Lance D.

02/12/2013 12:00:00 SA

I called the company to give us an estimate for a trenchless sewer line replacement. Ray came out, promply at the agreed time, and quickly got to work. I was impressed at Ray's professional manner, his patience in clearly explaining what's involved in the job, and his non-salesman, no pressure approach. d

I haven't got the estimate yet, but I feel comfortable in recommending this company.

Patrick F.

09/07/2012 12:00:00 SA

We were required to repair our ancient decrepit sewer lateral. We called Pipe Spy after watching their work on our neighbor's lateral. They were not the least expensive. They provided a crew large enough to get the job done in a day. Their equipment is relatively new and well maintained. The work quality is excellent and the clean up was superb.

Our job posed some challenges, (heavy clay soil and foundation obstructions) and we wound up replacing about an extra 25 feet of lateral. They would have done this for the original bid price, but we talked about it and I agreed to pay for the extra materials.

A professional job, and we are now in compliance with sewage district and East Bay MUD requirements.

Tina B.

01/06/2012 12:00:00 SA

Alex and his team did a great job replacing our sewer lateral. We had gotten several inspections, some with conflicting recommendations, and Alex made a second trip to come out and inspect our sewer lateral with us present and patiently answer all our questions. His team also coordinated with our neighbor (since the city main was in his yard that ours connected to) and ensured that the work was minimally disruptive to his property.

Megan D.

10/06/2020 12:00:00 SA

Pipe Spy are the best contractors that we've ever worked with. They replaced our entire sewer lateral in September of 2020. Sonny and his crew made it so easy for us to get this major improvement taken care of. We simply called, said hello when they arrived, said bye when they left, and received our certificate from EBMUD at the end. Pipe Spy even improved everything they demolished and replaced, including our sewer clean out, sidewalk, and landscaping. They even removed some unsightly asphalt as a favor. The cost of the job was completely inline with what we expected. We highly recommend Pipe Spy for sewer lateral work!

Linda A.

12/10/2017 12:00:00 SA

We bought a new house this year and had to replace the sewer lateral. Some friends of ours were using Pipe Spy at their house so we gave them a call. We called for an estimate and a technician came over to video the line. He was knowledgeable and friendly and explained things to me thoroughly. Their price was competitive and we were really happy with their service and completed work.

Antonio M.

6/22/2020

I am a local Realtor that contracted Pipe Spy to replace a sewer Lat. They are awesome and responsive! Buyer had a clog the other day, Paul sent a crew out within an hr and determined it was the City of Oakland's system that was bagged up. Paul gave me numbers of who to call...they came out and my clients are happier than ever.

Paul also checked back with me to ensure all was handled by the city...great follow-up...great client service!

I highly recommend

Adam W.

2/25/2015

I am a Pipespy customer - twice actually for each home I have purchased in Oakland.

I currently have a serious issue with the Company. Hey, things happen... people make mistakes... I'm a pretty reasonable guy. Let's see how this shakes out.

My issue has the owner's attention, so that gives me a nice warm fuzzy feeling.

Will happily double-back to this review pending satisfactory resolution of my issue which - for the sake of all the kids in the audience - shall go un-detailed.

Some customer service philosophy says that a Company can earn a stronger advocate by turning around an unhappy customer than by just delivering a good experience in the first place. We'll see!

Michael S.

10/27/2015

Had company come out to camera my sewer line which has root intrusion so we could figure out how to fix it without paying thousands of dollars for a procedure they wanted to do years ago. The guy said he would get back to me with a plan and an estimate. Followed up over a week later and was told he would get back to me. Almost a month later still nothing. On top of that, I just called another company that said they would camera the line for free to give me an estimate. I paid Pipe Spy $150!

Peter G.

02/10/2014 12:00:00 SA

AWESOME! they came in and did a major job in one day. The guys were polite. they left my yard looking better than when they arrived. all in all a really impressive outfit.

Jason V.

2/13/2012

I called Pipe Spy last week for an estimate on replacement of a sewer lateral line at our home in Oakland. I knew it wasn't going to be cheap, but when I received their estimate, I was floored! I called two other contractors for the same quote. To my surprise, and delight, the two other contractors diagnosed the sewer line placement requirements in the exact same manner as the Pipe Spy rep (Raymond). Here comes the delight ... Both contractor bids were within $100 of each other, and both were $5000 cheaper, for the same job!!! That's not a type-o, $5000!!!

I'm not saying that Pipe Spy isn't a good company, or that they don't do quality work, but if you do hire them, be prepared to pay a PREMIUM! ... And for what, the fancy little green flags, the fancy business card, or the cool logo? Just based on the cost factor alone, I have to rate them low on the star factor. After all, cost is a significant factor.

There are lots of excellent sewer companies out there (hint - call Harry Clark Plumbing Co.). If you get a quote from Pipe Spy, take my advice and get at least two other quotes. You'll be pleasantly surprised. And remember, at the end of the day, you are buying a sewer!

Christopher B.

01/11/2017 12:00:00 SA

Tuesday, 1/3: I call to request a plumber to come check out my house. The lady takes my name, number and description of my problem. I tell her I'm calling because I've tried other local plumbers who won't return my calls for some reason. She tells me to expect a call back within 24 hours to arrange an appointment.

No call ever came.

Friday, 1/6: I call again. The same lady answers, and I tell her no one ever called me back. She says, Yes, I see your message right here. I'm surprised no one has called you back.

Me too, man, me too.

She says, Do you want me to send the office another message to call you back?

Will that help?

Uh...yes.

Will someone call me back this time?

...Yes, sir.

Okay.

She confirmed the phone number she had written down the first time was correct and told me I would get a call soon.

I'm peeved I never got an I'm sorry, but she did call me sir, so, whatever. Maybe it's a fluke and I'm just the 1 out of 1000 people this has happened to at this highly rated place.

But no, it's no fluke. Today is now Wednesday, 1/11, and STILL no one has called me back. Incredible. Even after I told them the entire reason I chose to call them in the first place is because other plumbers had been terrible at calling me back, they ignore my call not once, but TWICE. This is apparently how they operate. I'm tired of having to call and beg people to do their jobs and take my money. Call people back when you say you will.

lisa v.

8/22/2011

Twice I had a plumbing emergency at my 100+ year old Victorian in Berkeley and twice Heiko and his staff have helped me. Heiko is extremely professional, reliable, on time, easy to talk to, efficient, and very high tech. Their work is incredibly well done. They used the best material, make necessary recommendation, and ohh soo clean. Their work quality deserves more than 5 stars. I love that for the final touch, Heiko cleaned up any left over mess with lily white towels. Reminded me of the Japanese workers in Japan: always clean, always reliable, and never cut corner. I highly recommend Pipe Spy for all your plumbing needs. Heiko and PIPE SPY are a keeper!!!

Sandy L.

4/13/2011

Unbelievable service. They were polite, efficient and very professional. We ran into extra problems which added another day's work but the final bill was such that we did not feel gouged in any way.

Alex, the supervisor was straight-forward, honest and a lot of fun. We recommend them highly if you are among the unfortunate who need to replace a whole sewer line.

Stuart W.

4/13/2019

I've used these guys three or four times for homes that I'm selling. They are professional, quick and try to please. Did I mention that they are quick, take care of permits, tests and so on. They are not inexpensive, but then again, the best never is!

Barbara M.

10/31/2013

I can't say enough good things about Heiko and Pipe Spy. We've been putting off replacing our sewer line for so many years it's embarrassing. But with the old clay pipes, we all know when it's time - it's time. We had a couple of really bad experiences for other plumbing issues with you-know-who, the Rooter guys. So we were dreading this. The whole process couldn't have been better. Heiko is an absolute delight. He showed us on the camera how the roots have completely infiltrated much of our sewer pipe. He explained carefully and thoroughly what would be done - even showed us what the pipe would look like and what a trenchless sewer line actually is. He showed up the day before to block off part of the street. He arranged for the city and whoever else official needed to be out here to inspect before - during and after. They arrived on time. The whole crew was efficient, respectful and it took less time than they estimated - they were gone by 3PM. They cleaned everything up - you never would have known they were here. I think they drew a map before they started of where every leaf and pine cone was resting and put them back in place. Best of all, their quote was significantly under other quotes we received. They're the best! Use them.

Jeff K.

7/24/2013

Masterful.

We had three interactions with pipespy - all exceptionally good. The first was straightforward - a routine video inspection. They provided a voice-annotated DVD of the results.

Some time later, our hundred-year-old sewer lateral collapsed and we called Pipespy after reading the other reviews here and based on our prior positive experience. We got an appointment quickly to perform an in-place retrofit of our cast iron and terra cotta pipes with a new plastic line.

I couldn't be more pleased with the service. The crew showed up first thing in the morning, dug two small holes, carefully removed some landscaping, and installed the new 80-foot pipe. When finished, they repaired the holes in the ground, carefully replaced the landscaping, swept and hosed down the area so that it looked better than when they arrived. I was completely astonished by the results. The pipe they remedied was far underground beneath several planted areas and a large oak, but none were disturbed. In the areas where they needed access they were very careful to preserve my planting, irrigation, borders, and stepping stones. The work was of highest quality and didn't need my supervision. When I arrived home after work I met the crew, who were proud of their work, and eager to show me what they'd done, the technique they used, and answered all my questions. The whole job was less than a day.

About a week later, another team member came by to re-run a video for city inspections, and came to the door to let me know of the work and see if I had any issues or questions. Great follow-up.

This is the type of work I'm delighted to pay for - performed by a team that clearly takes pride in their results - careful, courteous and professional.

Without hesitation, I'd use Pipespy again, and recommend them to anyone looking for top-quality work.

Rosalie E.

