Our boiler broke last week. Originally we hoped it was just a bad circulator pump. During the course of trying to find a replacement pump for our 40-year-old (or more) boiler we were lucky enough to walk into a local plumbing supply wholesaler whose staff - themselves very knowledgeable (and retired, unfortunately) plumbers - would ultimately direct us both to a reasonably-priced new boiler, and to someone who could install it. The local father-son plumbing business we called was at the top of their very, very short list of recommendations, and were the ones about whom they could not say enough. Based on their recommendation (and a strong sense of trust in their knowledge of and familiarity with plumbing and local plumbers - their customers) we called Bob and Ross Watson. Having had a number of no-so-pleasant experiences in the past, I am always very wary of unfamiliar faces, especially when the potential for a huge expense exists. This turned out, however, to be one of the best decisions I've made. I cannot speak highly enough about them - from their honesty and frankness, to their obviously very skilled work. As it turns out, in over fifty years of business, Bob has never advertised, relying only on word-of-mouth. He and his son Ross work only on one job at a time, devoting themselves entirely to each customer instead of moving about between jobs. While they were here, of their own accord they took it upon themselves to make several trips back and forth between our home and the business where we purchased the boiler - just to verify that we had ordered one that was appropriate for our house (I'm sure many if not most plumbers would have been more than willing to just take it and install it, regardless of whether it was the right one). They explained everything they did - well. I learned later that they adjusted their schedules around their observations of my schedule, even though that meant working later into the evening. Despite the fact that several problems arose - including the fact that the pump on the new boiler was bad and had to be replaced, which meant several trips back and forth for them (and meant having to drain and refill the entire radiator system) - they stuck to their initial quote. In short, it was obvious from the start that these guys make the cornerstone of their business their reputation and the quality of their work. I cannot recommend them highly enough. You will not, however, find them listed in the yellow pages. If you are considering having any plumbing work done, I'd suggest giving them a call and at least speaking with them. Bob and Ross Watson (412-969-8620)
