Company Facts
The Plumbing Department Inc. at a Glance
The work
- Best for
- planned sewer, water heater and remodel plumbing in Chicago's north and northwest neighbourhoods
- Primary service
- Plumbing
Where
- Headquarters
- Chicago, IL
- Service area
- 6 cities
- Emergency service
- Yes, 24/7
Money and guarantees
- Free estimates
- Not advertised
- Financing
- Not advertised
Editorial Review
Our Take on The Plumbing Department Inc.
The weekday-only schedule is the deciding factor here, and we think the company is right to be upfront about it rather than pretending otherwise. A 4.9 average across 79 Google reviews, combined with a service list that runs from disposals to sewer replacement, suggests a small shop that has stayed small on purpose. Best treated as a planned-work plumber you build a relationship with, not an emergency number.
Best for: planned sewer, water heater and remodel plumbing in Chicago's north and northwest neighbourhoods
What We Like
- 4.9 rating from 79 reviews on its Google Business Profile, read September 4, 2026
- Full sewer capability including camera inspection, repair and replacement
- Trading in Chicago since 1999 according to its own website
- Handles remodel plumbing for kitchens and bathrooms, not just repairs
- Reviews repeatedly cite clear quotes and punctual arrival
- States it serves both residential and commercial customers
Things to Consider
- Closed Saturday and Sunday, so no weekend emergency cover per published hours
- Same-day response is offered only within the 7 AM to 4 PM weekday window
- No heating or HVAC services listed, so boiler work falls outside its scope
- No pricing published, so trip charges and hourly rates need confirming by phone
Google Reviews for The Plumbing Department Inc.
Customer ratings shown here come from Google. They are separate from our editorial review above.
Google rating
4.9
Based on 82 Google reviews
Review data updated September 24, 2026
Rating Distribution
- 5 stars98%
- 4 stars1%
- 1 star1%
iAbout this distribution
The distribution reflects the 82 Google reviews available when this profile's review data was last refreshed on September 24, 2026. Ratings and counts change continuously on Google, so figures here may lag the live profile slightly. We publish only the values returned by the source, never estimates for missing bands.
Recent Google Reviews
- Marisa Lee5.0I highly recommend the Plumbing Department! We had a clogged sink and they were able to come same day. Brandon was very helpful, knowledgable, and was able to get everything cleared very quickly.September 2026Google
- Claire Moore5.0Excellent service! I just had my sink repaired by Brandon. First time using this company. Brandon did an excellent job- fast, quality service, very friendly and he explained everything clearly. I would definitely use them again!September 2026Google
- Angela Vagner5.0Very professional and efficient. Technician (Brandon) showed up on time, was pleasant and knowledgeable about out kitchen sink leak. The problem was with the garbage disposer and Brandon did not push us to replace it after finding a loose fitting. We decided to replace anyway since it was more than 20 years old. Very happy with the service provided.September 2026Google
- Stefania Velasco5.0I love the professionalism and warmth of this team. From the moment I booked the appointment to the end of the service, we had the absolute best experience. We will definitely be working with The Plumbing Department Inc. again!September 2026Google
- Bill McGrath5.0I highly recommend The Plumbing dept!! Very professional and so delightful to work with. If I have another plumbing issue I won't hesitate to call The Plumbing dept!August 2026Google
- David B.5.010/10 customer service, techs & efficiency. Always available to assist, go above & beyond and would highly recommend them for other businesses and private residences. Gary is fantastic.August 2026Google
Editorial Ranking
Why The Plumbing Department Inc. Made Our Top 10
It holds position 3 in 10 Best Plumbers in Chicago, IL.
Services Offered
Specialties
- Sewer work
- Water heaters
- No subcontractors, employee-only crews
- Sewer camera inspection
- Water heater installation and repair
- Sump pumps
- Gas lines
- Toilet repair and replacement
Areas Served
Based in Chicago, IL.
