Harry Clark Plumbing and Heating Inc

Harry Clark Plumbing and Heating Inc traces its roots to 1941 when Harry Clark opened Grand Ave Plumbing in Oakland, later moving operations to Piedmont Avenue before adopting the Harry Clark name. Madeline Clark, one of the first women in California to hold a state plumbing contractor license, took over after her husband passed away and ran the company until selling to Donald and Beverly Marshall in 1976. The Marshalls sons, Don and Brad Marshall, purchased the business outright in 1989 and today operate two side-by-side companies from Broadway addresses in Oakland. With a 4.7-star rating across 79 reviews and Monday through Friday service from 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM, the brothers serve both Oakland and Berkeley homeowners.

The company split its operations in 2020, creating separate divisions for plumbing and sewer work at 3026 Broadway and heating and air conditioning at 3040 Broadway. This deliberate separation allows each team to specialize rather than generalizing across trades. The brothers have maintained the neighborhood-plumbing-company character throughout more than eight decades of operation, focusing on service calls rather than new construction. Their Broadway locations put them within reach of residential neighborhoods throughout both Oakland and Berkeley, and their decades-long presence in the community reflects consistent operation through multiple ownership transitions.

Reviewer Duane Anymouse described a hot water heater replacement handled by a Harry Clark representative who diagnosed the malfunctioning computer control system within minutes and returned same-day with a full installation crew. The team replaced the heater and added a programmable recirculation pump that reduced the customers gas usage during off-peak hours. Not all feedback is glowing, however. Barbara Ludlum reported that a sink stopper reconnection failed within a month and the company declined to return without another service charge, prompting her to seek other contractors for future work. A one-star review from Carl Peters cited vehicle damage caused by a company vehicle and dismissive behavior when the incident was reported.