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Above All Plumbing vs Pelican Plumbers
Alameda Plumbing Contractors Comparison · Updated March 2026
Above All Plumbing brings eight additional years of licensing experience and broader project scope compared to Pelican Plumbers.
| Above All Plumbing | Pelican Plumbers | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ★ 4.4 | ★ 4.0 |
| Years Licensed | 28 years | 20 years |
| License # | 739199 | 872437 |
| Workers' Comp | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Bond Amount | $25,000 | $25,000 |
| Location | Newark, CA | Berkeley, CA |
| Website | www.aboveallplumbing.com | pelicanplumbers.com |
Key Differences
What Customers Say
Above All Plumbing
Customers consistently highlight Above All's responsive emergency service, efficient troubleshooting that avoids unnecessary work, and professional technicians who protect work areas.
Pelican Plumbers
Customers emphasize Pelican's honest service approach where technicians provide cost-effective guidance, accessible scheduling with real people, and thorough problem diagnosis.
Key Takeaway: Above All's feedback reflects handling a wider range of complex projects with coordinated service delivery, while Pelican's reviews focus on straightforward troubleshooting and an uncommonly honest approach that sometimes guides customers toward DIY solutions.
Customer Reviews
Above All Plumbing
The team is professional and responsive! We asked to replace the pipes and installed a new RO filter under kitchen sink, the new pipes are beautiful!
Junior worked tirelessly on the leak at our place and was super kind and communicative.
From start to finish Above All Plumbing has been superb. We were recommended by a family friend. Rick, the owner answered the call right away and by the end of the day, Dawn had called to fit us in. C...
Pelican Plumbers
It was very easy making an appointment. I actually talked to a real person. [They automatically get 5 srars for that.] The price was reasonable, I didn't have to wait a month for an appointment. My so...
Fantastic..highly recommend..the best
Excellent all around. We've relied on Pelican for various plumbing and heating problems over the years, and I've always been impressed by their know-how and honesty. We recently had a bad pilot light ...
Consider Above All Plumbing if...
- ✓ Your project involves main line work, sewer clearing, or situations where a straightforward repair might reveal more extensive problems requiring experienced judgment
- ✓ You manage multiple properties or need a contractor with proven commercial experience and established protocols for repeat service relationships
- ✓ You value high owner involvement and coordinated dispatch systems for scheduling multiple service calls
- ✓ Your home is older and you want a contractor who has seen nearly three decades of regional plumbing configurations and code evolutions
Consider Pelican Plumbers if...
- ✓ You're in Berkeley or the immediate East Bay and want a contractor based in your neighborhood for faster response times
- ✓ You appreciate a service approach that prioritizes honest assessment over billable hours, including guidance on repairs you might handle yourself
- ✓ Your needs focus on heating system issues in addition to plumbing, as their experience includes pilot light and heating troubleshooting
- ✓ You value easy appointment scheduling with real-person contact and a straightforward, no-pressure service style
Questions to Ask Before Hiring
- → Ask Above All Plumbing about their typical response time to your specific location in the service area and whether they dispatch from Newark for all calls
- → Ask Pelican Plumbers for references on projects similar in scope to yours, particularly if your needs extend beyond basic valve repairs and troubleshooting
- → Confirm which technician will be assigned and how long they've been with each company, especially given Pelican's unclear owner involvement
- → Ask both companies for specific examples of how they've handled situations where an initial repair revealed more extensive problems
The Bottom Line
Above All Plumbing holds the advantage for most residential situations requiring comprehensive plumbing work. Their 28-year track record, broader project scope, and proven capacity handling complex repairs for both homeowners and commercial clients provides a wider safety margin when your project reveals unexpected complications. Choose them if you need main line work, have an older home, or want a contractor with extensive experience managing problems beyond basic repairs. Pelican Plumbers serves well for straightforward plumbing and heating issues in the immediate Berkeley area, particularly if you value their honest service approach and neighborhood proximity. For this week's decision, Above All's additional experience and operational breadth make them the safer choice unless you're in central Berkeley with a simple repair where Pelican's location and straightforward style match your needs.
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Frequently Asked Questions
For truly straightforward work like a faucet replacement, probably not. But most plumbing calls reveal conditions you didn't expect when you made the appointment. Above All's 28 years means more experience diagnosing what's behind the walls in older East Bay homes and handling complications when a simple leak repair exposes corroded pipes. That extra experience cushion matters most when projects don't go as planned.
Actually, this suggests integrity rather than a problem. Several customers specifically praised this honest approach where technicians recommended cost-effective solutions instead of automatically billing for work. However, if you have a complex problem requiring professional repair, confirm during scheduling that they have capacity for the full scope of work rather than just diagnostic visits.
Both demonstrate strong emergency availability in customer feedback. Above All shows more extensive dispatch coordination and appears equipped for larger-scale urgent situations based on their commercial client base. Pelican emphasizes accessible scheduling with real-person contact. Your location matters—Above All operates from Newark, Pelican from Berkeley—so response time may favor the contractor closer to your home.
Commercial experience typically indicates capacity to handle complex residential situations, not inflated pricing. Property managers who use Above All repeatedly are cost-conscious clients who wouldn't tolerate overpricing. Their commercial experience actually suggests they can scale their approach to projects of different sizes and have systems in place for efficient service delivery.
Looking for the Best?
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 13, 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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