Universal Plumbing

I contacted Paul Blackard (owner) of Universal Plumbing (who came highly recommended by a good friend who has used Universal for all of her plumbing work) to get a second opinion on a sewer back-up problem in our house.  The first plumber had told me that there was a dip in the sewer line and that the only way to fix it would be to tear out the slab and install a new sewer line, with a huge price tag and major demolition work.  This didn't sound right and seemed drastic, as we have lived in our house for over 7 years and never had a problem before.

Paul came out to our house this past weekend, looked at the issue, and told me that the problem could probably be fixed by jetting the lines to clear out the build-up.  He was surprised that the previous plumber never mentioned this solution.  He told me that we should have a video camera sent into the line to show the before-and-after-jetting-work.  Although there is a slight dip in the sewer line, it was not necessary to replace the line, and we had the jetting work done and the problem is solved.  I very much appreciate his honesty and professionalism, and give Universal Plumbing my highest recommendations.

Eric came to fix my sink today and he really provided EXCELLENT SERVICE!! He had the most amazing attitude and even helped me with something beyond what he came to do. I never write Yelp reviews, but I am today because he was so amazing. I hope his boss reads this and gives him a raise :)

I give this Company 2 Stars because I feel that for the most part, Paul knows what he is doing.  I feel taken advantage of.  I'm really not sure what has happened, but since he first got to my house, he seemed very distracted, short and curt.  We have/had very slow water pressure in the Master Bath shower, 2nd upstairs Bath Shower and both sinks.  He told me we needed a new Valve in the MBR Shower.  Luckily we were able to get a new valve free from Wolverine where we bought it not too long ago.  He did fix it in the MBR for $1200.  Yikes.  I feel that was a lot of money.  Maybe I'm wrong?  In the 2nd Bathroom he was able to just clean out the line and the shower seems to be O.K.  He also cleaned out one sink.  It seemed O.K.  Well, the kicker is that when he replaced the valve, he put in a new shower handle that was different than what we had.  We used to be able to adjust the pressure when we turned on the handle.  We can't do that anymore.  It's either on full force or off.  I asked him to come back and change it.  He said we never asked him to put one in like the original.  He never told me he was going to put a different handle on.  Then the 2nd Bathroom sinks are still not working.  He charged me $200 to fix that bathroom.  I had to call him out 2 more times.  Took him 2.5 weeks to come out and the last time he was out, he told me he couldn't change the shower handle in the MBR Shower and never even looked at the 2nd Bathroom.  So unprofessional.  I am a bit surprised at all of the good reviews.  I don't like to leave negative reviews, but I am extremely unhappy.

Paul has always made time for whatever needs to be done at our house. Quick response and it stays fixed.

Super stand up Guys! I was able to text a picture of the problem with my shower and then they arrived within the hour and had it fixed in no time!

We have used Universal Plumbing over the last few years for many different plumbing jobs at two older duplexes in North Park.  Both Paul & Tom are very knowledgeable, professional, and it's a pleasure dealing with both of them.  I particularly like that they do text messaging such that I know when they are 30 minutes out, can send pictures, etc..  It makes my job of being the stuckee for apartment maintenance much easier.  I'm a retired engineer and I really enjoy the technical work these guys do.  They know the code, everything is tight, gas and water lines are properly dressed, and there is no mess left.  The fact that they are responsive and reasonably priced is just icing on the cake.  Thank you Paul and Tom.

We had a dripping shower/tub faucet. Took a picture of it and sent it to Paul. Set up appointment to replace the cartridge. Done quickly and no more leaks.

This review is long over due! We first hired Paul about 2 yrs ago when we were remodeling our kitchen and needed an estimate to move water & gas lines and to install the new dishwasher, sink, faucet and garbage disposal.  We got 3 estimates which were all about the same price but Paul just made us feel at ease. The work was a multi visit process and both Paul and Tom were so nice and professional even when my schedule would change and all of a sudden I needed someone there ASAP.  He always came through for us and with a good attitude.

About 6 months later we needed a toilet replaced.  They provided the toilet and Tom installed it.  I have to say Tom is the nicest service person I have ever dealt with. He's on time, professional, friendly and cleans up after himself.

Then yesterday we discovered a small pipe leak in the ceiling of our bathroom.  I called this morning and Paul answered immediately.  Tom came out this afternoon, located the leak and repaired it for us. Then he cleaned the bathroom of all the mess.

I would give them 10 stars if possible and highly recommend them. You don't see service like this much anymore. Their prices are also reasonable.

