Web Analytics
Home > Texas > San Antonio > Plumbing Service
Thunderbird Plumbing

Thunderbird Plumbing

Plumbing Service
San Antonio TX
Call Us Now

Description

We specialize in the Installation and Repair of Tankless Water Heaters, Traditional Water Heaters, Toilets, Faucets and Gas Appliance Hook-ups. We also Specialize in correcting low or high water pressure issues and Leak Repair or replacement of Water, Natural Gas, Propane, and Sewer Lines.Thunderbird Plumbing Co. also offers rooter services for clogged and slow drains. Our technicians will use integrity while working in your home or place of business, and provide you with a reliable service, always keeping in consideration that our customers are our best asset! With out you we wouldn't be here! Thunderbird Plumbing are experienced in the diagnostic and repair service that can solve your drain problem and get your home or office back in action, Our technicians will quickly determine the nature of your problem and will then advise the best solution to suit your needs. At Thunderbird Plumbing we NEVER recommend unnecessary repairs!

HISTORY

Established in 2006.
Thunderbird Plumbing Co. was established in 2006 by Owner and Master Plumber Jeff Plunkett as an alternative to the larger and higher priced national companies in town. After working for these companies for over a decade Jeff understood that the largest companies didn't always offer a higher level of service.In fact, the opposite was often true.These big companies are in a constant struggle to keep up with a high volume of calls and often times the plumber they send out might not even be properly licensed.So what you end up with is a lower quality of work at a much higher price.At Thunderbird Plumbing ,where good old fashioned service still means something ,you will get High Quality Work at a much lower price.Still today, most of our business comes from repeat customers and folks they refer to us.We do the job right the first time, our business depends on it.

ABOUT BUSINESS OWNER

Jeff began his career in the Plumbing business nearly 20 years ago.He started  by pressure washing out the septic pump trucks and digging trenches for water or drainage lines.Basically doing alot of the dirty work that most Plumbers are familiar with.Jeff worked his way up and became highly skilled at installing and repairing water heaters, toilets, faucets,drain, water and sewer lines, and also became highly skilled at isolating and repairing slab leaks in water and drain lines.He Knows what it's like to put in an honest days work.At most of the Plumbing outfits Jeff worked for he was held in high regard for his work ethic and the high quality of his work.He feels that maintaining this quality is vital to keeping his business going for years to come.He thinks long and hard about those he brings on board at Thunderbird Plumbing and makes sure to have plumbers of a higher level along side him.We honestly feel that when you call us you will get more value for the money.

SERVICES

Water Heater Repair, Drain Cleaning, Toilet Repair, Toilet Installation, Faucet Repair, Drain Installation, Faucet Installation, Tankless Water Heater Repa…, Garbage Disposal Installat… , Gas Water Heater Repair , Leak Detection , Electric Water Heater Installation, Hot Water Recirculation Pump Installat…, Sump Pump Repair, Virtual Consultations, Pipe Installation, Sewer Services, Water Heater Installation, Pipe Repair, Sink Repair, Bathtub & Shower Repair, Gas Line Services, Bathtub & Shower Installat…, Electric Water Heater Repa…, Sink Installation, Garbage Disposal Repair , Hot Water Recirculation Pu… , Water Filter Services , Gas Water Heater Installation, Sump Pump Installation, Tankless Water Heater Installation, Water Heater Leak Repair, Septic Tank Services, Solar Water Heater Repair, ,

Reviews

Lauren Y.
Lauren Y.
4/30/2023
Love Thunderbird Plumbing! Ted is consistent, super helpful, quick to communicate, and reliable. He always gives great advice and does quality work. I recently had to get my water heater replaced and the new water heater is so much better with getting hot water fest with the updates and configurations Ted made. I also really appreciate his suggestions on maintenance as well as the effect of my water softener system on the heater. Ted has also done great work replacing my garbage disposal. New one works like a charm.  I highly recommend Thunderbird Plumbing for all plumbing needs!
Jim C.
Jim C.
9/20/2022
tl;dr: great work, good prices, versatile - highly recommended

We had a leak in our garage and water in our water heater pan. Unfortunately they were not related, it turns out we had a leak in our laundry pipes and our 18-year old water heater was giving up the ghost.

We called our regular plumber but he was unavailable, so we called the references he gave us as well as some companies off Yelp like Thunderbird plumbing. Ted from Thunderbird seemed the most knowledgeable and trustworthy (according to Hope, who used to work with a lot of subs as an architect and a construction project manager), and surprisingly enough also had the cheapest estimate. (Some plumbers wouldn't even do all the work we wanted, like installing a pressure relief valve).

A few days later Ted came to do all the work, and it seems to be done really well. He even replaced our main water shutoff valve without charging us more than his original estimate.

All in all, a great experience, well worth a 5-star rating.
Shannon R.
Shannon R.
7/17/2022
Had a great experience with Raymond who was prompt & courteous a couple months back. He took time to answer all my questions, going beyond just the basics of his job and gave me great advice to help me care for my tankless water heater and pipes. I'd definitely use them again.
Will S.
Will S.
04/05/2023 12:00:00 SA
Needed to have a 26KW Briggs and Straton home standby generator installed. After getting a few plumbing quotes Jeff with Thunderbird Plumbing came out on top. His team showed up early and went straight to work despite some rainfall.  It was a small workforce there to lay a gas line from the home to the generator. These guys were a digging machine and the entire job was completed in 5 hours. They laid down tarps to capture the soil then carefully cut the sod. They hand dug a 45 foot long, two foot deep trench. They laid the poly pipe, labeled for safety then connected cutoff and pressure controls on each end. Then installed the battery and test ran the generator. Purred like a kitten. They watered in and tamped down the loose soil as they filled the trench. Won't be long until you won't even be able to tell they did anything in the back yard. His team comes highly recommended! Thank you Jeff I know where to go when I need some plumbing assistance.
Steve K.
Steve K.
07/01/2022 12:00:00 SA
Ted installed two hybrid electric water heaters for us. First of all, Ted is just a great dude. Honest, friendly, and stuck to his quote. Very easy to work with and a pleasure to be around.

The two water heaters work great, but the incredible part is how he fit them in the small spaces occupied by the previous water heaters. The old ones were not hybrids and less bulky.

As Arthur C. Clarke's law states... any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. Well, Ted does magic.
Sandy N.
Sandy N.
10/24/2021
10 plus stars to Ted!
My husband called Thunderbird and Ted reached out the next day and was able to come out. We were amazed how quickly the turnaround was because we've noticed that a lot of these places like gutters, garage doors, and other services just don't care and not responsive.
My Husband worked with Ted and learned so much from him. Not only was Ted really nice and professional but he was HONEST! We had a bathroom we don't use since we've moved in our home because the hot water took 15 minutes to come out. Ted gave valuable pointers and wallah it worked! He also taught my husband some other things as well.
We now know who to call for any plumbing issues. We've already recommended him to our neighbors!
It's not often we find great people like Ted so we are fortunate we did.
Thank you Ted for helping us and teaching my husband a thing or two about plumbing!  You are now our go to plumber going forward!!
Casey M.
Casey M.
3/31/2022
After getting some ridiculous quotes through Home Advisors to resolve an intermittent issue with my tankless hot eater heater I found Thunderbird Plumbing on Yelp. They came out that day after giving me a reasonable expectation of the cost range based on the potential problems. They contacted the manufacturer and quickly diagnosed the issue. The plumber located the part in town and was back within the hour. Two hours after initial contact the hot water heater was working great and the bill was 1/3 of what I'd been previously quoted.
Kathleen S.
Kathleen S.
08/02/2022 12:00:00 SA
Once again Raymond and Thunderbird plumbing gave great service.  Raymond came out to check my homeowner's water shutoff valve.  He worked in the hot afternoon to first dig up the area to get to the valve and then replaced the 30 year old valve handle and water presssure adjuster.  He explained all so I could understand.  Great service, peace of mind.  Thanks again Thunderbird.
Jesse R.
Jesse R.
8/16/2022
Ted recently came out to meet us regarding some tankless water heater concerns that I had. He had performed extra research by calling a Rinnai tech before the visit and provided us with great information. Fortunately, we determined that nothing needed to be done at the time, but I will not hesitate to contact and refer Thunderbird for future plumbing needs!
Kevin L.
Kevin L.
6/17/2021
Five stars yet again. A different plumber quoted me for a job, and Jeff saved the day by validating the quote, but came back with quality work at a lower rate, which was incredible and unexpected. Thanks, Jeff! Appreciate you!
Tara H.
Tara H.
9/30/2021
From start to finish, Thunderbird Plumbing is the best! Plumbing pros! We discovered a hot water line leak that was steadily leaking water through the floor, into the house.  Ted was responsive and came to check out the issue and give us an estimate the same day I called.  He helped us with a short term fix until he could come back and do the full repair.  Jeff and Ted returned a week later to complete the job (cap at the leak and reroute the line).  They were on time, friendly and worked well together to diagnose the issue and fix it.  They were fast and less expensive than another quote I received.  We were grateful they were recommended to us! Thanks Thunderbird!
Michael W.
Michael W.
12/27/2021
Ted came out to assess our nonfunctional water heater. Communication was great. Quick service and explained everything as work progressed. A few hours later and hot water has returned. Highly recommended.
Shirley E.
Shirley E.
05/03/2022 12:00:00 SA
Had work done and it was good work! However when I text him later for a potential new job, he was very very rude; this killed the deal and future deals!
Cooperdel ..
Cooperdel ..
03/09/2022 12:00:00 SA
Raymond was a huge help in fixing a whole host of issues we had, from toilet replacements to sink fixes to leak repairs. He also quoted a tankless system to replace our old twin water heaters, and we will be taking him up on that in the not too distant future. In addition to getting all the repairs done well and quickly, Raymond was a wealth of knowledge, easy to work with, a good communicator, and totally dependable. I even had to leave him at the house by himself, and he made sure everything was locked down when he left. Admittedly, Thunderbird is pretty busy, so it did take me some time to get on  their schedule, but it was well worth the wait. We now have a plumbing service that we can depend on for the foreseeable future.
Ty G.
Ty G.
06/10/2021 12:00:00 SA
Thunderbird Plumbing stands out as an exceptional service and customer oriented company. Thunderbird was one of three plumbing companies recommended by my fantastic realtor and I sought estimates from another five via Yelp.