6/28/2021

After getting several Private Sewer Lateral Compliance quotes in the area, we decided to go with Pipe Spy due to their professionalism, focus on PSL work (only) and efficiency. From the initial in person inspection by Sonny to the detailed follow up by him and the team at Pipe Spy (including sewer lateral maps, additional visit in person to go over our questions), we knew we were in good hands. Sonny and the Pipe Spy team (Lynsey is fantastic) responded to all our questions and calls and reassured us that even they were booking 6-8 weeks out for PSL work, our PSL compliance would be done before our deadline. An estimated 3 day job only took 2 days thanks to Walter, the foreman and his hard working and efficient crew. The Pipe Spy team was organized, friendly and focused on being COVID-safe. Our PSL compliance was a tough job (12ft dig, easement right at our property line) but Pipe Spy got it done and left our garden in great condition. If you need to get your PSL work done, hire Pipe Spy!

Arlene A.

10/13/2021

Stellar service !Great crew! Excellent work!

Plumbers are overwhelmingly busy especially because of the pandemic backlogs... but Pipe Spy stepped up to help me deal with sewer lateral requirements I had to meet in a very short timeline.
We passed City inspections, as Pipe Spy guaranteed!
And know that you are dealing with at least 2 decades of sewer lateral experience with this company whom I first met in the late 90's as a realtor needing their services for my sellers to comply with Albany's sewer lateral ordinance .
They could well be considered ' pioneers' in this area of plumbing.
All attributable to owner Heiko!

No less than 10 STARS!! For owner and his company!!!

Michelle V.

3/18/2013

Friendly, clear, responsive. We have used them twice (once for blocked line and once for PSL) and are pleased with them. Will definitely use them for future needs.

Elaine K.

05/07/2015 12:00:00 SA

their motto is 'flush with confidence.' we weren't very confident when we called - in fact we were afraid to run the water at all, in case everything backed up into the yard. pipespy came out right away and cleared the drains for $150. whew! they saved our lives. their plumber, ray, is the best - he's been doing this for 25 years, so he knows what he's doing.

John K.

10/17/2011

They replaced my sewer lateral. Everything seems to work, got my sewer lateral compliance certificate from the city, they were pretty efficient and clean.

The only disappointment is that when they started the work, they found some extra problems that weren't part of the original estimate. I have no reason to believe these weren't real problems, but at the least they should have been identified as potential risks before the work started.

.Hon H.

06/03/2011 12:00:00 SA

No one ever wants to hear that there's a blockage in their sewer line. When the guy who cleans our drains told us the news, our hearts sank. We called Pipe Spy at his recommendation, and they came out the very next day.

Turns out that the blockage was an orange plastic cone - the kind that you use to block traffic or something. Our new next door neighbors had built a staircase in the rear of their property, and somehow during the construction the cone was inserted into our sewer line. We were able to prove this by showing them the DVD that Pipe Spy provided us.

Recommended!

David S.

7/19/2014

Pipe Spy is definately a company I would recommend for all jobs and especially on complex piping projects. The owners are knowledgable in their trade and I found them always think for what is best for the customer to get the project completed in the shortest time and lowest cost. Paul Cooper is an excellent owner/project manger having knowledge across different trades thereby making the best approach to resolve my issues, ensuring all the plans were done correctly and passed city review, all the work done in time and pass inspection and at the contracted cost. My neighbors were doing the same kind of project with less complexity and I believe that I had a much better experience with Pipe Spy than my neighbors with their contractor. I should also add that Pipe Spy has the general contractor license to handle all work so I don't need to do the contractor and sub-contractor kind of project which made my project much easier and efficient. It has been 6 months since my pumping project was completed and everything has been going on smoothly and I am very pleased I found the best contractor in my area to do my project.

s f.

01/09/2019 12:00:00 SA

Enthusiastic, experienced specialists, willing to answer questions, provide expertise and take the extra step. It helps to make sure they have clear requests and that you follow up, as with any small, busy firm. I've used Pipe Spy successfully on both commercial and residential projects and recommend them.

T W.

5/24/2021

Working with Pipe Spy was a really great experience. Our HOA needed to replace an exterior sewer lateral, while we needed to find a separate plumbing contractor for an interior line replacement too. For the exterior sewer lateral, Sonny B., the Pipe Spy estimator came out, ran a series of video cameras and did all of the exterior diagnostic work. He explained what he'd found and gave us a really fair price, with a detailed line item estimate. Last week, when the work began, the Pipe Spy team was all hands on deck. They were strategic about how they attacked the sewer line replacement......from the City main sewer connector....from the cleanout inside the condominium courtyard.....and from another midpoint excavation on the sidewalk, in between. They stayed late into the evening on days one and two......and the job was done, ahead of schedule. It was truly impressive!! They take their work seriously, but with a sense of humor too.......hire them and you'll find out what I mean.....your mission, should you decide to accept it. Thanks Sonny, Pedro, Alex and Team Pipe Spy........

Patrick R.

9/14/2021

I called today to request information regarding cement work and was glad that Lindsay answered the phone. She was extremely knowledgeable, professional, and helpful in getting the ball rolling in the right direction. Thank you Lindsay, you're the best!

Norma S.

5/28/2020

Actually we'd give them at least 6 stars out of 5 if we could. Paul Cooper, one of the owners, went way more than an extra mile to help resolve a question we encountered when preparing to do the required pressure test of the PSL at our home. The entire line had been replaced 15 years earlier by Pipespy prior to changes in regulations. There was a question about whether a disused kitchen line had been properly capped off. Instead of charging us an additional $3000 to dig up the area in question, Paul personally came out to inspect and come up with a plan to test the disused line. The whole sewer line passed the pressure test with no problems and saved us the additional cost. Thank you Paul Cooper and Pipespy. They stand by their work 15 years later!!

Andrea T.

11/30/2013

Pipe Spy did a fantastic job on our emergency broken sewer. Clean, fast, attention to detail, complete assurance that the job is well done. Heiko was a great and reassuring person to deal with. They scheduled our emergency into their already packed schedule and we were able to get back into our house quickly, as it was not even habitable otherwise. I highly recommend Pipe Spy.

Nina F.

3/25/2012

Pipe Spy was perfect for us and our lateral line replacement. Raymond and Heiko are polite, patient, honest and professional. We have worked with many East Bay plumbers over the years and knew that we needed to replace our lateral line. We received several estimates for the work and often received different recommendations. Raymond was very knowledgeable and down to earth. He explained in detail and in non-technical terms the problem and solutions. He explained why we were getting different recommendations and why our pipeline replacement was a little unique. Best of all Pipe Spy's estimate was lower than other bids and the estimate was the same as their final bill--no hidden or additional surprise fees. They were very clean and neat and even replaced our tiled walkway more beautifully then it was originally. We will use Pipe Spy again for our other plumbing needs and always recommend them to friends.

t p.

07/05/2012 12:00:00 SA

I'm trying to get quotes and bids to do the work on my sewer lateral and was dismayed to find that Pipe Spy charges to give a bid. No one else has done that. We won't be using them.

Meredith S.

1/17/2011

In short, Pipe Spy is my new hero. They saved my plumbing life on a holiday week and I'm forever grateful.

It's one day before New Year's Eve (of course) and our plumbing starts to back up into our toilets and showers. Gross! I call a plumber I'd used previously for a rooting job and they came out but said, basically, Sorry, you're screwed. We can't root the line. Your line has totally failed and needs to be replaced. And we can't replace it...or recommend anyone to do it. Bye.

OMG. I panicked. We were facing 4 days with no ability to use toilets, showers/baths or the kitchen sink. Nada.

I immediately went on Yelp and started making frantic phone calls to companies who can do trenchless sewer replacement. First call back (in minutes) was from Pipe Spy. The woman was incredibly helpful and spent hours trying to move heaven and earth to get a crew out to our house and not leave us stranded. She kept me updated the entire time and helped me relax.

Finally, they got a crew out, who DID root the line (they had a larger, more powerful machine) in 15 minutes. I about hugged the guys.

Then, 20 minutes later, Pipe Spy called to say they were sending out another crew to camera the line (which I'd requested) that day, so I didn't have to spend the whole holiday weekend wondering if the line truly needed replacing.

They arrived 20 minutes after that, ran the camera and immediately said there was NOTHING wrong with the line that the rooting couldn't fix. They could have snowed me and done the work, but they didn't. They said just root the line once a year and you'll be fine.

I love Pipe Spy. They'll be my first call in ANY plumbing situation in the future.

C S.

03/01/2013 12:00:00 SA

Pipe Spy was my knight in shining armor. I am selling my house in Oakland and to do that now, you need a Certificate of Compliance from EBMUD, It is a long story why you need it, but is true for any house that is older than 10 years. My Realtor called another company (I will review them later! Hmmmmmm) and they came out on Feb 4th. They took a week to send a report (which is needed by EBMUD to test the system) and after all of that time they did not know what they were talking about. My house uses an ejector pump to pump sewage to the sewer main, so it is always under pressure. It was iinstalled to commercial standards, though it is a residence, so I knew EBMUD would have no problem passing it.

Anyway, after fooling around for a month with this idiot (major, well-respected) company, I called Pipe Spy. They came out the next day, obviously knew exactly what they were doing and what was needed for EBMUD. The day after their initial test, EBMUD came out, verified their results and I was done!!!

These guys know what they are doing, no matter what your situation is with your sewer lateral. I would suggest you call them first and avoid lots of stupidity and wasted time. They will help you get through this relatively new hurdle to selling your house in Alameda county.

Thank you, Pipe Spy!!

Daniel Y.

05/05/2022 12:00:00 SA

Of the many estimates I received, Pipe Spy was by far the highest and more than twice the amount of the company I ended up using. It is not necessary to pay a $200 fee for a camera inspection as there are many companies that will do this for free. While I did agree to the $200 inspection that would be taken off my total if I accepted their bid there were two things I didn't know. One, there are companies that will do a video inspection for free and two, Pipe Spy's bid would be by far the highest.

