Evan Conklin Plumbing

My radiant heating system wasn’t working. No hot air were coming out of the vents when I turned on the heating.
I booked an appointment with Evan Conklin because they were one of the few plumbers that had availability immediately.
The plumber they sent spent a few hours trying to diagnose and fix the hot air system. He thought it was an airlock somewhere in the house so I helped him to flush out the air in the system using garden hoses. The flushing didn’t help so he changed my pump under the suspicion that it wasn’t working since it had rust on it, despite the fact that it was humming.
After changing the pump he said it was should be good to go, without actually going upstairs to check his work. I paid him $ 500 for the pump and close to $ 500 for the charge. In retrospective I should have checked to see if the heating was actually fixed instead of taking the plumber’s word for it.
Later that night and I turned on the heater and there was no hot air. I checked all the vents in the house and there was no hot air anywhere.
My ass was still cold, except I was madder and $ 1000 poorer.
The following day I called Evan Conklin to request a followup visit, but was told that I would be charged the normal rates. I pointed out that they had put
«Our plumbing workmanship is covered unconditionally for a full year plus any applicable manufacturers’ warranties.» on their front page. The person on the phone was adamant that I am to be charged for any more service. The company seems uninterested in honoring their own values. I got into a heated discussion and hanged up.
I hired another company and they were able to resolve the problem quickly.
I believe that for simple small plumbing jobs, Evan Conklin is good as any. But for big and expensive jobs, if it doesn’t go right, then you’ll be shit out of luck since they won’t honor the values on their site, and they won’t have your ass covered.

These guys are awesome! They are so prompt and super nice. I haven’t had a problem with their work. I recommend them highly.

Evan Conklin charges reasonable price for _​excellent_​work.
He makes sure to find out all that I need, but he also points out things I don’t need.
For example, in a very old house with very new rats in the dug-​out basement, we didn’t need a side sewer inspection to find any disconnected, unused pipes outside. We just needed to plug the disconnected, unused pipes inside.
Rick and Will took care of it. A different plumber, earlier, looked and said «nothing to be done, lady.»

I was encouraged by talking to them that they knew what my problem was, and their website advertised a no hassle 15-​minute rate. I was a little disappointed by the trip charge of $ 100 they added outside of Magnolia. I was most disappointed that they couldn’t keep a 9am appointment, the first of their day. I understand if things take longer throughout the day, but I scheduled it far in advance, and called to confirm that morning, but I guess 9am is only when they start loading their truck and it means 10am. Hard to find a professional plumber in Seattle.

Called regarding a leaking washer. Evan sent someone that day in the evening. Rick and Paul were so helpful and although couldn’t fix it (was the washer and not the plumbing) they quickly diagnosed it and stopped the leak till I can get the washer fixed. Will definitely keep their number and recommend them to others. Thank you!

We were in urgent need to fix a plumbing issue while trying to sell our home. They came out, let themselves in, evaluated the issue and then we never heard from them again. We called a few times with no response. How hard is it to call back and just say you can’t do it? Obviously we were very frustrated with the lack of follow up.

These guys were saviors. My boiler went out, so no heat or hot water. They sent someone out asap to help us. Rich totally fixed it and diagnosed the problem and even tried to save us money. And they even crossed the bridge to come to the Eastside. I would recommend them.

I have had to call these guys out for three different issues in the last couple of months and each time I have been nothing short of impressed! They were helpful and knowledgable on the phone when I called. Like many other reviews have said their phone service is not amazing, but hey there are not here to brown nose, and in this day and age straight forward and to the point ends up being interpreted as rude.
Each time I called I was told someone would come out to my house that day (hooray for quick service!). It was a little difficult to plan as they could not give me a specific time they would come as they are not able to come to the job until the previous one was completed. However, they were prompt and always arrived within 1.5 hours of my call.
On the three service calls I had them complete I had a different plumber come out to take a look. Each one was tidy, friendly, confident and fixed my problem within an hour. Each plumber took the time to figure out what my problem was so he could diagnose and fix it as quickly as possible. All three times the plumbers came, they brought all the tools and parts needed and were efficient in their work. I have not had any problems since!
Although when I was quoted initially I felt their prices were a little higher than other companies, when I was asked to pay the plumber at the end of his visit, I was surprised and happy to pay my bill when there had been no extra fees or costs added and the bill was exactly as I had expected it to be.
My overall impression and feeling of the work I have had done by Evan Conklin Plumbing and Heating is that their employees are honest, their prices are upfront and you get what you pay for– outstanding work!
If you want work done by a company that won’t jerk you around and will not convince you to agree to unnecessary work and parts, this is the guy you want to call!