I needed replacement of the Pressure Reducing Valve (PRV) for low water pressure, a hydrostatic leak test of the drain lines, and a basic leak test of the freshwater lines.

Jeff, the owner of Thunderbird, responded same day and was able to provide a detailed estimate the following day (a day sooner than anticipated). We were communicating via Email and his responses to my many questions were timely, detailed and very easy to understand. Thunderbird's estimate was on company work order/invoice letterhead: the only company to do so. And yes, the completed work came in right on the estimate! No surprises!

Of the five companies via Yelp, I received replies ranging from no reply, to asking me why I needed an estimate, to a required $89 service call just for an estimate, to a range of estimate prices. Of these, some were detailed estimates, others were not. Anyway folks, I did my homework!

After scheduling with Thunderbird for the following Monday, I had to move the work back a week. Jeff was able to accommodate the change- no problem! This was a huge relief, considering how busy the skilled trades are in Austin right now (the housing boom).

The PRV replacement involved digging in the front yard and Jeff was amazingly tidy: putting plastic down first, cutting the sod layer separately, and putting all sod and dirt on the plastic. When the PRV was fixed, you could hardly see where any digging was done at all!. The hydrostatic test involved removing one toilet and when the test was done, he put the toilet back with a new wax ring, new retainer bolts, and new caulk! This was great! Jeff provided pictures, for my records, of the water pressure test readings and various phases of all the work.

This was a new home purchase for me, though I've lived in Austin a little over 30 years. I can easily say Thunderbird Plumbing, and the owner Jeff Plunkett, was the best experience I've had with a plumbing contractor! I will use Thunderbird for any and all of my future plumbing needs, guaranteed!
Jacque B.
Jacque B.
03/11/2021 12:00:00 SA
Jeff is awesome!!! Our water heater died!!! I sent him the pictures. Jeff was patient as we were working with the insurance company and a warranty company. Finally just working with Jeff and the insurance company!!! His quote was very reasonable seeing that he had to bring everything up to code. That evening he texted me to make sure everything was okay. We have a new plumber!!
Brian W.
Brian W.
12/23/2020
We had a problem with our hot water (we have tankless) in our home we just moved into called a cold water sandwich, the water in the shower would start cold (which is normal), then get hot (which is normal), then go ice cold again (NOT normal), then maybe in a while would get hot again.

We hired a DIFFERENT plumber (not Thunderbird Plumbing) to come by, and after poking around for 40 minutes that idiot said I don't see any issues.  It takes a while for hot water to travel through the house, you need a hot water recirculator to fix this, which will involve us tearing up drywall throughout your house and cost thousands of dollars - we'll send you a quote.  

Before spending those thousands of dollars, we found Thunderbird Plumbing on Yelp looking for at least a second opinion.  Their voice mail said they were too busy right now, but we got a call back right away and they agreed to swing by the VERY NEXT DAY to take a look.  Jeff walks into our house, listens to my description, goes to the tankless hot water heater AND IN 3 MINUTES says Yeah, that's not right at all, I'm reproducing the issue, and it is displaying an error code.  Let me call tech support for this particular unit and we'll work through it.  

I sometimes get chills up my spine when the person in front of me fills me with confidence and I realize this is the right guy, right here, right now.  

About two hours later, Jeff says ok, I fixed several thing and I think you're good, but call me if it isn't fixed, I guarantee this work.  Jeff then explains in great detail, The air intake/exhaust wasn't hooked up right, maybe the wind knocked it at some point, maybe it was never hooked up right, but I fixed that and the error code stopped. Also, you are supposed to replace the water filter into the unit every few years and it really didn't seem like it had ever been replaced and the unit is 7 years old - so I replaced that.  Also, I descaled/decalcified the water heater, it was pretty bad, I don't think anybody had ever done that either so I descaled it.  I also went around to all your showers and cleaned out the sediment from all the shower heads.  It's working great now.  Oh yeah, somebody had turned the hot water heater temperature up too high probably to try to fix this incorrectly, I turned it down to the recommended setting.  It's not great to have it cranked that high, bad for the unit.

And from that point onward we had no more issues, everything worked the way it is supposed to, it even gets hot first thing in the morning in half the time.  No thousands of dollars on a recirculator that would not have solved the problem anyway.  No drywall work.  One visit by the right guy.

I'm never calling anybody else ever again.  Jeff is the plumbing whisperer.  He's the right guy.  And he doesn't charge NEARLY enough, not even close.
George R.
George R.
01/11/2021 12:00:00 SA
We've been on this planet for over seven decades and these guys are the absolute best plumbers we have ever encountered.  They do only what's needed and their prices are very fair.  They go out of there way to help in every way possible and more.  I was trying to light my gas grill and without me asking they helped me get it going.  You'll be so glad you called Thunderbird Plumbing!!!!!
Manny F.
Manny F.
10/15/2020
Great service, fair price, on time and quick. Jeff was in and out on a new water heater install and he even replaced a part on the water heater that was plastic to a brass fitting. He's my new go to plumber from now on!
Alexandra G.
Alexandra G.
1/30/2021
We needed to have one of our water heaters replaced in our new home, because it didn't seem to be working too well. After contacting Thunderbird Plumbing, I got a text message from Jeff and we were able to get the whole thing scheduled. He was able to give me a quote based on pictures I had taken of the attic space and water heater. He was able to schedule it for just a few days later (he even offered to come sooner, but it didn't work for us). Right on time, Jeff and Ted showed up and quickly got to work taking out the old water heater and setting up the new one. They were very careful about my floors too, and put down plastic tarps. While they were here they even flushed out the other water tank I have, to make sure it doesn't collect too much sediment. Jeff answered every question I had, and helped clarify which upgrades were needed to get up to code - something that other companies didn't seem to want to tell me directly. I'm so happy with the work they did, and will definitely call them in the future if I need any plumbing work done around the house. Thanks!
L W.
L W.
11/30/2020
We ended up not using Thunderbird, because we were ultimately forced to go through our new builder's warranty, but I had an excellent experience talking to Thunderbird on the phone. A real plumber called me back real quick, and squeezed us into an appointment the same day. They offered valuable advice and insight over the phone into the reasons why a newly built home would have a clog so soon (within a year), and next steps should something occur. When I had to cancel the appointment because the builder told us we would void the warranty by using a third party, and called Thunderbird back to tell them as such, they were just as helpful. Chad (Jeff?) sounded like a great guy. They also gave me a very competitive quote on fixing the clog and quoted incidental charges as well.

I would 100% hire them as soon as the warranty runs out on the new build.

Please give them a shot, we were kindly dealt with even though we didn't end up giving them business this time around, and had extremely reasonable quotes. They offer camera services into your pipes as well (in case you are starting to doubt your home builder's plumber choice, as I am).
Brittany R.
Brittany R.
1/13/2021
I cannot recommend Thunderbird Plumbing, and specifically Jeff enough!! I have a Home Warranty and they sent a plumber out a few months ago who stated there potentially was an issue with the timer so I almost hired an electrician, per his recommendation. Fast forward a few months, and after seeing amazing reviews about Jeff, we reached out and asked him to come over and diagnose our hot water heater. He did a wonderful job explaining the details of my 40 gallon hot water heater and helping me understand what should be expected of this unit. Though we did not do any work at this present time, I literally asked Jeff for for business cards so I could give them to friends. We will only be using Jeff as our plumber and truly cannot recommend him enough!
Theron L.
Theron L.
04/08/2019 12:00:00 SA
Jeff Plunkett from Thunderbird Plumbing did an amazing job replacing our Garbage Disposal and redesigning a plumbing strategy for a much larger, more advanced garbage disposal. Before finding Thunderbird Plumbing a previous company quoted us 500-700$ for a redesign plumbing strategy/install. Thunderbird Plumbing gave us a more efficient plumbing strategy with a price (100 - 130$) much more reasonable for the work being done.
Emilia H.
Emilia H.
09/07/2021 12:00:00 SA
Outstanding. Our water heater needed replacement. Jeff and Ted came over and did a fabulous job. They were efficient, very clean, respectful, followed covid guidelines and did the job so quickly I am astounded. They really are exceptional in this day and age and I am already planning to hire them for my other plumbing needs. Thank you Jeff and Ted! I am always a little skeptical of yelp reviews but in this case, everyone was right. Two thumbs up for sure!!
Jonathan H.
Jonathan H.
09/01/2021 12:00:00 SA
I am a fan! We have complex water heater issues at our home related to the original construction. There was no easy solution. Jeff spent much time problem solving instead of just ripping open walls which would have been much more costly. He came up with a solution that works perfectly. Ted and Jeff fixed other items in our home as well. I'm so thankful to find people that are top notch in their craft, kind, professional, easy to work with and very fairly priced. Thank you again for all the wonderful work!!!
Jaime F.
Jaime F.
05/08/2021 12:00:00 SA
Thunderbird installed my new backflow preventer after my old one froze and burst in the winter storm. Showed up on time when promised and did a great job on the repair. Would highly recommend!
Scott M.
Scott M.
11/28/2018
I've had a problem with water pressure at my home for quite some time, but it had gotten worse in the last six months. Running two faucets or flushing a toilet at the same time as running water cut the pressures back immensely. After checking the water pressure at the City connection and at my main shut-off valve, I found my static pressure was about 50 psi - what the manufacturer had set on the PRV - but could go up to as much as 75 psi. Fine - just adjust it? Well...the diaphragm wasn't working correctly.

