Essential Plumbing
Company Overview
At Essential Plumbing in San Diego, we're a family-run business focused on fixing, installing, and upgrading plumbing systems. Having serviced San Diego for generations, we diagnose plumbing failures efficiently and recommend practical remedies. What makes us different is how we put customers at ease while working discreetly in their space. For fifteen years, we've earned local confidence by transforming pipe nightmares into reliable systems.
Founder Eli Jones launched this business to provide dependable plumbing for homes and businesses alike. We treat every client with consideration as we tackle their plumbing challenges. We clearly walk you through our findings and value your feedback at every step. Your complete satisfaction drives us to perform at the highest level.
Owner Eli Jones brings local roots and SDSU training to every plumbing job. No-cost quotes demonstrate our commitment to honest pricing upfront. Hire us for plumbing work that's both technically sound and customized for you.
Business Services
- Bathtub installation
- Bathtub repair
- Drain installation
- Faucet installation
- Faucet repair
- Garbage disposal installation
- Garbage disposal repair
- Gas line installation
- Gas line repair
- HVAC installation or replacement
- HVAC system repair
- HVAC system maintenance
- Plumbing inspection
- Plumbing installation or replacement
- Plumbing repair
- Sewer installation
- Sewer repair
- Shower installation
- Shower repair
- Sink installation
- Sink repair
- Toilet installation
- Toilet repair
- Water heater installation
- Water heater repair
- Water pipe installation
- Water pipe repair
Business Location & Hours
Mon: | 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
Tue: | 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
Wed: | 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
Thu: | 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
Fri: | 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
Sat: | Closed |
Sun: | Closed |
Recommended Customer Reviews

Eli was very helpful when our pipes needed clearing. He was easy to get a hold of, came right away and was very persistent with our pipes even when it meant taking his own time to try and fix the problem. When a specialist was needed he provided helpful suggestions and our problem was fixed.

Needing a plumber to connect a gas line to my BBQ as well as some outdoor water lines, I found Essential Plumbing through Yelp. I called on a Wednesday and within a few hours, Eli called me back and agreed to meet me on Thursday at my home to go over the project. Timing was essential as I had a landscape crew there working who was ready to open a 90 foot trench for the gas line. Eli went over everything, said no problem that he could be there the following Tuesday to install the pipe. He told me that he would have a proposal to me by Friday night at the latest. NOTHING came on Friday or Saturday. On Sunday, I sent Eli an email asking for his proposal - NO RESPONSE. Monday morning I sent a text - NO RESPONSE. Monday morning I left a detailed voice mail asking if he had the proposal and if he planned to come on Tuesday as he said he would - about an hour later he called and said ""I got a phone call from this number?"" with no indication that he had received my text or email or had listened to my voicemail. I reminded him who I was and that I was waiting for his proposal. Eli said yes, he would send it by that night (Monday) and that my crew should go ahead and dig the trench. NO PROPOSAL WAS EVER SENT AND I HAVE NEVER HEARD FROM ELI AT ESSENTIAL PLUMBING SINCE??????? WTW? I am trying to give you business and this is how you treat a customer?? Just go silent and let the customer hang out through empty words??
Fortunately the staff at Ferguson gave me the name of another plumber who came over within an hour of calling and did the job the very next day.
To be fair, I told Eli that I found him through Yelp and that if he treats me bad or does a bad job, I would paste him on YELP. Here you go - STAY AWAY FROM ESSENTIAL PLUMBING as he is not reliable and his word cannot be trusted.

