Complaints
This profile includes complaints for Master Plumbers Heating & Cooling's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see
Customer Complaints Summary
- 7 total complaints in the last 3 years.
- 2 complaints closed in the last 12 months.
If you've experienced an issue
Submit a ComplaintThe complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.
Initial Complaint
Date:06/26/2025
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I was not provided with a itemized recipet for the work thst was done.
Business Response
Date: 06/27/2025
Mr. Chris Ogburn called into Master Plumbers and agreed to an appointment at his
home, at the time of call our CSR goes over how we work. In the conversation we
explain that we have a truck charge to arrive at your home and must be agreed to
before we schedule the appointment. We then explain that the tech will make an
assessment and go over options with you before any work begins. Mr. Ogburn agreed
to terms and we scheduled the call. Our technician arrived at his home and assessed
his 15 years old tankless water heater. The heater had not been maintained to stay
within recommended manufactures specifications for optimal functioning. Our technician
made options to resolve his issue, one was a starting option which included a diagnosis
and contacting manufacturer tech support directly to determine their recommended best
option and to determine if there was any Parts warranty or recalls on the equipment. We
were on the phone with them waiting to speak with a rep for over an hour, we spoke to
the customer because our diagnosis is 40 mins. Mr. Ogburn was aware of the charge
and signed for it before we began work. After finally speaking with manufacturer rep
about the condition of the older tankless heater, they determined that there was No
parts warranty with manufacturer and No labor warranty. They confirmed their
recommendations for the older tankless water heater, and we again built a option for Mr.
Ogburn. He again agreed to the charge for that additional work. We began the work to
restore hot water (of course the water heater has no warranty with manufacture or any
labor warranty) the recommendations from manufacturer worked at this time to restore
hot water. We offered Mr. Ogburn what we have as a service agreement to help
maintain his tankless heater and the plumbing inside of his home, he agreed to that as
well. We completed all of our work that was approved and signed for before we begin.
We did send his invoice via email, it may have went into the spam folder. We apologize
if it was not received and we have went ahead and re-sent the invoice via email again to
make sure he received it. All together we did what we said we would do in the 5 hours
that the plumbing professionals were at Mr. Ogburn's home and every item of work was
agreed to before we began the work. We are a professional company that is here to
take care of people and their needs. We do that by giving them the best options and
solutions. We have left voicemails for Mr. Ogburn on 6/26/27 and 6/27/25. We are
confused by the complaint because we did all listed above and see that nothing was
unspoken or transparent and all agreed upon before we scheduled or performed any
work.Initial Complaint
Date:09/08/2024
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
My mother was charged $499 for a service that was not completed. She was not given a detailed receipt or any receipt at all for services. I have contacted 3 times to get a receipt. Told they had to speak with manager in order to send receipt . This was after she was quoted $23,000 for a new air conditioner that was way overpriced and not needed.Business Response
Date: 10/04/2024
Hello ***** **** ,
Please find your invoice from Master Plumbers Heating & Cooling in the amount of $499.13 attached below!
If you have any questions regarding this invoice or would like to book future services, please give our office a call at **************!
Sincerely,
Your Friends at Master Plumbers Heating & CoolingCustomer Answer
Date: 10/04/2024
I am rejecting this response because: There is still no reason for my mother to have been charged the amount that the company charged her. It took me to contact the BBB until I actually saw the invoice. My mother still had to get someone else to come look at her unit a couple of days later because nothing was fixed when "******" left. ****** was also not at my mothers home for 4 hours. I tried calling the business 8-29 and again on 9-3 and spoke to someone who said they would speak to management and get back with me. I never got any information again until I submitted a complaint to the BBB. The conversation I had was on 9-9 and I was told that my mother had mentioned getting a new unit. I also find it very interesting that on the paper work for quotes that my mother had a credit limit of $26,599 and the interest rate went from 9.9% to 13.5% on the $23,630 quote. As stated in one of the voice messages from *** "he was sorry they even came out" and so am I. It is ridiculous what they try and charge people! He also stated today he would share with a legal team. Not sure if that was some sort of threat for me not wanting to remove the report but I am also not sure what a legal team can or will do for someone who would not cooperate and rip off people.Initial Complaint
Date:12/27/2023
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
Date of transaction is: November 27th 2023.
