Description
Are you tired of dealing with unreliable plumbers? Look no further! At Drummer Plumber, we have over 30 years of experience in the industry and are dedicated to providing top-notch service to our customers. With our same-day availability and expertise in water heaters, both tank and tankless styles, we've got you covered. Our approach is always friendly and professional, with no pressure sales tactics. But don't just take our word for it, check out our glowing reviews and see why we're the go-to choice for all your plumbing needs. Please give us a call today and experience the Drummer Plumber difference for yourself! Trust us, you won't be disappointed.
HISTORY
Established in 1990.
My business started after I quit my job with a water heater installation company. The company paid a commission based on the price of the W/H install, the higher the price the greater a percentage was. I found this approach unethical as installers had an incentive to overcharge the customer. I attended LATTC for 2 years studying general plumbing, plumbing codes and pipe sizing. I then opened Drummer Plumber and have been serving the East Bay since 1990. I am relatively new to Yelp with 29 - 5 Star reviews and have many excellent reviews on my Nextdoor site. Thank you kindly for looking. Derek-The Drummer Plumber.
ABOUT BUSINESS OWNER
I was Born in Scotland then moved to Albany in 1970. Graduated Albany high school 1978. Started working with contractors while in high school eventually started working for myself in 1990. Married to Katrina R. We have a McNab dog Buster Posey
I very much enjoy my work and genuinely like people.
I enjoy live music, walking our dog and hearing a good joke.
I'm pleased to meet you.
SERVICES
Reviews
Judith H.
09/08/2020 12:00:00 SA
thank you to all who posted reviews here. i believed you and got in touch with derek.
and, i'm so glad i did. he knows his stuff and he's quick with fixing troubled toilets! mine's been troubled for almost a week and i was going crazy trying to fix it myself.
derek is a sweetheart and easy to work with.
i highly recommend him, for all your plumbing needs.
i was surprised when he suggested that he come over to fix the toilet tonight and was so relieved! (no pun intended)
thank you for excellent service/work, derek.
so glad i now have a permanent plumber and i'll sing your praises on 'nextdoor' and facebook.
NR R.
05/11/2023 12:00:00 SA
What a gem! I reached out to Derek via Yelp and he replied promptly to my request for toilet installation. Within an hour he was over, completed the installation and hauled my old one. I'll definitely be reaching out for any future needs. Thanks!!!
Excellent customer service and impeccable performance. Replaced my garbage disposal quickly and effectively. Would highly recommended this company to anyone in need of a plumber.
Fong N.
02/02/2020 12:00:00 SA
Highly recommend Mr. Derek. We had a problem with water heater not light up and leaking, Called him on Friday afternoon and he showed up within 30 minutes.
He quickly diagnosed the issue and gave us the quote to repair or replace. We decided to replace and he installed a new heater the next day. He kept everything clean after the job.
Thank you for the great service.
Long
Hill Road, Berkeley.
Drummer Plumber rocks! Fixed our ancient shower / bath diverter, now working like a charm. I heartily recommend Derek, friendly guy, reasonable rates, quick service, gets the job done. And some road stories if you like.
On Sunday, my water heater began spewing water from the bottom. Every google search and person I spoke to said the unit was shot. The thing had to be 30 years or older so they're right and it ran its course. I did what everyone does and search google and Yelp for people.
I spoke to a few businesses. Some wouldn't come out until Monday or Tuesday to even assess or quote. Some I just got that bad vibe from. Some were outrageously high due to it being an emergency.
Derek at Drummer Plumber reached out to me within half an hour or so. We talked on the phone and he even gave me some explanations on where to shut off the water, how to drain so it won't leak throughout the garage and said he could come by to look at it within 2 hours.
He arrived on time and looked and was able to give me a quote. His was not the cheapest, but the quality he offered was better than the less expensive offers. He did give the option of doing the work on Sunday, but if I wanted to better unit it would be Monday once his supplier opened up.
