Butler W F Plumbing

This place is old school! They actually pay attention to showing up on time, doing the job quickly and correctly, being friendly, and then you get a hand-typed bill in the mail sometime after your service. Very reasonable. A family run business. Don't let their lack of internet presence turn you off...they just don't know about it yet!

Our shower handle was leaking into the tub.  Nothing big, just wasting water as it dripped.  We finally decided to get this fixed after a couple months.  My wife called Butler plumbing and asked them to come over to fix the leak.  That's when they made a bad problem worse.  

Their plumber came over and determined that our shower valve cartridge was the culprit.  Unfortunately it was an outdated model so he couldn't replace it.  He decided the next step was to put everything back together and seal up our fixtures - no more leaking into the tub.  Problem is he never fixed the actual problem.  The way to fix the problem was to replace the entire shower valve.  Sure it cost more - but that was our only option.

Now instead of water leaking into our tub, we had water leaking behind our walls and down into our kitchen.  Luckily we are doing some kitchen work and I had an area of the ceiling open.  6 hours after he left we had dripping water into our kitchen.  

When I confronted Butler plumbing on their failure to properly fix the leak, their response was - Your wife told us to fix a leak, not replace the shower valve.  My wife works in IT.  She's not a plumber.  She shouldn't have to diagnosis a plumbing problem.  Butler failed.  So unless you know exactly what you need done - don't expect Butler plumbing to go the next step to actually fix the problem.  In our case, all they did was hide it.

To anyone that says Butler plumbing is a good value, ask yourself - did they actually fix the problem or is it just hidden from view?

To be fair - they did come out the next day after I demanded they fix the leak the right way...

While having a local plumber readily available is great, I am glad to have other options. We were charged for two plumbers (and twice the labor cost) to fix a relatively easy problem, as told to us by other plumbers. Additionally, the finishing touches they did, including calking, were not great quality. I think perhaps they feel like they have a captive audience in the neighborhood. Thankfully, that isn't the case and there are many other plumber options. We've learned our lesson.

I called at 8:00 am and by 9:45 my toilet problem had been fixed. Quick, professional and courteous service at a reasonable price.

V. unpleasant interaction with office staff. Had no interest in trying to help - clearly not interested in helping us with plumbing.

I hired Butler after first calling several plumbers to see what their rates were.  Butler said they charged $118/hr or for a service call.  Since they were close I thought I would go with them. AND I like to support this neighborhood because of the road construction going on now that is hurting businesses.  SOOOOO  I needed a dripping faucet fixed at the basement laundry sink and there was a leak outside which seemed to be coming from my secondary faucet that drained to two outlets further out in my yard.

The guy came with a Apprentice  I watched them work.  The apprentice also just watched.  They were there 35 minutes (a service call as I was told on the phone) the bill?  1.5 hours...$177.  They charged for the apprentice who did nothing.

He replaced the entire faucet in the laundry ($40 at Menards) their charge?  $127.00  for a WOLVERINE BRASS brand faucet.  They will tell you that Wolverine has the best faucets and that is why they use them.  NOT TRUE!  According to an independent rating agency, their faucets are rated 5-6 on a 10 point scale.  They use them because they can mark them waaaayy up and YOU can't buy their parts at a local hardware store if something breaks because Wolverine only sells to plumbers, so you have to call the plumber back!

Final problem.  The outside leak.  They replaced two faucets.  I had pulled back the stones and pre-dug the foundation dirt so they could see them easier but I wasn't sure if the leak was coming from there.  I told him this.  I was hoping he could see a leak.  He installed a new faucet and a lever (instead of a second faucet to the outer lines).  He told me that when I wanted water to the outside lines to leave it up.  He left it up cuz I was going to water the outer gardens.  This was Tuesday, on Friday  I find my basement flooded!!!  I go outside and the terrace is also flooded!  They made the leak worse!  The leak appears to be coming from another place....which I can clearly see.  They never bothered to check to see if the leak was stopped. I waited until Monday to call since it was the weekend.  Tom Butler said (very gruffly) they would get back to me on Wed. that they were busy Monday and Tuesday and that he would have his plumber who did the work call me to find out what was wrong.  I called them on Tuesday to ask when they were coming on Wed. so I could be there...i left a message.  Tom Butler called back and left me a very rude message in a hostile tone...Obviously, you didn't listen to me I said we would get back to you on Wednesday, it's only Tuesday, he said.  He never called Wednesday or Thursday.  I called on Friday and he said I would have to pay for another service call $177/hr.  ....i already have a bill for $342 from them

I agree with everything about the previous review, but I was shocked to have two men show up for a one man job and then be charged over $400 for a little less than an hour of work.  
They were very nice, and I was incredibly happy with their service (until we got the bill) but I wish the bill had been itemized a bit beyond Labor.

Granted, I don't have much experience with plumbers, so maybe this is a completely normal and reasonable charge. Had they itemized the bill so I could see how they'd come to that number, maybe I'd be writing a very different review.

Bottom line, very nice, professional, family owned for generations

Butler Plumbing has done 2 jobs for me in my 1923 house.
Both were completed on time and with no fuss - no muss. I love it when tradesmen/women come on time.
Job 1 - they replaced the 3 gallon pink toilet with a new 1.5 gallon white one.
one year later - Job 2 - they replaced the bathroom sink faucet - and told me why it probably broke.
They do seem pricey - but I did get bids for job 1 and they came in at the same price as others -
SO, I did not even get a bid for job 2 - I just hired Butler. I really feel they are an honest family-run firm. They came out at 8 am and were done at 9 am. and I had a shiny new faucet that did not leak all over the counter.

Now-- if only the water here was not so limey- it would stay clean. sigh.

Butler's was able to send a plumber the day after I called for two (non-emergency) jobs. Completed work within an hour.

They came right away and fixed my leak. I would recommend them.

I lived in Madison for 5 years and we still have our house , now rented. Butler Plumbing are the best and the most honest in Madison. And it's a rare treat. Probably the best and most honest plumbers I met since I live in the US, and to be frank, that should include also France where I come from. Rare are those birds. And for review saying the contrary, I have numerous proofs of multiple estimates where they came lower for the same service or equipment, beyond their punctual and clean service. We still use them for our rental property. Great people. If only we could use their services in Chicago!

These are extremely rude people!! I am remodeling a home in the neighborhood and although I have been making a point to support Monroe St business that are surely hurting during construction I will look elsewhere for any plumbing needs. Their business neighbors should know that they are intimidating bordering on violent with people trying to navigate the construction. I would like to apologize for trying to turn around in their driveway after dropping a car load of people to support Monroe St. I can assure you it won't happen again.  If there is damage to my car you will be hearing from me.