I called two other service providers and were told the PRV was bad, but neither took the time nor asked the questions that Ted at Thunderbird did. Ted took considerable time checking to see what certain actions with the water faucets did to the pressures at the gauge set on the hose bib. Ted and I agreed that the PRV was set to factory standards - even checked the neighbor and his pressure was like mine. I had decided to just change out the cartridges on my Moen fixtures first and see if that would help - but my specific situation wasn't going to give me the time to have the PRV dug up and replaced if needed.

I went ahead and had Ted replace the PRV and set the pressure up to 75 psi, which the old PRV wouldn't hold. I'm glad I did! All was much better; however, I went and replaced all of the Moen cartridges as well and everything is working much better than I imagined it would (yes, Ted, I decided to pay for the cartridges myself to get the job done!).

Thanks to Ted, his knowledge, his skills and his ability to get the job done in a prompt and efficient manner. A joy to work with and get to know!
Tom C.
Tom C.
02/12/2016 12:00:00 SA
I have been planning to replace my 15 year old hot water tank with some kind of Tankless Water Heater for many years. I have researched many residential and a few commercial water heaters and then read reviews.   I also inquired with a number of local and a national plumbing company in Austin and what I got were a lot of excuses and reasons why they didn't think I'd want a tankless water heater!?  

Jeff at Thunderbird was the first plumber I have talked to who not only sold the model I wanted and needed, but he also came to my house and gave me a written quote the same morning I contacted his company.  

The system he installed (Navien 240-A) is far more advanced than what I had been reading about for years.  It's a South Korean brand I have never seen before, yet it was simple to operate and very sophisticated inside.  I looked up the technical details, the diagrams, and read reviews, like these here in Yelp.  It's rated at 200,000 BTU's max, has a very high flow rate (11 GPM) and still works with my 1/2 inch gas line.

I had planned to have this tank installed outside my house, as they do in many commercial buildings and restaurants around here (like NXNW).  However, because this tank is so efficient, the exhaust is more like my drier.  It did not need expensive stainless steel vents, which can cost as much as the water heater !

My tankless system provides instant hot water, because it has a recirculation pump built-in, which worked with the existing plumbing in my house.  There is no cold/hot/cold water sandwich - just a stead supply of hot water when to turn on the tap, run a shower, or fill up my whirlpool tub (which I could not do with the old 50 gallon tank).

This is a HIGH TECH UPGRADE to my home and an improvement that will reduce the cost of natural gas and wasted water.   It's exactly what I wanted and the workmanship is worth showing off.  I'm taking pictures and sharing them with everyone.

Kudo's Jeff !
Catherine G.
Catherine G.
6/30/2020
They did two repairs for us. Both times they fixed the issue quickly, provided great customer service, and charged reasonable prices. Highly recommend.
Tony Y.
Tony Y.
11/10/2017 12:00:00 SA
I can't recommend Jeff and Thunderbird plumbing enough. I had a water heater installed and Jeff's estimate came in under two other bids I had. He was prompt and efficient, and was really nice and communicative throughout.

After the installation, I mentioned some small problems I had in my new home, and he offered to walk through, took a look, and gave me a few tips. I had a leak in the bathroom faucet that I had no idea how to fix and he grabbed a similar faucet valve from his truck and showed me how to fix it.

I can't imagine a better plumber.
Hae Young B.
Hae Young B.
06/01/2021 12:00:00 SA
Before Covid, we were very satisfied with their services for the plumbing issues. But after Covid, we were not able to schedule with them. We left the messages twice but they never returned our calls.
Will D.
Will D.
4/29/2020
Thunderbird replaced my old, non-working tank water heater with a new Nav tankless unit. Jeff responded to my late-night inquiry before work hours the next morning. With a couple of pictures and clarifying points, Jeff promptly quoted me a price that was in-line or better than 4 others. No time was wasted on unnecessary visits or trying to upsell parts or systems that weren't needed. Jeff arrived at the time promised and completed the job in an efficient and non-intrusive manner. I appreciated the efficiency and thoroughness off the whole project and can't recommend Thunderbird enough for your tankless water heater conversion.
RJ S.
RJ S.
2/18/2017
I will add to great reviews.  Called Thunderbird Plumbing after business hours and received a call back later that evening by Raymond.  My project wasn't a rush, just needed to get a estimate and time of when they can do it.  Raymond originally had a full schedule the next day but might be able to rearrange his schedule to fit me in.  He contacted me the next day and was able to get me in at noon.  

I sent him pictures of what was leaking (back yard faucet) and he was able to get the parts when he arrived.  Knocked out both jobs within the hour.  Polite and gave his advice and did great work.  Would call them again!
Chuck F.
Chuck F.
02/01/2017 12:00:00 SA
Piece of advice: if you know your water heater is past it's expected lifetime replace it before it leaks and costs 5x as much in cleanup and repairs, especially if you require carpentry work to fit in the newer bigger government imposed units.

Ted is the best.  Completely competent, patient with many questions, did not rush us but made sure we were at ease with a bad situation.  I only wish I would have had Ted out even one month sooner.  But, somehow he was able to come out withing hours of calling and he mitigated any further damage.  Then he was there the next morning with Travis (who was also great) and had a 2 story attic unit replaced within a couple of hours.

Don't bother doing any more research, just call Thunderbird now.

EDIT: Ted is no longer with Thunderbird, but I had them back out a year later to replace the gas value (bad design, not their fault) and they are still great.
Kay A.
Kay A.
8/31/2019
Still a happy customer! I refer Ted to all of my friends. He is honest and fair--always does what he says he will do. I trust him completely.
Trevor L.
Trevor L.
12/04/2019 12:00:00 SA
First time using Thunderbird Plumbing on a small job (replacing an protruding water shut-off valve with a recessed one. I realize some places don't care much for small jobs, but Thunderbird treated it with as much professional care as a larger job. Raymond was on time and the cost and duration was what he quoted over the phone. Very reasonable price. Super nice guy as well. I will be calling on them again for future plumbing needs.
Kevin C.
Kevin C.
12/01/2020 12:00:00 SA
Jeff and Raymond replaced the water heater in our attic . It was a tricky job. I can't say enough about what a great job they did. On time, professional, and fairly priced. These guys are tops.
Andrew M.
Andrew M.
12/08/2016 12:00:00 SA
I had issues with my gas fireplace not lighting.  I Called Thunderbird and got a text back within a few minutes. I was happy to pay for them to come out to look at it (with the expectation of being charged a large call out fee). Rather than that, Jeff did a diagnosis over text. Finally suggested I adjust my thermocouple position. I did that and the issue was resolved at no cost. It really does not get any better than this.
Lew K.
Lew K.
02/05/2019 12:00:00 SA
I called Thunderbird Plumbing at recommendation of a neighbor and could not have been more pleased with the service we received. I can see why they have the 5 star rating. Our technician was able to re-light the pilot on my waterheater and gave me some advice on keeping the intakes clear of dust/debris AND how to properly light the pilot (turns out it was I who was not following the correct directions). My biggest surprise came when there was no charge for the service; my expectation being, for any service provider to even cross the threshold of your house, you are getting a minimal service charge. Thunderbird will be my FIRST and ONLY call for my future plumbing needs.  The technician (and I very much regret I didn't get his name) was very professional, on time, friendly and knowledgeable.  THANKS SO MUCH Thunderbird!
Elizabeth W.
Elizabeth W.
11/17/2019
I was so happy that we picked Thunderbird to install our new water heater. They did an amazing job, did it to code, did it quickly and did it within a week of us asking. The pricing was also very reasonable. As a realtor who has worked with a lot of vendors, I plan on using these guys for all my and my clients projects!
Marshall M.
Marshall M.
12/15/2018
Excellent customer service and seemed knowledgeable. Fixed a few issues at my house and provided insight on some questions I had. My 4 year old claims he was the best plumber he's ever met!
Glenna S.
Glenna S.
11/30/2018
Of course when my water heater started leaking I wanted a plumber with a 5-star track record, and Thunderbird lived up to it!  I emailed them late at night and explained the situation.  They called and emailed and texted first thing in the morning and were happy to come right away, even though I knew their business was very busy.  They replaced the water heater and cleaned up the water within 3 hours.  They quoted the price before the job and stuck with it--and it was a great price!  I think I have a new go-to plumber!
Bruce C.
Bruce C.
10/12/2018 12:00:00 SA
Great experience.  Call him.

