North Lake Plumbing Inc

Our dishwasher stopped draining and our kitchen faucet had a small leak. Called North Lake. The woman who answered the phone and took job details didn't say anything about not dealing with dishwashers. The plumber/ business owner gives me a follow up call within an hour to say he can come by in the next 30 mins. Also doesn't say he doesn't fix dishwashers. He comes out and tells me in person. Says fixing the faucet is in his wheelhouse but we should replace the faucet as any fix would just be a temporary patch. Installs a standard, no frills faucet. Charges me over $500 - claims this is the price quoted in his book for parts/ installation/ tax.

I assumed it'd be much cheaper to replace the faucet - as it's a job I could do myself. I was foolish not to check. Thought that in today's world of Yelp reviews, he'd be more concerned to be left a good review and generate new or repeat business.

I've used North Lake Plumbing for serveral emergency repair jobs for my rental condo in Kingswood Village.   Ken has always been able to come over within a few hours of when I called him, including fixing a broken shower on Christmas Eve when no other plumber in Tahoe would even call me back.     I'm very happy with the work from North Lake Plumbing and Ken and Cindy are always friendly and responsive.

We rented a place in Squaw Valley and had plumbing issues. North Lake Plumbing came to our rescue. Quick, friendly, and even cleaned up the mess which was an unexpected but pleasant surprise. Thank you Ken!

We were planning to head back home from our Tahoe cabin, and sure enough, the toilet and shower both clogged the night before we left. We called Ken first thing in the morning, and he kindly altered some things in his schedule to be able to accommodate us within just a couple hours. Fixed both problems quickly and we were able to get on our way. Ken will definitely be our family's go-to plumbing service in Tahoe.

We had a second story bathtub that was leaking down to the first floor when draining.  North Lake responded quickly and showed up right on time for our appointment.  Ken figured out the problem very quickly and was able to apply a simple and effective repair.  We really appreciated his responsiveness and professional approach.

We were referred to him by a local Tahoe City Plumber (Leslie at Tahoe's Best Plumbing) we found on Yelp for another plumbing issue we are still working on.  Leslie was out of town when I called Saturday morning but she referred Ken at North Lake Plumbing to me.

I called Ken and got his answering service and left my phone number.  He called back within 30 min and I described to him the issue.  I have renter in my house and no hot water, because I think the thermo couple may need replacement.  He asked how old the heater was and said it could also be a gas valve issue.  I told him I had purchased this high-altitude water heater from Ace Hardware about 6 years ago.  As soon as he heard this was purchased from Ace Hardware, he said it wouldn't even be worthwhile for him to go and inspect it, because it is just not a good water heater, and I would just be throwing good money after bad.

Then I asked him for his recommendation.  He proceeded to say that I need to install a new water heater - something that he carries, but it wouldn't be one that they sell at Hardware stores.  I asked him how much it would be, he said to install on a Saturday it would be at least $2,000.

Wow!

I respectfully thanked him for his time, and I called Ace Hardware and asked to speak with someone in charge and asked Ace Hardware to defend the quality of their water heaters.  They did, and i was satisfied with the quality of what Ace Hardware carries and sells.  If someone says to me:  Don't buy groceries from Safeway because they are just not good groceries.  You should only buy good groceries that I carry at my store.  I would have a hard time believing in that.

I hate to use this analogy but, to me, this almost reminds of Donald Trump saying that you shouldn't listen to CNN, CNBC, ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS, or the polls, or believe in any news coverage from The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, or The Washington Post.  It's all Fake News.  The only credible news that is believable is His own news - published on his own Twitter account directly to the American public and the world - 30 times a day.

No, I'm not going to buy your $2,000 water heater and throw away a perfectly functioning, good, high altitude water heater I bought from Ace Hardware a few years ago.  I support local businesses and local hardware stores, and I don't throw them under the bus because they are honest people who provide a good, valuable, and honest service for everyone who lives in the Truckee, Northstar, Squaw/Alpine and the greater North Lake Area.  I don't think the products carried by Ace Hardware is sub-standard, and I will not buy something only you approve or carry because you say I should do it.

Please understand that consumers can ask questions, evaluate, and make sound decisions based on gathering information and research.

May this review serve as valuable research for the next consumer looking for a good, honest plumber or businesses.