These are the only guys I’d call. They are honest and have on occasion have analyzed the problem and taught me how to fix it and charged me for 15 minutes their modest minimum. They are honest and won’t jerk you around.
I have met most of his crew and could trust any of them to be in my home when I am not there.
They have done plumbing work, installed a heating system, and always are accurate, honest, professional, and no nonsense. The plumbing business is rife with people who don’t treat you as you would want to be treated. If you are lucky enough to have them come you won’t want anyone else in your bevy of plumbing wizards. The boss answers the phone, he treats his employees well and it shows! I am a huge fan and no I’m not a relative, just a happy customer.

As a professional property manager, I can’t afford to work with flaky, unreliable vendors. Evan and his team is both reliable and professional. Called him the other day to seek help with a water leak. He immediately called my tenant directly to help her locate the correct shutoff valves to stop the leak. He then talked through with her the problem to determine exactly what it was. The next morning Anthony was there promptly at 9am with a new expansion tank in hand for a quick 20 minute repair. I highly reccomend Evan and his team.

Good plumbers, impatient phone skills. 30 years of listening to homeowners waste your time will do that.

We have worked with Evan Conklin Plumbing for over 20 years. Some of our properties are older with delicate plumbing issues. Evan is the perfect person for old galvanized plumbing especially but also new. I like that they are local and fast to respond. They can work on radiant type heating systems as well. Pricing is standard for this type of work.
Great to work with!

Nothing fazed my plumber, Anthony.
Not the cat constantly meowing at him.
Not me asking inane questions while he tried to work.
Not even the ridiculous Swedish plumbing I gave him to install under my bathroom sink. Not once did he ask what the hell was I thinking buying plumbing products and meatballs at the same store. (Answer: I like meatballs.)
More than a few curve balls were thrown his way during the great bathroom sink installation of 2010. The water shut off valves were stripped, the previously mentioned crummy plumbing didn’t fit, the modern design I had chosen was admittedly more for looks than function, and he was miraculously able to come up with ingenious solutions to all of the problems.
Best. Plumber. Ever.

The responded quick and Anthony was at the door in an hour and a half. They fixed the backed up piping in less than an hour. They were professional and gave us good advice for avoiding future clogging. We are satisfied. Price wasn’t cheap for less than an hour of labor, but about what I expected.

I put off calling the plumber for as long as possible. For the past year, every time my water heater pilot light went out I would just dutifully light it again. I did this every few months, then every few weeks, then every few days… and finally yesterday it died– I tried 30 times to get it re-​lit and it only stayed lit for 30 minutes. I had no choice but to call a plumber. I called Fischer Plumbing. The nice lady who answered the phone put me on hold for a while and then said it would be 4 days before they could make it out. Lady it’s 15 degrees F outside I NEED hot water! I called Gene Johnson but as I was waiting for them to answer the phone I was reading some of their reviews online and I got scared and hung up. Then I read the reviews for Evan Conklin. I got a good feeling about this company – the guy who answered the phone listened to what I had to say and wasn’t threatened by the fact that I had Google researched the pilot light problem and thought I might know what the issue was. He got the make, model and serial number of the water heater over the phone so that he could send Anthony the repair guy out with the probably correct part. And lo and behold Anthony showed up an hour later, replaced the defective part in 15 minutes, and made my life a whole heck of a lot easier and more pleasant for a mere $ 150 including the cost of the pilot light thing a ma bob. I’m a satisfied customer. I’m looking at the reviews here on Unilocal and noticing that the few negative reviews of Evan Conklin are from men and the awesome reviews are from women. Those negative review guys need to shut up and bow down in the presence of the alpha male plumber. I am very happy with Evan C.

«Eighty percent of success is showing up.» Sorry, Woody Allen, you’re wrong today. Yes, you must show up. But, when you ‘re in the service industry, make sure you leave your lousy attitude at home.
On a quiet day this last weekend I heard the muffled tune «ping…ping…ping» from the water heater and looked down to see a little puddle on the floor and some significant staining around the heater – which suggested that this had been going on-​and-​off for some time.
We called up Conklin based on the recommendation from the friend of a friend. When he arrived, the leaking had subsided for the moment and there was an obvious, fresh flow of mineral deposits surrounding the heater. He stated, and I quote, «Well, there’s not much you can do when nothing is broken.» He proceeded to feel a pipe at the top of the heater, took down some information from the heater, provided absolutely no diagnosis, and curtly left. Just rude from start to finish.
Supposedly Conklin will get back to us with more information. At this point, I don’t care and will look for another plumber who actually desires to foster a good customer relationship.
Two stars for showing up on time.
**
Edit: To respond to Evan’s points below:
I was representing the customer at the time of the service call, so I have sufficient knowledge of your company to write a review. Let’s not quibble over the technicality of who holds the deed to the land. OK?
Following the appointment, you spoke directly with the homeowner. Flabbergasted, she called me to complain that you were, and I quote, «a rude jerk». Shall I have her open a Unilocal account to elaborate?
I set a time to meet with your agent and then walked (as we’re prone to do in Seattle) a few blocks over from my house to the home with the leak. Your guy waited maybe 5 minutes for me – a small concession to a potential customer.