- Chicago, IL · HQ
- Lyons, IL
- Lincoln Park, IL
- Lakeview, IL
- Bucktown, IL
- Logan Square, IL
iAbout service coverage
Coverage is as the business describes it, cross-checked against where its recent documented work is. A company will often travel beyond the areas listed here for a large job and decline a small one at the same distance, so confirm your address before scheduling.
About The Plumbing Department Inc.
Plumbing in a city of brick two-flats and century-old clay laterals rewards companies that can do both the small stuff and the excavation. The Plumbing Department Inc. lists a service range that covers both ends: faucets, sinks, toilets and garbage disposals at one extreme, sewer line repair and replacement at the other, with water heaters, sump pumps, gas lines and drain cleaning filling the middle. The company also takes on the plumbing side of full bath and kitchen remodels, which is a different kind of job again, involving rough-in, fixture selection and coordination with whoever else is on site.
What stands out first is the schedule. Published hours are 7 AM to 4 PM Monday through Friday, with Saturday and Sunday closed, and the website frames same-day response as something available during those hours. That is an honest position rather than a limitation dressed up as a feature. Plenty of Chicago plumbers advertise around-the-clock service and charge accordingly after hours. If your water heater fails on a Saturday morning, you will need someone else. If you can wait until Monday, or if your problem is a scheduled repipe, a sewer replacement or a bathroom gut, the weekday model tends to mean tighter scheduling and lower overhead built into the rate.
The review record supports the picture the company paints of itself. On its Google Business Profile the rating was 4.9 from 79 reviews when read on September 4, 2026, which is a strong average across a meaningful sample for a shop of this size. Testimonials on its own website, which should be read as curated, cluster around the same handful of themes: quotes that hold, arriving when promised, and a willingness to troubleshoot over the phone before sending anyone out. One reviewer describes owning six rental properties and using the company at four of them. Another mentions working within condo building restrictions. Both are useful signals if you manage property rather than just live in it.
Sewer work deserves its own paragraph in any Chicago context. Much of the housing stock north and west of the Loop was built with clay laterals that have spent decades under parkway trees, and root intrusion, offset joints and bellied lines are routine findings. The Plumbing Department Inc. lists sewer camera inspection alongside repair and replacement, which is the right order of operations. Ask to see the footage. Ask whether the recommended fix is a spot repair, a liner or a full dig, and what the difference costs. Ask who pulls the permit and who handles the street or parkway restoration if the work extends past the property line, because in Chicago that can be a significant line item on its own.
On overhead sewers, ejector pits and sump pumps, the local reality is heavy rain and combined sewers that back up. A plumber who works this market daily will have opinions about backwater valves and battery backup pumps, and it is worth drawing those out during the estimate rather than after the next storm.
Who is this a poor fit for? Anyone needing genuine 24-hour emergency coverage, and anyone outside the neighbourhood list the company publishes, which leans toward the north and northwest sides plus a few south and lakefront areas including Hyde Park and the South Loop. It does not describe itself as a heating contractor, so boiler and furnace work is likely outside its lane. Larger commercial fit-outs may also be better served by a shop with more crews, though the site does state it serves commercial customers.
Before hiring, confirm the Illinois plumbing licence number and current insurance certificates in writing, since the company states it is licensed and insured but a directory listing is no substitute for the documents. Ask how the trip charge and hourly rate work, whether diagnostics are credited against the repair, and what warranty covers both parts and labour on a water heater or sewer job. Get the scope in writing for anything involving excavation. Those questions are standard practice with any plumber in this market, and a company that has been trading since 1999 should answer them without hesitation.
iWhere this information comes from
Company history, ownership and capability details on this page are provided by the business and reviewed by our editors for plausibility and consistency. They are not the same as the credentials block, where each item carries its own verification status and source.
Reputation by Source
We show each source separately rather than blending them into a single score, because they measure different things.
Google
4.9/ 5
82 customer reviews
TenBestFind
Editorially reviewed
Ranked #3 in Chicago plumbers, September 2026
Company Pricing & Estimates
What this company publishes about its own pricing.
- Emergency callout
- Available 24/7
Project Photos
Business-submitted, reviewed by our editors
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The Plumbing Department Inc. FAQs
Does the plumbing department inc offer weekend or 24-hour emergency service?