FAST AND PROFESSIONAL
If you need a plumber, this should be your first call. Paul quickly assessed the problem and walked me through the repair process. He also noticed some other potential plumbing problems (corroded connectors) and gave suggestions on how to address. No pushy sales pitch.

Tom came out on time, he is a knowledgeable and pleasant person, he diagnosed all problems (water leak, defect water tank) very quickly and did the repairs not only fast, but also well. The charge was reasonable, which is nowadays a problem with a lot of contractors. I will definitively call Universal Plumbing when I have a problem again, and will ask for Tom to do the job, if possible.

These guys are by far the best!  They had my sink up and running in less than 1 hour and their work is guaranteed.  I will not use anyone else.  I highly recommend them.

Tom came on time, was knowledgeable and pleasant, and diagnosed several problems quickly. He finished the job quickly, the pricing was reasonable and I will definitely use this company again, and ask for Tom to do the job.

Our kitchen sink was badly plugged and our toilet kept running randomly.  

I called these guys based on their great YELP! review, and I must say I am NOT sorry that I did.  

Talked to Paul and told him what was up, he said they were pretty busy but would call me back and let me know if they could get someone out to my house that day, and if he could I'd know around 3-4PM otherwise they'd come tomorrow.  

Well around 3PM I get a call saying they'll be here in 20 minutes.

Tom showed up, fixed my toilet very quickly (the flapper was old and leaking so he replaced that) then moved on to my kitchen sink.  

He spent about 2 hours here trying to unclog my sink in every way imaginable.  Snaking through the wall multiple times and then through the vent on the roof multiple times.  I could see he was getting frustrated but he maintained a really great sense about himself the entire time he was here.  

In the end it was to plugged up he couldn't unclog it, and apologized and said this is only the second time in his career he couldn't unclog a kitchen sink, and that it probably needed a jetter to clear the line but their company didn't have one but he would give me the name and number of another company they referred people to for really bad clogs.  

He gives me the number to the guys with a jetter, and tells me since he couldn't unclog the sink he wouldn't charge me...but he would still charge me for the toilet.  I was in such disbelief, I mean who does that in this day in age?

This place will be the first place I call next time I need a plumber!  Not only impressed with how fast they got someone out to my house, but Tom showed true integrity and for that alone this place should get a 5 star rating.  

I will definitely be recommending them to EVERYONE and ANYONE I know needs a plumber.  So impressed with these guys their number ended up on our GO-TO GUYS Home Repair Phone List and that rarely happens.

My stupid plumbing is backed up -UGH! I tried to call 3 different plumbers and no one is available today!!!!! MAYDAY! MAYDAY!

I  called this company and the gentleman on the other line asked if he could call me back in 10 minutes.

Unfortunately, all of his plumbers were booked all day and he wouldn't be able to help. But he was timely getting back to me AND he gave me the name of plumber who he knew could help me today.

While I was unable to work with him, I was so impressed with the customer service that I use them next time for sure.

I needed a sink replaced for a kitchen remodel.  It was an undermount under granite, which is not an easy job to say the least. Many companies (major ones included) refused to do the work because of the possibility that the granite would crack.  Paul from Universal came by and said it wouldn't be easy, but was confident that he could get the job done.  He did state that in case the granite did crack, which would have been the strip in front of the sink, we'd have to go with a country farm house style, which I was OK with as an alternative worst case scenario.

He had the sink replaced in about 4 hours and everything turned out as planned.  I had one minor issue with the faucet which was due to a manufacturer's defect and Paul came out and replaced it at no charge.

I've been in SD for over 7 years and have contracted 3 plumbers in that time period.  Paul @ Universal Plumbing, hands down is the best plumber I've had the pleasure to have done business with.  Not only does he do excellent work at a reasonable price, he's just an honest good guy.

I'd highly recommend Universal Plumbing!!!

I took advantage of a phone number listed on a local site and found Paul B. He was great!!  He was punctual, efficient, helpful above and beyond my expectations, AND the price was so reasonable. I just found my new favorite plumber!!!!!

These guys ROCK!!  We are so happy to find them, called on a Thursday afternoon came out first in the morning on Friday.  They fixed the problem quickly and their rate is very reasonable.

Yes I would use them again (well hopefully no more leaks at home) and recommend to all my friends & family.

