Frequently Asked Questions

For most of Suffolk County, we can arrive within 2 hours for emergency calls. We're available 24/7 including holidays. Actual response time depends on location and current call volume — we'll tell you an honest ETA when you call.

Often yes, depending on the schedule. Call in the morning and we can usually fit you in that day or the next. We don't make you wait a week for a clogged drain.

All of Suffolk County, NY — from Amityville and Lindenhurst in the west to Port Jefferson and Selden in the east. We drive out of Hauppauge so the center of the county is our home turf.

Primarily residential. We do some light commercial (small retail, offices, mixed-use buildings under 3 stories) but we're most efficient on homes and small multi-family buildings. Larger commercial projects aren't in our wheelhouse.

Phone consultations are always free. For jobs that require an on-site visit to diagnose before quoting (sewer lines, hidden leaks, boiler diagnostics), we charge a diagnostic fee that is disclosed before we come out. That fee is applied to the job cost if you proceed.

We can often give you a range, and some jobs (standard water heater replacement, for example) have predictable pricing we'll tell you upfront. But for anything involving unknown access, existing conditions, or scope that varies widely, a phone price is a guess — and we'd rather give you an accurate written estimate.

Yes. We provide written estimates and don't exceed them without your explicit approval. If we find something additional mid-job, we stop, explain what we found, and get sign-off before continuing.

Yes. We offer financing through GreenSky for larger jobs (water heaters, sewer replacements, boiler installations). Ask us when you get your estimate. Details on our financing page.

Yes. Mike Caruso holds a NYS Master Plumber License (MP-24891) and a Suffolk County Home Improvement Contractor license (HI-55429). We carry $2M general liability and workers' compensation.

Always. Any work that legally requires a permit in Suffolk County — water heater replacements, sewer line repairs, gas line work — gets one. We handle the permit process and inspections.

Employees, all of them. We don't use subcontractors. Everyone on our crew is background-checked, licensed (or working toward licensure), and directly employed by us.

Usually not. Most slow drains clear with a standard snake. Camera inspections are worth it when the same drain backs up repeatedly, when multiple drains are slow at once (suggesting a main line issue), or when roots are suspected.

If only one drain is slow, it's usually a localized clog. If multiple fixtures drain slowly, you hear gurgling from toilets when other drains run, or sewage smell comes up from drains, the problem is likely in the main sewer line.

Gas water heaters typically last 8–12 years; electric 10–15 years. At 12 years, you're at the end of the expected lifespan. If it's working fine and you're not seeing rust, sediment in the water, or inconsistent hot water, it can often run longer. But it's worth getting it looked at — a failing unit that floods your utility room costs more to deal with than a planned replacement.

Several things: a failing pressure-reducing valve (PRV), mineral buildup in supply lines, a partially closed main shutoff, or (less commonly) a leak somewhere in the supply line. We can usually diagnose this in one visit.