FRED AUSTIN PLUMBING

This review is no reflection on the work done. It is solely on the fact that I was charged $440 for 1.5 hours of labor on a simple bathroom faucet replacements. I also question the mark up on materials and if they were even needed. All in all, the total was $891. I also give myself one star for not getting a labor rate in writing prior to the job and prior to giving out my address. Never would I have expected to be charged what I was. For this reason, I do not recommend.

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My wife called Fred Austin twice, both times getting the answering service.  Both times she described we needed some plumbing work on a bathtub (replace leaking drain and install new fixture).  She never got a return call.
I then called, again got the answering service and asked if Mr Austin had so much business that he could ignore new customers.  I repeated what we needed, and was told Mr Austin would return the call.
A week later, still no response.  This is completely unprofessional.

He was very knowledgeable and did supply a couple of different options to resolve the issue.  In the end I went with a contractor out of Endicott because he had the equipment to dig out my existing drain for a reasonalbe price.
Fred has done work for me on another occasion and I found him to be very professional and did quality work.

 Mr. Austin recommended Brain Drain, who cleared my sewer pipe for the price quoted.  Brain Drain also returned with a camera and told me where the brake in the drain pipe was broken.

Super. I had many questions answered and the work was extremely well done.

This experience was exemplary. I placed the call to inquire about the company's availability on a recommendation from a handyman I've used. Fred Austin called me exactly when the person who answered the phone told me he would. He asked me some questions about the problem, told me what he thought it probably was, but said he wanted to send his son-in-law, who works for him, over to take a look with an eye to probably doing the real work of it the next morning. The son-in-law came over, spent ample time reviewing everything, checked the drain, etc. The original problem was that all of a sudden, my sink filled up with nasty water when I used the dishwasher and nothing was draining. They scheduled to come back the next morning. The next morning, two guys (including the son-in-law) showed up on time. They were friendly and they explained what they were doing. They laid down cloth on my carpet so they wouldn't track any dirt of mud down anywhere throughout the house. They worked quickly and replaced all the piping under my sink and down into the basement. The piping was old-style and was corroded and had become completely blocked.