I have called Universal Plumbing a number of times and have always been very satisfied with their work.  Whether it was a clearing a clogged drain, installing a new toilet or even issues with our garbage disposal, Universal Plumbing has always gotten the job done.  They are very prompt and professional and always willing to give you advice on how to prevent or solve the issues you are having on your own.

The most recent time I needed their service was during the SuperBowl this year.  I had a house full of people and had a plumbing issue which could have put a damper on the party.  I called Universal Plumbing and they came right out and saved the day!

I highly recommend Universal Plumbing

Universal Plumbing is, without a doubt, the best!

I have used this company for several years now for both repairs and for construction during a remodel.  Very conscientious work and detail.

In my opinion, the prices are better than fair market and the quality of work is amazing.  The business owner is Paul, and he has a great reputation throughout San Diego, and especially Clairemont.

They also specialize in tankless (on-demand) water heaters, so if you need one, give them a call.  
Here is the website:  universalplumbing.us

Very professional!~

Great Service!  Wally was smart, informative and performed all tasks exceptionally.....  definitely knows his electricity.  Lot of electrical issues with this house, and he took care of us.  
Thank you very much!!

I was a little doubtful looking at all the five star reviews that a plumbing company could wow me, but they did. I needed an inspection done for a property I am purchasing, and while Paul was a few minutes late (he did let us know), he was very thorough and efficient.  He was extremely professional, and seemed to be invested in helping us determine every possible issue and non-issue with the plumbing.  He even climbed up on the roof, checked the water heater, and knew a lot about every system that involved water running through the house.  I was impressed, and felt like I was in good hands.  I will definitely be calling him back to get the recommended repairs.

Paul was quick to respond, answer my questions, and provide a quote.  Tom was dispatched the next day.  We were very happy with Tom's work and really appreciated his attention to detail and his thoroughness in explaining what was being done and why.

The BEST. QUick response, reasonable rates, reliable service. What more can you ask for? I had a few issues and the owner, Paul, came right over and fixed everything. There was something caught in garbage disposal and he got it out quick. Hot water heater needed adjusting, he knocked it out right quick. Backed up toilet -- fixed it quick. I would not use any other plumber and you should heed my advice. Real deal.

Great service on a Saturday morning.  Efficiently and cleanly took care of both our clog issues.  Even showed how to do a bit of the work ourselves and left a tool for the garbage disposal.  Terrific Job!

I've used Universal Plumbing on several occasions. Quick, reasonable rates and accommodating---what else could you want in a plumbing company?

These guys know what they're doing! Tom and Paul spent a few hours at my home btwn different days trying to help us with our water hammer/banging pipes issue. We live in an old 1960's mid-century with crazy piping.. They found the issue in the shower fixture and cured our problem. The banging was crazy. All in they were at my house 5 times making sure the problem was solved and also pointed out other issues that needed fixing. Would absolutely recommend these guys. They are fair but most importantly, educated and knowledgeable on plumbing problems.

Quick response, friendly and very professional.  Totally recommend if you need fast, efficient service with no hidden costs.

Paul and Tom are awesome--professional, super helpful, and really nice to be around as a bonus. Moved into a new house and immediately needed help with a few leaks and so glad I called Universal Plumbing. They gave me advice on the best and most feasible way to reroute some plumbing. Then had fairly significant plumbing work done ($$$) during a kitchen renovation and they were great. . Very responsive and great to deal with. Thanks guys!

We called Universal plumbing to help with a slow kitchen drain. The problem was pretty far down the line since it took a few minutes of dishwashing before the water started coming up in the sink.
 The guys came over, run the snake, told me that all was fixed, charged ~$100 and left.  After a few days, doing a big load of dishes, we found that nothing changed and the water was still coming up.  The receipt said 30-day warranty so we called the guys again.
They refused to come!
Said they there were not under any obligation or warranty, and that was entirely our problem.

We ended up having a couple plumbing issues in a few day window.  Tom helped us, and came exactly on time (or called when he was running a little late).  He discussed what he was going to do before doing anything. He was very friendly, and answered our numerous plumbing questions- those related to the project and those unrelated to the work they did.  

We certainly know who to call for any plumbing work we may need in the future.

Contacted Universal Plumbing who requested pictures to bid on a job. Sent pictures and contact information as requested within hours. Followed up daily for four days with no response. Finally left a message we were going with someone else and suddenly we got a pissed off and unprofessional call from the owner Paul. Apparently we were supposed to know he was in a different time zone and disturbed him during his conference when following up to his lack of response. If you need something done in a timely matter who won't use profanity because he dropped the ball go elsewhere.  If you want someone you won't hear from anytime soon and has a colorful vocabulary Paul and Universal is the way to go.

