Alewife Co
Local business · 254 Prospect St, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
Their work
1 photoVerified record
- Not rated by the BBB
- 5 reviews in the last 6 months
- 1 work photo
Highlights
- Below-estimate pricing — several reviewers say the final bill beat the quote
- Long-tenured clientele — many describe using them for a decade or more
- Named technicians praised — recent reviews single out specific plumbers by name
- Slow follow-up — a 2026 review reports a week of silence on a repair request
- Condescending service — a 2026 review describes a plumber talking down to the homeowner
- Missed arrival window — a directory review flags a no-show during the scheduled time
Alewife Co has been repairing pipes, boilers, and fixtures out of Cambridge for decades — Dun & Bradstreet dates the company to 1983, and the Better Business Bureau separately counts 45 years in business, putting its start closer to 1980. Either way it's a long-tenured, small operation at 254 Prospect St, and its own site describes full-service plumbing, heating, and construction work across Cambridge and Greater Boston. It carries a 4.2-star average from 43 Google ratings. This spring, reviewers named names. Frank hooked up a new gas dryer line, swapped in a toilet flush button, and serviced a boiler by replacing two valves that one customer says has run efficiently ever since. Another homeowner had a toilet replaced along with a repipe job that came in under the original estimate. Those wins sit alongside two rougher recent calls: one customer says a request to fix one issue and quote a second went unanswered by phone and email for a week, and another describes a plumber turning condescending mid-repair on an old bathtub faucet. Longer-tenured customers describe using the company for a decade or more, a pattern that stretches back well beyond this year's reviews. Alewife isn't accredited by the Better Business Bureau, and the Bureau doesn't have enough on file to issue it a rating — worth knowing if third-party accreditation matters to you. A Birdeye reviewer also flagged a missed arrival window as a sore point, so pin down the appointment time before the truck is scheduled. For routine Cambridge-area plumbing and heating work from a shop with a long paper trail, Alewife is a reasonable call — just get clear expectations in writing for callback response times, given this year's two complaints.
Read the comments
Most recent comments
- 5.0Mar 25, 2026
Frank was terrific. he hooked up new gas dryer to gasline and also installed new toilet flush button i had procured from Monique's on his advice. His last visit, he serviced my boiler including replacing two valves. it has never run so efficiently as this winter. THANK YOU, FRANK!
— Robin ParmeleeView on Google Reviews ↗ - 2.0Mar 15, 2026
In the past I've had decent experiences with Alewife Co and recommended them to others. Unfortunately my most recent experience will be the last.<br><br>I asked them to come out a fix 1 issue and quote the repair of another. It's been a week and I've reached out via phone and email and they've given zero response. The work quality might be good but the communication is terrible.
— Morgan StaplesView on Google Reviews ↗ - 5.0Mar 5, 2026
Mike is the best! Need plumbing service at your property? Highly recommend calling Alewife Co.
— Jack LiederView on Google Reviews ↗ - 1.0Feb 9, 2026
The plumber (Greg or Craig) came over to fix the faucet in the bath tub and told me he'll need to replace it and I said sounds good call me if you need something and I went to the living room to work.<br><br>He calls me and shows me the detached faucet and tells me something and I said "that's a lot of calcium buildup" and the guy says "the house is old" and goes on and says something about the door frame which I don't really understand. I told him "the house is old and you can feel the floor slanted" and the guy goes "the house is settling in" and somehow become condescending and lecture me to say "if you want to live in a new place go live in a new place" and I'm thinking what is this guy talking about.<br><br>He continues to say things in an aggressive and condescending ways and I'm just thinking how bizarre this situation is. Having to tolerate this rude and unpleasant person. Just unprofessional and unpleasant. Guarantee this is not the first time the person acted like this and most likely not the last time either.
— Yu MIyaView on Google Reviews ↗ - 5.0Feb 4, 2026
I've been using Alewife for years. They have always done great work. I recently had a new toilet installed that also required repiping and the final cost came in below their estimate.
— Merrill SheaView on Google Reviews ↗
Specializes in
Also offers
Languages
Update history
Added 24 new comments, added 1 new photo, license now expired, established rating 3.6
- state registry now shows the registration lapsed
- behind the score: Slow follow-up — a 2026 review reports a week of silence on a repair request