Local business · Stoneham, MALocal business · 130 Central St, Stoneham, MA 02180, USA
Verified record
Typical Greater Boston range for this kind of work, from regional averages — not a quote from Houghton Plumbing & Heating. Use it to sanity-check bids, then get the real number in writing.
Estimated range
$290 – $710
Typical plumbing job around $500
Four generations, and a billing problem. A 2007 Lowell Sun obituary described Houghton Plumbing and Heating as a Stoneham family business in existence since 1886 and run by the Houghton family across four generations. The Better Business Bureau, which grades the company A+ without accrediting it, records the business start as 1985. What customers write about now is money. In a January 2023 review, someone said the work quality was fine but the billing was not: no invoice at the time, then a bill five months later marked final notice, roughly $1,000 for about two hours of one person's work, and no itemized breakdown despite asking for one. A September 2022 reviewer described booking a job with a four-hour minimum for a toilet fill valve, being emailed that one technician would come, then having two show up because they travel in the same vehicle. A June 2024 review is blunter still — that they overcharge and to find someone cheaper. The other side of the file is response time. A December 2023 customer described an immediate emergency call-out that got a building's water back on quickly, with the permanent fix done exactly when promised. A March 2024 commercial customer credited the crew with running projects without supervision. An August 2022 reviewer named Mark for a plumbing leak fixed and said they would call him again. Property managers writing on a condo association site and a local directory tell the same story: called for an emergency, showed up promptly. Google puts the average at 3.4 across 18 ratings, and that split is why. The work itself is rarely what draws the criticism; the invoice is. If you have a burst pipe in a building and need someone who will actually come, this is a shop with a long Stoneham history and a record of turning up. Before they do, get the hourly rate, the minimum billable hours, whether drive time and a second technician are charged, and when the bill will arrive — in writing.
“Houghton came and took care of some emergency issues at our facilty, their response w”
“Houghton came and took care of some emergency issues at our facilty, their response w”
“After his military service, Mr. Houghton returned to Stoneham to join his father in working at the family business Houghton Plumbing and Heating. This business has been in existence since 1886 and operated by the Houghton family for four generations.”
“They overcharge. Find an alternative whose prices are more reasonable.”
“Houghton Plumbing and Heating Inc. in Stoneham MA was contacted and responded promptly to assess the situation.”
They overcharge. Find an alternative whose prices are more reasonable.
We cannot express enough gratitude for the exceptional service provided by Houghton Plumbing & Heating. What sets them apart is their unparalleled professionalism and expertise. One of the most remarkable aspects of working with them is their self-sufficiency; they do not require constant supervision on projects. Houghton Plumbing & Heating operates with a level of autonomy and responsibility that is truly commendable. From the moment they take on a project, we can trust that they will handle every aspect with precision and care, without needing to be micromanaged. Their attention to detail is reflected in the fact that everything always passes code inspections with flying colors. It's a testament to their thoroughness and commitment to adhering to the highest industry standards. With Houghton Plumbing & Heating, we have peace of mind knowing that our projects are in capable hands. Their ability to consistently deliver outstanding results without needing to be 'babysat' sets them apart as a top-tier plumbing and heating service provider. We wholeheartedly recommend them to anyone seeking reliable and efficient solutions. Thank you, Houghton Plumbing & Heating, for your dedication and professionalism!
Immediate emergency response. They had building water back on in a very reasonable amount of time. They had the problem fixed later exactly when they said they would.
While the quality of the work was fine, the business and billing practices of Houghton are terrible and shady. After offering to pay when the services were provided, we were told we’d get a bill. It never came. We finally got a bill 5 months later indicating it was the final notice. For roughly two hours of minor work by one person we were charged roughly $1000!! We asked for an itemized bill, which we still had never received, because the charges seemed high. We were told we were also charged for drive time, but still never received the itemized bill, or even information on an hourly rate. (Being charged for travel time was suspect because the person who worked for the company also visited at least two other residences in or around our unit that day. I wonder if they were also charged for the same travel time. Seems like it might not be legal and fall astray of consumer protection laws.) Despite still never receiving the itemized bill we asked for several times, we ultimately paid the bill out of frustration after a few weeks of trying to get answers. A week after we paid the bill, we learned they turned our account over to collections! Now we have to sort that out because of their shady and incompetent business practices. I cannot say clearly enough: do not use this company. You will regret it. I’ll put myself through A/C repair school before I’ll ever hire them again.
Our toilet fill valve stopped working. We made an appointment with the company. The minimal is 4 hours work because the water has to be shut down for the whole building. We agreed. The company EMAILED us that they would send one technician. But at 9:20am, two technicians showed up! They told us that they have two in the same vehicle, therefore 2 technicians. I called the office right away and insisted that I only needed one technician to work on my fixing. They eventually agreed. The job was finished before 11am. Therefore the technician was here less than 1 hour and 40 minutes. But they billed us 4.5 hours, not the minimal 4 hours. We understand that they do charge travel time. But the travel time more than 2 hours?
Specializes in
Also offers
Languages
Added 7 new comments, added 5 new photos, established rating 3.0
4.6457 reviews
4.5481 reviews
4.5390 reviews
4.5103 reviews