Preston Kraus

I engaged Fred Smith Co. at the recommendation of my super, even though I was concerned, given the poor reviews.  When I called for an appointment, they could only give me a 10 am to 2 pm window as they save the early ones for emergencies, according to the rather curt dispacher.  However he told me to call at 8:30 that morning to get a narrower time.  I did and they narrowed it to 12 to 2.  However, in about  an hour or so they called back and said they could send someone immediately.  They did and Brett showed up in less than 10 minutes.  The issue was the temp control on my shower was barely moveable and if you turned it just a few millimeters the water temp went from cold to scalding.  He understood the problem, took it apart, went and got the replacement parts (luckily I live within walking distance of the supplier) and fixed it 1-2-3.  He was polite and friendly and efficient.  He gets a 5 star rating.  The only reason I didn't give the company a 5-star rating was the markup on the parts.   I think a 50% is reasonable, but 100% (or close to it) is a bit much!  But I would DEFINITELY use them again.

I recently had a steam steel convector radiator replaced by Don of Fred Smith Plumbing.  Don came to my apartment on time and did an excellent job, had a very professional manner, was obviously extremely experienced and an expert who could be trusted. Both Don and his helper were very mannerly, which I do respect and appreciate.  I do believe Fred Smith does a lot of big jobs for big clients, the City, etc., emergency work, etc.; and, if you are an apartment owner with a smaller job like mine, you may need to have Zen-like patience and persistence to make the job go forward from initial contact, estimate, revised estimate, to scheduled work. I believe it is worth it because Fred Smith is established and headquartered in Manhattan for over 100 years; and, they can quickly and easily provide your building manager with proof of adequate insurance coverage. Both of these features are very important.

i had to give a major shout out to this company.  They actually have been in business for 100
years!  so obviously they must be doing something right.
I had some major issues with my bathroom sink and tub , broken pipe etc.  My handyman called them and they sent 2 amazing guys over that were so knowledgeable ,  friendly , patient and
just the best professional guys i ever had in my apartment.  they took control of the situation
and spent a decent amount of time fixing etc. Double checking to make sure everything was
in working order.  When they finally finished I took a look and honestly there was not
a drop of dirt or mess,  actually they cleaned my bathroom better than i would have.
Just truly top notch workers.  I am recommending them to my friends and family and
anyone who wanted a trusted well done job done by very professional workers.

I would give a zero if there is such option.  We need to fix the faucet.  While we have communicated with the contractor that he would bring all necessary parts, he showed up empty hands and demanded us paying him time money to go buy the parts. He took apart our faucet, causing a worse leaking in the kitchen, and demanded $150 for doing damages to our kitchen. Do NOT use them!

ZERO STARS!  NO-SHOW!

I was extremely disappointed with a last minute cancellation at 12:00 Noon for today's 10a-2p appointment, I find it incredibly unprofessional and unacceptable.  They simply left a voicemail saying they got too busy with other jobs.
Hmm...that seems a bit contradictory to their website where they state [their] reputation has been built on high quality, fairly priced service...On never having to make excuses.
My wife and I made arrangements, not only moving our schedules around but also everything under both our sinks in advance of what we thought would be an agreed upon appointment.  
They came well recommended by our well-connected broker at Corcoran Real Estate, and seemed to have it together by how quickly they turned around a COI that named us and our building management, but alas, no play no pay!

If I could give ZERO stars, I would. They didn't show up or call during the promised timeframe THREE TIMES during the past two weeks. I was nuts to keep rescheduling after I called them when they didn't show up. They are very nice on the phone, which is why I kept giving them another chance, but that's useless if they don't show up. Worse, they don't even call to say the promised timeframe was a lie.

I've used this company twice in the 18 months since I moved to my condo on the UES. Both times they've been quick to accommodate me, and thorough and very reasonably priced. Last month I returned from a hiking/river rafting trip with 30 lbs of filthy, sandy clothes and soon my laundry room sink was broken. They sent the very kind Ricardo who fixed everything fast and cleaned up after!
These people are fair and polite. I'm grateful for them.