I was not home when they came for the inspection. I received a call saying they wanted to do an inspection. They did not identify themselves as Pipe Spy. I gave them the OK to do it as many other companies had come to do visual inspections when I wasn't home. I was surprised when I got a $200 invoice from Pipe Spy. I told them that I had already gotten a free video inspection and that their bid was far too high. They then threatened to sue me and send me to collections if I didn't pay the $200. I really only have myself to blame for since I did initially agree to the $200 inspection but now that I have some experience I would never even consider them again. Pipe Spy can't lose with this arrangement. If you take their overpriced bid they win. If you don't they still get $200 for a service other companies will perform for free. I still have not received the video. There are many companies out there that will perform the work for a far cheaper price, go with one of them.

Jon F.

7/24/2015

We just moved into a new home and had to take care of our sewer lateral and Pipe Spy lived up to their reputation. Professional, timely, straightforward - pretty much everything we need to give them five stars. Now that the work is done it's pretty much as if nothing ever happened; everything is back in place and only very limited evidence of the digging and other work they had to do. The compliance certificate is already in hand, only a few days after the work was completed. Thanks, Pipe Spy, for your quick and clear communications and making this out to not be the ordeal that it very easily could have been.

Barry G.

3/25/2022

Pipe Spy did an excellent job for me. From beginning to end, they were helpful, efficient and effective. James, my contact there, was outstanding at diagnosing what was needed, explaining it clearly, telling me what was needed and how he could get the job done. He stayed in close touch and whenever he said he was going to do something, he did.
The workmen came on time and did the job professionally and left the site at least as good as they found it.
All in all, this was a first class experience.

Phyllis M.

03/04/2013 12:00:00 SA

I have sadly had the need to call Pipe Spy to clear my problem sewer line several times since 2007. They do a great job at a decent price. The last time I called it was because of an emergency on a Friday morning. Although they were booked for the day, they found a technician to come solve my problem before noon the same day. Pipe Spy will always be my first choice, when I have a backed up sewer.

Happy customer in East Richmond Heights.

John E.

7/15/2020

Pipe Spy is an organized, efficient, and focused company. They were a pleasure to deal with and offer an important service at a reasonable price.

While repairing a redwood deck, the sewer clean-out was uncovered and it seemed like a good time to inspect the lateral. A quick phone call to Pipe Spy and Alex was able to schedule an inspection in just a few days, which was very helpful in not slowing down the deck contractor's work.

Heiko arrived on schedule, did the video inspection and showed us what he was finding on the video screen. As suspected, the original 100 year-old terra cotta sewer lateral had several displacements and one collapsed section. Heiko provided a detailed estimate the next morning via email and we returned the signed estimate via email, too.

The trenchless replacement was scheduled promptly and completed in one day. Due to the depth of the city sewer line, it took the crew longer than expected to uncover that connection. They also had to dig another hole to uncover the collapsed section of the lateral. This required the crew to partially dismantle a stone path.

The trenchless replacement process itself is fascinating. After the new lateral was in place and connected, the Pipe Spy crew did an excellent job of filling all the excavated dirt and restoring the stone path.They cleaned up carefully and left the path and yard looking undisturbed. A video inspection and pressure test were completed the next day and took less than an hour.

Alex, Heiko, and all of the Pipe Spy folks we met were friendly and professional. The were good at communicating price and schedule, they arrived on-time, and stayed until the job was finished. They submitted the inspection to the City and handled all the paperwork.

If you want sewer replacement done right, on-time, and at a reasonable price, call Pipe Spy.

Alexander K.

7/25/2019

A big shout out to Pipe Spy. For quite some time we knew we had a problem with our sewer line but just didn't want to deal with it. Finally, we got bids from 4 companies and weighed our options carefully. Juan was the supervisor, who ran the scope test and showed us where the problems laid. He was knowledgeable, personable, and worked well with both us and his team. A great guy all around. Then came the day of the job and we were lucky enough to get a really good and hard working group of guys (Walter, Miguel, Matis, and Christino). The sewer main was expected to be 4 feet down (very muddy and rocky soil) but unfortunately, it was more than 6 feet to get to our damaged pipes. The guys never once complained but worked until 7 o'clock to get us service for the night. They left everything absolutely clean. 10 extra stars **********!

Willie Y.

04/09/2016 12:00:00 SA

I'm an old dude, but I have to say that the Pipe Spy crew rocks. Ray came out to our house and unclogged our sewer lateral after another company was unable to take care of the problem. He then did a camera inspection and soon identified where the problem was located. Apparently the company that the Central Contra Costa Sanitary District hired to relocate the sewer main on our property did not do an adequate job of connecting our existing lateral to the new line, thus allowing significant root intrusion. I couldn't believe how quickly the crew excavated a 8 foot deep trench without using an excavator-- all by hand-- and installed a new sewer line. They completed the job in one day, and my yard and landscaping looked completely undisturbed. Although Pipe Spy was not the lowest price, their price was fair. All-in-all, I am very pleased with Pipe Spy and I highly recommend them.

Karen M.

5/21/2021

Pipespy responded right away to schedule an appointment for sewer and drainage issues.
James was terrific calling in advance, on time, personable and very knowledgeable about where to investigate.
I recommend Pipespy .

Thomas K.

10/11/2018 12:00:00 SA

Pipe Spy did a fantastic job replacing my old lateral sewer line and I recommend them without reservation. Sonny managed my project. They are clearly experts in this kind of work. They were highly organized and very professional, keeping me informed and taking care of every detail.

They arrived exactly on time with a large crew for one full day and returned part of the next day with a smaller group to finish up their work and get the city's final sign-off. They were very careful to minimize any impact on nearby garden plantings and the adjacent sprinkler system, they cleverly rerouted gutter downspouts that could no longer drain into the sewer system, and they cleaned up very well at the end of the work. They did everything necessary for a successful project.

I had two other bids for the work. Pipe Spy's bid was a bit over a bid from a very small firm that would not take any responsibility for landscape or sprinkler damage and that did not inspire my confidence, and was significantly lower than a third bid I'd gotten from a company that handles a wide range of plumbing and heating work. Considering the scope and the high quality of the work Pipe Spy did, I feel it was an eminently reasonable price.

Pipe Spy has also done this kind of work for a number of neighbors on my block, and everyone I've spoken to has expressed strong satisfaction.

Kevin R.

3/21/2019

Yes you do you demanded payment
I paid you
Your company is in the rip your face off
You do the work at a premium price
Your in the sewer business
Many companies do the work for 1/2 your price.

amy b.

01/08/2022 12:00:00 SA

Pipe Spy recently updated our sewer lines as is required by the City of Berkeley. The building has 8 units, and 8 owners, some in living space, some in work space.

Pipe Spy did the work quickly, efficiently, and neatly. The communication with James was excellent, and the crew was professional and diligent. I highly recommend this local company without reservation.

Maggie R.

10/22/2018

We used Pipe Spy to come and do an assessment of our sewer lateral and then fix it when it was clear it needed repair. From the start, the team was incredibly helpful and professional. Sonny came to conduct the assessment and led the team that did the work and we cannot say enough good things about him - the communication from the Pipe Spy team is stellar, they are an incredibly professional and responsive team. Highly recommend to anyone needed sewer lateral work - and they final cost was less than the estimate!

L. R.

05/06/2011 12:00:00 SA

I normally don't write a lot of reviews, but since I find them so useful when I need something done, I felt I needed to write this one. Pipe Spy was recommended to us by our neighbor who used them to replace a sewer lateral when ours gave-up too. In short, I honestly can't find anything I could have a problem with this company. The owner, Heiko, came out within a couple of hours of calling to provide a fair quote (I got three) for an admittedly difficult trenchless sewer lateral replacement - 200 feet down a steep hill in the Oakland Hills.

He sent a full crew and the job was complete in under 2 days. What was great is that he and his crew were very careful to keep us flowing and hooked-up while they worked. Our system was down for maybe a couple of hours! That was impressive, as we figured we would have to go to a hotel for the period. Pipe Spy didn't disturb any of my landscaping, hardscaping and left the site clean. I would use them again - but I sincerely hope I never have to!

Mr. R.

02/10/2014 12:00:00 SA

Talk about crisis: Our old pipes (house built 1890) started backing up right around New Years Eve. After two different plumbers were hired over two weeks time, PipeSpy got it done after a few days. It wasn't easy, we have old clay pipes under our home, and odd connections all over the place.

I was impressed with Paul's technical analysis of our problem and resolve to get the job done. yes this is a glowing review, because I have three kids and three adults that depend on first world water conditions in our home-- raw sewage floating down the street past our neighbors wasnt a good look. It was a tough grease plug that two other plumbers couldn't get with over 6 hrs of snaking. I was already in the hole for more than I wanted to pay.

Paul, Craig, Sonny and their crew brought all their pro equipment, cameras and hyrdro jets and took care of any ugly plug. (nasty looked like a dead alligator when it floated out)

Paul gives great direction and analysis that any Oaklander dealing with these issues long term needs to know. Everyone was personal and invested, even if they couldn't solve the problem on their first try.

In the end, they cleared a stubborn pipe, installed a cleanout in a 7ft deep clay lateral, and diagnosed the bigger system problems that brought EBMud out the next day. They also cleaned up afterwards, hauled out sh*t that wasn't their own, and left my yard looking better than they found it. 100 percent professional, and money well spent.

PS This is my first Yelp review: I said I wouldn't write anything until I had something good to say. This is it, thanks. R

Wilson T.

2/28/2019

The quote sonny the technician gave me was non negotiable and wasn't very competitive. It was the most expensive out of the estimates i received from 6 different bay area companies and they're the only one who charges $150 for the inspection. Do your homework and dont give anything to these crooks.

Hallie S.