We used Thunderbird for a situation where I didn't want to get involved and he came though with flying colors.
Nikos I.
Nikos I.
10/23/2018
I am extremely happy with the service provided to me today by Raymond at Thunderbird Plumbing.  He showed up exactly on time and did an excellent job replacing my toilet.  Even though the installation ended up being more work than he expected (because it is a skirted, one-piece toilet), he still charged me the price he quoted to me on the phone.  Excellent and very professional job all around. I will, no doubt, be using his services again.
Bill F.
Bill F.
05/08/2019 12:00:00 SA
Getting small projects done at a reasonable price has always been a nightmare. We acquired a pro-style kitchen faucet and hoped we could get a reasonable install price. Thunderbird's got back to us in under 24 hours, and were able to schedule the install for just 30 minutes later. One hour later we were happy home owners. Doesn't get easier than this.
Jo J.
Jo J.
7/18/2018
Great experience having our water heater replaced. We contacted four companies for estimates and Raymond both had the best price and was the best at communicating. Thanks Raymond!
Lindsay L.
Lindsay L.
6/15/2020
I have known Aaron for about five years now and feel fortunate to have met him. After being taken advantage of repeatedly by plumbers in the past ( telling me to rip out the last person's work and re-do it etc) , I have never had this experience with Aaron. He is a solid, trustworthy and dependable person who doesn't dismiss smaller jobs for big ones or shirk the unpleasant side of the business. I think he is the patron saint of plumbing! Four halos to him. As an aside, I also really like supporting smaller, local business owners with families. He's a really great guy and a family man on top of it all- that counts with me too. Kudos to him! Thanks for all your hard work Aaron. You are a keeper! :) Lindsay Lewis.
Steve M.
Steve M.
1/29/2018
Hire these guys. Jeff did an amazing job, was responsive, knowledgeable, courteous, clean, and helped me obtain parts through warranty to get the job done. Awesome plumber will absolutely use Jeff again for all my plumbing needs. Thanks for bumping up our water /shower pressure!
Alison N.
Alison N.
05/09/2018 12:00:00 SA
My dad called and asked me to write a review for Ted at Thunderbird Plumbing. He was so impressed to have such a knowledgable, nice and efficient plumber come and fix his broken kitchen sink. Dad is not easily impressed so I felt I should share what a great experience he had. Thanks Ted, for taking such good care of my pops!
Megan M.
Megan M.
9/30/2015
Yelp hits a home run again!

Our hot water heater went kaput over the weekend.  It still has a little over half a year on its warranty after being installed in our new build.  I was flummoxed, trying to troubleshoot an issue with the pilot light not staying on and the manual, Google, and YouTube failed me.  It was Sunday and I called a few folks- I left messages with folks (I still haven't heard back from as of this review), and heard outrageous price quotes from the ones I could get ahold of on the phone.

Deciding to wait until Monday to expand my options, I reached out to Thunderbird via email Sunday afternoon.  I explained what I did, what kind of water heater I had, etc.  Not even ten minutes later and I get a well-informed response of which part on that water heater was the most-likely culprit and how to go about getting it fixed under warranty.  Instead of charging me to come out and diagnose, he mentioned the plumbing warehouse to find the warrantied part and that he would come and install it.

My cost for the part was a small handling fee from the warehouse and the drive across Austin to get it and then the price Jeff quoted to install this new part was exactly on point.  There were no hidden fees or crazy charges- just the charge for his repair.  Now that's how you play ball!

I wasn't home at the time of service, but my boyfriend was.  Jeff set an appointment that worked with us and then called to ask if he could come down early- which was awesome in our book.  Jeff was very down to earth and extremely knowledgeable.  He fixed up the gas controller on our Bradford White quite nicely and we have been reaping the benefits of our hot water again.

Thunderbird will be our go-to for professional plumbing needs for sure!
George O.
George O.
04/09/2018 12:00:00 SA
Jeff and Ted installed a new tank water heater and hot water recirculation system for me. When done, they gave me a walkthrough on the installation. Very classy and thorough work and the cost was very reasonable. I don't think you will find better in the Austin area.
Cyndi J.
Cyndi J.
8/27/2015
I am SUCH a fan, and thank you Yelp, for once again delivering the goods.  

Ted phoned within 24 hours of my message and was so polite and soft spoken, I wondered if he was really in a trade.  He arrived promptly, was super courteous and I never felt uncomfortable (not for nothing, I focus on this as a woman at home alone.  This is huge)  

We had recently moved into an older home and had several annoying issues. Toilets that weren't shutting off after flushing, a shower that didn't have good pressure.  It turned out that the toilet handle was loose and getting stuck on the flapper, keeping the shut off from working.  Additionally, instead of suggesting that I pull out all sorts of fixtures, one shower head replacement fixed a pressure issue.  

When it came time to present the bill, it was for a $95 base trip fee (much lower than the norm) because it was just all so easy.  In short, he could have made all sorts of coin by telling me my problems were bigger, but he didn't.  Class act, and definitely my plumbers, going forward,
Jennifer M.
Jennifer M.
12/14/2017
So glad I found Thunderbird Plumbing. I had a specialty bathroom sink faucet that needed repair. Raymond came out and gave an estimate for free. The parts were not standard and had to be ordered through the manufacturer. When the parts arrived - they had sent the wrong ones! We ended up having him come out 3x. Raymond came out each time with no hassle or extra charges and always with a positive attitude. AND I was coordinating this repair for someone else and had to meet him at specific times. Super responsive to calls and text and he was ALWAYS on time! Thanks so much. Will definitely be using Thunderbird for any plumbing needs moving forward.
Cris G.
Cris G.
6/26/2017
I've had Raymond from Thunderbird come out twice now.  First he helped with my propane stove connection when Sears didn't know what they were doing.  I asked him to check out my water heater and we discussed it but I thought I would wait.  A few weeks later it was leaking very obviously, but was probably busted when we checked it out the first time.  Raymond did a great job and worked with me while I attempted to repair the floor under it.  I'm calling them now to fix the garbage disposal and faucet.
Lee M.
Lee M.
6/27/2011
If a contractor misses an appt. or does not return phone calls - then I refuse to do business with them.

This looks especially bad after two calls over 4 days.
It is a little thing folks used to call 'common courtesy'.....try it some time.

At least a quick call/message of Hey Lee, this is Jim-bob. I'm really busy swamped over here (...did you see what I did there?) - so you might want to try to call someone else if this is an emergency. OK, Thanks. Good Bye.

It is a handly little thing folks call voicemail.....it works just that easy. No instructions necessary.
Andrea G.
Andrea G.
10/25/2017
Jeff is not only an experienced plumber but he's also trustworthy and reliable. He's been able to solve several issues that other plumbers couldn't figure out and I've been more than happy with the quality of work each time.
Audrey G.
Audrey G.
2/24/2017
The water heater finally kicked the bucket.  We knew it was on its last leg when the popping began to become louder and louder.  

Thunderbird assisted with the removal of our old water heater.  We upgraded from a 50 gal to 55 gal.  

Great service.
Nicole H.
Nicole H.
6/14/2015
After several months, I wanna finally write my review.

I needed a shower valve soldered in.  I called a bunch of other companies (some never returned my phone calls. Guess they already got enough business). Many of them quoted me $200 - $400 just for the solder (the wall was already open).

Thunderbird Plumbing charged me less than $200 do to the job.  They worked with my work schedule and Raymond called to confirm the appointment.  He did an excellent job, even took the time to explain how to correctly measure and cut the tub spout after finishing my tile job (which I did myself).  

I highly recommend Thunderbird Plumbing when it comes to quality, cost and courtesy.
Marina M.
Marina M.
08/09/2017 12:00:00 SA
Jeff was wonderful to work with, prompt, and got the (big) job done in less than a day for a fair price. I highly recommend giving this company a call for any plumbing work you need done!
Gail H.
Gail H.
07/03/2019 12:00:00 SA
I had a blockage in my bathroom drain line; my bathtub and sink were talking to each other in some gurgle language.  I'd already had a plumber come out and try to snake the line.  He told me I'd had a rat stuck (yucky and super smelly when he finished) but he also told me my old cast iron pipe was collapsing and needed to be replaced because he couldn't get his snake all the way through the line.  Quote:  $5900.  So then I had some other plumbers come out to give me quotes.  They were all in about the same price range (except the one that wanted to charge me $9800!) but something about them just didn't fill me with confidence.  Still searching for someone to give me a good, I called Thunderbird. The plumber came out and suggested that we try to snake the line again.  No one else had suggested that, so I thought that I'd give it a try for $130 bucks before I spent nearly $6000.  Guess what?  I don't need to spend $6K any time soon!  Thunderbird has just become my plumber of choice :-)
Diane H.
Diane H.
11/01/2017 12:00:00 SA
Thunderbird is an authorized Bradford White service provider and they fixed my Bradford White water heater which was still under warranty. Jeff offered me with the option of picking up the parts in Round Rock to save me money and time.  I was able to email and text back and forth with Jeff rather than wait by the phone. The price for the repair was hundreds less than a highly rated competitor that I had used previously and was done in 48 hours.
Rose C.
Rose C.
07/10/2017 12:00:00 SA
We really appreciate this plumbing group, once again we needed them and they came out and resolved an issue in a timely manner  and gave us a good faucet tip as well-thank you Raymond and Ted!
T K.
T K.
05/08/2015 12:00:00 SA
I called 5 different 5-star companies on Yelp to get a quote for a toilet re-set after my new master bath tile install was completed. Thunderbird was the cheapest and had the soonest availability. They called to confirm the morning of, and showed up promptly 30 minutes later.