Repair guy was supposed to come install toilet that had to be purchased because they diagnosed my old toilet as broken. Made appointment and was given 3 hour window on 2 consecutive days and no one showed up. Horrible, do not make an appointment with them if you need it kept.

This process is still ongoing. I called the company several weeks ago. The estimator showed quite late, after follow-up phone calls, on 8/13/16 and gave a price of $350 for one unit Kohler San Souci Touchless Comfort toilet replacement. When the toilet arrived on 8/18/16.  I made contact with them and they arranged the installation date on 8/22/16. They told me that the price is $450. I challenged the quote because I was told it was $350. Since I already invested time and energy I went along with it. Yesterday and today 8/22/16, I spent a lot of preparation to clear the hallway as well as the bathroom, as well as cleaning the toilet. I called at 8:30 AM today to confirm the promised arrival time between 10 and 2. The person told me that he wasn't sure about the time. I called  at about 2 and he told me that he can't make it today. I stayed home to meet with the installer and that means no income since I'm an independent consultant at 70. However, on their side they didn't lose money. I was told that they will try to do it tomorrow 8/23/16. I asked what time. He told me to call at 8:30AM otherwise I guess they will not call me. It sounds like it's their usual business practice. They were not really apologetic about the inconvenience they have caused. Let's see what the customer's experience will be tomorrow.

Addition:
Unfortunately, when I called exactly at 8:30 AM Mike, after a long pause,  told me that it could be scheduled in the afternoon. I was able to find another plumber who did the installation with COI the same day.

I called Fred Smith plumbing for information on a toilet leak issue. I explained what was happening and (I cant remember his name) the person who answered the phone answered my questions and clarified the issue. I am waiting for my landlord to agree to fix it and I will recommend using this company. Regardless- I was so grateful for the information  so I knew what was going on.

Complete joke of a company. Called to make an appointment based on building recommendation and the earliest they could come was two weeks out. Called me that morning to say a bunch of their people called out sick and said they need to reschedule for 3 days from then--not the next day or day after. On the rescheduled day they were no where to be seen. Called and dealt with two awful people who were incredibly rude and said they couldn't come for another 2 days. Stay away from this company at all cost.

Let me start off by saying if I could give zero stars I would. I am not too smart in that i did not check out YELP reviews prior to hiring Fred Smith Plumbing at the recommendation of my building resident manager. After calling multiple times to set up a visit to do my work they finally came after requiring  a up front credit card . I reluctantly did so. My mistake again. They came first time and charge me $215 fee for 15 minute visit saying that they did not have the parts and they would have to come again. OK... I set up another appointment, wait an no show. No show after I called that morning to confirm that they would be here in the afternoon. They said YES they are coming. I take off work to be here. NO SHOW .. I call again and they claim they have NO record of my request. I say they are FIRED,

I put a claim into American Express and they investigate and say too bad I have to pay!! What??? DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY!!!

I am off to write any reviews I can do to stop these CROOKS and Frauds. Calling Better Business now.
Good LUCK!

Have used them twice, both times unpleasant.  They quote you different rates each time, and then make up another one (higher, of course) after the fact.
The second time they came they tried to charge 1.5 hours of labor for 15 minutes of work.  Argued with them for weeks until they finally agreed to refund 0.5 hours of it. Horrible experience.

Believe the reviews! I called Fred Smith Plumbing because they did a lot of work in my building and I had an emergency. despite the reviews.  While they repaired this job, they removed another valve so they could show me the part I needed. They made me go get the part myself so as to save the 200% mark up costs - I thought the guy was at lunch in the meantime but they ended up charging me for the hour wait while he sat around outside. Anyway, the part they removed and put back started leaking the week after. They tried to tell me I have to pay extra to have them come back because it was not the original repair even though it was fine before they touched it.  When I complained, they said I would never be able to use their services again in the future. As if I would every call them again!

