Provider profile
Bill Howe Plumbing Heating & Air Restoration & Flood Services
Provider snapshot
What this listing says
San Diego County homeowners dealing with mold after a plumbing leak or flood who want one company to handle water damage, remediation, and the plumbing repair under the same roof.
Best for
- San Diego County homeowners who need mold remediation tied to a plumbing leak or water damage event and want one company managing the entire chain.
- Property owners facing an emergency water intrusion who need same-day response and mold prevention before growth takes hold.
- Commercial building owners or property managers in San Diego who need a single vendor for water damage, plumbing repair, and mold work.
- Homeowners who have had a slab leak or sewer backup and want the source fixed and the mold cleaned up without coordinating multiple contractors.
About this company
Bill Howe is a large, family-owned operation in San Diego that bundles plumbing, HVAC, and restoration under one company. Their mold remediation work typically starts downstream of a water event they already responded to — a slab leak, a sewer backup, a flood. That pipeline from leak detection to water mitigation to mold removal is their main differentiator. They run one of the biggest service fleets in San Diego County and take calls around the clock.
On the mold side, their website describes a process that moves from inspection through containment with plastic sheeting, HEPA filtration, removal, and antimicrobial treatment. They hold IICRC credentials. Because they also do plumbing and leak detection in-house, they can trace the moisture source and fix the underlying problem during the same project — something standalone mold companies cannot do.
The company has operated since 1980, giving them over 45 years in San Diego. They are headquartered on Sky Park Court near Montgomery Field. They also serve commercial properties and offer a "Family Plan" maintenance program for residential customers. They recently expanded to Las Vegas.
4.8 stars across more than 5,200 Google reviews is a strong number for a company this size. High-volume operations tend to accumulate more complaints simply because they run more jobs. The negative reviews that do appear follow patterns common to large service companies — pricing disputes and scheduling gaps — rather than workmanship failures.
Services
Service area
Headquartered in San Diego, California (Sky Park Court, 92123). Serves San Diego County including Alpine, Carlsbad, Chula Vista, Coronado, El Cajon, Encinitas, Escondido, La Jolla, La Mesa, Lakeside, National City, Oceanside, Poway, Rancho Santa Fe, Santee, Spring Valley, and Vista. They also list a Las Vegas presence on their website, though the mold and restoration services appear focused on San Diego County.
Review consensus
Rob A. is the standout, praised in six recent reviews for diagnosing non-obvious problems and communicating clearly. JJ gets multiple mentions for plumbing knowledge and patience. Shayla is called out for leading a water damage mitigation project with strong communication. Juan Lopez, Andrew Diaz, Louie, Nieko, Deshawn, Luciano Cortez, Adrian, Tony, and Branden all receive individual praise. The consistent theme is that field technicians are knowledgeable and personable. Several reviewers specifically note that techs explain what they are finding and offer options rather than dictating a course of action.
28 found across 5,245 total reviews at 4.8★. Pricing and upselling dominate. Kiana Caton describes a plumber who pushed a $3,000 water heater replacement during an unrelated service call — a second plumber fixed the actual issue for $180 by tightening a nut. Johninrsf was quoted $910 for a warranty repair another plumber did for free. M paid $700 across three visits for a faucet install that never worked right. Chris Curl reports being told 9.99% financing that turned out to be 12.99%, plus leaks after plumbing work. Scheduling failures appear repeatedly: Jim Nash had a window pushed twice then canceled; Erik Novak's tech arrived 1.5 hours past the window; William Mitchell waited the full window with no update. Vonnie Asaro describes a water heater installation that took five hours, with a tech who was on personal calls and whose appearance and conduct were concerning. Three separate reviewers report dangerous driving by Bill Howe trucks. On the restoration side, Diem Do describes a sewer backup project where the project manager repeatedly missed appointments and communication broke down, leading to contract cancellation and a months-long billing dispute. Elizabeth Alvarado was billed $1,800 for five days of fans during water mitigation before the leak source was even diagnosed — the owner's response notes that asbestos testing is required by California law, which adds context but does not address the core complaint about premature mitigation. David Walters reports $3,600 in water damage appearing hours after a drain snaking, with the company denying responsibility.
The negative reviews split into two categories that map to the company's structure. Plumbing complaints center on the estimator-first sales model: a tech arrives, inspects, and quotes — often aggressively — then a different crew does the work. This creates opportunities for upselling and miscommunication between sales and execution. Restoration complaints center on project management: once the emergency response ends and longer-term mitigation begins, communication and coordination break down. Owner responses are present on 86% of negatives but lean toward templates — most direct the reviewer to email contact@billhowe.com without engaging with the specific complaint. A few responses stand out: the reply to Elizabeth Alvarado provides a factual clarification about California asbestos testing law, and the response to Erik Novak names the team member (Rick) who followed up. But the majority follow a "we take this seriously, please email us" pattern.
Rob A. (plumber — praised in 6 reviews for diagnostics and communication). JJ (plumber — praised in 3 reviews for knowledge and thoroughness). Shayla (restoration project manager — praised for communication during water damage project). Juan Lopez (plumber — praised for evaluation on water heater install). Tony (plumber — praised as senior technician). Branden (plumber — praised as senior technician). Adrian (plumber/HVAC — praised in 2 reviews for quick diagnosis). Nieko (plumber — praised for drain work). Deshawn (plumber — praised for pipe knowledge). Louie (plumber — praised for drain work). Luciano Cortez (technician — praised for inspection explanation). Roman Marquez (plumber — praised for drain and leak repair). Joshua Duran (installer — praised for persistence on difficult install). Andrew Diaz (plumber — praised for drain work). Gabe (plumber — praised for going above and beyond for parts). Jorge (plumber — praised for repairs). Brenton (plumber — praised for water heater fix). Gustavo (plumber — praised for promptness). Koi (HVAC technician — praised for HVAC check). Chris (plumber — praised for diagnostics). Nathan (plumber — praised for pipe replacement). Justin (technician — praised for camera inspection). Eric, Anthony, Luis (restoration team — praised for teamwork and respect). Isaiah (plumber — negative, attempted upsell per reviewer). Sabrina (office staff — negative, would not provide price quote). Rick (manager — mentioned in owner response as following up on complaint).
Bill Howe is a solid choice when your mold problem is connected to a plumbing or water damage event and you want one team handling the full chain. Ask for Rob A. or JJ if you need plumbing-side work, and request Shayla for restoration project management. Get a written, itemized estimate before any work begins, and consider getting a second quote — the pattern of reviewers finding the same work done elsewhere for significantly less is too consistent to ignore.
Keep in mind
- Pricing is the most common complaint. Multiple reviewers describe being quoted significantly more than competing plumbers for the same work, and several report initial quotes rising after the job begins. Always get a written, itemized estimate before authorizing work.
- Their estimator-first model means a technician visits to scope the job before a second crew does the work. This can add a day or more to your timeline, which matters during active water damage.
- Several reviewers report upselling — technicians recommending full replacements (especially water heaters) when a repair would suffice. One reviewer confirmed with a second plumber that a $3,000 replacement quote could have been solved with a tightened nut.
- Scheduling reliability is inconsistent. Multiple reviews describe missed appointment windows, last-minute rescheduling, and poor internal communication between dispatch and field crews.
- They do not perform mold testing. You will need a separate testing company for pre- and post-remediation air sampling, which is actually a good thing — it avoids a conflict of interest.