Plumber was friendly, courteous, explained the process to me, showed me potential issues (but didn't force me to fix them), and quickly finished the job. No extra, hidden charges. No crazy upsells. Just a simple price that was the same as quoted on the phone.

Given, this is pretty simple task, but it was completed perfectly. He also was great with my dog! :) (It's the little things)

Would definitely give them my business again!
Jake K.
Jake K.
12/09/2014 12:00:00 SA
I frequently use Yelp to find the best rated services out there.  Unfortunately, I rarely come back to write reviews.  That being said, when the service is either exceptional or just downright terrible, I'll try to find my way here to write something up.

I needed to get a Pressure Regulator Valve either installed or replaced -- I didn't know which, because I couldn't find the damn thing anywhere -- but I knew that I needed one of those things (I had dangerously high water pressure that was causing lots of problems).  

So, I called a few plumbers -- one from a neighbor's referral and a couple more from Yelp.  Jeff spent a decent amount of time on the phone with me while I described the situation and asked questions (as I had attempted with the other guys).  He was very helpful, knowledgable, and friendly.  He even mentioned a few things about this repair/install that I had come to learn were necessary by doing my own research -- things that the other plumbers didn't even mention.  So, while I was busy being impressed by the experience so far, he gave me a quote that was over $150 lower than any of the other plumbers I'd called, and that included the extra but necessary items that the other guys had failed to mention (maybe they planned on mentioning it later for a further charge?).

When Jeff showed up, he was just as friendly as he had been on the phone, and he had no problem with me looking over his shoulder and asking questions while he did the majority of the work.  When all was said and done, he charged me exactly what we had agreed upon on the phone.

So, what did I get?  I got my problems resolved quickly by a very cool dude who was both professional and friendly at a price that I know was better than reasonable.  And, to boot, I got a schooling on how certain aspects of the plumbing work on my 20+ year old home.  Awesome.  A guilt-free five stars for sure.
Kate B.
Kate B.
1/26/2017
I wish I could give 10 stars.  The fellas at Thunderbird Plumbing are awesome.  They're professional, quick, know their stuff and are reasonably priced. They will be saved in my phone for future plumbing needs! I really appreciate working with great people like them. Highly recommend!
Jeff D.
Jeff D.
02/09/2015 12:00:00 SA
I had/have a leaking supply line, first brought to my attention by an OMG! water bill from the City of Austin last week. We use American Home Shield, so are kind of forced to use who they send out. That's not what I prefer, but for potentially large i$$ues, I'm definitely going to get the home warranty folks involved.

AHS sent out a company, who after three separate visits, could not find the leak. They left, and AHS scheduled another company, who are rated pretty poorly here on Yelp, so I was concerned. I contacted Jeff via Yelp message at first, then regular text, then actually via phone. He gave me a ton of information, and pencilled me in for a visit this week, if the AHS assigned plumbers could not come through for us. I really appreciated him spending time with me on a Saturday and Sunday, for a concern that he might have been getting paid to fix, but also might not have.

The second plumber AHS sent out this morning was able to find the leak, (outside, so much cheaper than under the slab), so I won't end up using Jeff after all, but I wanted to tip my hat for the hand holding and info he provided!
Bec N.
Bec N.
03/08/2018 12:00:00 SA
Jeff came out and looked at the many problems we were having with the water heater in the attic. Water has poured from the ceiling twice with 2 different water heaters.  Work was able to start quickly, as we had no hot water at all.  He was knowledgeable about how to improve our situations and what products we could use to increase efficiency.  The reviews are true with Thunderbird.  They are really great guys.  They moved the water heater from the attic to the garage(didn't know it was possible) and put a recirculating pump to get hot water  to the other side of the house.  They also removed and hauled away the 3 dead water heaters from the attic. They were fast, clean, and friendly.  The water heater is actually pretty and the pipes are covered nicely.  Can't believe how fast we get hot water now.  Trust these guys,  they know what they are doing and their pricing is very fair.
Stephen N.
Stephen N.
01/02/2017 12:00:00 SA
Had 9k worth of work done and these guys nailed it. Professional and had it done quickly. They even retrieved my kids toy when he tossed it down in the trench.
Angie V.
Angie V.
05/08/2018 12:00:00 SA
This company is simply fantastic. I had gone through 4 plumbers since early February and had spent over $1,000 without a remedy for the lack of hot water in my Grohe shower system. I had shown all the other plumbers the Grohe product literature that had instructions on how it's done, but I was ignored. One plumbing company sent me a salesman instead of a plumber to push for a complete new system. Raymond came today and looked at the instructions and voila I have hot water again. He was also a very pleasant person and he saved me a bunch of
money since I don't need to replace the whole system.
Ken B.
Ken B.
11/19/2016
Justin was as professional as a professional should be. He was late, probably for the same reason, as he might have been late for the next person. He evaluated what was wrong with the waterline valve that feeds the ice maker on the refrigerator and gave me some options.  

Since I was the last appointment of the day/evening, he asked if he could come back the next morning right away. I said, sure! Justin made sure I was set, even in the event something prevented him from getting back right away--like a flat tire.

He came right away the next morning; he attended to every detail and wanted to be sure that he didn't overlook anything. I'd say that's a small price to pay for a little inconvenience.

I don't want any more plumbing problems. Nobody does, but I won't hesitate to call Thunderbird again. The first time was to fix leaky toilets and showers when we first moved in. 5 star service--customer and technical.
Paige F.
Paige F.
8/25/2016
Agree with all other positive reviews. I emailed the business after hours needing a quick fix (massive leak required the water to be turned off), I received a return call the next morning, broken pipe/valve fixed in the afternoon, and I had water flowing again for a reasonable price. I don't understand the negative review where the business did not promptly return a call. As a business owner myself, I understand that emergent issues from clients tend to come in waves, and sometimes I cannot respond to everyone timely even if that person wants to give me [a lot of] money. This business owner appears to properly triage incoming calls while also working hard to maintain previously made non-emergency appointments since people take off work for such appointments. That's exactly what a consumer should expect from a responsible business.
David C.
David C.
1/21/2019
Loved using these guys, they are fast, professional and explain the issues you have whenever you use them. I highly recommend Thunderbird because they are great at communication, work to earn your business and take pride in the work that they do.
Liz H.
Liz H.
7/22/2014
Now I see why Thunderbird Plumbing consistently gets 5 star reviews. Because Ted is awesome and priced fairly.

We had various annoying plumbing issues that we have tolerated for awhile: slow drains, toilets that ran, and other irritations. We called Ted who came out today and checked out all of the problems. Fast forward 2 hours later and every single plumbing problem has been fixed.

Ted is cheerful, straightforward, honest, and priced very fairly for the incredible service he offers. If you need a plumber, call Thunderbird. We have already put Thunderbird on speed dial!
Jamie E.
Jamie E.
09/11/2014 12:00:00 SA
I've hired Thunderbird Plumbing for a couple of jobs now and was really happy with the outcome of both. One was relatively small and easy - putting a drip pan beneath a hot water heater. The other was gigantic and heinous - leaking pipes beneath my foundation, which took 2 or 3 days to completely repair. In both cases, Jeff was great to work with and extremely patient and thorough. For the latter job in particular, I was very impressed. They had to go through my garage floor, dig out a mound of dirt and store it in the driveway until the job was done, fix the multiple leaks, then back fill all of the dirt and cement in the hole in the garage floor. When they were done, I honestly couldn't tell that anything had been out of sorts. They left the place exactly as they found it; no small task considering the size and nature of the job.    