I read the bad reviews but since my building manager gave me this name (and I didn't know who else to call) I just thought I would give them a chance.  The service person came over and basically told me I need a new part and they don't carry them so I would have to buy my own and call them to come back again. Then he gave me a $300 bill for just showing up to take a look and not doing anything.  $300 just to come and take a look and let me know he was unable to repair it?

This firm was recommended by our building manager and after several attempts to stop by and see what the scope of work they finally came on October 6th and walked the job with the building manager. We set up to do the work Thursday October 15th. They were supposed to send an estimate and proceed with the work as the building scheduled a water shutdown. I call Monday, for the estimate and to confirm the job on Thursday. I was told that the estimate was not ready but the job was still scheduled. Called Tuesday you will have the estimate tomorrow and nothing. I call back Wednesday after not receiving the estimate and was told that they decided not to do the work after wasting two weeks of NYC construction time which is an eternity I not have to start from the beginning. The lack of professionalism and the lack of follow-up is beyond comprehension.
SAVE YOUR TIME AND MONEY AND LOOK ELSEWHERE AS THESE GUYS ARE A JOKE.

I had a clogged sink on a Saturday and the pipes under the sing started leaking when I tried using a plunger on the sink. Despite the reviews in Yelp, I called Fred Smith. The plumber came quickly and and fixed everything in half and hour. He was pleasant, knowledgable and clean. Yes, Smith is expensive but it was on overtime.
I would use him again.

Inept at follow through! Scheduled a visit w Freddie 2x, and he never showed up. If you have a serious need to be attended to by an expert, call someone else.

More of the same...came out for an estimate same day. Scheduled repair for three days later. Never showed, gave excuses when called, delayed for two full days, said they had other emergencies and employees out on vacation, finally said maybe next week. Completely disrespectful of customers' time.

Update: ended up hiring Petri Plumbing & Heating for this job. They were professional, showed up at scheduled time, and completed the job in 5 hours. I highly recommend them.

Wish that I had read all the negative reviews.

Seemed like they sent their most novice plumbers for my 1st time job!!

They don't show up for hours and don't call to tell you delayed.

Finally show up late afternoon, start working, and then tell you they get overtime after 4pm,

so they clean up and return next day (they charge a transport charge of $92 for each day!!! plus $182/hr!!)

and waste more time setting up and cleaning up!  Show No Concern for
working economically or efficiently!!!

Seemed like they sent their most novice plumbers for my 1st time job!!

Both days they ask you to sign a blank receipt at the bottom and say they will fill in afterwards!!

Would you sign a blank check????

My Super, who is very sharp, says that they they unnecessarily changed too many parts and broke open more  of the wall than required!

At nearly $200/hr, they spent too much time talking and taking breaks.

Imagine they send their more experienced plumbers for their retainer customers, not for new one-time user!

Richard came to our apartment to fix 3 kitchen valves.. he was on time and thorough.. he noticed my dishwasher hose was not hooked up correctly and fixed it as well..
I always appreciate good service when the service provider goes above and beyond ehat the required task is..
Thank you!

Fred Smith is the plumber for our building. They may treat the building well. BUT, for work for shareholders, they are a nightmare.They don't arrive when expected (six hours late is not acceptable with no communication). Then, arrived so late that the job could not get done that day. Then told me that I said one faucet. No, I said TWO. If I bought TWO faucets, I would have said two.Nothing is communicated via email. They use notes and you can find it impossible to talk to the same person. But, the real nightmare started when the plumber broke the porcelain sink when replacing the first faucet. Needed to order a replacement sink. Not their fault that this took weeks to get. BUT, they did break the sink (the old caulking could have been heated to ease removal of the old faucet. brute force can break a sink). There were many follow-up calls, too many. I had to bird dog the arrival of the replacement sink (they had ordered). Then, the bill. Rather than charging me for the real work. They attempted to triple the bill. The plumber literally changed invoice after I signed! He forgot to write down the replacement sink. It is illegal to change an invoice after a customer signs. Fortunately, I had already copied the invoice and could prove that they did this. I then wrote on the invoice 'under reservation of rights. My building attempted to intervene here. After hours of negotiations, they agreed to a reasonable bill ($1k vs. $3k).
The owner (it's easy to find his name) has a great gig going. He's built a huge business. They should invest in modern systems,  and respect the customers. I will never use them again. I have identified and have now used other capable plumbers since this story. I don't care that Fred Smith is the plumber to the stars and is highly rated in The Franklin Report. I just want good work done.