Fast and efficient service. Just a clogged utility sink in our garage but he was great and informative. I'm always afraid of how expensive plumbing issues can be, but it wasn't too bad and I feel he was very honest.     Will call again for future needs :)

I don't write many reviews.  But they were so good, I felt obligated to pass on the word.  I also would completely agree with Sandy B even if I don't know her because I had Tom come as well.

I have never had anyone so professional and helpful.  He did the job I called them out to do.  He explained to me what was happening and he helped to make it the least expensive fix for us.  Then he had time to help with two other jobs one of which was extremely serious for the well being of our family so he called his next job first to make sure he could do everything in a timely fashion for everyone.

I was more than extremely impressed. I am excited I found out about this company and will be using them again if any things comes up!!

PRICE:
I wanted to hire someone to replace the kitchen faucet. So I called all the San Diego plumbing companies that has 4 and above star ratings on yelp.com. This one hands down has the best price.  Since I saw they install tank-less water hear, so I asked Todd about it. He checked it out and told me it will cost too much money and not worth it. No pushy sales pitch. I like that.

SERVICE:
Todd showed up right on time. I am a very punctual person. So that's a very good first impression. He finished the job efficiently, cleaned up after job is done and very respectful of my property. I found out there was a small leak after he left, so I called him and he came back right away and took care of it despite the unusual rain we are having in San Diego right now.

Highly recommend. I will definitely hire them again if I have plumbing problem in the future.

Based on the other reviews here, I pulled the trigger and called them to help me with a leaking toilet issue, which had flowed into the living room (huge potential problem). Not only did they solve the problem and replace the toilet for a reasonable price, the guy gave me advice on how to dry the carpets and underlying padding myself to avoid mildew and thousands of dollars in costs. I will call them first next time I have a problem.

Awesome company. I asked Paul to come out and fix some old copper piping that I wanted re-worked with a manual shutoff for my irrigation system. He was very nice on the phone and email and communicated very well about when he would show up. He not only fixed my problem but was kind enough to replace some other old parts. He did a lot more than I asked for and still charged me the quoted price.  He gave me some advice on how to hookup the new sprinkler valves and answered all my questions, even those unrelated to the specific job at hand. Some people are just good people and Paul is one of them.   I highly recommend them.

Thanks!

I was referred by a friend to Paul at Universal Plumbing, as he and his team had done the plumbing for their kitchen remodel.  I had an emergency leak repair need, so I called on Paul.  He came immediately and found the leak that two other contractors could not.  He happily coordinated with my tenant, saving me time and hassle.  He also took the time to give me a unique invoice as required by my insurance.  I highly recommend these guys!

Wow talk about fast courteous service!!  Had a line clog and Tom was in and out in less then 20 minutes.  Awesome service overall.  I definitely recommend these guys to anyone.

Paul was awesome in trying to get someone out to help me with my problem. When Dan came out, he was unbelievably informative, and helpful. I had to fix an old shower problem and am planning on getting more work done on my parents house.... I am definitely going to use these guys again...A+++++

Universal Plumbing is a great family owned plumbing  company. Very fair pricing and great service. The owner Paul is very knowledgable and will give you the straight skinny on what needs to be done and more importantly, what doesn't. Will answer any questions you have and explain anything that is confusing and you're not sure about. I have used them many times and was always satisfied with their service.

Extremely fast service for a problem that would have taken me far longer to repair myself.  One star down though because $200 for 30 minutes of work and 2 parts that cost $20 total is a bit high in my opinion for labor.

I needed a new water heater, and I talked to Paul since I liked his website.  Thankfully, he was as nice as could be and gave me a great quote without trying to oversell me.  Even when he and his tech got to my house and found that it was going to be more difficult than expected, he stuck to the original quote.  He even gave me a tip for fixing my leaking toilet!  Later, after I'd forgotten the name of the part, I called and he remembered me and my toilet and pointed me in the right direction.  
Great friendly service!

Best service in town!!!
I have been using Universal Plumbing for over 10 years, and they are the best of the best!!!

Let me start by saying how much I hate to be on the computer on the weekends, but absolutely feel it is necessary to write this review.  It was by reading the reviews of others, that I called Universal Plumbing, so I want to make sure I do the same to let others know how fabulous these guys are.