I've used a lot of plumbers in south Austin over the last 9 years, but these guys are now my go-to plumbing people.
E T.
E T.
1/15/2019
Raymond came out to troubleshoot our Navien condensing tankless water heater. It was a little bit tricky to troubleshoot because it was not heating consistently at low flow rates. The temperature would fluctuate up and down but never reach the setpoint. Raymond was patient and found how to reproduce the problem, and after a quick call to Navien tech-support he replaced the diverter valve (he had one in his bag already) and it was fixed. This is my first experience with Thunderbird plumbing and it was great!
Michael S.
Michael S.
06/07/2016 12:00:00 SA
Responded to my voicemail quickly and came the next day for a non-emergency toilet repair. Carefully examined the understood the problem. Made repair quickly cleanly and efficiently. Wonderful experience.
Todd S.
Todd S.
06/11/2019 12:00:00 SA
Could not recommend them enough.  I was buying a house and put them on the schedule two weeks in advance.  They quoted a fantastic price, showed up on time and finished all the work.  Super nice, easy to talk to and very insightful.  Hope i never have to call them again but will in an instant if there are any issues.
Jeremy S.
Jeremy S.
11/26/2018
10 years ago someone removed all the gas appliances from our house.  The gas lines had corroded and weren't where we needed them.  The gas company had removed their meter from the house and we needed all new everything to hook up our new Gas Furnace.  We needed new gas lines run in the house.  Most of the plumbers I called wouldn't even return my call or they just weren't willing to do the job.  The few that came out gave me outrageous quotes to run a couple of gas lines under a house with a pier and beam foundation.  Tad with Thunderbird came out and was extremely professional.  We talked about our requirements and he gave me some options that would cut down on the complexity and price of the job.  They got me a proposal that was very reasonable.  They got the job done in a day and we passed the city inspection without an issue.  Today, the gas company installed their meter and we finally have gas service.  I couldn't be happier with the service I got from the folks at Thunderbird Plumbing.
Michael A.
Michael A.
10/18/2018
There's a reason Thunderbird has stellar reviews. The quality of work is top-notch. Their response to my inquiry was timely and the price was fair. To boot, Master Plumber Jeff Plunkett is a nice guy while being extremely competent at what he does. I found a great company for my plumbing needs.
Kara C.
Kara C.
10/09/2018 12:00:00 SA
Thunderbird is incredible! They are quick to respond and so nice to work with. I can't recommend them enough.
Lisa W.
Lisa W.
09/12/2018 12:00:00 SA
I've used these guys twice in the last couple of months. They are responsive, efficient, professional, friendly and their pricing is very reasonable. Highly recommended.
Tiffany S.
Tiffany S.
04/02/2016 12:00:00 SA
Great service! Right on time, great communication, quick service! Will use them again!
Erin J.
Erin J.
8/19/2017
Jeff, Thunderbird Plumbing, is Awesome!  He fit us into his busy schedule, and got our hot water heater fixed in under an hour.  Super nice Guy, Very Professional, and Honest.  We will always call Thunderbird and you should too.
Sharon O.
Sharon O.
03/10/2016 12:00:00 SA
VERY happy that we called Thunderbird!  Quickly restored our hot water, and now doing an estimate for some additional work.  Very pleasant and fairly priced.  We will definitely be repeat customers.  Thank you!
Roberto E.
Roberto E.
02/12/2014 12:00:00 SA
What can I say? Thunderbird is awesome and we've found our new plumber.

Long story short: we have two tankless water heaters that two other plumbers had been unable to fix, actually they ended up causing major issues.

I called Thunderbird and they came out pretty much the same day. I was quoted $500 to fix the issues, $150 later and Thunderbird fixed BOTH our water heaters.

I cannot recommend this company enough. Having plumbing problems? Call the professionals at Thunderbird. They'll fix you fast.

Thank you so much!!
Nedra L.
Nedra L.
5/23/2019
Just excellent!  Got a next-day appointment to check water pressure in the house with Ted, who arrived early, diagnosed it - yes, new prv needed - gave fair estimate and did the work with minimal fuss and no destruction of landscaping.  Doesn't really get better than that.
Brandie H.
Brandie H.
9/13/2015
I did end up using Thunderbird for my repair, and they were great. The job came in on time and on budget. I was kept apprised of the progress as they went along. Ted was on top of it all the way through. After having my kitchen drain clog up every 2 weeks, it's been a relief to have a usable sink again!   I would definitely use Thunderbird again.
Sean G.
Sean G.
9/20/2015
Jeff did a great job with a new tankless water heater and 2 wall-mounted faucets.  Highly recommended.
Josh C.
Josh C.
11/04/2013 12:00:00 SA
I have used Jeff twice at Thunderbird plumbing and he was great!

He did not even mention yelp or ask me to submit a review.  I called him because he was physically close to me (one block over).  The first incident was we were selling our house and the home inspector for the buyer said we had insanely high pressure in the house and needed to have a pressure regulator installed.

I called 5 plumbers.  4 of the 5 wanted to charge me over the range of 500 to 800 dollars to either install a pressure regulator or some other code thing that we are probably missing and needed to be installed.  The house was built in 2005 by a top notch builder so I questioned that there was no regulator or other contraption that needed.

Jeff came out last minute, checked our pressure which was well within normal ranges and wrote us a note for the buyer stating that the pressure was fine.  He didn't try to over charge us other plumbing companies.

The second job I had him come out for was to install new drains under our sink.  He ended up charging me LESS than what he quoted me on the phone.  He was incredibly reasonable.  He was a little bit late due to an emergency call he went out to early morning and didn't realize how long it would take.  He still called and explained the situation which I was ok with.  I am willing to be reasonable as long as they are open with me.

Jeff is a great honest plumber and had two opportunities to swindle me but he didn't.  Both times he was open and honest and charged a reasonable rate for his work.  He is my plumber now and I will not hesitate to use him again if I need a good plumber.
Susan F.
Susan F.
8/29/2015
If I could rate more than 5 stars, I would!  Ted and his team are rock stars!!

I was referred to Thunderbird Plumbing about two years ago and Ted has always done a great job at my Austin property - shows up on time, is smart, professional, and personable.

I didn't think their service area included Dripping Springs, so after trying to get three other local companies to help with a drainage issue for a property there, I casually mentioned my frustration to Ted while he was doing some repairs in Austin.  He said he'd come take a look.

Well, yesterday morning he not only showed up ahead of schedule, he brought a whole crew so that if we agreed on the price they could make the repairs.  I was thrilled that I wouldn't have to wait any longer to be able to use the shower!  The team, Don & Son Plumbing, worked tirelessly, were very polite, and even cleaned up afterwards.

I really appreciate Ted's personal and proactive approach to his work.  I usually call for one specific thing and then remember 12 others while he's here and he just takes it all in stride and gets it done.

Thunderbird is the only plumber I'll ever use!
Lauren C.
Lauren C.
07/08/2018 12:00:00 SA
Once Jeff caught wind of this review, he apologized and gave me 10% back to help make it right.  He'd been out of town during this debacle and wasn't aware of my issues, but was genuinely concerned.  He closed the loop on how they don't usually take on jobs as big as mine and offered a referral with another trusted guy.  I'd already had the leak fixed and thankfully, the Thunderbird warranty wasn't voided when I had the other plumber come out.
Rob B.
Rob B.
9/21/2015
I called a few companies, thunderbird was not the lowest, but close.  They recommended the Bradford White unit as a good brand, which is what we replaced and has served us very well.  Mostly I was having the install done because my heater didn't have a drip pan, and my heater was old.

Back to the install, so very professional.  He replaced all the lines with new color coded lines, installed the pan and drain, and of course the heater.  Way more professional than my original install.  And could not ask for a nicer guy to talk to during the install, very patient with my questions.
Brian F.
Brian F.
3/14/2011
I called Thunderbird to see whether they could rescue me from a rapidly devolving situation with another plumber. (I'll call them plumber AAA.) Long story short, we had a sewer line clog and old fiber conduit pipes (aka Orangeburg) that had to be replaced.

Ted from Thunderbird fought rush hour traffic on MOPAC to come over and assess the problem, and quickly stepped up with an estimate nearly 30% less than what plumber AAA wanted. This was based on replacing up to 35 feet of Orangeburg with modern PVC.

When it turned out that AAA had underestimated the scope of the job by almost 50% (We needed closer to 60 feet replaced) Thunderbird only charged me for the extra work that the dig crew had to do. In the end, after my 10% Yelp discount, Thunderbird was still 20% cheaper than the original estimate from AAA.

I should've gone with Thunderbird from the outset, but I thought the larger company would get to my place faster and have more clearly defined rates. I was wrong, I never should've doubted Yelp, and I will be using Thunderbird Plumbing from now on.

Edit/update: I just have to respond to the zip code upcharge conspiracy review, which would be laughable if it weren't so insulting. First, I live in a pretty nice central Austin neighborhood called Crestview, and Thunderbird gave me a far better price than any other plumber offered. Second, I write my own reviews and no one from Thunderbird pressured, finessed, or even suggested that I give them a positive review here.
Mary C.
Mary C.
8/31/2015
Jeff is the best plumber in Austin!!  He's nice, helpful, knowledgeable and affordable.  Don't waste your time looking for any other plumber!
Therese K.
Therese K.
2/17/2011
I called Thunderbird because they have a 5 star rating, and now I'm adding yet another 5 stars. Ted was very pleasant over the phone and even though I know he was busy, he took time to let me explain the issue I was having. He gave me a rough idea of what he thought it might cost then, about a half hour later, he was here working on my water heater. His estimate was right on and it didn't take him much time at all to get everything fixed.

