Smelly Mel's Plumbing Inc.

Gianni and Isaac did a fantastic job installing my tankless water heater. They were very professional even helped me install the RAM app to make sure that I can manually turn on my circulation pump. It took quite some time there were technical difficulties while doing so but they stuck around and helped me out would highly recommend fantastic service.

The workmanship lacked attention to detail and the cleanup was unsatisfactory. Specific issues: Concrete work mess: Fresh concrete was applied up against the old concrete, but they did not properly finish or clean the joint—excess concrete and splatter were left on the older surface. Poor finishing on new concrete: The new concrete sections show rough, uneven edges and unfinished seams between pieces. The edges were not neatly troweled or sealed, leaving visible gaps and inconsistent profiles. Incomplete cleanup and denial: After I first raised the issue they cleaned some areas, but a lot of dirt and soil remained. When I asked them to return and finish the cleanup, they denied that the remaining mess was caused by their work. Overall I’m unhappy with both the quality of the concrete finishing and the company’s handling of the cleanup. I would not recommend them based on my experience.

Project: Underground Sewer Lateral Installation and Septic Abatement. When I started this project in 2023, I shopped around extensively for contractors, and no one came close to the complete package offered by Smelly Mel's Plumbing Inc. Not only were they highly price competitive, but they also helped me navigate what became a nearly 3-year permitting process with San Mateo County. The project involved underground sewer construction using trenchless technology, as well as the destruction and retirement of an old septic tank. SMP executed the actual construction flawlessly and professionally. In reality, SMP completed their work in roughly two weeks — the overwhelming majority of the timeline was consumed by county permitting and coordination. What really stood out was their deep expertise. There are probably only a handful of old septic systems left in San Mateo County, and at times, even the county itself seemed uncertain about the permitting path and requirements. Bob and Erics from SMP were instrumental from day one in 2023 all the way through final completion in 2026. They knew exactly how to handle every technical and permitting challenge that came up. If you need sewer, septic, or underground utility work — especially complicated projects involving plumbing, permits, trenchless construction, or legacy septic systems — I strongly recommend SMP. They know their field inside and out, communicate clearly, and stand behind their work through the entire process. Thank you, Bob, Erics, and the Smelly Mel' Plumbing team for helping us finally get this over the finish line.

Shower faucet was leaking non-stop. I didn't know how to install the new cartridge so I called the pros. They made this job look easy. They were highly communicative, sending emails/texts to let me know when my appointment was booked and when the technician would arrive. Ed Montelongo showed up on time and worked with his team to quickly resolve the issue. Now that the shower turns "hot/cold" in the proper direction and no longer leaks a single drop, my wife is so much happier. Glad that I called the easiest to remember phone number (415-PLUMBER) for Smelly Mel's!

Ed Montelongo of Smelly Mel’s just came to my house. Could not have been nicer, more professional or more knowledgeable. I was concerned that my outdoor drainage system was backing up and, based on prior experience, was worried that I had a block in the drainage line underneath the house that would take lots of time and money to solve. In about 15 minutes, Ed figured out that the problem was where the gutter and the downspout met and told me how to fix it. And there was no charge. I’ve used Smelly Mel’s for a prior big job (replacing the sewer line from the house to the street) and now this minor work. I highly recommend them and Ed!