There are times when 5 Stars are simply not enough. This is one of those times.
Our nearly 10 yr old Noritz.tankless water heater began shutting off unpredictably in August 2013. Little did we know that we had been cursed with Error Codes 99 & 90 (too much heat generated). We had the unit cleaned and serviced by The Tankless Plumber. Also spent $1000 on revised plumbing guaranteed to fix things. The problem went away.... for a short time. A repeat cleaning was given but ultimately Mr Tankless left us with cold showers.
Visits by other plumbers resulted in various estimates for replacing the unit at a cost varying between $2,000 - $6,000.
COSTCO 's vendor gave the absurd high estimate after a telephone call - unbelievable.
As 2014 came to an end, we had had more than enough of quick showers that required lightening speed to clean the dirty parts before the shower water turned cold. I stopped worrying about wasting water (we're in a drought) because all my family took the shortest showers on record.
We chose Eli Jones of Essential Plumbing to make a final assessment before replacing the Noritz heater. We didn't have a spare $3,000 but at this point, we were ready to bite the bullet. (Routinely posting a family member by the Tankless in the garage to reset it - 3 to 8 times per shower user was exhausting). Eli was busy with other work and referred us to John Padilla Plumbing. However, Eli stated his concern for fixing our problem and kept himself as the principle plumbing company on our account. Great service!
Steve from Padilla Plumbing began a logical, thoughtful assessment of our system. He examined valve filters, flow rates, water temperature, exhaust tubes , beginning in December, 2014. Said that our unit was one of the cleanest he had seen; No accumulation of dust, corrosion. The unit worked significant better but still cut off with unpredictable but less frequency. Steve offered to bring in the local Noritz rep because the only conceivable repair was replacing the still-under-warranty heating element. This week Steve made a final visit because something about our unit bothered him.
The wire connecting the heater to temperature sensor had been cut and reconnected with some bare wire touching the Unit's inner casing. He remembered another unit that malfunctioned when this wire shorted or sparked under the same conditions. He respliced the wire appropriately. I began praying again to the Hot Water Gods....
Our problem has been resolved just 17 months and many cold-interrupted showers later. Just one month after Steve began assessing the problem. He was the only plumber - out of many who saw our unit - who had this insight and experience. His professionalism as that of Victor in the office- was outstanding. Not to mention that I didn't have to throw another $3 grand down the drain...
I'd give John Padilla Plumbing and Essential Plumbing 5,000 Stars if I could. Wouldn't use anyone else. Thank you my plumbing friends!!! This review was written from within the steaming friendly confines of a hot water bath.

I was in a nightmare situation moving out of a crummy apartment with an even crummier landlord and was nearly in tears because after a long day of anything-that-could-go-wrong-went-wrong I couldn't get my garden hose off the water spigot. I had 8 more hours of tenancy and all I wanted was to be done and over with my horrible landlord and this one stupid thing was in my way.
Eli agreed to stop by very last minute between calls and said that if he could fix it in 5 minutes he would. He spent at least 15 minutes trying to get the thing loose to no avail and finally had to leave to make his appointment but he suggested replacing the whole spigot (which he managed to take off for me) and wrote me a list of exactly what I needed at the hardware store, spigot sizes, wrench, etc. to do it myself on the cheap and in a hurry which I did and it worked out great.
If I ever have plumbing issues in the future I will call Essential Plumbing without a doubt. Great service, very honest.
Thank you so much for your help!

Eli is a real professional and knows how to do the job right. As a general contractor and a building inspector, I have an eye for detail and a high standard for workmanship. I have no reservations in referring Essential Plumbing to any of my clients for all their plumbing and HVAC solutions.

These Guys Rock, I had called all over to the big name plumbers first, they wanted to charge me to come out and give a estimate, then they would tell me they couldn't get there for hours. Essential Plumbing came right out fixed and replaced the piping for a outstanding low price. Cody was on time, polite and got the job don't in a hr! Thanks guys

Had them out to fix two leaky faucets, End up having them replace the whole faucets. Great service. Very honest about what needed to be done. Would definitely hire them again.

This guy is great! I had him do my entire house and its working great. He also did my instant Hot water heater and its amazing! Thanks Eli Sean on Cedar St

These guys have been doing a great job with both, emergency services and some bigger jobs we have given them. Great work!

I can't say enough good things about this company and the service I receive EVERY time I call. Eli has always been the plumber to respond (I think he's the owner) and that is just fine by me as he is a consummate professional, clean and polite. I have had my toilets replaced, clogs cleared, damaged copper pipe cut out and replaced, you name it I think iv'e had Essential Plumbing fix it! They are excellent at getting out to me very quickly after my (always last minute) calls. The work done is very high quality and very reasonably priced. It's refreshing to see a company that still values quality, integrity, and treating people right. I have and am sure always will go to Essential Plumbing whenever a plumbing need arises.