08/08/2019 12:00:00 SA

We bought an old house in Oakland and had to have the sewer lateral inspected and upgraded. We had two estimates done. Pipe Spy was more expensive but everything about the company gave me confidence that the job would be handled professionally and correctly. I am so glad we chose Pipe Spy. They were worth every penny. I called numerous times with questions which they answered respectfully. I was concerned about notifying my neighbors and they wrote an informative letter and delivered it to my neighbors. Everyone -- Juan, Chuy, Alex, Walter, Israel and Foreman Mr. Miguel Arroyo -- was helpful, professional, and hard working. I highly recommend Pipe Spy.

Kathryn B.

10/19/2010

PipeSpy is great. Fast, thorough and intelligent in dealing with a range of problems. I had used them for replacement our main pipe (broken clay) going to the street but then more recently used them for a under sink leak that they responded to immediately. I had called on a sunday and actually, even then, had an intelligent person with their answering service record my issue thoroughly so that the dispatcher could immediately jump in and address on Monday morn. I think they are great!

Jeff A.

3/15/2019

Overall a great job. The crew showed up on time, kept me apprised of status and when they were finished with the clean up, one would not know they were there. Very professional. We had a misunderstanding on where the clean out would be moved to and when I informed them that it would need to moved, they stepped in and said that they would make it right. I would highly recommend them.

Ryan C.

08/05/2022 12:00:00 SA

Pipe Spy is great, trustworthy and customer service oriented. They helped answer a ton of questions and concerns for my clients. As an agent, that is a priceless value! Jordan and Sonny are top-notch!

Christophe P.

8/13/2010

Simply stated, this firm does outstanding work. They (Ray and Alex) are professional, they communicate extremely well keeping the client apprised of the situation from beginning to end, they use the video technology to assess the condition of the pipes (Amazingly clear video), they informed us of that which was the city's (Oakland) responsibility and that which was our responsibility, they were fast, they kept our house clean, and considering their efforts and the tools and technologies they employed, they were very reasonably priced. This is the second time we have used this firm, and they are the only firm we will call. I highly recommend them.

Matt C.

6/30/2020

Call them! When my sewer lateral backed-up I was caught completely by surprise needing to do a major, costly repair. A friend recommended a discount guy who oddly enough quoted me an astronomical price, think between a new fully loaded Camry and a basic Porch Boxter. The whole process with that guy felt very uneasy, like I was being taken. So I hit pause and started quickly looking around. I got three new bids and PipeSpy was the lowest by a couple grand. I know, not always a good sign. However, the consultation was superb. They scoped the line all the way to the main, instead of just to the curb like the others. They explained the process and scheduled the repair. They handled everything flawlessly... utility marking, obtained the sewer permit, put up no-parking signs the day before, which all happened ahead of schedule. When they came across a sinkhole under the road, they got their most experienced excavator out to devise a solution. They ended up having to excavate twice the area and back-fill a sinkhole that wasn't even their fault. They lost several hours to this and still finished on-time! When the bill came I was expecting an up-charge for that darn sinkhole... they kept to their estimate!!! I was so relieved and am still very grateful. I've been so happy with their work that I want to pay them more, because we need more honest contractors out there. Like I said, call them -they will take care of your plumbing problems.

Tom G.

12/02/2011 12:00:00 SA

I would have liked to share the positive reviews of this company but cannot. I called Pipe Spy based on Yelp ratings for a sewer lateral problem. I had to wait a week for an appointment because they were very busy and had to take a morning off of work because they don't do weekends. No one showed up for the 9am appointment and when I called at 9:30am, the receptionist sounded like I had woken her up. She said that she remembered speaking with me but had forgotten to book the appointment. Without so much as a simple apology, she asked Well, do you want to reschedule? I called back later to reschedule and a different receptionist told me that they were too busy to come for nearly another week. On the upside, I found another plumber on Yelp who seems very professional and has scheduled someone to meet at a convenient time for me within the next few days.

Greg D.

03/07/2012 12:00:00 SA

I called pipe spy and set up an appointment. They never showed up. I'm not sure what the deal is with people thinking they can pull this shit. Its really annoying and a complete waste of my time.

Suzanne P.

11/27/2021

Sonny did the initial inspection to give us an estimate. He responded quickly to our email questions afterwards.
Gabriel and crew came to do the sewer lateral work on the date specified. They were courteous and efficient, and showed us what they were doing before, during, and after. They dug the hole for the pipe opening, and also cut out the originally cracked portion of the cement so the final cement block looked nice. Because it may rain during the night, they covered up the holes outside the house and next to the sidewalk before the city and EBMUD inspectors came the next day. They coiled up the water hose neatly after use, cleared all the dirt and took away the debris before they left.
Sonny called later in the day to ask if the work went well. He sent us the EBMUD compliance certificate and the city permit when they became available. All in all, it was a pleasant experience with Pipe Spy.

Kuniko W.

04/11/2012 12:00:00 SA

We recently had Pipe Spy replace the lateral sewer line on our property. In the process, Pipe Spy moved the clean-out opening that had been buried behind a retaining wall under five feet of soil to our driveway. This involved removing a section of our concrete driveway, digging down several feet to reach the existing sewer line, replacing the line, installing a new clean-out trap and repaving the driveway. Amazingly, all the work was done in seven hours' time. The crew was efficient and very nice, and did a marvelous job cleaning up when they were through.

nancy b.

10/17/2016

After contacting one other company with no response for 24 hours, and a second who could come the following day, Pipe Spy was at my house within 45 minutes. Roberto quickly diagnosed the problem (actually two problems) and will fix it tomorrow. He would have fixed it today, but the issue turned out to be my neighbor's, who needed to get back to him.

This is service as good as it gets.

Jerry P.

11/24/2014

These guys are great - very professional and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them. We have a large site in West Berkeley that had to inspect/renovate multiple laterals due to site construction permits. I had two other firms out who couldn't even get the inspection part done correctly. Heiko and crew came out, gave me an accurate estimate, and handled the entire job including repair work. Additionally, they are well know at the Berkeley City Engineers office and have an excellent working relationship there. They handled all the paperwork and reviews meaning I had no hassles at all.

If you have a large old or complex industrial site needing renovations, these are your guys in the East Bay area.

Steven B.

01/04/2018 12:00:00 SA

We had an extremely positive experience with the Pipe Spy team led by our rep Roberto to fix a broken sewer lateral connection from our house in Oakland this week. They were knowledgeable, friendly, professional, on time, dedicated and great communicators. They also left the property clean and in great shape. I would highly recommend them to anyone.

Claire S.

05/10/2015 12:00:00 SA

We had a great experience with Pipe Spy. The crew was was nice, professional and hard working. Raymond was patient with our questions. When they found more issues underground than they bargained for they went ahead and made it all work. Thanks!

Nicole B.

3/28/2017

From the first phone call, to the final payment of invoice, the entire team was so wonderful to work with. I had worked with a 4.5 star sewer company previous to finding Pipe Spy - that company didn't return my phone calls for weeks (more than once), then called me at 9pm one night to say they could start work the next day, but just a warning that it might come out to $4-12k - they couldn't be sure until after they got started....wait WHAT?! Luckily my husband had the sense to tell them we weren't ready to start with so little notice.

I thought it was just this crazy housing market and all plumbing companies were going to be jerks like that --- I was wrong!

In came Pipe Spy. They were easy to work with scheduling-wise (and super friendly), on time, and after taking a look, said they thought we might be able to pass the test without any work done since the pipes were plastic (something our last plumber conveniently never mentioned!) And guess what....we passed! Pipe Spy saved us $4k or more overall.

We had one small scheduling snafu where we didn't get quite enough notice, but the technician acknowledged they understood the situation and made due without requiring us to leave work to let him in the backyard.

So glad we worked with Pipe Spy - they were so great!

Art D.

09/04/2018 12:00:00 SA

We had a complicated sewer lateral issue and called Pipe Spy. Heiko was thorough in his presentation of the proposed solution, professional in his management of his crew, and a pleasure to work with. We can recommend Pipe Spy's services without reservation because the job was done on time and on budget and the workers were attentive to every details including cleanup.

Sue M.

5/20/2013

I just bought a house and had to get my PSL into compliance. Working off of yelp, I called about 4 plumbers for quotes. Heiko with Pipe Spy had the best price and he was extremely responsive to phone and email. He was flexible with scheduling my appointment- working around my tenant's schedule. He was also very patient, answering my plumbing and contract questions.
On the day of the appointment, his team rolled up exactly on time. Seriously, at exactly 8:30 am, they parked their van and began set up. Everyone was very nice.
Heiko also looked at my water pressure problems and suggested a do it yourself route. I was impressed that he advised me to do what was best for my budget, rather than what would earn him more money.
I came home to a clean site and the waste pipe that had been replaced was nicely stuccoed to the wall (the b.f. thought that that would not be included in the bid and we would have to do it).
I cannot recommend Heiko and his team enough. He is patient, detail oriented, honest, nice, and he and his team do good work. He had EBMUD issue my compliance certificate the same day.

Alison W.

4/27/2022

Pipe Spy replaced the entire sewer system from the house to the city sewer line. They came immediately to help, then scheduled a complete repair, did a perfect job of repair, and left the premises better off than when they started. An excellent company that walks the walk.

Todd B.

09/02/2021 12:00:00 SA

Pipe Spy does not provide required 24 hrs notice on street for necessary car removal to access main sewer line,

Although working on Perkins Street, Oakland all week from 8/30 - 9/3/21 the crew simply moved No Parking sidewalk signs an hour before work began each day to the necessary location.

Neighbors spoke to crew supervisor along with his support staff requesting prior days notice so they could comply. His response was not my job.

Allen H.

06/08/2016 12:00:00 SA

The work was fine. The bid/invoicing process was not. If your job is simple (a short, straight run from the house to the street with no unknowns), go ahead and use them. If there's any complexity at all, read on.

