Able To Plumbing vs Buckley Plumbing And Engineering
Alameda Plumbing Contractors Comparison · Updated March 2026
Both are veteran contractors with 20+ years of experience and proper insurance, but only Able To Plumbing has substantial customer feedback documenting their service quality.
| Able To Plumbing | Buckley Plumbing And Engineering | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ★ 5.0 | ★ 4.0 |
| Years Licensed | 22 years | 29 years |
| License # | 838521 | 727798 |
| Workers' Comp | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Bond Amount | $25,000 | $25,000 |
| Location | Livermore, CA | Hayward, CA |
| Website | www.abletoplumbing.com | buckleyplumbing.com |
Key Differences
What Customers Say
Able To Plumbing
Customers emphasize same-day responsiveness for urgent issues, honest diagnostics that avoid unnecessary work, and thorough explanations of problems before proceeding with repairs.
Key Takeaway: Able To Plumbing has extensive documented feedback showing consistent service patterns over decades, while Buckley Plumbing And Engineering's approach must be assessed through direct consultation and provided references.
Customer Reviews
Able To Plumbing
Travis installed my Bradford White water heater several years ago and just replaced the anode rod. Im very pleased with the service and highly recommend.
Love Travis and Courtney!!! They are awesome!!! I've been using them for 20+ years! Kind and honest!!!
After the recent earthquake swarms in San Ramon, I contacted Able To Plumbing & Rooter in Livermore to evaluate and ensure the safety of our natural gas lines in the backyard. It was a pleasure workin...
Buckley Plumbing And Engineering
No reviews available
Consider Able To Plumbing if...
- ✓ You want to verify service approach before hiring, with extensive feedback documenting same-day responsiveness and communication style that matches what you need for your project timeline
- ✓ Your project involves explaining complex issues to family members or making decisions about repair versus replacement, where detailed explanations and honest diagnostics are specifically mentioned by past customers
- ✓ You're located in Livermore, San Ramon, Walnut Creek, or surrounding Tri-Valley communities where they have an established service presence
- ✓ You value the accountability that comes with a family-owned business where the same team handles your service calls year after year
Consider Buckley Plumbing And Engineering if...
- ✓ You're located in Hayward or the immediate surrounding area where they've operated for 29 years and may have established relationships even without visible online reviews
- ✓ The seven additional years of licensing experience matters for your specific situation, such as working with older commercial systems or unusual plumbing configurations from earlier building codes
- ✓ You're comfortable evaluating a contractor primarily through the initial consultation and references they provide directly, rather than relying on existing customer feedback patterns
- ✓ You have a referral from someone who has personally used Buckley and can speak to their current service approach
Questions to Ask Before Hiring
- → For Buckley: Ask for at least three recent references from projects similar to yours and contact them about scheduling responsiveness, communication about pricing, and how complications were handled
- → For Buckley: Ask about their typical response time for urgent issues and whether they provide same-day service, since this isn't documented in available reviews
- → For both: Confirm the specific technician's experience with your project type, as veteran company status doesn't guarantee the person doing your work has equivalent experience
- → For both: Ask how they handle pricing—whether estimates are provided before work begins and what happens if issues are discovered during the project
The Bottom Line
Both contractors have the credentials to do quality work—veteran experience, proper insurance, and appropriate bonding. The practical difference is transparency. Able To Plumbing gives you extensive customer feedback documenting their same-day responsiveness, honest approach to diagnostics, and thorough communication style. You know what to expect before the first phone call. Buckley Plumbing And Engineering has seven additional years of experience but requires you to assess fit through direct consultation and references they provide. If you're in the Tri-Valley area and want to verify service approach before hiring, Able To is the clearer choice. If you're in Hayward with a referral for Buckley or need their specific geographic proximity, get detailed references and confirm their responsiveness meets your timeline.
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Frequently Asked Questions
For routine repairs like faucet replacements or toilet installations, both companies have more than enough experience. The additional seven years becomes more relevant if you have an older home with outdated plumbing systems or need someone who has worked through multiple generations of code changes. For most homeowners, the ability to verify service approach and responsiveness through customer feedback is more immediately useful than the licensing duration difference.
Long-established contractors sometimes rely on repeat customers and word-of-mouth referrals rather than online reviews, particularly if they serve commercial clients or established neighborhoods. It could also reflect when they started focusing on online presence. The limited review history isn't necessarily a red flag for quality, but it does mean you'll need to do more direct verification through references they provide.
Able To Plumbing has documented patterns of providing same-day appointments for urgent situations, with customers specifically mentioning this responsiveness. For Buckley, you'll need to ask directly about their emergency response timeframe since this isn't documented in available customer feedback. When you call for estimates, ask each company specifically about their current availability for urgent versus scheduled work.
Both have the veteran-level experience to handle complex projects safely and properly. Able To Plumbing has documented experience with mainline leak repairs and various residential projects, with customers noting thorough explanations of complex issues. For Buckley, ask specifically about their experience with your project type and request references from similar jobs. The key difference is that you can verify Able To's communication approach through existing feedback, while you'll evaluate Buckley's fit primarily through direct consultation.
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See our ranked list of top plumbing contractors in Alameda.
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How We Compare Contractors
License Verification
All license data is sourced from official California CSLB records and verified regularly.
Review Analysis
Customer reviews are aggregated from Google and analyzed to identify patterns in service quality.
Detailed Comparison
We analyze credentials, insurance, experience, and feedback to highlight meaningful differences.
Not all licensed contractors are created equal. While a valid license is the baseline requirement in California, contractors can vary significantly in experience, insurance coverage, and customer satisfaction.
- Experience matters: A contractor with 15+ years of experience has likely encountered and solved problems that newer contractors haven't faced yet.
- Workers' compensation protects you: If a contractor without workers' comp insurance has an employee injured on your property, you could be held liable.
- Reviews reveal patterns: Individual reviews can be misleading, but patterns across many reviews often reveal a contractor's true strengths and weaknesses.
- Bond amounts vary: A contractor's bond provides financial protection if they fail to complete work as agreed. Higher bonds offer more protection.
Taking time to compare contractors on these factors can save you from costly mistakes and help ensure your project is completed by a qualified professional.
Data Sources: License information from California CSLB. Ratings and reviews from Google. Last verified March 12, 2026.
This comparison is based on publicly available information. We recommend getting multiple quotes and verifying all credentials directly before hiring.
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