North Lake came over to Northstar to repair a burst pipe for us.  The service was prompt and courteous, the work was performed well, and the price was reasonable.   Plumbing problems are never a fun thing, but I'm thrilled to have found a reliable plumber up here.

Highly recommended!

Thanks to North Lake Plumbing for working with us as we coordinated clearing furnace vents and getting water heater up and running again up in Serene Lakes--patient, prompt, friendly. You made it happen.

Called North Lake Plumbing after discovering a leaking tap behind the washer and a big puddle under it. He rearranged his schedule to accommodate us and was out within a couple of hours. Unfortunately he determined that we didn't have a main water shut off valve in the house. A prompt city crew shut the water off at the curb (buried under snow and dirt) and he had the shut off valve installed and the leaking taps replaced promptly. Fast, friendly and competent. Highly recommended!

We called North Lake Plumbing due to an issue that came up at a house we're staying at in Alpine Meadows.  Ken came within an hour of us calling.  He was professional and astute in his work.  He fixed the problem quickly.  Thank you, Ken.

Too expensive.  I them him to fix a problem and was way overcharged.  I showed another plumber the invoice who was working on another project of mine and he agreed.  The plumbers who price fairly will get more business as word of mouth advertising is the best.  The price gougers only hurt themselves in the long run.

Ken and his crew are the best. You will not find a more dedicated plumber anywhere. Ken was out this morning to install a faucet when he found out today is the only day an appointment would work for me. Look no further for your plumbing needs.

I called North Lake Plumbing with an emergency situation.
He answered the phone in the first couple rings.
He came out within a hour and fixed our pipes.
Great service and a job well. Thanks Ken.

Ken did a good job and was courteous but he overcharged by 25% to 30%. He charged almost $600 for a simple kitchen faucet. Did some checking after I paid and it should have been tops $450. That being said he is a nice guy but too expensive

Our water shut off valve was broken.  Called Ken and he and his nephew showed up within three hours. What a job.  Just getting to the valve under the house was almost impossible but they did it.  This is the third time we've used North Lake Plumbing and each time the response has been the same day and the issue has been fixed right.

Got a call from tenant---no hot water.  Saturday night, first night of rental. Called handyman, who went to site, confirmed no hot water, diagnosed bad interior fill pipe not moving cold water to bottom of tank, but good burner....suggested call Ken Fielding.

He responded immediately, and drove to site first thing Sunday morning, just before Christmas. Found leaking shower faucet, fixed it, verified water heater was working, tenants happy.

Ken suggested how to decide whether 31-year-old  water heater should be replaced, and a schedule that worked, in his busiest week of the year.

Very happy with rapid response.  Can't comment yet on pricing, but very happy with Ken's expertise and professionalism.

I called Ken with a smelly situation (broken sewage ejector pump) on a Saturday night. Ken was extremely helpful on the phone, even trying to verbally walk me through steps that could resolve the situation myself. When that didn't work, he came the next morning, during a snow storm, on time as promised and was able to fix the problem without needing any new parts.

He is extremely professional, honest and very fair in assessments. Using him (or any plumber) for emergency weekend repairs is going to cost you more, but Ken was high integrity in my experience and not looking to gauge homeowners with extra costs or parts if not needed.

I would 100% use Ken again and heartily recommend him to anyone looking for a reliable and punctual plumber in the North Lake area!

it's so very refreshing to find someone who is upfront and knows what he is doing. what Ed from Kaiser Plumber couldn't fix, broke and wouldn't return to fix what he had done, Ken from North Lake was right on it. he showed up quickly on a Saturday and got things done. highly highly recommend him.

Ken - i really appreciate your prompt and courteous service.

now that is a respectable service!

I called North Lake Plumbing at 8PM and they were out to my house doing work the following day moving a gas line and installing a shutoff valve where it was supposed to be. Their hourly rate is not cheap but I am very satisfied with the quality of their work.

Ok, so seeing all these fantastic reviews here makes me suspicious.  I have to post my experience.  It was much like the one described by Linda B.

I was given more information up front than the she apparently got, including that I would have to pay for a trip charge (and therefore had to give my credit card number up front).  Then I would be called with the estimate to do the actual work.  They showed up on time.  So far so good, but the good ended there.  