Called over a week ago to schedule an appointment for a leaking faucet.  They were quick to take my American Express to start a job ticket for one week later but when the day arrived they cancelled at the last minute due to other emergencies (whereby they get more money).  Totally disappointing!  Would never recommend them in good faith!  Don't Call!

Don't waste your time.  you'll make an appointment, they won't come. So you reschedule, they won't come again. They promise you the moon and deliver you nothing!

Here are the facts; you make the judgment:  On a recent job serviced by Fred Smith I needed to replace a leaking cut off valve under my bathroom sink. Because two valves were visible, and the plumbing old, I agreed to have both valves replaced. The first thing the plumber did was to cut my pipes with a Sawsall - before even trying to use existing threads.  That was the quick and easy fix but not a conservative one, and one that makes later plumbing service more problematic.  He replaced the valves, but when he left one tap, the formerly sound one, was twisting freely before opening or closing the valve. The plumber secured the valve and left - but that fix lasted only until the first use.  The hardware below the sink was now twisting with use, flexing the connectors and loosening bolts - causing a leak.  I called to have a Fred Smith plumber come back to address the problem.
 
The next Fred Smith plumber, providing service without incremental charge, was able to fix the twisting problem and consequent leak below the sink but, when he left, there was a drip from the faucet that he said could not stop.  He told me that I would have to replace the taps and faucet or rebuild the existing ones.
 
Having learned a pricey lesson about the significant, undisclosed mark-up on parts (from the valve replacement), I acquired the necessary faucet and taps myself and then asked Fred Smith to install the replacement hardware to fix a leak that had not been there before they played with my plumbing.  They refused to do so without charging me for additional installation time and disclaimed any responsibility for the issue.  They did however agree to waive the service fee.   I accepted the offer because any other plumber I might have retained would have charged something akin to the service fee on top of labor.  

Had that gone as planned, it would have cost me approximately $400 in additional fees for installation (per the time estimate of yet another Fred Smith Plumber).  The third Freed Smith plumber arrived on time to install the new faucet.  Upon reviewing the current taps and faucet he said replacement was likely unnecessary, and that a washer replacement might do the job.  The washer was replaced in an hour.  That was what the second plumber was supposed to have done without incremental charge.  

For the third visit I was charged another $135.00 - but that was much preferred to the approximately $400 of time charges that would have been required to replace hardware per the erroneous advice of the second plumber.  The $135.00 charge included parts: $2+ for the twenty cent washer and $2+ for the twenty five cent booties to keep the premises clean and a slightly increased hourly rate than on the first visit.  

By my estimate (and I have done home repairs for decades), the parts installed by Fred Smith and charged to me were significantly more than doubled in cost from the retail price charged by the local supplier (and Fred Smith presumably does not pay retail).  No mark-up was disclosed to me when I was told by Fred Smith that I would be charged parts and labor, nor was I told in advance about any service fee.

The work of Fred Smith clearly triggered the faucet drip (I had had none in the prior 30 years) and in my opinion the drip should have been fixed without incremental charge.  If I had simply replaced the one leaky valve, I would have paid approximately $185 ($65 service fee, $45 parts and $75 time) and had a fully functional sink free of leaks and drips.  On Fred Smith's advice I replaced two valves and instead paid $540 to achieve the same functional result, and had to first purchase and then return new taps and a faucet.  I need not characterize this service; you can draw your own conclusions from these facts and act accordingly.  

On a positive note, Fred Smith Plumbers were invariably polite, highly confident, and neat in their work.  Earlier experience with Fred Smith was far more satisfactory, but those days may be in the past.

