R P Holmes

Debra I.

They have done several plumbing repairs for us in Newton, and also for other family members in the metrowest area. They do a good job, they are always punctual and polite. I especially like working with Allan, who is a wizard with old pipes.

Robyn P.

Very disappointed and no longer recommend Holmes after being happy in the past. They fixed a running toilet for us, a simple job. Two months later it's running again and we are 1 month past their warranty of 30 days. We're told we have to pay them to do the same job again.

Dean M.

Do not use this company.

They informed me it would cost $750 to warranty my water heater (still under warranty). That's for ""materials"" and ""labor"" COD too. What is it 1989? Am I ordering a skateboard from transworld? Cash on delivery means one thing. -We don't stand behind our work and when you find out you've been ripped off you're not getting refunded. -

The old heater failed. . .still under warranty, so they would receive $750 for an easy install (unless they're daft, it couldn't take more than an hour to install. Two max ) Then they'd be credited for turning in the old heater. Who knows how much they're credited for that.

I was all ready to write The heater manufacturer a bad review when I decided to call them.
""Just have a plumber call us to verify the leak and they can pick up the new heater, no charge "".

Jaw droppingly easy

George Z.

I had a good opinion about Holmes having been a customer for over 20 years, but the latest encounter made me change my mind. I called them to take care of a blocked kitchen sink. I later called them to let them know that the sink was dislodged while trying to use a plunger to clear the blockage. So now there were two problems, the dislodged sink and the blocked sink. When their plumber came and saw the dislodged sink he said he would not touch it until sink was repaired and left.
I was able to find someone to repair the sink and then called Holmes to clear the blockage. A second plumber came and sink blockage was cleared. Holmes charged for the first visit even though they knew they wouldn't work on the sink until it was secure. They claimed they never received the call telling them about the dislodged sink and that I would have to pay for both visits. I cannot trust a company that denies the facts. They did not seem to care we have done business with them for 20+ years. They seemed very fixated on getting paid for both visits with no compromise. If you are going to use Holmes, proceed at your own peril.

George
Newton, MA

James M.

I have found them to be knowledgeable and professional... Tom is one of The best diagnosticians in the Boston area!

Steve W.

Until today, I had a positive opinion of RP Holmes. In 2005, the one other time I used them, they came out after a snowstorm and replaced a failed boiler on my heating system. They were professional, the work was of high quality, and they managed to get the new boiler down & old boiler up a steep, narrow flight of basement steps since the direct exterior entry to the basement was buried in snow. Upon replacement, I even found the 1967 installation tag on the old boiler so I thought it was sort of karma that they'd done the work.

I'm now selling the house and the buyers' home inspector highlighted two plumbing issues for repair. Because of my previous good experience, I called Holmes. I told them EXACTLY what the problems were and what the inspector identified would be required to fix them. I needed a new expansion tank for the boiler THEY INSTALLED (I even told them that they had installed it in case they needed to look up the model to determine what size tank was required) and my water heater was not venting properly. I told them that I had a 3"" vent pipe connecting the water heater to the chimney.

The plumber arrived on time, identified the issues and promptly left to go back to the shop and get needed parts. I didn't think anything of this - at the time. Stay tuned. Holmes' shop is 3.4 miles from my house. He was gone for over 45 minutes. He returned, installed the 4"" vent required by code, replaced the expansion tank and gave me the bill for $300. I thought that was a fair price and I headed upstairs to call my credit card number in to their office to make payment.

Holmes called me before I could call them. They called to tell me that the bill was incorrect and that the charge is really $420.49! The woman who called said ""He charged you for 2 hours of labor and it really took 3."" So I asked ""Does that include the time that he spent driving back and forth to your office to get the parts?"" And she said ""Yes, that's billable time and that's our policy."" So I paid $120.49 for this guy to drive a van 6.8 miles.

I suggested to the woman that perhaps he could have brought the required parts with him the first time SINCE I HAD TOLD THEM PRECISELY WHAT WAS NEEDED WHEN I MADE THE APPOINTMENT! She responded that they couldn't possibly know what parts are needed until they assess each job. I agreed with her, but again reminded her that I had told them EXACTLY what was needed when I made the appointment. I said ""But I told you that I needed to replace the expansion tank for a boiler you installed and that my water heater wasn't venting properly. I even told you I had a 3"" vent pipe."" She immediately interrupted me and said ""That's not code. Code requires 4""."" I thanked her for making my point for me but she was insufficiently astute to grasp my meaning.

They had me over a barrel. I could have raised a real stink and told them that I would pay $300 because that's what the written bill from them said the charge was. But seeing the sort of people I now know them to be, they probably would have both sued me and charged the poor plumber for the shortage. And I need to close on the sale of this house in 3 weeks. So I paid it. And I told the woman that my previously high opinion of their company had been shattered. That requiring me to pay $120 an hour for their employee to drive to and from their shop is absurd - I could have chauffeured him in a limo for less than that. I said that they should either charge a reduced driving time rate or send a junior person back and forth at $15 an hour and charge me $25. But that the only term for what they do is ripoff. Plain, pure and simply, R.P. Holmes is a ripoff. I even told her that I work for a major bank and that if we engaged in a similar business practice? My CEO would be skinned alive in the press and by the regulators. I received yet another ""that's our policy"" in response.

So I closed the chapter royally pissed off, feeling as though I'd been completely ripped off and unable to do anything about it except what I promised her I would do: tell everyone I know. I said ""I'm sure I will again need to hire a plumber. I'm equally certain that it will NOT be R.P. Holmes. I live in a tight neighborhood. I will make sure to tell ALL my neighbors at our upcoming block party never to do business with R.P. Holmes - and why. I will be certain to tell the buyers of my house never to do business with R.P. Holmes - and why. And I will tell both my realtor and the realtor who listed the Newton Centre house I am buying exactly what you did and that they should never use your company.""

The last thing I said to her was ""And you can look for it on Yelp!"" So here it is - exactly as promised and within the hour. RIP, R.P. Holmes. You do a dirty business - plumbing - in a filthy way.

Paul P.

Work is good and reliable BUT they inflate the number of hours the plumbers worked on the job. This is an ongoing problem. Their response to complaints about this is snippy and arrogant. Would use them again because the work is good but would watch the time on the job carefully.

Tom A.

I've used them for 20 years. They are not cheap but then again they always come fast, on time and they have always done the job right. You get what you pay for.

Frank S.

Called and left a message after I discovered that my water heater was leaking. Got a prompt call back right away and assistance in switching off the water and the gas to the unit and an appointment set for a few days after the call. The plumbing team arrived on time and finished the inspection and installation of a new unit in about two hours. They pulled all the permits. I was satisfied with the service.

Karen I.

They charge hourly rate but charge work hours NOT honestly. They even charge half hour from their office Newton to LaGrange at Newton for this job. The plumber came late and went out so many times to bring his stuff and take long time to come back.