First, I never got the call.  Next, they didn't have the exact part with them and ended up adapting the one my tenant had purchased when he first tried to do the repair himself.  He told me the plumbers were there for well less than an hour and that one seemed to be in training.  Changing a tub spout was definitely not a two person job.

To my surprise I got a call saying I owed something over $300.  Huh?  For less than an hour when the only part they supplied was a pipe nipple?!  I questioned the charge and the owner himself (whom I had not met in person) immediately laid into me about what a favor he had done, that my tenant was without hot water and couldn't be left in that situation and it was hardly worth his time to have driven over (his decision, not mine).  I never said anything about being desperate.  That was his assumption.  My tenant was without a shower - the tub diverter had broken - not without a bathtub or hot water, and honestly he wasn't in a rush.  I'd have continued calling other plumbers had I known this one would be so expensive.  This was only my second call.  

Anyway, he later conceded that they should have gotten my approval before doing the work and grudgingly said I only had to pay the trip charge which I think was $120 or $125.  I thought about it after that and decided to pay $200 which I felt was a very generous compromise between what they originally billed me and what the job was worth, only because I would probably have paid the $300+ charge had they bothered to have called for my permission as promised (though I would have been pretty unhappy after I learned how simple the job had been).  

Anyway, here's my past-due review.

I called Ken Fielding at North Lake Plumbing yesterday afternoon because my house in Kings Beach had a water leak.  He answered the phone when I called the first time, was attentive, professional and patient as I struggled with my lack of plumbing knowledge to describe the issue.  As luck would have it, he was already headed towards Kings Beach that afternoon and he kindly took the time to stop by my house and take a look at the problem.  We talked again after he had seen the leak and he assured me that the work could be done the next day...and IT WAS!  In the past with other home maintenance service providers, I've been quoted a certain cost and a certain time frame for completion and by the time the job is finished, it had taken twice as long and cost significantly more that originally quoted.  This didn't happen with Ken.  In fact, he even gave me a discount on his original quote because he was efficient and the work got done more quickly than anticipated!  This man was honest, reasonable and a complete joy to work with.  I will be storing his number in my phone for any future plumbing issues.  Thank you Ken!

3 days before Xmas a pipe broke - called North Lake. They arrived in about 2 hours and Ken quickly fixed the pipe and then replaced the washer taps as well, because they could not be turned off. Great guy, fast, reasonable and good.  I do a lot of home repair and can tell when someone knows what they are doing or not. Ken does.

WHAT A CROOK!! This plumber took advantage of an elderly lady's minor cabin plumbing issue in Homewood, CA. An outdoor faucet wasn't shutting off, so this CROOK replaced the faucet (40 minutes worth of work and a $15 part) and charged this poor lady $935.00!! Don't ever use this CROOK FOR ANYTHING!!

I called Ken on a weekend evening due to a frozen/broken pipe in mid winter (temps to 0 for a couple days).  there was severe water damage and 11 frozen pipes to be found/repaired. He provided help over the phone even before we worked together and came out quickly to help with repairs in difficult conditions (still freezing, no heat since hydronic pipes had frozen and no electricity and the main water shut-off was defective).  His advice was helpful, his work quick, great quality and very affordable).  I will use him again as the current work progresses and would recommend him very highly.

I called North Lake Plumbing last Friday 12/3/21.
I told the answering service I was interested in replacing an old water heater.
She said they'd get back to me.
A couple of hours later a plumber named Ken called.  
I told him I wanted to replace my old water heater that kept shutting down randomly.
Then I told him I needed a quote on installing a new one.
Instead of giving me a quote, he was eager to come by and look at my old water heater, to perhaps repair it.
I told him I didn't need for him to repair it, I'd already had a contractor look at it, who said it was clearly old, rusting and leaky and should be replaced.
To my dismay this statement basically triggered Ken.  Who suddenly went on a childishly long rant about contractors, and how they think they know everything.  As if knowledge about water heaters is rocket science and exclusive to him alone.  
I said, regardless that didn't change the fact that I didn't want to invest good money repairing a clearly old and failing water heater.
Apparently Ken doesn't like being told what you want him to do.
Then Kenny insisted I send him a pic of my old water heater, including the make and serial number to see if it's worth repairing.
In spite of the fact that I'd already stated I wanted to replace the old one.
Checking a water heater's age is something anyone can do online, I might add, and I did and it's super old... What a surprise...!!!
Yet now, a week later, after sending Ken the info he insisted on.
Ken has failed to even get back to me.  Which is inexcusable, given how obnoxious he was but isn't a huge surprise given his unprofessional attitude.
Clearly Ken just wanted to charge me for an unnecessary visit, and got angry that I didn't fall for it.
If you're reading this review my advice to you is find another plumber.  
Kenny uses bizarre reasoning and argumentation to rationalize his greedy agenda.
Buyer beware.

