William J Malcolm & Son Inc
Local business · 75 Bay State Rd, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
Verified record
- Not rated by the BBB
Highlights
- Decades in business — BBB and D&B both describe a long-running operation
- Solid BuildZoom score — 80 out of 100 on permit and reputation history
- 4.1 stars on Google — from 16 ratings
- Slow follow-through — one account cites a four-day wait with no office update
- Parked van complaint — public criticism over blocking a sidewalk
- Conflicting founding date — sources disagree on 1883 versus 1978
- Not BBB accredited — no BBB rating on file
William J Malcolm & Son is a Cambridge plumbing outfit that also turns up under heating and systems work around Middlesex County. How long they've actually been running is murky — BBB puts the founding at 1883, about 143 years back, while Dun & Bradstreet dates the company to 1978 — but every source agrees it's been around for decades under the same family name. On Google it holds 4.1 stars from 16 ratings; Z1Biz puts it lower, at 3.2 out of 5, and BuildZoom scores it 80 out of 100 on permit and reputation history. Two accounts flag real friction: one customer waited four days for a promised part with no call back from the office, and another took issue with the company van blocking a sidewalk. It isn't BBB Accredited and has no BBB rating on file, so that page offers little to go on. The company's own age is worth asking about directly, since sources can't agree on whether it's been operating since the 1880s or the 1970s. This reads like a long-running neighborhood plumber with an uneven paper trail across review sites — reasonable for routine plumbing and heating work, but worth pinning down a firm timeline for parts and scheduling before counting on a fast turnaround.
Read the comments
Most recent comments
- 5.0Feb 9, 2024
I am very pleased with the service I got from Kevin today. He showed up when promised, took the lowest-cost approach to fix a problem, and then stayed on to take care of a last-minute add-on faucet renew. Looking at the previous reviews I am somewhat perplexed by the complaint about the front office. I have been a Malcolm customer for several years and have never experienced this.
— Robert KleinbergView on Google Reviews ↗ - 1.0Sep 14, 2022
I can't comment on their plumbing ability, but I can tell you they aren't the kind of guys you want in your house. Their truck honked at me while I was biking, then passed inches away while cursing me out. Yes, driving brings out the worst in many people but these guys were exceptional....and not in a good way. Vote for civility by taking your money and your business elsewhere.
— Patrick LavoieView on Google Reviews ↗ - 5.0Jun 23, 2022
We had a faulty garbage disposal and clogged drain that was leaking. They visited on the same day following a short, polite, and professional phone conversation. They visited on time and despite an end of day scheduling managed to fix the drain and replace the disposer in no time with no hassle. Highly recommended!
— Ne NoView on Google Reviews ↗ - 5.0Feb 16, 2022
I've used them for over 10 years for everything from a leaky sink to installing a new boiler at my home to putting in a 3 basin sink in my store. They are good people
— Jackson HallView on Google Reviews ↗
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Update history
Added 4 new comments, established rating 3.5
- behind the score: Slow follow-through — one account cites a four-day wait with no office update