I've used them before for past work, and their work was adequate.  I can't say whether or not they are expensive because I don't know what other plumbers cost.  This last time, I made an appointment with a three-hour window, which is fine because I understand the nature of their business. However, they did not call to say that they were running late close to the end of the first window (12pm), so I called and they said that they should come within one or two hours.  And so I waited until after 2pm and called again.  Since they were not on their way and could not say that they would be over within a reasonable time (they did not offer a new ETA), I decided to cancel.  I do not mind paying for good service - I just need to get it first.

Another thing that I found strange was that they asked my for my credit card information over the phone when I called to make the appointment, even though they said that they would not charge me until after the work has been inspected and repaired.

Needless-to-say, I shan't be calling them again and will recommend to our COOP Board and building management that we need to find some other reliable company for our plumbing needs that can not be done by our superintendent.

I used Fred Smith Plumbing and Heating at the recommendation of the Super of my building and I'm so glad I did.  They removed an old bathroom vanity and installed a new one (and new fixtures).  The job went faster than estimated and they did a top notch job.  They even tighten a loose shower handle and kitchen faucet while they were there. Did I mention they did all of this during July 4th week?!   I would definitely recommend them to anyone looking for excellent plumbers in NYC.

Looks like we aren't the only ones to have an appointment disregarded.  Without going into too much detail - I booked them 3 weeks out for what I was told would be the first appointment of the day, and this is after having had 2 prior visits to get an estimate and to be absolutely clear on the scope of work that needed to be done to fix our leak and replace some hardware.

After numerous phone calls I can tell you their customer service is terrible.  Do not use this company if you cannot spend 12 hours sitting in your apartment hoping someone might show up for your appointment. And if you do schedule them be prepared to call every 30 minutes for updates on when someone is coming.

I would give them zero stars. They never showed up when they said they would to fix my toilet. When they did show up they sent trainees who did more damage than harm and several of their visits they did absolutely nothing. The owner Phil never gets involved when there are problems with clients. If my super wasn't involved, I would never have gotten a refund.

The plumber who finally came was courteous, professional, and did a fine job in fixing my shower.  However, the office's procedure for appointments needs repair.  I got a window of 9am-2pm and was told that I would be called and the eta would be adjusted.  However, I was never called.  I called the office twice and was told the plumber was on his way.  He did show up at 2:30pm.  It is unacceptable to keep customers waiting 5plus hours for service.  F. S. needs to tighten up their appt. procedures and keep customers informed of eta's.  Do not make customers a prisoner in their own apt. while they wait for service!

Recommended by building, showed up on a Friday to give an estimate on a small job - replacing kitchen sink cutoff valves -  but now it's almost a week later and no estimate. I can't speak to their plumbing work, but the fact that they can't get us a simple estimate on time is enough for me.

Crooks. They told my super that the flooding in the apartment beneath mine was caused by the flange in my toilet being broken and needed to be replaced. I called other (and honest) plumbers who said it only needed to be replaced if there was visible flooding in my apartment and a stench (there was neither.). My insurer sounded dubious also.  When they came to do the repair they spent hours sitting on the bathroom floor doing nothing (I was being charged hourly.). I was billed $855 and of course there is still flooding downstairs.  And I took before and after pictures of the flange and there is no difference.  They will rob you blind.  Don't use them.

I called Thursday morning before 10am as my Kitchen sink needed to be checked out. I told them it was urgent. They assured me someone would come today, or if not today then Friday latest. Called back to check Thursday 2pm when no one had arrived or called to say they were coming. They said it will definitely be Friday. Friday comes, again I sat at home all day waiting. At 1pm I called to confirm they would come today. THEY SAID YES DEFINITELY. Received a call at 3pm Friday saying no one would come until Monday. APPALLING!! NOW GOING 4 DAYS WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO USE A KITCHEN SINK

I don't get all the negative reviews of Fred Smith plumbing: in my dealings with them, they have been courteous, timely, and very highly skilled.   A few years back we had the firm install Japanese Toto toilets.  They got it right the first time, and there have been no problems at all -- some other people I know have had trouble finding plumbers who can deal with this slightly exotic product.   This week, we had the firm in to install a new faucet.   The workman came at the start of the four hour window, after I had called and requested an early call if possible.  He installed the equipment quickly, made sure that I understood how it operated, and left everything (except the new faucet) exactly as he found it.   I will have no questions about calling this firm in future when I need plumbing help.