Context:
- Master Plumbers Heating & Cooling (i.e. MPH&C) came on Nov 22nd to do a maintenance check on all our plumbing. After they were done, they sat in their van for 45 minutes creating "options", which are quotes for jobs.
- The quotes ranged from $39,867 to $15,840, all of which I rejected because they were too much.
- The service person then said "what about just installing 2 filters back-to-back with all the fittings and pipes. This is the bare minimum that you need." He quoted me $3980 including tax.
- When I asked for a detailed list of items + services, he simply said "You'll get a flush filter and a whole house filter and all the pipes and fittings + labour".
- Since I wasn't familiar with these filters, I did a quick ****** search and the "whole house" filters ranged in prices but they were between $1000 - $2,500. I agreed to the price and they charged me 50% immediately to lock me in.
- On Nov. 27th they came to install the filters, and when the job was done, they charged me the remaining 50%. I went to inspect the job, and to my horror, I see that they have installed plastic pipes (PVC) with absolutely no support. The two filters are cheap plastic filters that don't resemble what I had looked up on the internet. I couldn't comprehend how does this setup cost me $4000.
- I asked for a detailed itemized bill to show me the cost of material and labour. I got nothing! I asked for this itemized bill several times, and all I got is " we don't disclose that information, we price per job".
- I asked for the filter specs, so I could replace it when needed, and again they didn't supply that information, because they want me to call them every 2 months to get the filter replaced!
- I brough in an independent plumber, and asked him for a quote on the job, and he quoted me $700 dollars, and he said that he would use brass pipes and build some support (all included).
- I feel CHEATED and mistreated!Business Response
Date: 01/16/2024
We apologize that you feel that your
experience was not ideal in regards to your expectations on pricing. It is
always our goal to provide a great service experience for all of our customers.
We understand that sometimes our prices can be unexpected, however we want to
ensure that our customers get the best quality at an honest price that keeps
our company healthy and able to serve customers for years to come. We are a
flat rate company and your price included labor, parts, warranty and many other
items that ensure you have a professional service experience (calls answered
live 24 hours, highly trained technicians, company insurance, licensing, well
equipped service trucks, vehicle insurance, and much more).
In reviewing your visit with us, our
technician determined that you have poor water quality and that is what caused
the clogged whole house filter that we found on our evaluation. The work we performed
for you included professional installation of a new whole house filter, a new
washout filter, and all the pipe and fittings to ensure that the washout filter
could be safely and easily flushed which removes the need to replace the
filter. As per your mention of a ****** search, which resulted in a range
between $1000 - $2500, that pricing is not far off from our pricing of $3980;
our pricing included not one but two filters and extra piping for the wash out.
Our pricing included a professional installation by a licensed company and
warranty on parts and labor. These costs are not likely factored into the
online search price. The piping installed for you was PEX pipe, not PVC. PEX
pipe is standard for professional installations in situations where there is
poor water quality. This is the best product to use and it will not degrade due
to poor water quality, which ensures it will last. The filter and piping we installed does
have a support bracket as per current manufacturer specifications. This support bracket is L-shaped and holds the filter securely in place and was mounted into wood we provided. Per your conversations with our service manager, it was explained that the wash out filter we installed does not have to be changed, we installed a flush
valve and piping that would carry the sediment away from the filter. The water
in your home can remain on and all you have to do is turn the valve to flush
the filter. The whole home filter is a filter you can change and you stated you
had already located where to buy that filter so you could change it yourself. We
have spoken to you several times in attempt to ensure that we have clarified
any questions and re-explained what you received in the option that you chose. Our
service manager offered to come out and inspect the work we performed and to
meet in person to discuss your concerns further, but this was declined. When we
spoke with your wife concerning the other plumber who gave you an estimate, we
said that we could do a price comparison if we were provided with his state
license number and an official estimate on company letter head. As of yet, we
have not received this information.
