When it comes to your home and business’ plumbing, you should never have to settle. That is why you should not hesitate to contact our Durham plumbers at Acme Plumbing Co. We are proud to have provided quality services in Durham since 1947. In fact, the Tilley family has served the community for four generations! From plumbing repairs to full-scale renovations, we handle it all. It is clear that plumber expertise is in our blood.
Many customers praised the professionalism, friendliness, and responsiveness of the technicians, highlighting their ability to explain issues clearly and provide multiple options.
Pricing Issues
Several reviews mentioned concerns about high pricing and unexpected charges, with some customers feeling that they were overcharged for services.
Timeliness
Customers frequently noted the promptness of service, with many technicians arriving on time and completing jobs efficiently.
Mixed Experiences
While many reviews were positive, there were notable complaints about specific technicians and service manager interactions, indicating inconsistency in customer experiences.
MW
Mark Wyche
4 days ago
2.0
Have used for a few years and most of the experiences were good until our recent issue with our water heater.
Pilot light kept going out and a technician came out to fix while we were out of town. No call from the tech on site to discuss the problem he just relit the light, waited for 15 minutes and left which we were charged over $200 for. A call to one of us and we could have explained that we had relit the light numerous times already.
Got back from vacation and of course it went out again and the estimate to fix, even with the parts under warranty, was $750. I would have been ok to pay this but the original $250 could have been avoided with a quick call to discuss the issue with us.
Brought this up with the service manager and he was defensive and unwilling to budge at all on the issue. He told me some technicians just don’t like to talk, which did not seem like a good excuse. I would have accepted the quote if they could have credited the first visit towards it. Ultimately changed companies to work with going forward.
GS
Greg Smith
Nov 26, 2025
5.0
Thank you Randy and ACME for saving the holiday! We were in a waterless predicament and you came shining through!
AT
ambrose taylor
Nov 17, 2025
2.0
Man. I was gonna give these guys 5 stars for coming out on a Friday to fix my water heater. The guy Anthony was really nice on the phone, and the tech was nice too. But then my wife sent the invoice to my Father
In Law and he looked over the charges and it was not right. They are refunding $200 in excess charges for the work. I’m busy with my family and disabled son, and not paying attention. Guess I’m a sucker; but had he not looked I’d have been out $200 of a $516 dollar charge. That’s over a 1/3 of the total so pretty big mistake.
I wondered what I was gonna do when my FIL isn’t around. He’s always so good at checking this kind of stuff over for us. But then it dawned on me that maybe AI could find issues in invoices so I gave this to Gemini and asked it to search for any issues in the invoice. Sure enough it saw issues too.
Keep this in mind if you need a second set of eyes to make sure things are right.
Here’s what it said.
Here is a detailed review of Invoice #69314434 from Acme Plumbing Co.
Executive Summary
The total invoice amount of $517.91 falls on the higher end of the standard price range for a residential expansion tank replacement. While not necessarily predatory, the breakdown between the "Task" price and the "Materials" price is ambiguous and suggests a potential overlap or significant markup on minor fittings.
1. Line Item Cost Analysis
Here is an evaluation of the specific charges against estimated market values ("True Value").
Item 1: ACME480 - Install Expansion Tank No Piping
* Invoice Cost: $348.45
* Description: "Best Solution When An Existing Thermal Expansion Tank Has Failed And A New One Needs To Be Installed Without Any Additional Piping Required."
* Market Value Analysis:
* Retail Part Cost: A standard 2.1 to 4.5-gallon thermal expansion tank (typically used for water heaters) costs between $45 and $70 at retail hardware stores.
* Labor: This task generally takes a professional plumber 45–60 minutes. At a standard rate of $150–$200/hour, the labor portion should be roughly $150–$200.
* Verdict: If this line item includes the tank itself, the price is fair to slightly high (bundling the part, labor, and warranty). If this line item is only for the installation labor, it is overpriced.
Item 2: ACME1268 - Materials
* Invoice Cost: $133.33
* Description: "Basic Piping And Materials Needed For The Job."
* Market Value Analysis:
* The Red Flag: The description for the first item (ACME480) explicitly states it is for an install where "No Additional Piping [is] Required". However, you are being charged an additional $133.33 for basic piping materials.
* True Cost of Materials: The work description notes they "removed some pipe insulation" and "insulated tank with correct insulation".
* Pipe Insulation: ~$5.00
* Teflon Tape/Pipe Dope: ~$2.00
* Potential Brass Fittings (if needed): ~$15.00
* Estimated Total Material Cost: ~$25.00.
* Verdict: High / Requires Explanation. Charging $133.33 for "materials" on a "no piping required" job is suspect. This likely represents a high markup (400%+) on minor fittings or an automatic system charge that wasn't adjusted for the simplicity of the job.
2. Invoice Structure & Policy Review
* Flat Rate Pricing: The Terms & Conditions explicitly state, "All work is performed at a FLAT RATE". This means they do not bill by the hour. While this prevents the price from creeping up if they work slowly, it often results in a higher effective hourly rate.
JS
John S.
Oct 6, 2025
5.0
Thank you, Craig and Zach, for the excellent job you did on the installation of my whole house water filtration system!
Frequently Asked Questions About Acme Plumbing Co.
What services does Acme Plumbing Co. offer?
Acme Plumbing Co. provides a range of plumbing services including maintenance, repair, drain cleaning, sewer inspection and repair, gas plumbing, leak detection and repair, fixture plumbing, piping and repiping, water heaters, pump plumbing, plumbing inspections, outdoor plumbing, water line plumbing, sewer video camera services, and emergency plumbing.
Where is Acme Plumbing Co. located?
Acme Plumbing Co. is located at 4625 Industry Lane, Durham, NC 27713, USA.
What are the operating hours of Acme Plumbing Co.?
Acme Plumbing Co. operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
How long has Acme Plumbing Co. been serving the Durham community?
Acme Plumbing Co. has been serving the Durham community since 1947, with four generations of the Tilley family involved.
What payment options does Acme Plumbing Co. accept?
Acme Plumbing Co. accepts American Express, Cash, Check, Discover, Invoice, MasterCard, and Visa as payment methods.
What areas does Acme Plumbing Co. serve?
Acme Plumbing Co. serves the cities of Durham, Chapel Hill, and Hillsborough in North Carolina.
How can I contact Acme Plumbing Co.?
You can contact Acme Plumbing Co. by calling +1 919-688-1348 or visiting their website at https://acmeplumbing.com/.
Are there any nearby businesses that can complement a visit to Acme Plumbing Co.?
Nearby businesses such as One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning and Green Horizon provide HVAC services which can complement your plumbing needs.
What nearby places could I visit before or after my appointment at Acme Plumbing Co.?
You could visit Sharp 9 Gallery, a music venue and school, or enjoy some shopping at Balance Distribution which offers skate, bicycle, and furniture stores.
How do nearby services enhance the convenience of visiting Acme Plumbing Co.?
Nearby services like Guardian Logistics Solutions and Ample Storage Center provide additional real estate and storage options which might be helpful if you're managing property maintenance or renovations.