Since it was unclear how much work would actually need to be done, I asked for an itemized bid based on various scenarios. What I got was a confusing hodgepodge of very large items without a clear indication of how costs related to the work. I was being pressured by the City to do the work, so I agreed based on a verbal description the actual breakdown of items. I should never have done that.

The original bid was itemized into three line items. One for the basic work, plus an additional item to cover digging a rather deep hole and handling a potential lateral (plus a third charge that would apply only if I didn't do a complete repair and the partial repair didn't pass inspection---I didn't do that). That lateral wasn't there, so the hole covered by the second line item was never dug. The final invoice nonetheless included that work. When I complained, I was offered a mysterious discount that covered some, but not all, of the bid cost of the extra item. When I called about that, I received a third invoice that contained a much smaller discount. That is, the third bill was considerably higher (more than $1000) than the second one! There has never been a direct correlation between line items on the original bid and items on the final invoice. The numbers are completely arbitrary.

I've called them many times and just gotten a runaround when asked for a detailed explanation of the bill (I keep getting referred to Raymond, who makes random discounts and won't explain were the numbers come from). I talked to the company owner yesterday, who said that he was the one responsible for upping the charges (again, without an explanation), but then said that he had to research the issue further.

After much back and forth, the owner finally came to my place, and we worked out a compromise which, as is usually the case in this situation, neither of us is ecstatic about. I've upped my rating from one to two stars as a consequence. However, even though I have no problems with the work at all, given all this grief, I'm reluctant to go higher than that.

if your job is not dead simple, and you're saddled with Raymond as your contact, you should demand a detailed unambiguous bid (and keep pressing until you get one. Raymond has zero understanding of what that actually means). If the job could go one of N ways, either demand N bids, that between them cover all the eventualities, or demand a detailed itemized bid. Finally, demand that the things you're charged for in the final bill actually match up with items in the original itemized bid. Make it clear to them that you won't pay for arbitrary charges that are not listed in the original bid, and don't let them lump items together on the bid and give you a verbal explanation of what that means.

jerad w.

07/10/2011 12:00:00 SA

Pipe Spy is Awesome! I have a unique plumbing situation where I share a line with my neighbors. After jetting and looking as far in from my house we evetually tracked the line to a blockage that was under my neighbors house down the street. We were able to contact the owner and install a cleanout on his property that would allow us to snake the line at his house. This operation required great cordination and harmony with all parties involved as well as quick thinking and flexible solutions for the pipe repairs. To do this, Hieko and his crew, demonstrated a capacity to remain focused on what needed to be done, while patiently working with the neighbors, to find an affordable and agreeable fix for everyone. Moreover, while all of this was occuring the line was still live and flowing...Now how is that for directing traffic!!!
Bravo pipe spy and thankyou.
Jerad

Michael D.

3/27/2019

I think the reviews on Yelp are having a positive impact on Pipe Spy, Inc. Having just purchased a home in Berkeley Hills, I was compelled by the City of Berkeley to replace the old sewer lateral. I'm an architect, so I know about the scope of this kind of work. After investigating several companies and receiving competitive bids, I decided to engage Pipe Spy, Inc after negotiating a price lower than their original bid. I was impressed with the preliminary video work done by Juan and his knowledgable description of the required work. The execution was exactly as described by others with positive experiences. The proposal was clear and complete, they coordinated the permit processing with the city, they scheduled the work with consideration of trash pick-up vehicles, posted notices of construction for the neighbors, arrived and completed all the installation in one day, and the next day, coordinated inspection with the city and once approved, proceeded to back-fill and install new concrete at the clean-out locations. The crew, led by Miguel, was courteous and hard working. The entire effort was flawless. I highly recommend Pipe Spy, Inc for this type of work.

E. O.

5/22/2019

Great service! Our sewer lateral was more complex and the Pipe Spy team got it done! Was pleasantly surprised by how well they cleaned up afterwards, our backyard looked better than before they started!

Jackie L.

5/16/2016

Wonderful people who have saved me more than once. I have had such professional educated information and service and I appreciate that they have saved me money. Thank you!

Thomas H.

07/12/2011 12:00:00 SA

My 100+ yr old Berkeley home has a cast iron pipe. Thanks to Pipe Spy it passed the city required inspection and now I have a Sewer Lateral Certificate. It took a return visit from Heiko to get clear pictures, but it could have been much worse. He is a master plumber who knows exactly what it takes to make something work. Alex was also great on the first visit. I even learned some additional things about my plumbing. The price was very reasonable, the service and follow-up great. This is a savvy, customer-oriented company with tremendous expertise and experience. You can't go wrong. They saved me a lot of money.

Eloise G.

5/16/2013

Pipe Spy just came and replaced our entire sewer line which connected under my new studio! They re routed the system for minimal disruption to life, did it all in two days with integrity, very little down time, and when they were done, you would not even have known they were here. All landscaping (mine and neighbors) replaced impeccably! They did a stunningly beautiful job! How often can you say that about a sewer project???? Manuel, the crew chief, rocks and so does his crew!

Josh M.

4/18/2016

Thank you - after what was months dealing with this issue and another plumbing outfit - my contractor had me call pipespy -
Cory came in 2 days had a look and told me that no amount of rootering or power washing was going to fix the issue and that I would need to have our 80 year old sewer line replaced -

He did not know if it would be a patch job or a complete replacement - but would give me a worst case scenario quote. The crew was out here the following week - did the job (which was much worse than we originally thought) in one day - and had the city out twice for inspection and final approval.

bottom line - they knew what they were doing and got to the issue at hand - professionally and without any BS

Thank you..

Hirsute F.

3/31/2010

pipespy in berkeley and oakland do top notch work. they are fast, clean, professional. experts. they answered all our questions and did the work fast and reliably. they cleaned up so much we thought a gardener had been out to our house because it was so clean. i wish there were a higher rating! alex and his crew are the best!!!

Marc E.

1/30/2021

Searched for a plumbing company to repair leaking natural gas lines in an older building (1928) in Oakland. I reached out to Pipe Spy Inc. via Yelp; they responded very quickly. I explained what I needed and they advised they did not do this work. However. they referred me to Ocelot Plumbing, also of Oakland. I contacted Ocelot, advised they were referred, and they visited to review the job. We decided to use Ocelot Plumbing and they did a great job - thank you Pipe Spy Inc.

Keaton R.

1/20/2017

Pipe Spy was a fantastic experience! As a property manager, I have had more than my fair share of bad service from companies but this was as easy as could be.

Originally we had a backup at one of the buildings I service. They were able to refer me to a company to get the back-up cleared in under an hour!

After the line was clear Sonny from pipe spy came out and did a full diagnostic of our sewer line. They showed me exactly where the problem was and suggest a clean-out to prevent future issues. They even made a cool DVD of the inside of our pipes!

They were able to fit me into their schedule to install the clean-out sooner than expected, showed up on time, required no supervision, and the bill was exactly what they had estimated! I live three hours away from the Oakland Property they helped with and it was so nice not having to drive down there to meet them.

I also could not say enough about their office manager Alex. He made the whole process seamless. My tenants and I are happy that we no longer will have to worry about gross back-ups anymore! My praise and thanks to the whole Pipe Spy team!

Paul S.

02/11/2020 12:00:00 SA

Contacted on a weekend, Paul was quick to reply. I confirmed on Monday for a next day appointment. Tech called ahead of time and advised of his arrival time, he was prompt. After he went over the cost options I accepted and he was in and out. Price was what I expected. Overall great experience.

Mark G.

10/31/2014

I just hired pipe spy to look into a problem at a friends restaurant. They only have a camera for larger pipes and we needed a camera for 2 inch or so.
No go for pipe spy and it cost us 150.
I have worked for a few plumbing co and we had a camera to inspect smaller waste lines... Not happy at all!

Pam B.

12/12/2021 12:00:00 SA

This company and their personnel were amazing. They kept me informed, went out of their way to make sure nothing was disrupted and all was put back in its original place with nothing damaged. This included tying back a plant, removing and replanting a plant, moving gravel, etc. They kept me informed every step of the way and they were very easy to communicate with and work with. I had a huge job and they were done efficiently and stayed late to keep my sewer working for me. i have only positive things to say about the company interaction, crew and job as well. Everyone was extremely nice and did an excellent job. It passed inspection with no problems and it was done with my complete customer satisfaction. I would recommend them to anyone.

Jez S.

10/15/2013

Recently had Pipespy replace 2 sewer laterals at a commercial location. Couldn't be happier with the quality of the work and how quickly it was done. Not only were they $3000 less than our previous best estimate, but they saved us another $1500 or so by getting on lateral to pass the test! I would have been none the wiser had they decided to replace that one too! Thoroughly professional at every moment I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them.

Mark T.

07/09/2019 12:00:00 SA

Ordered a Sewer Inspection for a house I was purchasing. The rep was courteous, on time, knowledgeable. The cost was very reasonable and they give you a CD of the inspection. How refreshing to find value and service.

Kelsey T.

12/11/2018 12:00:00 SA

I was really impressed with the job that Pipe Spy did replacing our sewer lateral line. They gave a quote to the previous owners of the house, honored that quote for us and credited the $150 inspection fee that the previous owners paid. They showed up exactly when they said they would and the guys worked so hard to get a very big job done in three short days. I was especially impressed with how well they repaired and replaced the brick in our backyard where they had to dig three large holes needed in order to get to the pipes. You would never even know that they were there. They were also very easy to deal with for scheduling, handling city inspections/sign off and invoicing. We waited longer than we should to schedule them and they made sure the city knew we were on their schedule so we wouldn't be penalized for completing the work after the deadline. I would highly recommend them.

Maria N.

11/15/2017

The Pipe Spy team was amazing. They were prompt, professional and provided high quality work. After the new sewer line was installed they went beyond their duties to clean up the entire street area, including leaves that had dropped after a heavy wind storm. I would hire them again, no doubt. Finally a big thank you to Roberto, the representative who came out to handle the estimate. Roberto made me feel at ease and exuded expertise.