After signing up for our membership, you
had immediate access to the benefits, some of which included priority service
scheduling and a reduced truck charge to arrive at your home. You also received
your complimentary plumbing system check included in your membership which
involved a thorough investigation of your home’s entire plumbing system and
time spent with you discussing any areas that may need attention to prevent
damage and inconvenience. On the plumbing work you authorized us to do you received
a discounted truck charge and a member savings of $141 dollars. This membership
contract is a one-year commitment, but we released you from the contract and
have issued you a refund of $480 as a gesture of goodwill. This refund check
has been mailed today. We strive to give all our customers a great service
experience and work to resolve concerns to the best of our ability.Customer Answer
Date: 01/19/2024
I am rejecting this response because:
1. I said that when I did the ****** search I came across a "whole house" filter that was much more advanced than what has been installed. I was NOT quoting the job done. My point was specifically that I was shocked when I saw the whole house filter that was installed. The actual cost of the job was quoted by another professional certified, licensed plumber at $700.
2. You mention that the price includes warranty! You have unfortunately done another job at my house, which was to fix a fireplace that was not coming on. After a couple of weeks, I called to tell you that it is not working again. You said we didn't do anything, call ******** (you can check the recording of the call). I then said "You can't have it both ways: You either fixed it and charged me a whopping $460 for the labour, etc... and warranty should be honored, or you did nothing like you said, and that would mean that you ripped me off!". I got no response from the person on the phone and till now the fire place is flaky and most of the time it will suddenly turn off on its own.
3. I have asked for the specs of the Whole house filter so that I could go purchase it and replace it myself 4 times and received NOTHING from you! If you have nothing to hide, you should be able to provide me those specs, but you are definitely worried about sending them because it will reveal the real cost of that filter.
4. When I did get a call from Lee, he was condescending and rude, and it was very clear to me that nothing is going to be done about the price of the job, so I simply didn't want to stay on the phone any longer.
In CONCLUSION, as a company you say you are a "flat rate" company, but your pricing methods are shady and you never provide a breakdown to the material cost that you are providing. I experienced two jobs, and both were subpar, over priced and one of them (i.e. the fire place) you won't even honor your warranty!
NEVER AGAIN!
Initial Complaint
Date:12/12/2023
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
What their paperwork says they did:
• 40 Gallon direct vent water heater
• Thermal expansion tank with cover
• All piping and fittings – water & gas
• Minor drain cleaning.
******* called and requested a itemized invoice. She was told they do not do that and resent her a copy of “Option Sheet”.
I called on 12/12/2023 and spoke with ********. She states that ******* had called on 12/11 and that she was told then that they do not itemized invoices. She went on to say that Mrs. ********** was happy with the service. She went on to tell me that the crew (B****** & C****) had done the following work:
• Hot water heater
• Fixed a slow drain in the hall bathroom
• Fixed a leaking shower head that was threaded wrong thus leaking
• That they had spent 6 hours working and 35 minutes testing the hot water heater.
(This does not match the “Option Sheet”.)
Issue # 1: **********’s had no known issues with the hot water heater. She was guilted into the service
Issue # 2: ******* has no way or knowledge of pricing and or ability to inspect that the work was completed correctly or not
Issue # 3: They trusted the company because they had been referred to a handyman named A***. (Who worked for them at the time). However, he was doing handyman work on the side and referred them to Master Plumbers because if you became “A Member” – you got a discount
Issue # 4: The family believes they were targeted because of their age. And the fact that ***** is in a wheelchair and not able to do or oversee any work in the home
Issue # 5: Another quote for removing the disposal in the kitchen. They do not use it and was told to remove and have new pipes put into the home. There is no issue with the disposal
Issue # 6: After studying the reviews a pattern of overselling and targeting people. The best way to explain the deception is what they call an option sheet. It guilts elderly into purchase. See photos
Lee **** (Owner) called as This was being filed and stated he will mail out an Itemized invoice.Business Response
Date: 01/30/2024
During
Mrs. **********'s plumbing safety check during her appointment on December 7,
2023, our technician performed a thorough evaluation of her home’s plumbing
system. Our technician noted some items and spent time going over them with
Mrs. **********.Most
customers are not aware of their plumbing until it doesn’t work. Yet, many of
the plumbing issues customers experience are due to age, lack of maintenance, or
poor installation. We want the customer to understand how their
home’s plumbing system works and what causes their issues so they can make the
best choices when it comes to making repairs or replacements. We have found
that preventative maintenance is one of the best ways a customer can protect
their home investment and save time, money and headaches over time. We bring
any items that are of extended age or that show signs of a potential problem to
the attention of the customer. This allows our customers to be empowered and
prepare for those issues or take steps to prevent them from ever happening. It
is ultimately up to the customer to decide what they do with the information
that we give them, but most of our customers appreciate us taking the time to
evaluate, explain and make them aware of solutions available to them. We offer
good, better, and best options. These can range from small repairs to
preventative services, to system upgrades. We discuss each option in detail and
answer any questions the customer has. We take the time to educate our
customers on the reasons why we are recommending the options. It is up to the
customer to choose which option they want. We do not begin any work before
presenting options, pricing, and getting the customers’ approval to perform
work. Our technician presented all the options and the price for each upfront
and in writing to Mrs. **********.
