Contacted on a weekend, Paul was quick to reply. I confirmed on Monday for a next day appointment. Tech called ahead of time and advised of his arrival time, he was prompt. After he went over the cost options I accepted and he was in and out. Price was what I expected. Overall great experience. read more

Actually we'd give them at least 6 stars out of 5 if we could. Paul Cooper, one of the owners, went way more than an extra mile to help resolve a question we encountered when preparing to do the required pressure test of the PSL at our home. The entire line had been replaced 15 years earlier by Pipespy prior to changes in regulations. There was a question about whether a disused kitchen line had been properly capped off. Instead of charging us an additional $3000 to dig up the area in question, Paul personally came out to inspect and come up with a plan to test the disused line. The whole sewer line passed the pressure test with no problems and saved us the additional cost. Thank you Paul Cooper and Pipespy. They stand by their work 15 years later!! read more

I've used these guys three or four times for homes that I'm selling. They are professional, quick and try to please. Did I mention that they are quick, take care of permits, tests and so on. They are not inexpensive, but then again, the best never is! read more

From the first phone call, to the final payment of invoice, the entire team was so wonderful to work with. I had worked with a 4.5 star sewer company previous to finding Pipe Spy - that company didn't return my phone calls for weeks (more than once), then called me at 9pm one night to say they could start work the next day, but just a warning that it might come out to $4-12k - they couldn't be sure until after they got started....wait WHAT?! Luckily my husband had the sense to tell them we weren't ready to start with so little notice. I thought it was just this crazy housing market and all plumbing companies were going to be jerks like that --- I was wrong! In came Pipe Spy. They were easy to work with scheduling-wise (and super friendly), on time, and after taking a look, said they thought we might be able to pass the test without any work done since the pipes were plastic (something our last plumber conveniently never mentioned!) And guess what....we passed! Pipe Spy saved us $4k or more overall. We had one small scheduling snafu where we didn't get quite enough notice, but the technician acknowledged they understood the situation and made due without requiring us to leave work to let him in the backyard. So glad we worked with Pipe Spy - they were so great! read more

Pipe Spy was a fantastic experience! As a property manager, I have had more than my fair share of bad service from companies but this was as easy as could be. Originally we had a backup at one of the buildings I service. They were able to refer me to a company to get the back-up cleared in under an hour! After the line was clear Sonny from pipe spy came out and did a full diagnostic of our sewer line. They showed me exactly where the problem was and suggest a clean-out to prevent future issues. They even made a cool DVD of the inside of our pipes! They were able to fit me into their schedule to install the clean-out sooner than expected, showed up on time, required no supervision, and the bill was exactly what they had estimated! I live three hours away from the Oakland Property they helped with and it was so nice not having to drive down there to meet them. I also could not say enough about their office manager Alex. He made the whole process seamless. My tenants and I are happy that we no longer will have to worry about gross back-ups anymore! My praise and thanks to the whole Pipe Spy team! read more

Had a sewer lateral inspection done on a property my client is buying in Hercules. Raymond was the technician. He quickly did the video and right away said that it would not pass. What I didn't like was that he didn't even show us the video, he just did a generic drawing of a circle with a shadow circle and said this is what it looks like and it will not pass. Then told us it would be about $6000 to $7000 to correct it and get it to pass. Well...Thank goodness for Pamela over at Pipe Cam!! I called her to see if they would give a competitive bid and with just a few quick questions she was convinced his findings were wrong. She suggested that we upload the video and send it to her on You Tube and sure enough, she was right. She suggested that we also pay the $125 and have the city of Hercules look at it because she was pretty sure it would pass and it did!! Within a few short hours we had our certificate. Look at all the money my client saved by getting a second opinion. If you are looking for a Sewer Lateral inspector call Pipe Cam...you will be so happy you did! I know my client is:) I'm not saying that Pipe Spy isn't a good company, or that they don't do quality work, but if you do hire them, be prepared to pay a PREMIUM! ... And for what, the fancy little green flags, the fancy business card, or the cool logo? Just based on the cost factor alone, I have to rate them low on the star factor. After all, cost is a significant factor read more

I am a Pipespy customer - twice actually for each home I have purchased in Oakland. I currently have a serious issue with the Company. Hey, things happen... people make mistakes... I'm a pretty reasonable guy. Let's see how this shakes out. My issue has the owner's attention, so that gives me a nice warm fuzzy feeling. Will happily double-back to this review pending satisfactory resolution of my issue which - for the sake of all the kids in the audience - shall go un-detailed. Some customer service philosophy says that a Company can earn a stronger advocate by turning around an unhappy customer than by just delivering a good experience in the first place. We'll see! read more