On Monday Derek and his apprentice arrived. They were friendly and efficient. They didn't mind me popping in and asking questions, but didn't need me there watching or holding their hands through it. They finished the job on time and properly. I have hot water again and was very please with how quickly this issue was fixed. 100% would recommend to others. Thanks!
Well, the temporary fix didn't last as long as we anticipated. Last night when I ran my bath the water flow was significantly slower than it had been and when I went to wash my hands after putting cream on my legs, no water came out of the faucet. Outside I heard the sound of water, although not as strongly as the night before. I got a flashlight and went outside to check and there was water coming out of the pipe. We've been fortunate that neither time did the garage flood. There's a drain set into the driveway that runs the length of the garage door and that carried most of the water away. Derek had told me to call him day or night if there were problems, so I went back in the house and called him, leaving a message. It was a bit after midnight. Then I called East Bay MUD again to come out and turn off the water, which they did less than an hour later. Derek called me back immediately and we made arrangements for him to come out after he finished a job he had in the morning. He estimated he would be out around 1:00 in the afternoon. Shortly after 1:00 he called to say he was leaving Home Depot w/ the part for the permanent fix. He fixed it, ran the water to get the bubbles out and refused to charge more than we had paid the day before. Our experience w/ Derek has been stellar each time.
In addition to fixing the leak, he told me that what I had thought was the water meter was just dirt, that the meter was next to it. I had never wondered about the two meters. I decided to plant something in the space w/ the dirt and at my request Derek removed the lid and put it in the garage. Now I have to figure out what to plant there.
We called Derek on a Sunday for a broken bathroom tub faucet that would not shut off, threatening to flood us and the downstairs neighbors. He answered immediately, he arrived in a half hour, he handled a very complicated water shut off which required cutting the water for the whole building, and he made repairs in a timely manner. He was also able to find and use internal replacement parts rather than any major cutting of pipes and walls. Excellent, knowledgeable work. We know who to call next time.
My water heater pilot refused to stay lit. I googled around, and submitted a request for quote on Yelp. Derek got back to me the fastest and asked me to call him. I reached him right away, and we made an appointment for him to look at my problem for no charge. He relit the pilot and told me to check on the water heater in an hour. If the pilot stayed lit, I had no problem and no charge. If the pilot went out, I needed to replace the water heater.
Guess which one it was? Well, you're right, and Derek's quote was lower than the other two I got. He did a great job, showed up when he said he would, explained what he was going to do, then did it, then asked me if I had any other minor plumbing problems he could help me with before he left. He also told me to call him any time 24/7 if there was an issue with the water heater.
Mr. Derek is SERIOUS about customer service. I was very impressed. And I now have hot water, less than 24 hours after I first spoke with him. Thank you Derek.
Derek was awesome! Fun and easy to talk to, kind and understanding, quick to come out. And totally reasonable rate! Will definitely call him again :) p.s. As a solo woman weekend warrior I got nothing but praise and admiration for my attempts - absolutely no patronizing or condescension here which I GREATLY appreciate!
Thank you so much Derek! You where so helpful and kind! You where able to help our family with our clogged toilet. The only one we have.. which made for a difficult few days. What a big relief. Great communication and so very kind. I will definitely call you again in the future.
Garett N.
05/04/2021 12:00:00 SA
Derek helped fix our leaky bathroom faucet efficiently and effectively.
Regarding response time, he was very quick. I messaged him in the morning, we talked on the phone later in the morning to confirm the details, and he came over in the afternoon to fix it. I also appreciate his transparency when he was running late from his prior appointment and his flexibility to accommodate my schedule since I had some work meetings to attend.
Finally, compared to other quoted plumbers, he had competitive pricing and no changes to what he had mentioned when we talked.
Thank you Drummer Plumber! Cool name too.
Tavie T.
08/03/2023 12:00:00 SA
Derek figured out how to tame our erratic on demand water heater.
he is smart, funny and competent. would rehire.
tavie and Carmen
Derrick fixed our problem quickly on New Year's Eve no less. Good price, cheerful, showed us how to prevent it from happening again. He will be our first call in the future.
