Rolando installed a new gas wall heater for us. He did excellent work, explained everything, was courteous, patient and friendly. We enjoyed our interactions with him while he completed the install. read more

Temps were down low and it was freezing cold. Anthony was sent to diagnose the problem. He had a look and came back two days later with the parts to make the repair and took care of business. Thankfully, Anthony figured it out the problem. (A second est from another company quoted us for a new heater). Our heater was still plenty good and a repair saved us $1,500!! Appreciate the honest diagnosis and efficient expertise. read more

I called on three different plumbing companies to identify the root cause of a kitchen sink backup. The only company that delivered in a timely, informative, and actionable way was LJ Kruse. I had never used them before and was pleasantly surprised. Gabe explained the issue he identified in a non-condescending and accessible way, then obtained a detailed quote for me which I received by email quickly. I booked the appointment for the two day job, which involved dismantling a deck, removing pavers, breaking up concrete, and connecting the kitchen line to the main line. I then had multiple calendar conflicts and had to reschedule TWICE. Amber helped me both times and was incredibly gracious even though I was making things hard. Excellent customer service. When the timing got sorted, Gabe came out two days in a row to get the work done. He provided regular updates, safety precautions, photos of pre and post work he did underground, then put everything back together to make the area look spotless. Great experience start to finish. read more

We can highly recommend LJ Kruse. We have an old house that needed a new toilet. Because of existing conditions including a radiant heating system the installation was more complicated and their care and diligence to get it right were great. Super service and quality. read more

Richard Marques HVAC representing LJ Kruse, Plumber in Berkeley, CA during week of March 18, 2025, gave me an estimate for a "Carrier" Furnace for my home in the Berkeley Hill where I work as a medical doctor, for $14,500. I replaced this furnace for $4,500. last week. Bay Area consumers should avoid this company. I am told Richard Marques no longer is employed by Kruse. Peter Barglow, MD read more

I was happy to find LJ Kruse about 15 years ago to regularly service my attic furnace and outside air conditioner. So after my nearly 30-year old equipment survived a new roofing job last year, they finally bit the dust a few weeks ago, and I knew exactly who to call! Jordan Shearer was on site the very next morning to assess the problem! HVAC Manager Mike Lewis and his crew Nela Hausia and Jordan set to work within a week; during 3 days of courteous, professional and focused work during a major heat wave, they had my brand-new furnace and air-conditioner fully functional! BTW, these guys are easy to work with and very patient answering all my questions. It's wonderful to have such reliable service close at hand! read more

We've worked with LJ Kruse for years and I can say without hesitation that they are top notch! They do it all -- from our gas-fired boiler radiant heat system, hot water heater, kitchen disposal, and of course routine plumbing issues. They're very clever problem solvers and do excellent work. Customer service is top notch! Hire these guys and you'll never need to look further. read more

I've never liked calling a plumber until I met the L.J. Kruse Company. Had a leaky toilet and they jumped in to fix everything quickly. Gabe was great, he was professional and easy to work with. He explained the issue very clearly, told me how to look for issues in the future. Additionally, he even went into the kitchen to see if there were any issues and just tightened the faucet. I really appreciate him going above and beyond with something so difficult and nuanced like plumbing. Loved supporting local businesses and unionized as well! read more

Cannot recommend these folks enough. Greg was extremely communicative and helpful throughout the process of our boiler replacement (no small job!). He and the rest of the company handled everything smoothly and promptly, and they charged us very fairly. The estimates were clear and everything was explained to us in detail, and we asked a lot of questions! The work was done swiftly, and when something happened that was beyond their control, they were on it immediately and totally resolved the issue. We will definitely be working with LJ Kruze again--they're the real deal! read more

Ask for Ramon! He solved my problem without spending any money and then proceeded to diagnose and fix something else I didn't even notice that was about to become a problem. Family owned and been in the east bay for three generations! read more

Long story short, another plumbing company, let's call them "Below Plumbing," charges us for 3 service calls, The last time saying that the brand new 3 month old highly reviewed kitchen sink which they installed, which is leaking after 3 months, cannot be fixed and we need to buy a new one and have them come out again to install it. Called LJ Kruse, they were communicative, helpful, and sent a competent plumber, who fixed our leak in 10 minutes. Don't hire cheaper plumbers who are training on the job and have no idea what they're doing. It will end up costing you way more in the end because of their inexperience. read more