DO NOT use this company.  I had a leak under my kitchen sink as well as a broken kitchen faucet.  Ken came out to fix the problem.  He replaced the faucet and told us he was sure that he fixed the leak.  After he left, we found that we still had a leak under the sink.  I called him and he came back without issue.  He asked me where the leak was coming from, which is the reason I called him, so he could figure that out. I told him I did not know, but water was gathering in our cabinet below the sink. He fiddled with the faucet and said he fixed the leak.  He left.  A day later we found the leak again.  I let him know we were leaving Tahoe on a Monday and we'd like the work done while we were there.  He didn't call back until Tuesday when we weren't home to meet him (keep in mind when he thought it was new business he called us back right away).  When I finally did reach him, he went off on me. He was angry and shockingly rude.  He had the nerve to tell me that the leak that I called him to fix was not his responsibility to fix, despite charging me over $700 for the visit that took less than two hours.  He was angry and upset with me, saying that I needed to make this job easy for him to fix the leak and I was responsible for diagnosing the issue and pointing out exactly what he was supposed to fix.  He then complained that he had a lot of other jobs to do and wasn't going to waste time coming back to my neighborhood just to fix my problem and he'd only stop by if he was already in that neighborhood (keep in mind I have an active leak that is causing damage to my cabinets).  I was fairly shocked on the phone and I couldn't believe he was speaking to me like this.  This wasn't bad customer service, it was horrible, inexcusable rudeness and a total lack of professionalism.  Rather than let this man back into my house, I was forced to hire someone else to help me, someone who values their clients and treats people with kindness and consideration.  After I told some neighbors about my experience, they told me that they had also heard the same stories from other people about Ken.  I then looked through the reviews and saw that this is not unusual for Ken, I wish I had read the reviews prior to hiring him.  Lastly, his prices are not reasonable, you can do much better with other vendors and have a much more pleasant experience.

Ken lives down the street from me on Sandy way and has helped me twice with the water temperature in the shower and a possible leak which was due to the snow shifting and turning my outdoor spicket on.
He is very responsive helpful and I highly recommend him for plumbing assistance in the Tahoe area

Over charges on the weekend.  Doesn't provide quote up front, charges $900.00+ for less than 1 hour of work on the weekend.  Does not provide itemized invoice.

After seeing my review Ken contacted me and said that he had not responded to me earlier because he was on vacation. We had a dialogue and he ended up sending me a check for $150 and an apology for not resolving my issue, which I appreciate. He asked that I amend my review to reflect his adjustment. I would still highly recommend that people establish hourly rates and minimums, weekend/OT rates and parts costs up front, and especially before providing a credit card. That goes for this and other vendors. I must admit that it was really dumb on my part to provide that card before receiving and reviewing the service provided. I would also suggest to Ken that he provide more detail on his invoices.

I don't know why people rave about this company.  Ken told me they would go out and check my plumbing issue and fit my house in on the work order, as of today I never got a call back from that office, called them a total of 4 times.  Cindy told me today maybe I should get someone else, thanks for helping me out!  I have someone scheduled to  arrive at my house on Friday and they may not have any water.  I would not recommend these people because they are on Tahoe time and not up front.

Recently we found a leak under our sink in our Tahoe Donner home and had to call Ken.  He was there within a few hours and found that our garbage disposal was cracked and needed to be replaced.  It was 15 year old.  We also had discovered a very slow leak in the master bathroom.  When Ken looked at that he noticed that the angle stop valve was also very old and needed replacement.
Ken had repaired our shower faucets a few years ago and then our circulating pump was not working correctly and he fixed that also.  Ken has always been prompt, honest about the problem and very helpful regarding future issues to look out for.  We will continue to call on him for our plumbing needs.

I & S
Tahoe Donner