Rachel U.

03/01/2022 12:00:00 SA

Had to bring the sewer lateral up to code when purchasing a home and Pipe Spy did a very thorough, prompt job! 10/10 would hire them again for any exterior plumbing work that we needed. Made the whole process smooth, from inspection to quote to permitting. Thanks again Pipe Spy!

Wei K.

03/08/2016 12:00:00 SA

Pipe Spy is the Best, period!!! I don't know what else to say other than that they would be my pipe guys for the rest of my investment life.

The are the best because of:
1. Excellent job done with nothing, absolutely NOTHING that you need to worry about from the start to the end, plus they are super fast (I just can't believe my luck finding them in the first place, seriously. )
2. Very competitive price.
3. Excellent customer service at anytime for anythings.

OK, at the end I want to say: Thank U Cory for everything you did for us when the time we need it the most. You're the superman!! And thanks Alex for always being there for us and most of all thank your excellent team for the best job that they've done!

Robin K.

12/08/2008 12:00:00 SA

Hired Pipe Spy twice recently for a sewer lateral inspection and installation on two homes. During the inspection, they provide a video CD of what your pipe looks like inside... but the City of Berkeley makes you repair the sewer lateral when you sell your house, so I am not sure how important this diagnosis step is.
They were easy to schedule within a week of requesting work. They handle the permits with the City. The new pipe is threaded underground, so they only have to cut two holes. They patch any broken cement and refill dirt holes. You may want to warn your neighbors that the cement saw is loud. The small team of workers were good.
One of our jobs was simple and was started and finished in a day (a short run from the house to the curb).
Our second job was more extensive and took a couple days. The pipe had a long run through our yard, down the slope below.
Both jobs went well, and oddly cost the same amount.

Irene H.

8/31/2015

We recently needed urgent sewer lateral replacement, as vines had gotten into the very old clay pipes and were causing gray water leaks. Ray came out to do the camera inspection, explained what was needed, and quoted what seemed like a fair price for trenchless replacement. He got us on the schedule quickly. The crew was professional and thorough, and they did the work exactly as promised - two days start to finish, with minimal digging and water turned back on in the evening. Now we have a new sewer lateral complete with inspection certificate, and you can't even tell where they dug their access point. I couldn't be happier!

Alix W.

12/17/2015

Replacing your sewer line is never something you look forward to as a homeowner. But Pipespy made it as painless as possible. They were professional and nice to deal with and I would absolutely recommend them to anyone who needs this kind of work done. They don't come cheap, but we saw how many men were underneath the ground for this job...and it's not easy work.

Robert U.

02/07/2019 12:00:00 SA

The owner of the company, Paul Cooper, showed integrity and honesty by apologizing for the disappointing service I had received and, without my requesting it, returned the $150 I had paid fire the inspection. I'm going to give the company the benefit of a doubt and have upgraded my rating from a1 to a 3.

Andrea L.

10/21/2021

Old clay pipes, broken years ago (maple tree roots, the likely culprit), sewage seeping into the ground under the street ... not pretty when the rains came and we couldn't run the washing machine and take a shower on the same day for fear of runoff backing up into our shower. Pipe Spy to the rescue (although they're busy -- a big job like this doesn't happen quickly) and here we are in our first full rain of the year and all systems are GO! Heiko and his team were always clean, polite, cooperative, and responsive. They did a GREAT job rerouting the traffic on our busy street during the job. They replaced our sewer main from the house to the street, and because we had two separate plumbing systems (two-story house) they deftly joined them outside the house and put in separate clean-out valves for each floor. They wiped out our front yard and even put in new sod where the lawn (such as it was) got trashed. All of our neighbors told us how much they appreciated the courtesy of the workers. I see some reviews here with complaints about inadequate warning about parking restrictions and we did not have that experience. The necessary signs went up on the Friday prior to the job starting the following week. High recommendations! Thanks, Heiko. The job came in at exactly the estimated amount. That's more than we can say for every contractor we have ever worked with.

Mark D.

04/02/2018 12:00:00 SA

AWESOME!! Pipe Spy Inc. did an amazing job.I couldn't be happier with the results.

We got four quotes and Pipe Spy was somewhere in the middle. They were definitely competitive. We live in the N. Berkeley hills. My neighbor and I shared one main sewer line out to the street. To be compliant we had to be on separate lines. This required pipe bursting the original line and disconnecting the second line and adding a new line. Pipe Spy was able to do all this with hardly any digging required. No deep trenches or tearing up any existing decking. In addition they had to jack hammer a couple of holes in the street to connect the two new lines. This in itself I thought would take all week but, they had the holes in the street dug up and retrofitted in two days. The entire job was done in five days!

Pipe Spy - I can't say enough about the outstanding job you did. Sonny and his crew were always on time, polite, efficient, and answered all our questions without hesitation. If you need any major sewer work done I would highly recommend you go to these guys first. You won't be disappointed in the results. Thank You Pipe Spy and special thanks to the guys who did the work!

Milo R.

5/31/2016

Dealing with Alex by email was convenient and the appointment fit my schedule. My tech Cory was professional, showing up on time and explained details of the process. He finished the inspection in no time. While I had no findings, dealing with a company that is straight forward and delivers good service is important!

Rebecca A.

11/10/2020 12:00:00 SA

This is a superbly profession company that is also extremely focused on relationships. We are a small HOA in Oakland that needed to comply with EBMUD's sewer lateral regulations. They took us through the whole confusing process with clarity and transparency. We initially received a few different bids (from different companies) for the work and received conflicting recommendations. Sonny came out a second time at no charge to ensure we felt comfortable with his findings. We couldn't be more happy with the bidding process, the work (neat, efficient, organized), and the final outcome. If I could give 6 stars, I would.

Janella A.

1/30/2013

Had a sewer lateral inspection done on a property my client is buying in Hercules. Raymond was the technician. He quickly did the video and right away said that it would not pass. What I didn't like was that he didn't even show us the video, he just did a generic drawing of a circle with a shadow circle and said this is what it looks like and it will not pass. Then told us it would be about $6000 to $7000 to correct it and get it to pass. Well...Thank goodness for Pamela over at Pipe Cam!! I called her to see if they would give a competitive bid and with just a few quick questions she was convinced his findings were wrong. She suggested that we upload the video and send it to her on You Tube and sure enough, she was right. She suggested that we also pay the $125 and have the city of Hercules look at it because she was pretty sure it would pass and it did!! Within a few short hours we had our certificate. Look at all the money my client saved by getting a second opinion. If you are looking for a Sewer Lateral inspector call Pipe Cam...you will be so happy you did! I know my client is:)

I'm not saying that Pipe Spy isn't a good company, or that they don't do quality work, but if you do hire them, be prepared to pay a PREMIUM! ... And for what, the fancy little green flags, the fancy business card, or the cool logo? Just based on the cost factor alone, I have to rate them low on the star factor. After all, cost is a significant factor

Martine K.

09/04/2020 12:00:00 SA

Fabulous service from Pipe Spy this morning on an exterior water pipe break situation. Alex who takes the calls was fantastically helpful. Heiko was here quickly, diagnosed and solved the problem in no time and shared his knowledge freely to advise on related matters. Truly extraordinary service!!

Jonathan M.

11/01/2013 12:00:00 SA

They made the process of replacing a 13'-deep sewer lateral in the hills completely painless. The job was done quickly and painlessly, without wasting a second of our time. The compliance certificate was issued almost immediately, and the next day we had the $4500 deposit back from EBMUD. It was a pleasure to see a $500 discount over the quoted amount on the invoice. Our real estate agent recommended them as the best in the business, and I won't disagree.

Bill N.

06/03/2016 12:00:00 SA

They honored a quote from several months ago. Work was started and finished just as scheduled. Work area cleaned up completely and concrete repair matches the old patio as well as can be expected.
Correspondence by e-mail makes things very convenient.

Thomas E.

2/23/2010

My main sewer pipe broke - yukkkk ... Called the Pipe Spy folks for help. They were here shortly after I called. The boss - Heiko - came himself since his crew was busy at another job. He helped to locate the problem with his cool remote camera which can be inserted into the pipe system. He dug through sticky clay to a depth of almost 6 feet, and fixed the broken old pipe. The camera images showed roots growing into the old clay pipe system at several places, so he recommended to replace the entire main sewer pipe, which made sense to me. Two days later his work crew of 5 people showed up, and they replaced the whole pipe. They dug two deep holes, pulled the new pipe in, and created a new clean-out access. The Berkeley building inspector came by and checked it off (which is great since for any house sale in Berkeley this pipe replacement needs to have been done). All this happened in one day. The crew was friendly, hard working, informative - and very clean ! The side of my house looked better after the repair than before, despite all the excavation work. The price for the repair seemed reasonable. I am happy, and recommend the Pipe Spies highly.
Th. Eusterbrock.

Chris C.

6/20/2016

Wow... after dealing with a LOT of contractors after buying a warehouse in Oakland and working on a major build-out for a new event venue, I have already experienced the full spectrum when it comes to quality and customer service. Pipe Spy (and in particular, Ray Braggs and Alex Buna) are easily at the top of my list for being super responsive, focused on providing an amazing customer experience, and for ultimately going above and beyond in how they handled their project. They even completed the project in a very short window of time in order to meet some tight deadlines. Exceptional results at a fair price! These guys rock. Thanks Ray, Alex and the rest of the Pipe Spy team!

Ali F.

07/12/2017 12:00:00 SA

They did a great job on our sewer lateral work. Friendly quick and up to code! Can't ask for more! I remember we had a timing issue, because we put off the project for longer than we should have, but Pipe Spy was awesome about helping me navigate the process.

Jeffrey s.

3/28/2015

excellent. Met with Paul who did exactly what he said he'd do which is getting more rare these days, also appreciated good communication from the office with alex and others, very happy, thank you. Jeffrey

Alejandra C.