I just had Rick Kerch from LJ Kruse do an estimate on a new water heater and a diagnostic on a plumbing issue in our master bedroom. He was excellent, trustworthy, and we will definitely be working with this company going forward. I have had two other plumbing companies here and nothing came close to Rick's work. read more

We're customers for 40 years, and can't say enough about them. They go so far above and beyond for their customers, over and over again, including last week. Our old boiler finally gave out - it's winter. I called Will (Kruse), amazing Dave came two days later, and we had a new boiler in a week. This was amazing - it could not have been faster, or better. Five stars all the way - thank you, LJ Kruse. read more

LJ Kruse services our entire building in Emeryville because all units share source plumbing. At the end of last year my heating stopped working after we had the buildings boiler replaced. We contacted LJ Kruse and they sent somebody over quickly. We were told that the fan for our forced air heater needed replacement and the parts would take several weeks to arrive. A couple of months later and we still hadn't heard back... when my husband followed up they said they were still waiting on parts. Fast forward a few more months and the serviceman calls us and says he is in the building for something unrelated and asks to if he can stop by. We were not available. Now when we attempted to follow up shortly afterwards, we get scolded for contacting his personal phone (which he has been using to communicate with us) and told to go through their business number. Now we call LJ Kruse to follow up and we find out they have no record of our service request and never ordered the parts. They ask to send someone new to take a look at our heater. He shows up, spends 5 minutes re-stating the issue and says we will get a call back. It has been a week now. I am afraid we will suffer through this winter without heat because of their negligence. read more

Shout out to Pierre R. of Kruse Plumbing Heating Cooling/L.J. Kruse. Thank you Pierre for taking care of our rental unit - keeping it safe and warm. I could not be present for your Saturday visit, and I also appreciate that you came out on the weekend, but you took care of making sure the heaters were cleaned and maintained. You sent me photos and excellent detailed notes. I will be proceeding with the additional work you recommended and will be a repeat customer of this company. read more

Are these reviews for real? LJ Kruse charged us more than $260/hour in labor plus a $67 travel fee to fix a leak. We are local in Berkeley. They cut through sheet rock and left a gaping hole. Also they never did a water test stating the tenant wasn't home, which could have been easily coordinated. read more

My property manager unfortunately sent a respresentative of Kruse to my rental property. I have a go-to plumber and I was not consulted (a separate review). The tech unclogged three drains and somehow managed to bill me for $938.82, somehow charging for the first item "Quantity 1 - unclog blockage in bathtub drain $340". I think this is unscrupous and I can't understand how any Bay Area company could behave this way and survive. read more

Last year they worked on our central AC system. It cost over $1,000 for the labor but I was happy to have it working again. I have a health condition which makes me sensitive to heat so AC is a necessity for me. Early last week we had problems again and they were scheduled to come on Friday. Friday morning they called to cancel; apparently their only employee that could repair our AC had an emergency. He was able to come today (Monday). After 2 hours ($408) he said there was nothing he could do; they discontinued servicing Carrier AC systems. WTF? Last year we had the same system! Why come to our house and not tell us this news beforehand? I regret we paid...so my only recourse now is to share my experience with others. August 28th edit: I appreciate that Kruse management checks Yelp reviews and wants to repair customer relationships. The situation has been handled appropriately now but it's unfortunate that the technician was not able to communicate the variety of options available to us. We were successful in finding another company and they are currently doing the work. Kruse was able to refund me so I am satisfied. As I originally said, they did good work last year. read more

This company has been a life saver for us. From maintaining our elderly furnace, to fixing a leaky pipe, to finding a way to come and replace our suddenly no- functioning gas shut off with a last minute cancellation so we could turn our heat back on, this winter. They have always had our back. Fair prices. Great customer service. Highly recommend! read more

I called on a Monday for heater repair but I wasn't able to get an appointment until Thursday. They called me back on Tuesday with an available appointment for that day. Then sent a message saying the technician Kelly was on his way. He was professional and knowledgeable. Fix the problem in no time. The didn't try to sell me a new furnace but recommended that I replace it in the very near future. Would highly recommend LJ Kruse. Thank you Mr Kelly. read more