Our technician found that Mrs.
**********’s gas water heater was over 20 years old and had corrosion at the
venting connection and did not have a thermal expansion tank. A thermal
expansion tank which is a life and safety requirement per the NC department of
insurance and NC state plumbing code. The typical life of a gas water heater is
8-10 years old depending on water quality. Even though a water heater may not show
visible signs that anything is wrong, the extended age alone means that the
heater will begin not functioning properly. This normally happens at the most
inconvenient time for the customer. A water leak, gas leak or pilot light that
will not stay lit are just a few problems that will occur. We feel it a
disservice if we do not at least let the customer know of these potential
concerns and give them the option to replace the water heater and avoid those
problems and inconveniences. Our technician presented Ms. ********** with several
estimate options at different price points for the items of concern in her
safety report. These options were presented upfront and in
writing to Ms. ********** and they included the tasks and pricing of the
proposed work.
Before we began work, Ms. ********** chose
the estimate option she wanted and signed that estimate option which authorized
our technician to remove and dispose of the old heater, to replace it with a
new direct vent gas water heater with proper gas connections, fittings, piping,
expansion tank per NC state plumbing code and included an extended parts AND
labor warranty of 6 years backed by our company. We completed all of the estimated work the same day she called us
out and after the work was done Mrs. ********** paid us with a check. Ms. ********** signed our invoice with both an Authorization
signature that authorized the work at the estimated price and an
Acknowledgement signature that states the work was completed to her
satisfaction and all her questions were answered.To
maintain consistency on every job, we are a flat rate company with upfront
standardized pricing. We do not charge by time and material; we charge by the
job task. Pricing includes labor, parts, materials, licensing, insurance,
company overhead and warranty, among many other things. All customers receive
the same pricing. We ensure this by having a locked electronic price book that
technicians are trained on and use on every job we go on.
As with
many industries across our nation, the long-lasting effects of factories and
manufacturers being closed or at 50% capacity due to COVID-19 has created
shortages of materials and parts and has increased the cost of raw materials
use to create piping, valves, and internal mechanisms that make up the plumbing
and HVAC equipment our industry needs to take care of our customers. Raw
materials like copper, aluminum, and refrigerant have experienced several price
increases. We continue working with our suppliers and doing all we can to
remove or reduce those increases to our customers, but we are not able to
remove all increases. Due to inflation the price of common items like bread,
milk, eggs, gas and so on continue to rise every year. In the same way, the
cost of doing business also rises. We strive to continue providing the same
quality materials and parts that we always have and stand behind our work and
those materials with a warranty the customer can count on.
We
truly care about our customers and their homes. We are a professional home
service company. Our technicians receive over 260 hours of training each month
to ensure they are meeting manufacture specifications, performing work to
current state plumbing codes, and maintaining excellent customer communications
for the safety and protection of our clients and our company work environment.