I hired Fred Smith Co to fix a small but crucial plumbing problem that rendered my bathroom useless. My building's manager suggested the company and gave me the phone number, which I called immediately.  This was on Thursday:  Fred Smith told me that no plumbers were available that afternoon, or on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, or Monday, but - lucky me! - a plumber with the specialized expertise to complete my job would come to my home on Tuesday between 10am and 2pm.

I waited at home all day and nobody came to fix the bathroom.  Nobody arrived and nobody from Fred Smith contacted me to explain or to apologize.

Instead, when I called at 2pm to ask why no plumber had come to do the job I'd called about last week, I received plenty of excuses (it rained this morning! there is traffic in the city during business hours!) but no visit from a plumber.  I was told to wait, because eventually someone was sure to come, even if it took a bit more time.

So, I waited. Nobody came: I waited from 10am until 4pm (a waste of 6 hours) and I never heard from Fred Smith.

Eventually, I called the company and spoke to someone who inadvertently told me the truth:

Nobody had been assigned to complete the job I had booked with Fred Smith 5 days in advance.  All the talk about Fred Smith sending a plumber who has the particular expertise  to fix my specific problem was nonsense.  Instead, I learned this: the ticket for your job is still on the board, but since nobody has picked it up, (by then it was after 3:30pm), you shouldn't expect anyone to come today.

Long story short, Fred Smith's plumbers have no interest in taking a small, urgent (though non-emergency) job, because large, messy emergencies pay so much more.  Though it will cost me hundreds of dollars for what ends up being a few minutes of work, a plumber who responds to Fred Smith's ticket-system gets only a small portion of that fee.  

Even the fact that clients provide their credit card numbers - allowing the company to charge clients full-price if a plumber arrives and nobody is home to let him into the house - isn't enough of an incentive to get plumbers to honor Fred Smith's obligations.

I will not call Fred Smith in the future, and I will make sure that the company is not recommended to anyone in my building who happens to need a plumber.

TWO MONTHS AGO TODAY, a supervisor was sent to assess a basic pipe leak. Smith has done work for years for our building and thus their supervisor should perhaps know what he is looking at. finalized a bid then somehow realized that he FORGOT to factor in the cost of dealing with connecting to the main line. Though they seem completely unable to return a call, whenever I called, the person who answered the phone assured me the bid was coming in a day or day. TWO MONTHS AGO TODAY. Guess what- nothing. Completely disappeared. Since we live in a pre war and they are familiar with our building, I've tried using them in the past. Results have been completely pot luck. One plumber who was quite competent fixed a previous pipe leak. Others who came to fix some basic plumbing issues, not only often didn't fix the issue but made it worse. They when you try and get it fixed correctly, those answering the phone at their office give you attitude and bluster. In this case I asked for the plumber who was pleasant, professional and competent and was told couldn't be assigned. Shared this experience with members of our board and the super, but thought others should know about their 'competence'. Good news is they forced be to find a pleasant, professional and competent plumber, so I'll never have to use Fred Smith again. Don't you love happy endings!

UPDATE 10/27/2017 - It's not an anomaly.  I've used them 3 times now (moved into old apt...everything has now been replaced or repaired)...and each time they have been professional and responsive.  I just got off the phone with the owner...no, it's not Fred...it's Phil...to thank him for a great team.  They are no fly by night.  They have over 80 plumbers they dispatch every day and a team inside who help their field guys find and get the right part to you (HUGE - knowing that most of these old apt's have nothing but expired, hard to find parts everywhere).   I can't tell you how much I appreciate knowing I have these in the hood when I need plumbing help.  Thanks Phil...and Mike...and Steve...and Gustavo!