They made the process of replacing a 13'-deep sewer lateral in the hills completely painless. The job was done quickly and painlessly, without wasting a second of our time. The compliance certificate was issued almost immediately, and the next day we had the $4500 deposit back from EBMUD. It was a pleasure to see a $500 discount over the quoted amount on the invoice. Our real estate agent recommended them as the best in the business, and I won't disagree. read more

Had company come out to camera my sewer line which has root intrusion so we could figure out how to fix it without paying thousands of dollars for a procedure they wanted to do years ago. The guy said he would get back to me with a plan and an estimate. Followed up over a week later and was told he would get back to me. Almost a month later still nothing. On top of that, I just called another company that said they would camera the line for free to give me an estimate. I paid Pipe Spy $150! read more

I just hired pipe spy to look into a problem at a friends restaurant. They only have a camera for larger pipes and we needed a camera for 2 inch or so. No go for pipe spy and it cost us 150. I have worked for a few plumbing co and we had a camera to inspect smaller waste lines... Not happy at all! read more

Wow, wow, wow! I used Pipe Spy to replace my sewer lateral. They were polite, professional, and knowledgeable from beginning to end. I was really nervous about having this work done, but Pipe Spy made it super easy and super convenient. I was particularly impressed by the clean-up they did after they were finished. Yay Pipe Spy! read more

We were required by EB-MUD to have the 'lateral sewer' inspected and brought to regulatory standard. We chose Pipe Spy Inc to do the job. Partner Heiko made the inspection, discussed the work to be done and submitted a competitive and coherent estimate. I must state they were NOT inexpensive to do the whole show. In the end this included a 2 part, right angle "trenchless" replacement of our 109 year old sewer lines including a section running across the lot underneath the house to connect up to the lateral line to the street ! The work was done to a high standard, the crew on the job were professional, and the outcome met full standard with the certificate issued by EB-MUD within 2 days of the final inspection. The lateral sewer process is the functional equivalent of giving your home a full blown colonoscopy followed by a major GI Tract bi-pass operation. Doing right the first time is important. Recommended ! read more

Pipe Spy was my knight in shining armor. I am selling my house in Oakland and to do that now, you need a Certificate of Compliance from EBMUD, It is a long story why you need it, but is true for any house that is older than 10 years. My Realtor called another company (I will review them later! Hmmmmmm) and they came out on Feb 4th. They took a week to send a report (which is needed by EBMUD to test the system) and after all of that time they did not know what they were talking about. My house uses an ejector pump to pump sewage to the sewer main, so it is always under pressure. It was iinstalled to commercial standards, though it is a residence, so I knew EBMUD would have no problem passing it. Anyway, after fooling around for a month with this idiot (major, well-respected) company, I called Pipe Spy. They came out the next day, obviously knew exactly what they were doing and what was needed for EBMUD. The day after their initial test, EBMUD came out, verified their results and I was done!!! These guys know what they are doing, no matter what your situation is with your sewer lateral. I would suggest you call them first and avoid lots of stupidity and wasted time. They will help you get through this relatively new hurdle to selling your house in Alameda county. Thank you, Pipe Spy!! read more

Great service! Our sewer lateral was more complex and the Pipe Spy team got it done! Was pleasantly surprised by how well they cleaned up afterwards, our backyard looked better than before they started! read more

Simply stated, this firm does outstanding work. They (Ray and Alex) are professional, they communicate extremely well keeping the client apprised of the situation from beginning to end, they use the video technology to assess the condition of the pipes (Amazingly clear video), they informed us of that which was the city's (Oakland) responsibility and that which was our responsibility, they were fast, they kept our house clean, and considering their efforts and the tools and technologies they employed, they were very reasonably priced. This is the second time we have used this firm, and they are the only firm we will call. I highly recommend them. read more

We recently needed urgent sewer lateral replacement, as vines had gotten into the very old clay pipes and were causing gray water leaks. Ray came out to do the camera inspection, explained what was needed, and quoted what seemed like a fair price for trenchless replacement. He got us on the schedule quickly. The crew was professional and thorough, and they did the work exactly as promised - two days start to finish, with minimal digging and water turned back on in the evening. Now we have a new sewer lateral complete with inspection certificate, and you can't even tell where they dug their access point. I couldn't be happier! read more

Wow... after dealing with a LOT of contractors after buying a warehouse in Oakland and working on a major build-out for a new event venue, I have already experienced the full spectrum when it comes to quality and customer service. Pipe Spy (and in particular, Ray Braggs and Alex Buna) are easily at the top of my list for being super responsive, focused on providing an amazing customer experience, and for ultimately going above and beyond in how they handled their project. They even completed the project in a very short window of time in order to meet some tight deadlines. Exceptional results at a fair price! These guys rock. Thanks Ray, Alex and the rest of the Pipe Spy team! read more

Just for fair disclosure I shold confess that I have known Heiko at Pipespy for many years. That done.. Today Pipespy just finished replacing a bit of my sewer line (tree roots) and as ever they were courteous, hard working, good value, good price, and professional. This is the third time I have used them in the last 16 years and they are always a joy to work with and do excellent work. One very satisfied customer read more