And, as a much appreciated bonus, he was neat and clean - not a dirty, saggy pants, plumber! Thanks so much, Ted!
Bill R.
Bill R.
8/17/2018
I can't say enough about Raymond and Ted who replaced a water heater for us.  Second floor....old house....not easy but they got it done.  Raymond also responded to my service request within a day while the other plumber I had called finally called me back three days later after the job was done.  I highly recommend Thunderbird.
Debbie C.
Debbie C.
8/24/2015
Our water heater was leaking. I called Jeff and he was able schedule a time to come out that week. He was extremely efficient, professional, and affordable.
Mike K.
Mike K.
04/12/2017 12:00:00 SA
I previously had another plumber give me estimate to unclog/repair a utility sink drain.  The plumber charged me $225 just to use camera to diagnose drain clog! and a MANUAL rooter that did NOT work.  Plumber advised repair will entail trenching 20' underground and break concrete floor to fix alleged broken pipe clogged by roots for approx.  $5-7k! Then plumber also replaced a bad bathtub valve for $199 he said would fix a low hoth water bathtub problem which did NOTHING to help water pressure! Both problems were NOT fixed after this visit!!!
Next day, I called Thunderbird Plumbing to see if they could fix these issues. Ted from Thunderbird Plumbing unclogged my utility drain with an ELECTRIC rooter in 5 minutes! and confirmed there
was no broken pipe!!!  Ted also fixed the bathtub low hot water pressure by cleaning debris from hot water supply that proved valve replacement was NOT required from the first plumber.  Ted finished both jobs in 90 minutes! Both problems were fixed at a very reasonable price!!! Highly recommend Thunderbird Plumbing and Ted!!!
Amanda D.
Amanda D.
1/31/2014
I'm going to program Thunderbird Plumbing into my phone, maybe even speed dial!

Jeff has been out to our new home twice. Both times I've been THRILLED at his thoughtful service and honest work. We needed a gas line to our dryer and he made time to install it the same day as the estimate so we could have our washer & dryer ready to go when we moved in.

When we had a plumbing emergency he was able to check out everything quickly and reassure me that we didn't need any additional work (the city had done some work previously).

I would recommend Jeff & Thunderbird Plumbing to anyone that needs gas or plumbing work. He is careful, truthful and a genuinely nice guy.
Benjamin C.
Benjamin C.
05/02/2018 12:00:00 SA
Was at my house inspecting my water heater within an hour of when I called to see if i could get someone out.  We both agreed it was due to be replaced due to age of unit & cost of repair to just try and eek a few more months out of it.  Jeff ran to get a new unit from his shop & started installing it while i ran back to work.  Jeff did a great job installing the unit and gave me a more than fair price.  He even pointed me to a rebate I might be eligible for to reduce my out of pocket cost.  Very pleased with service & friendliness from Thunderbird, definitely calling them the next time we have any sort of plumbing issue.
Chris M.
Chris M.
2/27/2013
The five star reviews are not a joke. Since you have now found Thunderbird Plumbing Co. you literally do not have to look any further.

I determined I had a slab leak on the hot water line. Spent a good portion of my day internet stalking and calling around different plumbing companies. A few didn't have time in the schedule for at least a week and a few didn't do slab leak jobs but made some referrals. This is how I found Thunderbird, another company suggested I call them.

Called them up and got Ted on the phone. He gave me a quote over the phone but said his earliest availability was next week as well...bummer.  He answered all my questions, talked me off  the ledge of a whole house re-pipe and I felt pretty comfortable with going with them given the Yelp reviews, if only they could get it done sooner. Not less than 10 mins after getting off the phone with Ted he called me back and said they can come out the next day and get it taken care of.  Score!

Long story short, these guys came in, found the issue, stayed on the job a really long time as mine was one of the trickiest they had seen, let me hang around and learn some of the tips and tricks they use on a day to day basis, and after all that and after the sun had gone down for a couple of hours they gave me an invoice that matched the phone quote from the day before ( I wanted to pay more after seeing what they went through ..if you can believe that?)  and for a kicker came with a 1yr parts and labor warranty.

In my eyes the job looked to be a total pain but Ted and Jeff just kept rolling with the punches and figured out the puzzle that my crazy bathroom and plumbing presented.

They are coming back ( if this first job didn't scare them off ) when I do said bathroom's remodel.

Thank you Jeff & Ted.  Keep up the good fight!
Jeffrey F.
Jeffrey F.
4/28/2015
DON'T BOTHER.

I've called them twice now and each time I have reached a voice mail message saying that their schedule is completely full for either the entire week or the next week-and-a-half.  Looks like they are a victim of their own success.  Who needs a plumber than is never actually available to perform work for you?  They don't return calls either.
Wendy G.
Wendy G.
05/03/2012 12:00:00 SA
I love these guys.  They have come to rescue me several times.  They show up on time, give accurate estimates and clean up after themselves.  I always get a call back in a timely manner.   I find great communication that goes above and beyond.

I had a leak in my hot water heater - under the house and they came in and fixed it with minimum fuss and destruction to my home.  Thankfully.

When we had to break into a wall to fix some plumbing in a bathroom, I was asked great questions of things I wanted in the bathroom.  (since the wall was open anyway)  He came up with a super inexpensive solution so I could have a regular shower head and a handheld one.  I thought it would be hundreds of dollars but it was really inexpensive.

The important part is that they do great work - and do it with kindness and respect.
Dan L.
Dan L.
12/22/2017
Jeff Plunkett came out and fixed a copper pipe leak next to my Taco recirculation pump.  Jeff did a great job!  I highly recommend him.  I have never written a review before.  I was so impressed with his service and reasonable prices that I had to write this review.  He is a Master Plumber who knows what he is doing.  He spent a lot of time with me to discuss and help me resolve other plumbing related issues I had.  He also rerouted some plumbing for me while he was here.  His prices are reasonable, his work is excellent.  If you need a plumber call Jeff.  I met Jeff for the first time today so this review is only based on the great work he did for me today.  Thanks, Jeff!
Maez T.
Maez T.
10/25/2017
Jeff just fixed my water heater and i am absolutely delighted with his service and craftsmanship.  Our other water heater had gone out a while back and the other service company had left a total mess.  Jeff was on time, explained everything he was doing and cleaned up after himself.  Will be calling Thunderbird again if we ever have an issue I can't fix myself.
Lisa G.
Lisa G.
10/26/2017
Jeff installed our new tankless water heater & was fantastic - quick, professional, friendly, and VERY knowledgeable.  A++, would recommend & will use again if we have new plumbing issues.
Blush Skincare A.
Blush Skincare A.
12/07/2019 12:00:00 SA
If I could give 10 stars I could. I have had a lot of different repairs done on my home in the past two years. Jeff was definitely the most prompt and professional contractor that I have ever worked with. From start to finish, he was in constant communication about what would be done and when. He got my bid to me promptly and the job was done quickly. He and his crew did not leave me without water for long periods of time. I know this might not always be the case but communicating about when my water would be turned off and making sure I had access to water overnight was amazing. I thought for sure I would be without water the entire time they were fixing the crack in my pipe. One day my yard was completely dug up and the next day it looked like nothing happened. They took such care in restoring my yard and driveway to its original condition. Prompt, professional, and reasonably priced. Thank you Jeff and your amazing crew.
Katy V.
Katy V.
02/11/2015 12:00:00 SA
WOW, this company is certainly a rarity nowadays. Fabulous communication (emailed with me right away and through an evening after hours.) (explained everything to me, even drew a pic to illustrate problem, and I know zero about this stuff) fabulous workmanship.(did a nice job with repair and cleaned up after himself actually making the area cleaner than it was before) and fair prices. Will absolutely use in the future and highly recommend. Certainly lives up yelp ratings. Would give more than 5 stars if I could.   : )
Jessica Q.
Jessica Q.
1/28/2011
These guys were great!  They are thorough and dependable and have very competitive pricing.  After reading all the reviews on Yelp, I gave them a call.  They came to my house the same day to give me an estimate. I appreciated the fact that they didn't try to wrangle me into business by forcing me to pay a service fee up front for an estimate (unlike many of the other companies around town).  They replaced 2 tubs in my house in a day, they came back a week or so later after the tile work was done to fit the faucets and made sure the job was done right.  

Additionally, they are really nice!  It is a bonus when having your house torn up to have nice people working there:).  I would use them again and again- can't say enough great things about Thunderbird Plumbing!
Nigel R.
Nigel R.
06/10/2015 12:00:00 SA
Worth five stars at least for Ted's explanation over the phone of what the problem was and why his bid was 80% lower than another company's --  they would only fix what needed fixing, not dig up half our carport and redo the entire sewer pipe to the street. They did a great job, or at least I assume they did, as it was all done while I was at work one afternoon, and they had the concrete relaid and everything cleared up before I got back. So I never actually met the guys or saw them work.
Mike B.
Mike B.
8/15/2013
We called Thunderbird because our pipes started making noise anytime a faucet was turned on.  Ted came out and was extremely friendly and very knowledgeable.

He quickly diagnosed the problem and shortly thereafter had it fixed.  He explained the issue in detail and what steps may need to be taken in the future if the problem comes back.

He fixed our problem with complete satisfaction.  Thunderbird provided the type of service and experience that makes you pass their name along to friends.  We won't hesitate to call them again in the future.
Mike V.
Mike V.
1/25/2010
PROMPT AND PROFESSIONAL!

We used Thunderbird Plumbing services back in September.  Our office upgraded our two toilets from lotsa-flow to low-flow.  I emailed on a Friday evening and Jeff quickly replied to my questions.  We decided on the toilets we were buying on a Tuesday and they were quickly installed two days later.

We found the toilets we wanted online at Lowe's.  Jeff was kind enough to pick up the toilets for us at Lowe's (even used our 10% off Lowe's coupon we sent him) and saved us a trip picking up heavy toilets.  He just added the Lowe's bill to our invoice.

