Services
What we plumb, and how a visit goes
Repairs, replacements and renovation plumbing for houses in Charlottesville and the counties around it. Each starts with the protocol.
Leaks and repairs
A leak is found before it is fixed. The technician photographs it, tells you what caused it and what the options are, and writes the price before the repair.
Supply lines, shutoffs and traps
Running toilets and stuck valves
Slow leaks behind a wall: we look before we open
Faucets, toilets and fixtures
We install what you have chosen and bought, or order what you pick with us. Finished fixtures are set last, after paint and tile.
Kitchen and bath faucets
Toilets, sinks and tub fillers
Dishwasher, disposal and ice-maker lines
Water heaters
We look at the heater, the vent, the pan and the shutoff, and say whether repair or replacement makes sense.
Tank heater replacement
Expansion tanks and relief valves
Draining and flushing
Drains and clogs
Sinks, tubs and the stack, cleared and then checked. When a clog keeps coming back we run a camera and show you the pipe.
Kitchen and bath drains
Camera look at the line
A written note on what we found
Kitchen and bath plumbing
Rough-in before walls close and finish after. We work from your plans and your contractor's schedule.
Rough-in photos before drywall
Fixture schedule checked against the plans
Finished floors protected throughout
Old pipe replacement
Galvanized, polybutylene and failing copper replaced in the order that opens the fewest walls, with a plan in writing first.
The plan shows each wall that will open
Rooms are done one at a time
Water is back on each evening
What we don't do
We say so when it isn't our work
A short list, so you can call the right firm the first time.
Night and weekend emergencies
We don't run a night line. For running water you can't stop, shut off the main and call an emergency plumber near you.
New subdivisions and commercial buildings
Our crew and our vans are set up for houses people live in.
Septic and well systems
We refer you to a firm that does that work every day.
About the work
Do you pull permits?
Some work needs a permit from the city or the county. When yours does, the written price says so and shows the permit as its own line.
Is my house at risk from old pipe?
Houses built before 1986 may have lead solder, and older houses may have lead or galvanized lines. We can look at the pipe that enters your house and tell you what it is. For lead in drinking water, ask your water utility about testing; the EPA publishes guidance on lead in drinking water.
How long does a visit take?
A repair is usually part of a morning or an afternoon. A kitchen or bath rough-in follows your contractor's schedule. The technician gives you a window when the office calls the evening before.
Will I get a price before you start?
Yes, in writing, by text or email. If the technician finds something new once a wall is open, we stop and write a new price before going on.
Tell us what's wrong
Describe the job, and we call back the next working day to set a time.