Amazing service. My plumber had an Injury and couldn't do job any longer. called Lacayo who put hot water heater in -2020. Who ghosted us since and real asshole. called Kruse and someone scheduled next day (not an emergency either) Matt the Tech. came out-explained everything said what DIDNT need to happen -called manufacturer -tried a few fixes -one hour service fee and all fixed. we need to watch for if it becomes bigger issue but I will ALWAYS use this company from now on. And yes it's work perfect read more

We use LJ Kruse at our building for interior plumbing services. Great communication from Will and their techs as well. We have had Matt and Ben at our site for various work orders and they have been so wonderful. On time, reliable service and they really do take the time to explain things so you understand the issues and know exactly what steps they're taking to fix it. I don't ever feel like I'm in the dark with them. Great team to work with! I highly recommend. read more

We have radiant heating. Ben, from L J Kruse, came out to inspect it for us. Super nice, knowledgeable guy. He moved everything out of the way, then back again when he was finished and showed us how to clean out the trap. We have peace of mind now and it was well worth it. read more

LJ Kruse is our go-to plumbers for our business. We are a converted warehouse with 38,000 square feet, and they have tackled each plumbing issue we've had with ease, quality work, and professionalism. Specifically, Ramon was so wonderful. He worked extremely efficiently, was very kind and communicative, and we felt great about having him in the space. Highly recommended! read more

In my professional life ( HOA property manager) We always have plumbing issues somewhere. Kruse has been instrumental at one particular property and so helpful when situations happen. The office staff is great and so are the techs that go on site to resolve issues for my homeowners. read more

The story on CBS news about what Will and his team do to give rescued animals a little love and attention by bringing a dog into their business office each week really touched my heart. Thanks for your caring and giving and helping rescued dogs a chance for a forever home. read more

Excellent and professional service, estimate, and quality products. Thank you for taking on such a large project and competing the job on time. read more

This company charged me $236.70 for the same part that is listed on Amazon for $40.99. I cannot tell if this included $35.00 shipping cost for an item that weighed a few ounces but I do know that Amazon Prime members have free shipping. I do not mind a 200% markup but this needs further investigation. I also paid $400.00 for labor and I was able to replace a similar part on another furnace in 10 minutes. Never call this company for service if others are available. read more

We've been LJ Kruse customers for 40 years, and have been consistently happy with the quality of their work and their customer service. Emergencies - they have come through for us every time, including this week. We have one of those old original boilers in our 1920s house and love it for the clean radiant heat it gives, even though it is expensive. LJ Kruse has two technicians who know how to work on these boilers, and they are both great. When something happens - pilot light or thermocouple, as happened this week - someone comes right away. They are busy, but somehow found a way to squeeze us in. We were so happy to get our heat back yesterday - much appreciated! Fantastic customer service. I talked to owner Will Kruse this time and, he is just so very nice. Margie in the office too - so nice to talk to her! Highly recommended! read more

Christian helped me book a last minute plumber for an odd scenario for my tenants, while I'm out of state. The logistics are mind boggling. Seriously though, these guys are consummate professionals. They were fast, on-time, and nailed the issue. They were also very easy to get a hold of, talk with, ask questions, and schedule everything. I will definitely be using them in the future for all my plumbing needs. read more

This company has great customer service. The technician who came to repair a heating system systematically tested the electrical connections. That led him to the source of the problem. He wasn't familiar with the particular heater but he understood the way it worked. That's what I like to see. He was able to fix it and even installed a new thermostat I bought. Again, he'd never worked with that brand of thermostat but he installed it quickly. It would have taken me days to figure out how to install that. The service is very expensive but I didn't care this time. It was the coldest time of the year. No one wants to go without heat. Not many companies are willing to work on the unusual heating system we have. That made it much easier to pay the high rates. read more

I've been a Facilities Manager for many years and my recent experience with LJ Kruse was excellent ! LJ Kruse installed a Scot Ice Machine at our company and we are very happy with their work. LJ Kruse sent an estimator by the name of "Greg Stewart" and he instantly knew how to solve the install issue, (that had previously perplexed two other plumbers ! ). Greg is an excellent communicator and super nice guy! The gentleman that did the pipe work must be an artist on the side ! The pipe work is absolutely beautiful! They were "top notch" pros from beginning to end and I will definitely call them the next time that I have a plumbing need. read more