I had problems in both bathrooms and was in desperate need of help: tub spout with diverter was stuck and could not take a shower in one bathroom; and, the 2nd bathroom shower hadn't been used for years, so the shower knob wouldn't pull out.  I was first going to make an attempt at replacing both myself, but after trying to remove the tub spout with diverter and couldn't get it to budge and removing the shower knob in the 2nd bath and seeing the cartridge/stem was stuck, I realized how much damage I could do myself, I decided to call a plumber.

I called several plumbers that had great reviews and all of them could not give me a quote or even an approximate dollar amount, without seeing the job. And they said the work would be charged hourly, which would be approximately $80.00-$100 per hour and that it would take several hours.  Oh, and several others were pretty rude on the phone.  I was discouraged and frustrated.  Then, I called Universal and the first thing that I liked, was that Paul quoted me a dollar amount for the entire job, site unseen.  No extra charges would be added.  WOW.....the second great part about calling Universal, was that they would send someone (Tom) to my home that day.  I was beyond happy about both, I had been having to take a bath each day before work.  And let me tell you, washing my hair in the tub and having to wait for the tub to fill each day, was quite time consuming.

Tom showed up that same day at the end of his route.  I believe they put me on the schedule, so I could have the work done that same day.  Tom was amazing!  I also asked Tom if he would replace my shower head in the bathroom that hadn't been used and he said sure, no problem.  Well, as I suspected, the shower in the 2nd bath proved to take quite a long time due to old stuck stem and cartridge.  He was at the house working for about 2 1/2 hours, the day before the 4th of July.  I felt terrible that it took so long, but he was just as friendly when he left, as he was when he arrived.  He told me to wait 24 hours before using the shower, because something needed to dry.

Well, I waited about 48 hours, since now had the other bathroom back to working order.  When I tested the 2nd bath shower, there was a leak and it was coming from the faucet head.  I called Tom on that Monday and he came right over after work, which was the only time I could meet him.  The pipe in the wall had a crack, so he had to do additional work.  He was again working for about 1.5 hours to repair the pipe, which he explained would be the cheapest way to go.  If the putty (or whatever he said) didn't hold, then the next step would be to remove the tiles and replace the pipe behind the wall.  I definitely did not want to do that, since I knew that would be a costly job.  He never asked for additional money from me and actually had to run to ACE hardware to pick up something that was needed.  After several days of letting the putty dry, I needed to test for a leak.  Well, being a female and not at all familiar with what to do, I ended up texting Tom on Sat. morning, with several questions I had. He called me right back and walked me through what I needed to do.  He also said he would stop by on his way back from the morning job he had and do it himself if needed.  

Everything is working GREAT and I have 2 fully functional bathrooms! I will NEVER use any other plumber, other than Universal Plumbing.  The professionalism, the service, the cost and the work done would actually get 10 STARS if I could give them.  Universal isn't going to rip you off and isn't going to jack up the price to make a buck.  I think these guys are doing what they do and trying to give a price that people can afford!

THANK YOU TOM!!!!  You were so great to work with and I am constantly giving Universal referrals.

I got many quotes for a simple kitchen plumbing job and Universal Plumbing was by far the most affordable.  Paul was easy to schedule with and showed up exactly on time.  He was friendly and efficient, and most importantly he did a fabulous job.  Highly recommend!

I've used Universal Plumbing for three different plumbing issues in my apartment and each time Paul has made an effort to get out to my place as soon as possible, making me feel like my issue is his priority to fix.  He is friendly, efficient and thorough.  The last time I needed something fixed, he was unfortunately already slammed, but was able to send out a different person to help me out.  He promised this 'sub-contractor' (for lack of a better term) would also do a great job and he was right.  Great service again.  The prices seem reasonable for the top-notch services Universal always provides.  Although I hope I don't have any more plumbing issues for a long while, I'll definitely call them again if I do.

I highly recommended this company......Universal installed a tankless water heater in my house and it is fantastic.  Not only did they offer the lowest estimate, they did the job on time and at the price quoted.  Very professional, clean and friendly.  These guys know their stuff.

Meticulous and professional plumbers that charge fair and reasonable prices.  Highly recommended!

If you are in the need for a plumber, Universal Plumbing is who you need to call. They helped me understand all the complexities in an easy to understand fashion. The job was done well and exceeded my expectations. What made the process even better was good communication and excellent responsiveness to my many questions. Additionally, the final price came in exactly what was proposed in the initial bid. I was told a specific time and they arrived promptly at that time. Overall, I was very pleased with the service and would highly recommend Universal Plumbing!