Forbes Plumbing

Ben K.

Got right back to me the same day.

We didn't end up working together but he was very helpful in connecting me with someone who could. He seemed like a very authentic guy

dee k.

Prompt
Efficient
Knowledgable
Have used Alan's services before and will again--if problems arise (and don't they always?)

Paula M.

We have found Alan Forbes to be the most careful, trustworthy, competent plumber of all the many local folks we have previously tried. We completely trust him to come into our home when we aren't there and complete any job perfectly and leave no mess of any kind. He has a world of experience with various plumbing jobs and is also a friendly guy to have around while doing a job.

D C.

Nice guy. Showed up when he said he would. Followed up afterward. I'll probably call Alan again for problems beyond my limited ability.

PLUSES: Fixed drippy faucet, fixed leaky P-trap, tightened fill line into toilet.

MINUSES: Replaced the toilet flapper with a near-match part that he had on the truck. It wasn't the correct part. This was on a Friday; he told me he would come back at no additional charge if it didn't seat itself properly and stop leaking within a couple of days.

FOLLOW-UP: Alan phoned on Tuesday to see if the flapper was still leaking, and reiterated his offer to return. That was classy!
As it happened, I had already purchased and installed the correct part, which, honestly, I should have done before I called him in the first place.

Phil C.

Spoke with Alan over the phone and he answered in one ring. Gave me advice on what I could probably do by myself to fix the heating system, essentially free advice from an expert. I appreciate this immensely and if it doesn't work he'll make time to get out for a visit. Very appreciate the good faith advice and you'll have my business moving forward.

Aaaaand what Alan recommended ended up working perfectly. Was able to fix my radiant heating all on my own, knowing nothing at all. What an all-star and good person to help me out. Much appreciated. Call them! They are the best.

Dan T.

We installed radiant heat flooring in our house an needed a plumber who had experience with hydronic mechanical systems. I found Alan on Yelp and saw the numerous positive reviews, so we called him up. The job entailed installing a new on demand hot water system, as well as the rest of the hydronic system (designed by another company).

Alan and his wife were very nice and easy to work with. But they made a few big mistakes that ended up leaving us without hot water for twice as long as we were originally told. The company that did the mechanical system design did have a few mistakes, so I don't hold Alan responsible for those. But there were problems such as he had mis-wired a few of the controls which led to the system not functioning properly and then had a lot of trouble identifying the problems. I expected more from someone with so much experience with hydronic heating systems. In the end I figured out the problems as Alan left to start other jobs he had set up. Its pretty unprofessional to walk away from a job that isn't done, especially when he made the mistakes.

He had also provided an estimate for the materials cost on the install. The final bill I received was 3x the original estimate. So needless to say, I was pretty unhappy that he would be so far off on his estimate and not notify me ahead of time. I understand that the materials costs would be pretty much the same no matter who installed it, I again, just expected that someone with his amount of experience wouldn't be that far off in his estimate. I deal with contractors for a living and typically they need to provide a change order if they are going over budget.

I'm giving 2 stars instead of 1 since he's a nice guy and things all work now. But I don't think I'll be calling him anytime soon.

Trudy P.

I called Alan to help with a plumbing problem (recalcitrant toilet flush lever) at my mom's house in Berkeley. Alan was great to deal with and very responsive. He was available quite soon after I called. He kept me apprised of any time delays on the day, arrived earlier than he said he would, fixed the plumbing with no problems (an earlier handyman my mom had hired had insisted that the whole toilet had to be replaced and the pipes rebuilt, which is why I'd intervened). Alan said it was a simple matter of the flushing mechanism (flapper valves, lifting rods, the whole thing sounds vaguely steampunk to me). He fixed it quickly and efficiently, and also fixed a water pressure problem on a faucet in a different bathroom. He also had no problem with dealing with me via phone (I'm in Los Angeles). My mom was delighted with him. Just delighted with him. He was kind, respectful, and just wonderful to her, and I couldn't be happier with his service. His fees were also very reasonable. I'm very happy to find such a reliable, honest, and dependable plumber. I know we'll be calling him when other issues crop up. Highly recommended.

pam s.

Got Forbes Plumbing from YELP. Got back to us right away. Great experience - knows what he is doing; arrived when he said - understands boilers and radiant heating. We were without hot water and heat. He was knowledgeable, reassuring and supportive. He said he would get us hot water and heat and he did!. Wouldn't call anyone else. Highest recommendations. Excellent.

Steven P.

Used Alan at the recommendation of a friend. We have been through umpteen semi-competent plumbers over the last 30 years. This guy knew exactly what he was doing (both kitchen and bathroom issues--corrections not installation) (Jan 2013). A pleasure.
And I've waited a month to post to make sure that his fixes still hold!
Highly recommended.

Jay S.

We have been using Alan Forbes for many years to service our 100 year old home's radiant heat system. The first time he came to our house, I asked whether he thought we should replace our boiler, which is nearly as old as the house. He could have said yes, ensuring himself a good payday for replacing it, but he advised that he just do a minor maintenance. Recently, when the boiler finally died, Alan explained our various options and helped us pick the one that best suited us. Although we were committed to using Alan from the start, we got bids from two other people just to compare. Alan's quote was the lowest. He removed the old boiler, installed the new unit in our basement in less time than he had estimated, and left the work area much cleaner than how he found it. Alan is friendly, reliable, knowledgeable and honest. As long as he is in business, he will be our plumber. I recommend him without hesitation.