Eric H.
06/02/2021 12:00:00 SA
This is the third time I've used Derek for a plumbing issue, so I'm leaving a review (with regular use contractors like plumbers and electricians I don't leave a review until I've used them more than once...I've had too many experiences where one job was good and the next bad. Derek is friendly, happy to work with you and your schedule, goes out of the way to make sure you are happy before he leaves. This time, I was out of town and my daughter said the hot water died, I trust him enough to go there when my daughter was home alone and have him do whatever work he thought necessary on the water heater without me there.
Mike C.
05/08/2021 12:00:00 SA
Thanks Derrick! Fast response and fixed my leaking refrigerator supply valve quickly. No nonsense Plummer, I would definitely call again.
Didn't end up using his services but gave me confidence after a bit of information on doing the job myself, which turned out to be a super simple fix! Call this guy! He's awesome
Derrick came on short notice Saturday morning to help us out with gas problem. He fixed it real quick and stayed to make sure everything was working correctly, answering our little questions along the way. It was a fun and quick visit and now everything works! Thanks!!
When our on demand water heater died on a Saturday night I reached out to The Drummer plumber and he responded that evening. We had a new water heater the next day after he found a compatible model for the size specific opening. He then followed up by co reacting Noritz to ensure that the electronic control for water heater was working properly.
Loosing hot water with two little kids at home is not easy. The Drummer Plumber really cared and helped us through the situation.
Brayden M.
05/07/2023 12:00:00 SA
Edited- thank you for the private response Derek after my original message and your offer to come back at no additional cost. I appreciate your focus on our satisfaction!
Original Review:
Very fast response, and good quality work. Unfortunately there was a misunderstanding about the quoted price: we ended up paying $450 in cash to re-cap a copper pipe with a pinhole leak, whereas we thought that quoted price also included a secondary minor job. Had we understood one another, we would have gone with a quote for the following day from a different plumber that was about half the price. Now we are out of pocket and need to seek a different quote to get the second job done.
Lincoln S.
02/04/2020 12:00:00 SA
Five stars to Dyrick ...responded to my call quickly...identified the problem, and got it done in no time, Eevn went out of his way to return and fix a problem after he had left. Friendly, cost effective and experienced...I recommend Drummer Plumber to any one needing plumbing work.
Our water heater failed and we had to have it replaced right away. They were fast to arrive and provided me a quote. I was back and running by the afternoon. Excellent service
Elka Z.
07/10/2020 12:00:00 SA
Derek was absolutely the best! I've dealt with a lot of plumbers, most of them were sadly dishonest. When we had an emergency today I was dreading looking for a new plumber on short notice. Derek from Drummer not only came out within an hour, but he fixed our issues quickly, for a very reasonable price and did an amazing job! I picked him blindly from Yelp and I'm so glad I did! He'll be my only plumber from here on out! Top notch!
Derek showed up on time and did a tricky job with expertise. We have an older house with a small space under the kitchen for the new garbage disposal he had to install. While under there, he noticed another situation that was problematic and fix that, all for a very fair price. I highly recommend him!
I arranged for Derek, the Drummer Plumber, to do a plumbing project at my house yesterday. Derek said he would arrive between noon and 2:00pm. I called at 2:30pm to get an update but got his voicemail. I left a message asking about an new arrival time. I didn't hear from him so I called again just before 5:00pm saying I hope he was ok and asked him to return my call at his convenience. This morning I called again and again got his voicemail leaving a third message. I hope he's ok but I'm assuming he just blew me off. I imagine the insurance company that referred me to him might reconsider their opinion of his suitability.
Of course, I'm happy to update this review if his explanation, if I ever get one, deserves it.
I am happy that I called on Derek Ritchie to upgrade all four of the faucets in my 45-year-old Point Richmond home. He came by and looked at the faucets, recommended Moen brand and gave me a quote that sounded fair. He and his helper came by after picking up the new equipment and did the job in one day. I love my new faucets. Derek is a very pleasant and friendly man, I am glad I have him as a contact and I will definitely call him for my next plumbing job.