I’ll agree that Evan is no charmer on the phone but his crew is skilled and appear to have mastered customer relations. What should have been a simple job turned into a frustrating experience for me recently. Anthony handled the situation like a true gentleman and solved our leaky low pressure hose bib crisis. Thank you, Anthony!

I’m not too sure what these diatribes that people have written are about. Not one of them mentions that the plumbing work was poor, or of poor quality (how do you install a drain if the tub isn’t set, come on people think about it!!).
Plumbing is a basic necessity, but plumbing requires a certain amount of skill. Yes you can do a lot yourself, but when comes time to be certain that the tub upstairs is not going to leak down on you new kitchen remodel, you need a plumber.
The plumber you want to call is Evan Conklin Plumbing. They are all license plumbers, not kids with a blow torch, a shovel, and a dream. They will give you a straight story without the usual sales pitches and shine that most of the plumbers sell you today (because they are working on a commission, selling you things you don’t need, or they don’t get paid – you don’t need that headache).
My favorite thing about Evan Conklin Plumbing is they have standards. They know their work area. They have opinions on equipment and the service that equipment choice implies. They are real experts with expert opinions. I’m reminded of the father in Moonstruck, one of the few plumbers on the silver screen, who says (and I paraphrase):
«There are three kinds of pipe. There’s galvanized, which is garbage. There’s plastic which is pretty good, unless something goes wrong. And something always goes wrong. Then, there’s copper, which is the only pipe I use. It costs money. It costs money because it saves money.»
These guys may not be for everyone, but they they will get my business every time because they are solid tradespeople and earnest.

Unfortunately, my experience with Evan Conklin Plumbing and Heating was lousy. First off, my email inquiry did not receive a response. And it wasn’t like I just wrote «I need a plumber,» no, I listed all the work I needed done and gave them my cell number as well as my email. Nothing. Okay, no big deal. That’s what the phone is for.
I call. The phone is answered by Gary. I describe to him the problems, tell him where the house is (Rainier Beach) and he says he’ll check his schedule and get back to me. I wait a day, nothing.
I call the next day. Gary answers. I describe to him our phone call, what work needs to be done, etc. He eventually remembers and then asks me where my house is, despite having taken down this information the day before.
I reply «Rainier Beach,» and he actually laughs and says «No, we don’t go to Rainier Beach.»
Here’s what it says on their website:
We work within the Seattle City limits.
Whereas I know some folks consider anything outside of the core of Seattle not properly «Seattle,» last I checked I’m still within the city limits.
If you’re going to actively advertise that you work within the Seattle city limits and then renege on that with a snort and a laugh, perhaps you should change your website to reflect that. All I’m asking for is truth in advertising and a call back. Damn.
In the meantime, my shower drain continues to leak into my garage. Thank you, Evan Conklin Heating and Plumbing, for wasting my time.

After reading the only other review on here for Evan Conklin, I gave them a call yesterday (along with a few other places) to see about getting a toilet unclogged.
The damn thing has been clogged for 6 weeks due to my landlady having told me that her husband would come and look at it, and then forgetting to do so. Since I was moving out and I knew they would be doing some work on the house, it didn’t even occur to me that it was strange that he hadn’t come to look at it.
I myself had plunged and plunged and poured natural products down there that were supposed to dissolve biodegradable stuff, and so when I found out just a few days before I was supposed to be done dealing with this house that I was responsible for this toilet, I was pretty worried.
When the man who answered the phone at Evan Conklin answered the question «How long do you think this will take so I know how long to plan to be there?» (as I have already moved out) I found it hard to believe that my toilet would be be one of the ones that would get unclogged in five minutes, which is the amount of time he said they usually take, even though the other places had also said it is usually done within an hour.
However, I felt a lot better after he asked me if the bathroom was located on the ground floor, and gave a brief explanation of how the piping system should work, so I scheduled an appointment for 9:30 this morning.
The plumber arrived PROMPTLY at 9:30, confirmed that it was a clogged toilet he was there to fix, and grabbed an auger.
Five minutes later, he was writing me an invoice for $ 43.51 to unclog my toilet.
In all actuality, writing the bill took longer than fixing the toilet, and although I did get charged the minimum fee for 15 minutes even though it only took about 2, there was no arrival fee, and he didn’t screw around one bit trying to convince me that there might be something else wrong, which was my greatest fear. Once the toilet was proven to be flushing properly for sure, he did not attempt to suggest that anything else should be fixed or even looked at, just got me that bill, lent me a pen to write a check, and he was on his merry way.
I would highly recommend these guys for prompt service, efficiency and affordability!