Our company is licensed, bonded, and insured. This ensures that our work
follows the current state plumbing and HVAC codes and should any of our work
cause damage to the customer is covered. We strive for a 5-star customer
experience on every service appointment. We commit to doing the work right the
first time and we have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. We have
been in business for over 20 years and continue to maintain a reputation of
trust and professionalism. Thank you for the opportunity to provide a written
statement of our position and we trust it is beneficial in presenting what
caliber of company we are and our focus on providing quality, professional
customer experiences.Customer Answer
Date: 02/03/2024
I am rejecting this response because: The company has not addressed their billing issues we have concern for. Over $11,700 for the work performed is excessive. We would like to come to a conclusion to this issue. We want to pay what is a fair price for the services rendered.Initial Complaint
Date:06/21/2023
Type:Status:ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
My Mother in laws house has a leak within the wall. Water was leaking under the flooring and through the walls and cabinet. I called a professional plumber which was Master Plumbers to resolve this issue. They gave me a recommendation to replace water heater and to replace the pipes within the house. I had them to replace the water heater along with other piping and fixtures that needed to be replaced to stop the leak. When Their tech finished the job he stated that the leak was fixed. I paid $6500 cash for this job to be fixed and when I came to check up on my mother in laws house the following morning I find more water on the floor. The leak was never fixed. I called back for them to come back and fix the leak but they refuse to fix the leak with out more money.Business Response
Date: 06/21/2023
We came out to investigate a leak that customer had said they have had multiple times. Durning this investigation we found that they have polyurethane pipe, which was outlawed and recalled in the early 2000s. We recommend to replace water piping which is polyurethane in the home and under the slab. We also recommend to replace the water heater. We made 5 options, one to replace all polyurethane pipe and repair the high water pressure. Customer decided to replace water heater and some pipes that were leaking inside wall and signed the estimate/ option before work was performed with understanding no warranty on existing polyurethane pipes, only repairs we make and if water pressure is at safe pressure. We made those repairs and customer paid. They were happy with repairs then they have another leak and want it under warranty. We explained to them they have leaks under slab and could have leaks anytime because of polyurethane pipes are known for leaks. If you fix one leak another one starts. The only way to really ensure the pipes is fixed and leak free is to replace. Ultimately we recommend to replace all polyurethane pipes with a repipe and it wasn’t chosen and we don’t feel we can warranty any pipe we didn’t replace. We did go out to today to check piping we put in and show the customers we are here to help them, we did have a dispatch cost today and they refused to pay it. We would have liked to help them, but unfortunately we can not be responsible for polybutylene pipe we didn’t install or replace.Customer Answer
Date: 06/22/2023
If they were an honest business and wasn’t able to guarantee the job they should of declined the job. They shouldn’t have told me that when i replace the water heater and the attached piping that the leak would be fixed. Master Plumbers stated that they used equipment to detect a leak in the concrete slab. My insurance company called out a restoration company to check for these so called leaks in the slab and finds out their are no pipes running in the concrete slab. The leak that destroyed the flooring and kitchen was under the sink and not from the water heater that cost me $6500. The pipes that they replaced would have cost no more than $200, all piping that was replaced could fit in a 5 gallon bucket. With the restoration company coming to inspect if there were any more leaks, it turns out we don’t need repiping nor do we have to break into the concrete slab. Master Plumbers was dishonest and didn’t fix what they were brought out to fix. After reading some reviews there were others that had the same experience I had.
BBB Business Profiles may not be reproduced for sales or promotional purposes.
BBB Business Profiles are provided solely to assist you in exercising your own best judgment. BBB asks third parties who publish complaints, reviews and/or responses on this website to affirm that the information provided is accurate. However, BBB does not verify the accuracy of information provided by third parties, and does not guarantee the accuracy of any information in Business Profiles.
When considering complaint information, please take into account the company's size and volume of transactions, and understand that the nature of complaints and a firm's responses to them are often more important than the number of complaints.
BBB Business Profiles generally cover a three-year reporting period, except for customer reviews. Customer reviews posted prior to July 5, 2024, will no longer be published when they reach three years from their submission date. Customer reviews posted on/after July 5, 2024, will be published indefinitely unless otherwise voluntarily retracted by the user who submitted the content, or BBB no longer believes the review is authentic. BBB Business Profiles are subject to change at any time. If you choose to do business with this company, please let them know that you checked their record with BBB.
As a matter of policy, BBB does not endorse any product, service or business. Businesses are under no obligation to seek BBB accreditation, and some businesses are not accredited because they have not sought BBB accreditation. BBB charges a fee for BBB Accreditation. This fee supports BBB's efforts to fulfill its mission of advancing marketplace trust.