Original post: Wow!  I was surprised to see how few stars these guys had when I logged on to type this...because I just had a GREAT experience.  I just called Fred Smith at the recommendation of the concierge of our building (Astor Terrace) as I'm new to the neighborhood.  They gave me a simple hourly quote and were available within a couple days, which was required to schedule an entire part of the building water shut off for the work.  My only complaint was that they were 2 hrs late to the job without a call that they'd be late...and I had to call them twice.  BUT, once Mike got here...he was great.  He coordinated (and directed) the building maintenance guys telling them what to do and when (Mike was very professional and knowledgeable regarding exactly what needed to be done...more than the building guys).  The job involved replacing 3 master valves and replacing a complex kitchen faucet and shower cartridge (mechanism controlling water flow).  He did this all in less than 2 hours.  PERFECT.  I would call them back in a minute and highly recommend them (at least Mike, for sure).

Highly recommend Fred Smith.

I used them to fix a non-working sink. They helpfully identified a local retailer where I could purchase a replacement sink (the sink was an unusual model, difficult to find online) and then installed the new sink with no fuss, no mess, on time and with professional service and results.

Yes they cost a little $ but they are courteous, respectful and professional

Concur with the bad reviews.  Stayed home from work ---- appt for 9 am to 12 noon-- never showed and never called.  I telephoned and they told me that they probably could not make appointment.

If I could leave less than one star I would.  I called them to fix a plugged drain,  and to replace a broken p trap.  they came and replace the p trap, charged 308.00  The next morning I went out of town and returned several weeks later.  Upon my return I found my drain solidly blocked no water would drain at all.  I called to tell them and asked if they would come and fix it.  They told me someone must have been in my apartment and blocked the drain I laughed as I live alone.  They refused to come and fix it. I had to pay someone else to snake the drain.  They are not even remotely reputable.

After coming back to redo a repair on a simple shower valve stem we were told they needed to tear down a wall. Building super intervened and stopped that nonsense.

Rescheduled and fixed problem ... For a few weeks. Oh, we didn't pay?? ... oh, you do have our credit card. Hmmm, put it through like we told you when we gave it to you. Ah, good. Reschedule. And no show. Reschedule. And no show. 3rd time they called (half hour after the 3 hour appointment time slot) and said ... wait for it ... Have to reschedule.

Do they only work with the unemployed who have nothing to do but hang around waiting for them?  Jeeze I couldn't recommend this place if your pipes burst and they were moored in the hallway with an Ark.

Unfortunately, I had a negative experience with this provider.  My super recommended this company to get a quote for some heating work.  I called them up, made an appointment for them to come in on a Friday between 10-11am and they never showed up.  I called them up after waiting at home for an hour, and they unapologetically told me that they could not come until after 3pm.  Since I have a job, I couldn't just wait around all day for them so I rescheduled for the following Friday at 3pm.  On Thursday, the night before my second scheduled appointment, I received a call from the company telling me that they do not service my building / area (I live in Chelsea) and they were canceling the appointment.  When I asked them why they didn't tell me this the first time I called them, they had no response.  Given that my super was the one that gave me their contact and has used them before, that reasoning doesn't make much sense.  Perhaps they work well for others, but the customer service for me was awful: a no show followed by a canceled appointment.  Best of luck.

This is not the company to call if you are just a person in an apartment with a plumbing problem.  They have much bigger clients who will always come first.  If you're just one apartment they won't show up and they won't tell you and they won't care.  But they're supposed to be good for bigger, more expensive jobs.

I had my shower diverter replaced in September. It is now June and its failing. Diverters should last an average of 10 years. Before I had it replaced, Fred Smith company charged me for a plumbers assessment who said that there was nothing wrong with the diverter and didn't need replacing.
Unfortunately I trusted a company untrustworthy in this regard and cannot recommend their services.