Ramon just finished with the guts of our ancient kitchen sink. He was efficient, friendly, and fast. Great guy, great service. Oh, and we called at 2:00, Ramon was available, and we were done at 3:45. Time to cook dinner. read more

The folks from LJ Kruse are 100% the most professional, knowledgeable and incredibly hardworking. Greg Stewart and his colleague David were especially outstanding. I had a 100 year old boiler in my house. They came by, removed it, spent weekends installing the new one, and Greg got it working. They spent days made sure to get the system up to speed. I can't tell you how grateful I am for their work. I'd recommend them to anyone. Vickie from Berkeley read more

We noticed some seeping along the joint that Mike repaired. Ramon came over right after calling to let me know when he would arrive. He fixed the leak right away and then noticed that the water was emptying out of the sink very slowly. I told him that both the bathroom and kitchen sink were slow and that I had been using Drano. He let me know that you should never use Drano in the old metal pipes, only in clay and plastic pipes. It eats away if it stands!!! Luckily my pipes were intact but now I have a bottle of Drano to get rid of... d'oh! He used his snake and cleared out the kitchen pipe and fixed the bathroom pipe in no time, AND being the pro he is, he showed me how to fix it should it need it again. There is a long plastic tool with teeth at one end and a ring at the other. You poke it down the bathroom sink drain and grab the gunk and unplug your slow drain. I think it will be a while before we have to call the plumber again, but when I do, you can bet it will be LJ Kruse! Yes, they are expensive but worth every single dollar. They stand behind their work, they are fast, clean, consummate professionals and in the case of Ramon, easy on the eyes. Best Friday ever! read more

DO NOT USE this firm. We have an inspection at 11:30AM on Nov 4th. Manager Margie phoned me at my work at 3PM same day (Nov 4th) demanding a credit card numbers when I have my clients sitting in front of me. I asked her if it is okay to wait till I get home and communicate with my husband. This Margie starts to speak offensively. We have no intention not paying what we owe( I believe is less than $160). Can you at least let me chat with my husband before a charge go through on our credit card? It seems our hot water boiler needs to be replaced. We will not use L J Kruse after this intense confrontation over a small bill. We will certainly mail out the check before Monday and run as far as we can. Mission accomplish Margie! You successful scare away a $2150 work assignment. read more

I have used a variety of local plumbers over the years and it has always been common to ask them to come back and fix what they didn't fix. L.J.Kruse has come out and taken care of complicated issues promptly and with absolute professionalism. I appreciate their quality of work so much that I've now engaged them to have a maintenance contract with me. read more

Our furnace stopped working and we called Kruse (on the recommendation of another vendor!). The technician advised that the furnace was too old to be repaired and the faulty part was no longer manufactured. He advised replacing the furnace. I was charged $184 for this visit/advice. There are two problems with this situation: 1. I called another vendor to get a second opinion and that vendor not only was able to source the part, but was able to fix the furnace and it is now functioning perfectly. The cost to me was $200 total. 2. The quote which Kruse provided to replace the furnace was almost $5000 for the one furnace. When I looked up the materials online, it was less than $1000. This means that Kruse was quoting $4000 for labor. I will not recommend this company due to the poor service, incorrect information, inflated bid, waste of my $184, and general incompetence. read more

I would give them a ZERO if I could. They rescheduled THREE times then tried to reschedule a FOURTH! My landlady set this up. They told me EACH time they didn't have my contact number. I gave it to them EACH time! Not only that, but the woman I talked to the last time was not apologetic about this insanity. Very cold. And then they billed my landlady $184 which she paid, not realizing what was going on. Shame on them. The worst business attitude ever. Worst business practice ever. read more

Only four stars because the first guy that came around did not correctly diagnose the problem with my wall gas heater: the whole thing needed to be replaced, not just the thermostat. But Jim, the second tech with 29 years experience, did. He came on a Saturday and gave me a thorough explanation that had as much to do with my own safety as comfort. Overall, this seems like a well-run company with excellent customer service. Melinda is nice and competent and will call you and let you know when their people are going to show up. Note: I am a renter, so I can't say whether $175 for a service call or $2k to replace the heater is reasonable or not. read more