128 Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electric
reviews and complaints

This company is fantastic to collaborate with for any project they undertake. I have been working with them for several years, and I have complete confidence in their work and team. They consistently respond to my inquiries promptly, ensuring that I receive timely assistance.

I was shocked when I received a quote of $1,926 from 128 Plumbing to replace a toilet. Keep in mind, this price only covers the labor as I would be providing the toilet myself. To put it into perspective, they are charging a staggering $965 per hour for this job. In my opinion, no plumber should command such exorbitant rates. What's even more frustrating is that they don't disclose the price until you pay for a technician to come to your home and assess the situation. It's quite unfair to expect customers to shell out money just to be informed that the total cost will be $1,926. Unlike other plumbing companies, 128 Plumbing fails to be transparent about their hourly rate.

My thermostat suddenly stopped working, and I needed to get it fixed quickly because of my elderly parent. I called a few places and luckily, 128 was able to schedule a same-day appointment for me. The customer service agent informed me that their regular rate was $89, but because it was the weekend, there would be an additional $100 charge. So, I was already looking at a total of $189.

When the technician arrived, he assessed the situation and determined that the thermostat needed to be replaced. He quoted me a price of $288 for a brand new thermostat. At that price, I was expecting a high-tech thermostat with a good warranty and full installation. However, it turned out that he didn't need to replace the base or do anything with the wiring. All he had to do was replace the battery-operated digital face. To make matters worse, the thermostat he installed was a basic $25 Honeywell model that I could have easily purchased at a local store.

Feeling frustrated, I called the company on Monday to discuss my concerns. I was transferred to a person named ***, who seemed to think that charging me $288 on top of the $189 weekend rate ($477 in total) was reasonable for a quick 20-minute visit that required no complex installation. I appreciate the fact that they were able to provide prompt assistance and that the staff I interacted with were professional, so I'm giving them 2 stars. However, I can't help but feel completely ripped off by the exorbitant charges for such a simple job.

I had an absolutely terrible experience with 128. They offered a free sewer pipe inspection in October and discovered that my 100-year-old pipes were crumbling and needed to be replaced. They proceeded to dig a trench with jackhammers, replace the pipe, and pour concrete. However, their work was incredibly sloppy. The concrete had cracks, an uneven surface, and there was even a section left uncovered. I was assured by the lead technician, ***, that my basement would be returned to its original state, if not better. He claimed that it would look as though they had never been there. Unfortunately, this was far from the truth.

To make matters worse, a storm door was moved and damaged during the process, requiring a replacement. Additionally, I discovered rubber work gloves and empty water bottles left behind in my basement. It was a complete mess. Despite these issues, I paid the full amount for the job upon its completion. However, I immediately called 128 to report the state of my basement and the poor cement job.

In response, 128 sent their head plumbing technician to assess the situation. He admitted that the cement job was one of the worst he had ever seen and apologized to me. He assured me that they would fix the issues. In January 2022, they returned to re-pour the cement. This involved digging up the basement again with jackhammers. The new cement was smoother and looked better, but unfortunately, more problems arose during this process.

The wooden fence in my backyard was damaged, and the *** was broken. The lead technician denied any responsibility and claimed that it must have been the flooring guys who damaged my fence. It was incredibly frustrating to deal with their lack of accountability.

To add to my list of grievances, in late December , I contacted 128 to have them look at my heat pumps, which had stopped working. These minisplits were less than seven years old and still under warranty. The technician they sent out inspected the system and informed me that it needed to be replaced. He even went as far as to say that I had an inferior brand and poor installation. He provided me with a quote ranging from $15,000 to $20,000 for the replacement.

Dissatisfied with this assessment, I sought a second opinion from another company. They sent a technician to evaluate the system free of charge. To my surprise, he found that the system looked good. He then sent his lead technician, who discovered that the condenser power switch was simply turned off. Once he turned it on, the entire system started working perfectly. The pressure was slightly low, so he added some freon and tested the minisplits, which were all functioning well.

This stark contrast between the two assessments left me questioning whether 128's actions were due to gross incompetence or unethical business practices and potential fraud. It was an incredibly frustrating and disappointing experience overall. I was even forced to hire a crew to clean up the mess left behind by 128 in my basement.

On December 3rd, I had a meeting with someone named *** at 128 Plumbing to discuss heating system options. During the meeting, I gave a deposit of $2400, which was part of the MassSave program for the heating system. However, on December 6th, *** informed me about potential electrical issues that might require new breakers, a new box, or a new system altogether. I tried to contact the Methuen inspector to address these issues, but they did not return my call.

Then, on December 9th, I received a call from *** at GLCAC, who informed me that I did not qualify for the 0% MassSave heating loan due to my low income. This was surprising because 128 Plumbing had promised me the loan. I immediately notified *** at 128 Plumbing about what *** had told me. However, *** insisted that I should still move forward and assured me that she had contacts at MassSave whom she would reach out to.

On December 16th, I met with *** at NEECO, who confirmed that I did not qualify for the 0% loan based on the income level table. Realizing that I did not qualify, I notified *** on December 17th that I did not want to proceed with the project. I assumed that my deposit would be returned to me at this point.

However, on December 27th, I emailed *** to inquire about why my deposit had not been returned yet. It wasn't until December 28th that *** responded, stating that a check for $2400 would be sent out and that I should receive it "in a few days".

After not receiving the check, I emailed *** again on January 6th to ask about its whereabouts. She responded, explaining that the delay was most likely due to the holiday season.

As of January 11th, I still have not received my check, even though I have had no issues receiving my other regular mail.