We bought an old house in Oakland and had to have the sewer lateral inspected and upgraded. We had two estimates done. Pipe Spy was more expensive but everything about the company gave me confidence that the job would be handled professionally and correctly. I am so glad we chose Pipe Spy. They were worth every penny. I called numerous times with questions which they answered respectfully. I was concerned about notifying my neighbors and they wrote an informative letter and delivered it to my neighbors. Everyone -- Juan, Chuy, Alex, Walter, Israel and Foreman Mr. Miguel Arroyo -- was helpful, professional, and hard working. I highly recommend Pipe Spy. read more

Twice I had a plumbing emergency at my 100+ year old Victorian in Berkeley and twice Heiko and his staff have helped me. Heiko is extremely professional, reliable, on time, easy to talk to, efficient, and very high tech. Their work is incredibly well done. They used the best material, make necessary recommendation, and ohh soo clean. Their work quality deserves more than 5 stars. I love that for the final touch, Heiko cleaned up any left over mess with lily white towels. Reminded me of the Japanese workers in Japan: always clean, always reliable, and never cut corner. I highly recommend Pipe Spy for all your plumbing needs. Heiko and PIPE SPY are a keeper!!! read more

Pipe Spy is the Best, period!!! I don't know what else to say other than that they would be my pipe guys for the rest of my investment life. The are the best because of: 1. Excellent job done with nothing, absolutely NOTHING that you need to worry about from the start to the end, plus they are super fast (I just can't believe my luck finding them in the first place, seriously. ) 2. Very competitive price. 3. Excellent customer service at anytime for anythings. OK, at the end I want to say: Thank U Cory for everything you did for us when the time we need it the most. You're the superman!! And thanks Alex for always being there for us and most of all thank your excellent team for the best job that they've done! read more

I called the company to give us an estimate for a trenchless sewer line replacement. Ray came out, promply at the agreed time, and quickly got to work. I was impressed at Ray's professional manner, his patience in clearly explaining what's involved in the job, and his non-salesman, no pressure approach. d I haven't got the estimate yet, but I feel comfortable in recommending this company. read more

Friendly, clear, responsive. We have used them twice (once for blocked line and once for PSL) and are pleased with them. Will definitely use them for future needs. read more

Alex at pipe spy was professional, helpful, and explained everything.

I have hired Pipe Spy twice to do a camera inspection both of my sewer lateral and storm drain. Both times they have been prompt, professional, and have helped me assess the problem and strategize the fix. They can get the job done. read more

Unbelievable service. They were polite, efficient and very professional. We ran into extra problems which added another day's work but the final bill was such that we did not feel gouged in any way. Alex, the supervisor was straight-forward, honest and a lot of fun. We recommend them highly if you are among the unfortunate who need to replace a whole sewer line. read more

I normally don't write a lot of reviews, but since I find them so useful when I need something done, I felt I needed to write this one. Pipe Spy was recommended to us by our neighbor who used them to replace a sewer lateral when ours gave-up too. In short, I honestly can't find anything I could have a problem with this company. The owner, Heiko, came out within a couple of hours of calling to provide a fair quote (I got three) for an admittedly difficult trenchless sewer lateral replacement - 200 feet down a steep hill in the Oakland Hills. He sent a full crew and the job was complete in under 2 days. What was great is that he and his crew were very careful to keep us "flowing" and hooked-up while they worked. Our system was "down" for maybe a couple of hours! That was impressive, as we figured we would have to go to a hotel for the period. Pipe Spy didn't disturb any of my landscaping, hardscaping and left the site clean. I would use them again - but I sincerely hope I never have to! read more

Pipe Spy is Awesome! I have a unique plumbing situation where I share a line with my neighbors. After jetting and looking as far in from my house we evetually tracked the line to a blockage that was under my neighbors house down the street. We were able to contact the owner and install a cleanout on his property that would allow us to snake the line at his house. This operation required great cordination and harmony with all parties involved as well as quick thinking and flexible solutions for the pipe repairs. To do this, Hieko and his crew, demonstrated a capacity to remain focused on what needed to be done, while patiently working with the neighbors, to find an affordable and agreeable fix for everyone. Moreover, while all of this was occuring the line was still live and flowing...Now how is that for directing traffic!!! Bravo pipe spy and thankyou. Jerad read more

I have sadly had the need to call Pipe Spy to clear my problem sewer line several times since 2007. They do a great job at a decent price. The last time I called it was because of an emergency on a Friday morning. Although they were booked for the day, they found a technician to come solve my problem before noon the same day. Pipe Spy will always be my first choice, when I have a backed up sewer. Happy customer in East Richmond Heights. read more