11/23/2020

I was absolutely impressed by PipeSpy from beginning to end. From the initial phone conversation, 1st visit to assess the situation and finally, to Pedro and his crew and the e cells that job they did in one day. I totally recommend this company and their tram.

Clara B.

9/28/2020

Pipe Spy did our sewer lateral a few years ago and they've fixed a few things here and there on our 100+ year old house.
They've been super easy to work with, very professional and transparent with the work they did.
They were quick, efficient, honest, reliable and pleasant, I wouldn't call anyone else.

Arianna T.

7/28/2017

The quote in the contract was too high and in the fine print of the contract they required we put a LEAN ON OUR HOUSE before any work was actually done.

Quote was over 10 times the amount we paid the licensed plumber we went with for the job.

There were many more red flags trust me.

Kelly B.

01/12/2023 12:00:00 SA

James from PipeSpy was incredibly helpful. He spent the time with the video camera to properly diagnose my situation. Other companies not only missed things but lied about others things to scare me into unnecessary, expensive procedures. James was friendly, prompt, professional, explained things thoroughly and didn't push unnecessary interventions. I highly recommend PipeSpy for help with your sewer lateral issues.

Christina K.

1/21/2021

I had concerns about an offset in the upper sewer lateral of my 75+ year old house. James came with the CCTV camera, did a thorough inspection and explained that the problem was minor. It actually didn't need immediate repair work in my situation. The three other companies I called for quotes didn't bring camera equipment to inspect the line, and gave wildly varying quotes speculating where the offset actually was on the property. I was happy to pay the fee for the camera inspection as it gave me peace of mind and saved me thousands of dollars. James was great about explaining the situation and did not try to sell me work I didn't need. I would recommend PipeSpy to anyone seeking an accurate and reasonable quote.

kate m.

3/16/2022

My sewer lateral was leaking, so I contacted Pipe Spy (on the recommendation of another company that was unavailable). I was told there first had to be a diagnosis (seemed reasonable) and that they would come camera the line for $200. Guy appears, says he's used a camera and the pipe is entirely clogged with tree roots. He suggests replacing the entire line from the house to the street or removing a section of the line and replacing it. Both options were in the thousands of dollars. I then called a roto-rooter type company, who simply snaked the line and the problem was solved. Interestingly, when I asked Pipe Spy for the video they supposedly took, I was told it mysteriously did not record and they would come back and camera the line again. The second video showed there were no excessive tree roots or anything other than typical back up (which is why the snake worked). Beware of this company - they will try to rip you off.

Rudy P.

8/21/2016

Pipe Spy turned this around in less than a week, was very reasonable in pricing compared to some other folks and very efficient. I have dealt with them a number of times and always have the same great experience. Thanks!

Bryce N.

7/21/2012

Alex at pipe spy was professional, helpful, and explained everything.

Carrie S.

2/29/2016

This review is originally from 1/20/14:

Thank you Pipe Spy! Their excellent crew solved a long-term problem that another sewer company missed and then ignored. I will recommend Pipe Spy to any friend with plumbing or sewer problems.

My landlord had received complaints from tenants for more than 5 years about a sewage smell coming from under the building. The landlord had the sewer replaced about 5 years ago, but I guess whoever she hired only fixed the sewer, but that plumber did NOT fix the problem. Our upstairs unit hadn't experienced the smell until recently, but yuck, once we did, I searched Yelp and asked my landlord to call Pipe Spy, based on their happy customer reviews.

We dealt with Paul. Paul and his team performed more than one camera inspection until they could locate the problem, they didn't stop until they found the source. They communicated professionally with us, the downstairs tenant, and my landlord, and the crew was out to fix the problem within a few days of my landlord giving the go-ahead. Pipe Spy solved the problem, and yay, no more smell!

Gaby L.

8/29/2011

Needed to replace our lateral sewer due to extensive root damage from redwoods. Pipe Spy was recommended to us by a friend, and they gave us a reasonable quote and we contracted them to do the job immediately after the Christmas Holidays. Before the work initiated we had a major backup into our showers and toilets and pipe spy took care of it promptly at no cost. Work was done quickly, professionally and they left no garbage behind. We got a new trenchless pipeline and have had no problems since. I would highly recommend them to anyone!

Nina V.

10/19/2020

Imagine an auto shop where you paid for an inspection only to be told they've found the problem but won't give you the details ... because you might seek competitive bids. They instead would like you to choose them to do the work.

Andrea J.

02/01/2021 12:00:00 SA

Spent time meeting to get an estimate and then never heard from them again. Lack of responsiveness or follow up is never a good look.

Update to address owner's response:
The owner's lengthy response is mystifying, and I can only guess his employees are equally dishonest to him as they are to clients.

We never declined anything. I took an hour or more out of my workday to meet with their plumber to review our sewer line replacement issues. We declined nothing. We expected an estimate, requested an estimate, and even gave our email address to receive an estimate.

Second, the homeowner is my roommate and was standing next to me during part of the appointment. This was clearly stated.
To imply there was some sneaky ploy by a renter is disingenuous. Once again, the dishonesty here is concerning.

Lastly, I emailed two months after the appointment to ask about the estimate and received no response. I get very busy during the days and often emails are the easiest, most efficient, and most trackable method for me to communicate, especially if I am requesting information like a very late promised written estimate. And yet the owner, in his response, seems to be admitting that his own email portal is unreliable and I should have called? And how vague is a request asking where my estimate is? If you do not want people to use the email portal, perhaps remove it rather than blaming clients for using it. And it's sad that my email request received no response and instead it took this review to receive a response, which shows either unreliable service or pure disorganization or both.

It appears I dodged a bullet by not receiving an estimate as this company is completely unreliable in word and deed.

Natalie N.

11/01/2018 12:00:00 SA

We are very happy with the work Pipe Spy completed. They replaced our sewer lateral line to get in compliance with the city of Oakland. Sonny came out initially and estimated the work. He was friendly and meticulous. Once the work was scheduled they arrived with a large and organized crew the first day. They worked well into the evening to make sure we had water to our home when they ran into an unexpected tree root problem. The city inspected the work and signed off. We are really happy with the work they performed specifically where they had to cut the concrete. They did a really professional job (straight lines!) on the street and at our front walkway.

John G.

08/01/2021 12:00:00 SA

Our 117-year-old house has complicated sewer laterals to the main house, the cottage, and the spa. Paul Cooper and his crew were prompt, thorough, and highly professional to map and analyze our system, find a lateral clogged by roots, clear the problem, and give us guidance about how to maintain our system and anticipate future problems.

Tamara W.

12/02/2022 12:00:00 SA

Pipe Spy has come through for me time and time again. From replacing a sewer later to coming out to check on a toilet and line. They have been incredibly professional and responsive. I highly recommend.

Rachel M.

12/16/2008

I recently had an issue with a backed up sewer and called a few plumbers to make a determination as to what the problem was. My original estimate was that I required an additional clean-out installed and the price would be $1000 I did not think the original plumber was the right fit for the job and so was referred by a friend to Pipe Spy. At this point a few days had already gone by and I was desperate for a solution so when they told me the same prognosis I was relieved, HOWEVER their price was way too HIGH. I was shocked but also scared that I needed something bigger than originally anticipated and I did not have time for yet another estimate. Anyway, they came and did the work in a timely fashion basically they completed the job in four hours. However the price tag was and still is shocking to me as well as to anyone I have mentioned this to in relation to what they actually did for me that day.

They broke up a section of my driveway, dug a hole, installed a clean-out in the driveway and refilled the hole and replaced the cement at an outrageous price of about $1000/hour. Again the work was fine but the price was price gouging at its finest of a single scared female. yes, we do get scared when home repairs go awry.

Steve P.

10/24/2022

Very impressed with the service and sensitivity to our time line as we were in need to start work right away. They were responsive and communicated well to our needs.
I would definitely work with these guys again!

Leah T.

5/15/2012

I was in the process of selling my house and needed to have my sewer lateral replaced. The work was especially long and complex and I went with the lowest bid. The complexity of the job was a push for the the company I went with, and in all fairness they did their due diligence to look for alternatives to digging up the golf course behind my house. At the end of the day, after dealing with the golf course management (which was horrendous) and the technical nature of the job (over 20 feet deep at the main), they backed out a mere three weeks before I was to close escrow!

I went back to look at my bid with PipeSpy. Their bid was $2000 more than the low bid. Another company came in to give another bid (referred to by the first plumbing company) and decided that they wouldn't do the job given the complexity and history. As a favor, they looked over the PipeSpy's bid and said these guys were definitely capable, competent, and the price was reasonable. PipeSpy dealt with the Golf Course management (with help from a few calls to the city and my council woman), got my property done in a day, and the golf course section the following week (2 days). Ray and his Crew were AWESOME to work with! They were friendly, kept me in the loop on what they were doing, informed me when I would be out of water service, and really positive about the the progress of the work.

Not a lot of time to mess with schedule, these guys stuck to the schedule and I am now able to close on the house thanks to Ray and his Crew!

Pam B.

12/20/2018

We had a major job done, the entire driveway was dug up and pipes replaced, and the workers were great. BUT a bad inspection and the whole thing had to be dug back up and fixed. Then they rushed with a secondary crew and the finish is terrible. The driveway looks awful. If you hire these people, beware, they have no standards or accountability. See the pictures, they are almost laughable.

Ilana D.

6/24/2012

We used Pipe Spy to replace our sewer lateral (the pipe connecting our house with the sewer main in the street). They did an excellent job on the work itself -- got it done within one day, then the city inspectors came the next day and they closed up the holes -- and they cleaned up well. They also did a good job when they gave us their initial estimate of explaining the issues, looking for the least expensive solution etc.