No. Published hours are Monday to Friday, 7 AM to 4 PM, with Saturday and Sunday listed as closed. The website offers same-day response within those weekday hours. For a burst pipe on a Sunday night you would need a plumber advertising round-the-clock call-out, and expect to pay an after-hours premium for it.
What areas of Chicago does the company cover?
Its website lists a long spread of city neighbourhoods, weighted toward the north and northwest sides. Named areas include Bucktown, Wicker Park, Logan Square, Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Ravenswood, Andersonville, Albany Park, Jefferson Park, Edgebrook, Sauganash, Rogers Park, Uptown, Near North, Near West, Gold Coast, Old Irving, Forest Glen, Harwood Heights, South Loop and Hyde Park. The shop itself is at 1511 N Artesian Ave, 60622.
How is the plumbing department inc rated?
It held a 4.9 average from 79 reviews on its Google Business Profile when we checked on September 4, 2026. That is a high average across a reasonable volume for a small independent shop. Reviews quoted on the company's own site, which are self-selected, tend to praise punctuality, clear communication about price, and honesty about what does and does not need doing.
Do they handle sewer line replacement, or just cleaning?
Both. The service list includes drain cleaning, sewer camera inspection, and sewer line repair and replacement. In Chicago, where clay laterals and tree roots cause a lot of recurring backups, camera work before any digging is the sensible sequence. Ask to see the footage and get the recommended repair explained in writing, including who handles permits and any parkway or street restoration.
Is the company licensed and insured?
It states on its website that it is licensed and insured, and that all its plumbers are qualified for work ranging from fixture service to sewer jobs. We have not independently verified this. Ask for the Illinois plumbing licence number and a current certificate of insurance before work starts, particularly on anything involving excavation, gas lines or a permit.
Can they do the plumbing for a full bathroom or kitchen remodel?
Yes, the company lists full bath and kitchen remodels among its services. That means rough-in, fixture setting and the plumbing coordination a renovation needs. Since remodel work is scheduled rather than urgent, it suits the weekday-only model well. Discuss timeline and how the work fits around other trades when you get the estimate.
How long has the business been operating?
Since 1999, according to its own website, which is over 25 years in the Chicago market. Longevity matters in plumbing because warranty claims and repeat sewer problems surface years after the original job, and a company still at the same address is easier to hold to its word.
Is The Plumbing Department Inc. licensed and insured?
We have no credential records on file for this company yet. Ask for the certificate directly from the insurer before booking work.
What areas does The Plumbing Department Inc. serve?
Chicago, Lyons, Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Bucktown, Logan Square. Coverage is as the business describes it, cross-checked against where its recent documented work is. Confirm your address before scheduling, particularly at the edge of a service area.
Does The Plumbing Department Inc. offer emergency service?
Yes, the company lists emergency availability. Response time depends on demand, and after a storm every company in the market is stretched.
What warranty do they offer?
Warranty terms are not on file. Ask for them in writing before work starts.
How was this profile built?
Credentials come from issuing authorities, ratings from the company's Google Business Profile with the date we read them, and the editorial take from our own review of estimates, warranty documents and public feedback. Anything the business told us is labelled as reported.
Can a business pay to improve its profile?
A business can subscribe to manage its own listing details, and it can buy a labelled sponsored placement. Neither changes a ranking position or the editorial assessment on this page.
Is Something Incorrect?
Business information changes. Tell us about an address, phone, website, service area, credential or ownership change, or let us know if this company has closed.
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About This Business Profile
- Last reviewed
- September 2026
- Profile last updated
- September 24, 2026
- Google review data updated
- September 24, 2026
- Reviewed by
- Dana Whitfield, Senior editor, home services
- Sources checked
- Google Business Profile, Company website
- Sponsorship status
- No commercial relationship
Dana runs the editorial side of TenBestFind. She built the research process, decides which markets get covered next, and writes the plumbing and chimney rankings herself. Before this she spent eleven years as a consumer reporter covering contractor licensing and home improvement fraud.