Recently had Pipespy replace 2 sewer laterals at a commercial location. Couldn't be happier with the quality of the work and how quickly it was done. Not only were they $3000 less than our previous best estimate, but they saved us another $1500 or so by getting on lateral to pass the test! I would have been none the wiser had they decided to replace that one too! Thoroughly professional at every moment I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them. read more

Pipe Spy - Great concrete finish and clean up - Plumbing Near Me - Oakland, California

We had an extremely positive experience with the Pipe Spy team led by our rep Roberto to fix a broken sewer lateral connection from our house in Oakland this week. They were knowledgeable, friendly, professional, on time, dedicated and great communicators. They also left the property clean and in great shape. I would highly recommend them to anyone. read more

We used Pipe Spy to come and do an assessment of our sewer lateral and then fix it when it was clear it needed repair. From the start, the team was incredibly helpful and professional. Sonny came to conduct the assessment and led the team that did the work and we cannot say enough good things about him - the communication from the Pipe Spy team is stellar, they are an incredibly professional and responsive team. Highly recommend to anyone needed sewer lateral work - and they final cost was less than the estimate! read more

I was in the process of selling my house and needed to have my sewer lateral replaced. The work was especially long and complex and I went with the lowest bid. The complexity of the job was a "push" for the the company I went with, and in all fairness they did their due diligence to look for alternatives to digging up the golf course behind my house. At the end of the day, after dealing with the golf course management (which was horrendous) and the technical nature of the job (over 20 feet deep at the main), they backed out a mere three weeks before I was to close escrow! I went back to look at my bid with PipeSpy. Their bid was $2000 more than the low bid. Another company came in to give another bid (referred to by the first plumbing company) and decided that they wouldn't do the job given the complexity and history. As a favor, they looked over the PipeSpy's bid and said these guys were definitely capable, competent, and the price was reasonable. PipeSpy dealt with the Golf Course management (with help from a few calls to the city and my council woman), got my property done in a day, and the golf course section the following week (2 days). Ray and his Crew were AWESOME to work with! They were friendly, kept me in the loop on what they were doing, informed me when I would be out of water service, and really positive about the the progress of the work. Not a lot of time to mess with schedule, these guys stuck to the schedule and I am now able to close on the house thanks to Ray and his Crew! read more

Pipe Spy turned this around in less than a week, was very reasonable in pricing compared to some other folks and very efficient. I have dealt with them a number of times and always have the same great experience. Thanks! read more

Replacing your sewer line is never something you look forward to as a homeowner. But Pipespy made it as painless as possible. They were professional and nice to deal with and I would absolutely recommend them to anyone who needs this kind of work done. They don't come cheap, but we saw how many men were underneath the ground for this job...and it's not easy work. read more

Outstanding job by Juan fixing my tub slow drain! Very professional, efficient and effective. Listened to what the problem was, understood it, straightforward explanation of what he could do that may fix the problem without guarantees, but provided option, if not. Turned out the problem was with the building main line but he was able to push and clear the clog. Now I can get reimbursement from the building for the $150 invoice. read more

We can only say positive things about Pipe Spy; their professionalism and helpfulness in a difficult situation enabled us to complete our trenchless sewer without a hitch. This is a company that has all the right tools for the job delivered on time and in as organized a way as possible, a crew that works hard and works well together, and all with a desire to give us the best possible service. We recommend them highly and, while we hope to never need a new sewer again, Pipe Spy is who we would call. read more

This review is originally from 1/20/14: Thank you Pipe Spy! Their excellent crew solved a long-term problem that another sewer company missed and then ignored. I will recommend Pipe Spy to any friend with plumbing or sewer problems. My landlord had received complaints from tenants for more than 5 years about a sewage smell coming from under the building. The landlord had the sewer replaced about 5 years ago, but I guess whoever she hired only fixed "the sewer", but that plumber did NOT fix "the problem." Our upstairs unit hadn't experienced the smell until recently, but yuck, once we did, I searched Yelp and asked my landlord to call Pipe Spy, based on their happy customer reviews. We dealt with Paul. Paul and his team performed more than one camera inspection until they could locate the problem, they didn't stop until they found the source. They communicated professionally with us, the downstairs tenant, and my landlord, and the crew was out to fix the problem within a few days of my landlord giving the go-ahead. Pipe Spy solved the problem, and yay, no more smell! read more

They honored a quote from several months ago. Work was started and finished just as scheduled. Work area cleaned up completely and concrete repair matches the old patio as well as can be expected. Correspondence by e-mail makes things very convenient. read more

After contacting one other company with no response for 24 hours, and a second who could come the following day, Pipe Spy was at my house within 45 minutes. Roberto quickly diagnosed the problem (actually two problems) and will fix it tomorrow. He would have fixed it today, but the issue turned out to be my neighbor's, who needed to get back to him. This is service as good as it gets. read more