The reason I'm giving them only three stars was in scheduling the job. They scheduled it once, then called to reschedule. Then they didn't show up on the day they had rescheduled. I stayed home from work waiting for them -- I finally called them, and the guy in charge of our job said oops, we had something else come up yesterday.

Unprofessional and annoying. How hard is it to call the night before to say hey, can we reschedule again?

On the other hand, they did a good job on fixing the pipe.

Erik T.

10/06/2016 12:00:00 SA

I talked to Heiko about replacing my sewer lateral. He did a quick camera view as part of the estimate and got me an estimate the next day. It wasn't super cheap, but reasonable, and after talking to a couple companies I have the impression that Pipe Spy does very solid work with no corners cut.

They did most of the work in a single day, and had the hole paved and cleaned up the next day. All in all pretty painless.

Tracy G.

10/08/2014 12:00:00 SA

A Company to depend on.
I recently had to put in a sewer lateral as a result of sale of one of my clients properties. I did three quotes and Pipe Spy, Inc. was professional from beginning to end. They to came to the property first assessed the situation, then used cameras to review the pipes, and then gave me a quote that my clients felt was the most fair.
They said the job would take three days and they were done in three days!!!
I am very impressed with the professionalism of the whole company from the first call to the issuance of the digital certificate of compliance.
Thanks Pipe Spy, Inc., you made me a hero with my clients!

Eileen O.

10/14/2010

I always highly recommend Pipe Spy to anyone I know who needs a plumber. I used them for a huge job (entire sewage line) and a 'French' drain installation as well as for several smaller ones. All of the employees are professional, from the office staff (Chris) to Alex, Ray and the entire crew. I can never thank them enough! They do a great job, and leave your property in better shape than they found it.

Abigail W.

6/25/2009

I had a broken sewer line and after receiving 6+ estimates, Pipe Spy was initially the most economical choice. And even after they scoped my line and found that my sewer replacement wasn't going to be as straight forward as originally anticipated (therefore more costly), they were still well below the higher estimates that only included pulling through a new plastic sewer, and not trenching and regrading which was what I was faced with in the end.

I don't blame Pipe Spy for the additional charges incurred to complete the extra work, in fact I kind of expected to have to pay more (as it usually is in ANY kind of construction project), but I was glad to have a reasonable starting place with them and was able to stay somewhat within budget overall. Now I don't have sewage coming out of my tub or a gurgling toilet when I run my dishwasher or take a shower (YUCK!) and I am so glad for that.

Of course dealing with less than ideal situations is not fun, especially when they pop up seemingly out of nowhere, but overall, I really liked working with Heiko, who was very attentive and explained the whole replacement process in detail to me. My only complaint was that their scheduling was not very consistent. My job took parts of about 5 days to complete, but they weren't always back to back. But that wasn't a huge problem.

More importantly, Heiko was great even after I received my final bill and disputed one of the charges, which he removed immediately and was still happy to help me answer any final questions that I had.

I recommend getting multiple quotes when doing any project, but would definitely put Pipe Spy at the top of my list of reasonable and capable plumbers for the next time I am faced with having to deal with some water/waste issue in my home.

Piotr H.

1/27/2017

I was in the need for a sewer lateral inspection and a colleague recommended Pipe Spy. I contacted their main office and Alex, the office manager, was kind enough to fit me on their work schedule for the following morning. Roberto, the technician, gave me a courtesy phone call that he was on the way and arrived at the property on time. He was very professional, performed a video inspection of the sewer lateral, and explained his findings to me in detail. I needed a sewer lateral compliance certificate from the city and Pipe Spy completed all the required paperwork and submitted everything on my behalf for a very reasonable processing fee. The sewer lateral compliance certificate was issued by the city later that day. I highly recommend Pipe Spy.

Philip G.

08/07/2014 12:00:00 SA

I found Pipe Spy a pleasure to deal with. The workers were confident and capable in performing there tasks. The work was done without complications and on time. I am happy to recommend them. Phil

michele s.

2/16/2011

I have hired Pipe Spy twice to do a camera inspection both of my sewer lateral and storm drain. Both times they have been prompt, professional, and have helped me assess the problem and strategize the fix. They can get the job done.

clover s.

8/29/2011

Wow, wow, wow! I used Pipe Spy to replace my sewer lateral. They were polite, professional, and knowledgeable from beginning to end. I was really nervous about having this work done, but Pipe Spy made it super easy and super convenient. I was particularly impressed by the clean-up they did after they were finished. Yay Pipe Spy!

Rob L.

5/16/2021

Excellent work. Replaced ~120 LF of sewer line using the pipe burst & trenchless method. Everything went smoothly. Had to be careful about a gas line at one of the pits - no problems. Conscientious about the quality of work and appreciate the clean-up and restoration of disturbed areas. There are disturbed areas, mostly landscaped areas, but the trenchless method reduces it significantly. Got 4 bids for this project and Pipe Spy was the highest bid; #2 bidder was close in price. Pipe Spy specializes in this work and it shows and I'm glad I went with them.

Evelyn H.

03/09/2019 12:00:00 SA

Great group of people who worked very hard all day at a very dirty job. They cleaned-up at the end of the day every day, very responsive to our needs. Refinished the surface to look as if nothing had ever happened.

H C.

9/19/2010

A pleasure to work with! Heiko was great, the work was excellent, on time, on budget. They worked well with our contractor (had to replace our sewer lateral as part of a remodel), saved the flower bushes, polite to neighbors, cleaned up well. We are very pleased. Thanks guys!

Peggy G.

3/14/2019

Pipe Spy was referred to me by my real estate agent, Colleen McFarrin at FourBridgesRE for the inspection of the sewer line of my newly purchased house in Oakland. Juan Carlos Lopez came out to do the inspection and was friendly and informative. He showed me the video of the sewer line and explained everything that we saw and answered all my questions. I was impressed with his friendliness and knowledge. The sewer line needed to be upgraded and I asked him to make a bid on it. I checked with my real estate agent on the bid amount. I thought it was high but Colleen explained to me how the cost varies depending upon the depth and length of the sewer line and assured me that the price was reasonable. I hired Juan and his team Pedro, Gabriel, Raymond, Miguel and Manuel. They were prompt in their service. One of the crew even came out later to wait several hours for the EBMUD inspector. Thank you, Pipe Spy, for your service!

Daniel P.

8/17/2013

About 6 years ago we re-did our back yard--a masonry wall, flagstone patio. Should we have replaced our sewer line then? Of course, but who has the dough?

Fast forward six years, ankle deep in the overflow from our downstairs toilet. I'm calculating...$10k to redo the masonary wall, $10k for the sewer repair, kids are looking at colleges.... A friend recommends Pipe Spy. Paul comes out, researches where the sewer main is, You know that the sewer main runs right under this tree and through this wall--probably just underneath the wall, actually. I recalculate...$15k for the sewer repair I'm sweaty. Paul says, We can take care of it, we'll dig down here and tunnel over. On one hand I'm relieved, on the other I'm thinking, Is this guy full of baloney? I'm sure that this will be one of those projects that will double in scope and cost.

Paul gives me an estimate. It isn't cheap, but it's competitive. His crew arrives when he says it will. I'm figuring we'll be without water for a week. His crew has the new pipe in that day and they stay late and hook it up so we can use the shower and toilet that night. Simply amazing. The crew of six guys they throw at this job are quick, professional, and skilled. The following day the inspections are done, and the dirt goes back into the holes.

When they are finished, the back yard looks EXACTLY like it did before they started, only cleaner. The cement work they did was perfect. The workmanship was superb. The estimate was honored to the penny. I told Paul about how impressed I was with his crew's skill, and he said, We pay our workers well, they have medical benefits, paid vacation, retirement plan and profit sharing...they're taken care of. They work hard and stay with us. Clearly a good investment, and a terrific business.

Lauren B.

6/29/2019

We cannot speak highly enough of Sonny and Alex! This is the third time we've had Pipe Spy out (inspection, lateral reroute and test, lateral replacement and test), and each time is better than the next. Sonny has been great when it comes to communication about the work and providing us with a breakdown of what is needed. Per HOA compliance, EBMUD required documentation before scheduling the newest work and Alex worked with us to get everything compiled and sent in within a matter of hours. Being a part of a tiny HOA, we were nervous about sending all the documentation in ourselves, but with his help, we're confident everything has been completed as expected. Huge thanks to the entire Pipe Spy team!!

James N.

3/26/2014

We were required by EB-MUD to have the 'lateral sewer' inspected and brought to regulatory standard. We chose Pipe Spy Inc to do the job. Partner Heiko made the inspection, discussed the work to be done and submitted a competitive and coherent estimate. I must state they were NOT inexpensive to do the whole show. In the end this included a 2 part, right angle trenchless replacement of our 109 year old sewer lines including a section running across the lot underneath the house to connect up to the lateral line to the street !

The work was done to a high standard, the crew on the job were professional, and the outcome met full standard with the certificate issued by EB-MUD within 2 days of the final inspection.

The lateral sewer process is the functional equivalent of giving your home a full blown colonoscopy followed by a major GI Tract bi-pass operation. Doing right the first time is important.

Recommended !

Elizabeth M.

04/07/2021 12:00:00 SA

Pipe Spy was SUPER! easy to schedule for estimate. Sonny came on time, and was so kind, professional and efficient. He did a great job. Trusted him immediately. I highly recommend this company for any job.

Jim B.

6/15/2011

Heiko and his crew just replaced our sewer lateral. Throughout the process - from initial visit to completion - our experience was excellent. The crew that came to do the work was outstanding - they were fast, efficient, pleasant, and extremely careful. They were courteous and respectful, of our house, garden, and neighbors. They took time to explain exactly what they were doing (I realize not everyone is interested in the inner workings of the sewer connections, but I was glad to get a picture of just how it works). In the end, as another reviewer mentioned, the garden where they worked looked better than it did before they were in there digging it all up. I absolutely recommend this company for sewer replacement.