Union Jack Plumbing

Kirk M.

Nick just saved me several thousand dollars and returned my peace of mind back to me just in time for the holidays. I will be recommending this guy for the rest of my life.

Briefly, here's what happened:

My washing machine drain line backed up. What I thought was a reputable large plumbing company ran a snake and couldn't get the line to open. Then they ran a camera to pinpoint the exact location of a running trap and proceeded to tell me the only way to fix the problem would be to tunnel under the house and replace the trap. The written estimate they submitted for doing so: over $12,000!! In shock, I called Nick for a second opinion. He very efficiently and graciously asked me about 5 or 6 questions and announced confidently he thought he could help me out. Not only that, he could be at my home in about 30 minutes. He was exactly on time, and went right to work. But he too ran into a dead-end with the snake. Not to worry! He went to his truck and came back with a simple balloon-jet device and forced some hot water throught the line under pressure and Voila! The line opened and my washing machine is back in business.

On top of his Zen-like plumbing talents, this guy is hilarious and a brilliant conversationalist. Nick is just one of the special people you only get the privilege to meet occasionally in life.

If you having any kind of plumbing issue, don't hesitate to call him right away.

Jack N.

If you could ever say that an experience dealing with a major plumbing issue was pleasant, this would be the time.

Read all the reviews of this guy - they're on the level. He's professional, funny, on time, reasonably priced, detailed and never hurried. All service people could learn a lesson from Nick.

We had a situation very similar to that of prior reviewer Kent W. Our water bills had shot up (over $240 last month alone!) and we found our meter box full of water. Nick came and immediately suggested that it was a common failure located about 1 meter (an homage to the UK for Nick's sake) down the line. He dug it up and voila - there it was. He not only repaired the leak, he improved the situation overall by adding a shut off valve for our use (the City will fine you if they find out you shut off your own water with their shut off valve). When finished, you'd never know he was even there, digging up a 1 m x .5 m area of your yard.

He is pleasant, funny, chatty and honest. We talked about other issues I was concerned about, and he gave me estimates and recommendations for all.

We've found our plumber, that's for sure.

It's funny, Chewy C. mentions a reviewer who gave Nick one star b/c he never called him back. Nick mentioned this today to me - how upset he was that someone would besmirch his workmanship without even having had him work. Make your own decision, but all "five stars' from some long-time, known Yelpers sure beats a single "one star' from a question mark head who complains about not getting a call back..

If you have plumbing issues (household, not personal), give Nick a call. He's absolutely top notch, and yet another great Yelp find. Thanks fellow Yelpers, you pointed the way.

Kerry G.

Thanks again, Yelpers! Nick is a gem.
Yesterday, he came over to the house to fix my running toilet. He explained everything he was doing and moved quickly. He also improved my flush...and I can't say that about everyone! ;-)
Even though he had other appointments after mine, he took some extra time to test my hot water heater and be fully attentive to all my questions. He was very professional and polite.
Plus, he gave me a few tips for free that I will pass along to my Yelp family:
Never flush dental floss. (It gets hung up and creates an impossibly strong rope that clogs your toilet)
Never put rice down your garbage disposal. (It turns into spackle inside your pipes)
Worth every penny!

Noelle C.

So, I chose Nick and Union jack based on reviews written here on Yelp, and I'm so glad I did!

Nick was fantastic - fast, friendly, fair - he finished the job in under 10 minutes! I will most definitely be calling him for future plumbing work - no reason to ever call another plumber again.

Thanks Nick for being the best darn plumber in Austin!

Mila M.

Nick fixed a shower at my place in August 2008. I greatly liked his honest attitude and admired his professionalism. Highly recommend!

chewy c.

Yes, I am actually writing one of those reviews where you address the other Yelpers who have reviewed before you.

Daniel C. with your one star for not getting a call back--um, did something bad happen to you and maybe one time your girlfriend or boyfriend never called you back? You know the kind, the ones that say, "I'll call you later" but then they never do? Even when you got naked on the first date? Even after you named all of your future children together over pizza and three bottles of cheap wine on that fabulous-walk-of-shame-the-next-day-kind-of-evening?

Yes, sometimes people don't call you back. Sometimes you just sound like that kind of bonedog who will leave you a 3-star review even after you do an amazing job. Or, maybe, you have a high voice and no one can understand you when you leave a message. Or, maybe you bought the new 3G iPhone only to have the crappiest voice quality in the world and maybe no one will ever be able to understand you on the phone ever again.

Or MAYBE, just maybe, Daniel C., that lovely Nick at Union Jack did call you back and you just didn't know. Did you ever think about that, buddy?

THINGS HAPPEN. You can always call back unless you did that already and you're just that stalker dude who can't let go.

That all being said, I learned today that leaving a one-star review for this sweet man Nick just about broke his heart, marring his perfect (and well-earned) Yelp five star reviewing average.

There is a reason that Nick has the highest plumber rating on Yelp. It's because he's AWESOME. Even if he didn't call you back, bonedog.

And, in case you're wondering why I am actually writing this review, Nick adeptly fixed the in-ground burst pipe that attaches to our garden hose on the side of our house. While it was fun having an impromptu wet t-shirt contest trying to fix this with my boyfriend late last night in the dark, Nick was a welcomed fix to our plumbing issue!

tom b.

Nick certainly took care of me.

I had 3 faucets that were having issues so after putting it off for too long I found Nick thru Yelp and had him come out.

I had to leave a message on his phone to get a hold of him but he called me back that night and got everything scheduled. He was on time and got the job done quickly and economically.

He is a one man show so you know who are getting everytime as opposed to some larger companies that might have 10 guys. In an emergency plumbing situation he might not be the best because of capacity though.

Carrie B.

Nick installed a hot water heater for me in 2004 or 2005. He was on-time for our appointment, quick, and reasonably priced. He's also really funny. I ended up hanging out with him and talking almost the entire time he was working.

Josh K.

Nick ROCKS! He's definitely the most trustworthy plumber I've ever had to deal with. He gets the job done well and quickly and his fees are more than fair. Plus, he's British, so just being around him makes you smarter. :)

UPDATE: He's also a pro at installing plumbed-in espresso machines!

Ryan C.

Nick has done a few jobs for me, mostly smaller ones. Though he was referred to me by someone who had him do a major job and was very happy. I was most impressed when he came out to fix a leaky faucet and actually rebuilt the old one instead of selling me a new one. Very nice guy.