one was $350. I opted for the rebuild. The work took under an hour and cost $350 which is very expensive considering there were minimal parts (the manufacturer sent me the parts for free, however Adam did not want to use those, nor did I insist). Anyway, to be fair the cost was explained to me beforehand and Adam came prepared with a book that explains all of the services and pricing, so very organized and no surprises after the fact. I should have done my homework a bit better as there are other providers who can offer similar services for less money. This seems to be a recurring theme amongst the reviews for this company. Overall, they were on time and did great work, but are very pricey and I would probably not use them again. After the job was completed, I filled out a survey and sent it in to the company. I waited a bit before posting this review, but never heard back, so am posting this review now.

This was to service a leaky furnace which was a result of a leaking autofill valve and pressure relief valve that was questionable. They came out the same day I called which was not expected but nice. They charge 39.95 to come onsite and credit that if they do work. Their technician (Mike) was awesome, professional, and knew what he was doing. The whole job took about 2 hours including purging the system (forced hot water baseboard). It wasnt the sort of thing I felt like shopping around. Parts online look to be between 150-200 so lets say 250.00 for parts. In my opinion the work is excellent but you will pay a lot for it. Wonder if the job could have been done for less and if so how much.

Adam was prompt and punctual the next day and informed me that he was licensed. He did a good job and also gave me prices regarding other jobs I needed to have done...no discount for doing multiple jobs. I was astonished at the cost of this simple job and the prices quoted as I am a senior on a fixed income. Weeks later I realized that I did not receive a discount for being a member of Angie's List. I called the office and the woman stated that I had to mention it the day the service was performed. I told her that I mentioned it when I was making the appointment. Her reply was punitive in nature so I asked to speak to the owner. He returned my call and was very pleasant and stated he would credit my account.

Snaked drainage system from downspout to exit. Snake head broke through ground before exit. This work was performed in a professional and technically sound manner. Both the technician and the supervisor responded in a curteous and timely manner. I very much appreciated the underground camera analysis that was performed. However, their proposed price to correct the problem was about six times what we eventually paid to have our drainage system repaired. In summary, the work they performed was done in a curteous and professional manner. However, I was left with a concern that they would over charge someone who was in a difficult position.

Emergency service, as the gas water heater was not working. The technician cleaned the flame sensor, and the unit worked correctly again.

This was a multi-step fireplace installation. Vicki from their home office did the scheduling, and Scott took care of the natural gas connection. Both people were *incredibly* nice to work with. Three visits were required. 1) Removal of the gas line to the old fireplace. Scott removed the old connection and even fixed a leaky sewage connection at the same time for a very reasonable price. Done perfectly and quickly the first time. 2) Installation of the new gas line. This required tricky pipe navigation through two adjacent dead air spaces. Scott took the time to understand the problem, and talked patiently with the fireplace vendor on the phone to discuss options. This was not an inexpensive trip, but proportional to the difficulty, as it took more than a few hours to complete. 3) Later, during the fireplace installation, the installer discovered that the gas outlet position was interfering with the fireplace. I called Vicki again, and Scott returned within two hours to adjust the gas line. Everything then fit perfectly. Vicki was clear about availability and scheduling. Two out of the three times, Scott had finished his previous job early and she called to see if he could arrive early (which was fine). Scott was easy-going, yet methodical about his work - he would listen carefully, calculate a bit and arrive at a cost, then complete it exactly as he had described. Exceeded my expectations - I will be using them for all of my future plumbing needs.

They came out once. The job went well. They were very professional and they were expensive. They were on time and just very professional.