Our water heater was leaking late Saturday night so I looked to Yelp for help. I put in a request and the Drummer Plumber immediately responded. That was a pleasant surprise! We set up an appointment for Sunday morning and Derek showed up on-time, ready to check on the problem. I appreciated his friendly nature and professional advice. You can tell that he was very experienced and offered a straight forward, confident approach. He suggested that we replace the water heater and provided what I thought was a reasonable quote. We decided to start the work on Monday in order to get the new water heater unit and parts all at once. Monday came and he again was right on time. This time he brought an assistant with him who matched his friendliness and professionalism. Although the work took some time due to the complexity of the job, Derek kept me informed and completed the work exactly as proposed. He even noticed an overflow pipe that was detached prior to the start and reattached the pipe at no cost. My wife and I are extremely satisfied with the Drummer Plumber's work. We highly recommend Derek the Drummer Plumber to anyone needing plumbing work. You will not be disappointed!
Lauren P.
02/02/2020 12:00:00 SA
I had a plumbing problem that I tried countless times to fix on my own to no avail. My usual plumber was out of town and with me living in some bathroom condo it was vital I had a working toilet. Not only did Derek respond to me right away, he was able to see and fix my problem the morning of Super Bowl Sunday! He was fast, friendly, and super polite. Would highly recommend to anyone. Thanks again Derek!
Drummer Plumber is absolutely amazing! We had a small gas leak behind our stove, and he left date night with his wife to turn off the gas for us. Then he charged us significantly less than the rate he quoted us. He fixed the leak expertly, was so kind and helpful, and genuinely made the experience easy and stress free for us. We would use his services again in a heartbeat!
Mary P.
09/09/2022 12:00:00 SA
Is it weird to think about your plumber when you're showering? Haha. So much gratitude for drummer right now, especially after a couple of days without being able to shower during some record high temps..
Our water heater noped out over the holiday weekend and Drummer were the only folks that responded and came through. He promptly supplied an estimate, got us back up in action asap and at a totally reasonable price. And on top of the professional awesomeness, he was a delight to deal with, good sense of humor. Highly recommend.
Came out the next day. Super friendly and fair price. Helped us diagnose the issue and find the best person for the job. Would highly recommend!
Larry L.
08/08/2020 12:00:00 SA
Derek showed up right on time and was able to come out within the hour.
He was friendly, helpful and he was very good at communicating with me about what needed to be done. He was also very honest about what might be needed if in the event this procedure didn't get the desired result. As luck would have it, he was able to rout out the pipe and get the kitchen line unblocked and running again. He's such a nice guy and it's great to support a local business. Highly recommended!
This guy was awesome!! We needed a faucet installed our back of our house and Derek came by to assess and complete the project the same day!! He was very responsive over the phone and kept me updated every step of the way. The worker who did the work was very polite and did a good job. Both wore their masks and were covid conscious. He also took electronic payment. I'll definitely be calling him again for any plumbing needs.
I have used Drummer Plummer twice, arrived on time, knew what he was doing, made me happy, reasonably priced , I'll call him again
Andrea W.
06/07/2023 12:00:00 SA
I called Derek on a Saturday for a kitchen faucet leak and non-functioning garbage disposal. He texted back right away and came to my home soon after. He diagnosed the problem and fixed it in a high quality manner. He was friendly and knowledgable and I recommend him for any plumbing needs. Thanks Derek!
We had a very pleasant experience with a plumber who fixed a challenging problem with our mom's water heater in El Cerrito. It was a thermocouple that needed replacing. It was not the usual kind and he had never done that kind before. Drummer Plumber was able to get the right part and was willing to take on the challenge of installing it. It all turned out great. Drummer Plumber, Derek Ritchie, is in El Cerrito. He can be reached at 510-680-0033 and email
[email protected].
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