I wish I read the reviews before I asked my building super for a plumber. They must have an in with the building managers. If you are on YELP you have probably already been ripped off by this company. Beware this company!!! If your experience is anything like mine you will be very sorry you called them. They take your credit card before they show up and then they don't show and charge you!!!
I was charged for work that was no done bc they did not show up for the appointment! It was an active leak and if it wasn't for another plumber who fixed things in short order the apartment below me would have been flooded. Don't let your building manager let these people into your home for any reason. Not to give a bid and certainly not to do work!. Somehow they bill you through your building even after your credit card company credits you back for work not performed. I am furious!!!! Now I get to fight with my building manager and management company. This company is the worst!  BEWARE!! They are crooks.

Be warned!  Will charge you $75 right off the bar for travel expenses no matter where they''re coming from, and likely charge over $180 for about 5 mins of work.  Meanwhile took they over 36 hrs to actually show even though they had quoted an arrival time of between 1-2 hrs. Customer service on the phone was also extremely rude and unprofessional!  Find a different plumber unless you want to be robbed blind!

Fred Smith's arrived very quickly on a Friday afternoon to address an issue I had with my bathroom after the boiler in my bldg was shut down and water restored.  They did not want to take unnecessary risks on a Friday evening so they assured me they would return first thing on Monday.  On Monday morning, Kevin, helped me get everything organized and reassured me that whatever I needed would be done to restore the water in my bathroom ASAP.  He sent Andy my way and in minutes he addressed the problem and the water is running even better then it did before the issue.  Thank you so much!!

Fred Smith Plumbing should be your first and last call when you need a plumber. The company is fantastic. I bought my own bathroom sink, pedestal and faucet online - making a mistake with almost every purchase. My plumber Mike got on the phone and resolved all the issues in record time, saving the need for a second trip. When he was able to get to work, the results were perfect. More about Mike - he was courteous, clear about the issues and what was needed to accomplish the job. He used his professional discount to get me a reduced price on one of the new parts, saving me a great deal of money. Bottom line - this is the place.

I'm not a licensed plumber, but I had to hire Fred Smith because the work required a shut-off in the whole building. Fred Smith wouldn't come to look at the job without my first coughing up my cc #. I needed a shutoff valve replaced, and was then gouged for parts. They charged me $151 for a shutoff valve. (And $31 for solder.) These prices make the Pentagon's $900 hammer seem like a bargain. They seem to be taking advantage of helpless NYers who don't know about plumbing or what the parts cost.

DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY!  My building forced me to use them during my recent kitchen renovation and I regret it every day. The job was to move our kitchen gas line 12 to the right to accommodate our new kitchen lay out.

To start it took them 3 weeks to get me a quote for the job and that was after one no show for a scheduled appointment. When the estimate did come in it was twice what my contractor had quoted. I called and ask them to send me a more detailed quote as theirs only included a price with very little description. The man on the phone gave a response that could summed up as a verbal shoulder shrug.

When work was supposed to begin they did not show that day and did not notify me they would not be coming. There excuse was weather emergencies and that they were not taking on any new residential work. This happened two other times.

They finally showed at my apartment only to tell me that there was an incorrect permit for the job. At this point it had been well over a month since we first contacted them and two weeks from the start date they had told me. The job was finally completed two weeks after that, but no one called to notify me.

The final straw is that I just checked my credit card statement to find they ended up charging me over 3x the original quote. This was after I had requested a revised estimate multiple times and never received one. I'm seriously debating taking action with the BBB and will be putting a hold on the charge to my card until they can provide suitable documentation on why the cost was so much higher than the quote.

Overall this company lacks any sort of customer service and frankly has questionable business practices. AVOID AT ALL COSTS.

I would give them ZERO stars if Yelp allowed.

Our experience is that these guys churn. Rather than fixing little problems, they conclude that systems are broken and require extensive repairs. Further, it seems to me that they always round up their time charges to increase the bill. I suspect, but can't prove, that they created additional leaks when called to fix a small leak. Avoid these guys.