The day of installation Jeff and Ted arrived at the time they said and completed the job quickly.  Months later we are very satisfied with the quality of their work and would not hesitate to use them again.  If you're looking for a prompt and professional job you won't regret contacting Thunderbird Plumbing!
Dianne W.
Dianne W.
8/18/2014
Thunderbird ROCKS!
Saved us from a possible giant flood.
We had a leaky pipe in the attic- it turned out to be a pipe to our water heater that had been rerouted by previous owner. Not sure what happened but the previous owner also tried to fix a small hole in the pipe that was our current leaking problem..his solution was to solder the hole, put a piece of wood under it and a 2x4  then the sheet rock... the slow drip made it through all of that...here we are 3 yrs later having to repair this bad job. THUNDERBIRD PLUMBING ROCKS, I left a message with them and Ted returned my call, asked a few questions and said he would head over and that was at 4pm on a Monday! It is now 6:30pm and he has come and gone leaving a nice repair and a lot of good advice. Great guy, great company!
Will call again for sure.
Richard J.
Richard J.
06/01/2010 12:00:00 SA
Once again on Memorial Day weekend, I had a plumbing issue.  My water heater was leaking.  Since I had a great experience last Memorial Day, I decided I'd call Jeff again.  And, once again, I'm glad I did.  Jeff does a thorough, quality job.  He's great at explaining what he's doing.  And his prices are reasonable.

I'll call Thunderbird any time I need plumbing work done.  I won't consider anyone else.
Lucky L.
Lucky L.
3/28/2018
Great work, speedy, friendly, reasonably priced.
Dana C.
Dana C.
3/22/2016
Ted is simply the best!! Look no further for dependable and honest help. I sincerely appreciate his integrity, timeliness, and efficient service. I feel confident calling Ted for any plumbing matter, and I am glad to know we have someone dependable to contact should we run into any issue at all. He installed 3 toilets and a pedestal sink for us when we renovated last year and helped with expert and knowledgable advice in that process. We're new and not-very-handy homeowners, so I really value his trustworthy advice and assistance. Thanks Ted!!!!
Renee P.
Renee P.
3/21/2018
Woke up this morning to a water heater pipe leak...called and left a message asking for help.  Ted called BEFORE their business hours, came by and fixed the problem.  Wow, that's great service!  And, the price was extremely fair.  I highly recommend and would use again (but, hope I don't have to).
Michael G.
Michael G.
1/27/2010
Great Customer Service!!

I had a very slow, almost no draining drain at times. I called Thunderbird after reading the reviews on Yelp. They were responsive, very prompt and extremely professional. Ted obviously has alot of experience and was informative without being pushy. I would definitely use them again and they are highly recommended.
Emily K.
Emily K.
02/08/2010 12:00:00 SA
Jeff is the best out there.  His work is consistently great- never had an issue with him having to come back and fix anything he's worked on for us.

He's fair and honest.  And he's competitive which is always a good thing.  We have worked with Jeff since 2005 and will continue to do so.

Not many people will offer to come to do a job a day early due to impending weather, when that day before happens to be a Sunday evening.  That's the kind of guy Jeff is.

I can not recommend him enough.
Jamie W.
Jamie W.
09/10/2014 12:00:00 SA
Beware of the hard-to-see plumbing work from Thunderbird Plumbing. We hired Thunderbird to replace our leaking supply lines in our pier-and-beam home. Unfortunately, Ted left supply lines dragging in the dirt and failed to insulate most of the hot supply lines (i.e., those you could not easily see). Once we removed the floor underneath our tub and looked under the house, the problems were clear.

To Jeff's credit, they came back to fix the issues (hence the 2 not 1 stars). Jeff explained that he didn't know the work had been done in this manner and acknowledged that it shouldn't have been done in this way. This is plausible since we never saw Jeff working under the house. Jeff explained that they simply underbid the project. This wasn't a surprise because it was clear they were rushing to finish the work by the end of the day. Rather than taking shortcuts and rushing the work, the better approach would have been to simply come back the next day and finish the job.

In their second trip, they fixed most but not all the problems. Sadly our next plumber still had to lift and insulate some supply lines. Our next plumber also found some other issues under our house, including a leaking, corroded sewage pipe. Thunderbird never brought any of these issues to our attention.

With all the positive reviews, I'm sure Thunderbird has provided great service around many projects. You may just want to check over their work as they're completing bigger projects, especially those where some of the work is hidden.
Pete S.
Pete S.
01/05/2015 12:00:00 SA
I had some plumbing issues at my house and contacted Thunderbird.  They weren't sure if they could help me but offered to come out, give it a shot and if they couldn't fix it they wouldn't charge me.  

They were unable to fix the issue - not their fault at all, but the spent a solid hour trying(they thought there might be a clean-out buried underground somewhere and ultimately they couldn't find it).  

When they were finished they didn't charge me and gave me some solid advice on next steps.  

I will definitely be calling them the next time I have a plumbing issue.
Kat F.
Kat F.
10/21/2016
I've been using a plumber for several years but got tired of his high prices. I combed through all the reviews on Yelp and decided on Thunderbird Plumbing when I started having issues with my Toto toilet.  Not only was the plumber who visited me on time, but he was fast, professional, and personable. I also felt like I wasn't being charged a ridiculous price for the services I received. I thought my toilet had hot water going into the tank but that wasn't the case per my Thunderbird plumber.  Instead I had my two toilets serviced with new flanges, and had my hot water heater checked, which cost me less than $100.  I also got an estimate on the installation of a new hot water heater, and I couldn't believe how reasonable it was (less than $1,500).  I had called two other plumbers on the phone and they quoted me at over 2K (parts and labor) for a new hot water heater, which is located in my attic.

This company has definitely moved to the top in terms of all my plumbing needs and I am very happy with their quality of service.
Andi D.
Andi D.
3/19/2011
First off... THANK YOU YELPERS for your reviews! I found Thunderbird Plumbing due to its 5 stars reviews here on yelp (and the 10% discount by mentioning Yelp attracted me too --although I totally forgot to mention it -- no biggie)...

I called on Wednesday morning of Spring Break and had a call back from them no more than 2 hours later. Since I commute the timing was really important... I explained my situation and threw out Friday as a long shot to see if we could set up an appointment -- and they were able to fit me in... Ted was actually able to get out to me a bit earlier than planned and that worked out even better!

Ted was great to work with -- very friendly and funny. Very professional, clearly experienced,  and helpful in diagnosing the problem (I had them out to fix a garbage disposal which turned out to be a clogged pipe) and he gave suggestions on how to avoid it in the future.  He was in and out in no time (which left me to enjoy the awesome Austin weather and fit in some shopping with my friends!)

Wonderful wonderful wonderful customer service! I'm calling these guys for plumbing needs in the future for sure and I'm glad that I can give this company another 5 star review!
Chris J.
Chris J.
5/20/2016
These guys are fantastic. They do an excellent job at a very reasonable price. We have had Ted over twice in the past year, and I highly recommend you request him. He is extremely courteous, explains everything he is doing and answers all my questions. There is no pressure or upsell; if work can wait, Ted will tell you not to worry for the time being. He is also on time and efficient. You don't need to shop around or get second estimates, just call Ted.
Dimitry P.
Dimitry P.
12/21/2017
Wow, best customer service I've ever recieved from any contractor. Jeff did a great job, on time, and even followed up to clean up an unrelated, but minor, issue in an adjoining sink. The tankless install was completed in great time and the scheduling was very easy. Thanks very much!
dan r.
dan r.
5/17/2011
This is the 2nd time that we've used Thunderbird Plumbing, and we will definitely highly recommend them to everyone! Jeff came out today and moved the plumbing lines in our backyard, which was no small task - he was prompt, efficient and incredibly affordable! Our first service with Thunderbird was an emergency call for a burst pipe, which they were incredibly quick and reliable! It's no surprise that they have the stellar review record on Yelp!

Call them... NOW!
Rachel P.
Rachel P.
7/28/2015
Jeff was a GODSEND when it came to replacing our 25-year old leaky gas water heater.  I had 2 other bids that were twice as much as what he quoted me and he was able to come out the same day.  Had the job finished in no time and one happy customer.  I'll be calling him for future plumbing needs, for sure.
Dwight B.
Dwight B.
11/02/2011 12:00:00 SA
I got 3 quotes for some much needed (and neglected) plumbing work now that I have a decent job again. New water heater, 2 new toilets, replace a leaky shower/tub assembly and 2 repair outdoor faucets.
One large Austin-based Home Services and Repair company came out to give an estimate and charged me $73; 2 others gave me free estimates including Thunderbird.

When Ted @ Thunderbird first introduced himself, he was professional yet personable and friendly and didn't mind me asking 'stupid' questions. Ted was clean, well spoken and looked at me when speaking.

In fact, he took the time to help me understand some options and why from his perspective some advantages/disadvantages. I really appreciate that since I have little knowledge of plumbing (it's magic to me how fresh clean drinkable water flows into our homes!!).

Moreover the quote he provided was SIGNIFICANTLY lower than the other 2 quotes... almost half of the quote I paid for !!

The BEST PART?  Ted did a great job, on time and left WITHOUT A TRACE of him being there (other than my shiny new low-water toilets!) In addition, he stayed and replaced my garbage disposal (for a nominal hourly charge) which oddly enough had gone KAPUT that same day.

The BESTEST PART? I live in an older home; some of the infrastructure is a collection of hack jobs throughout the years; there's always been an issue with one toilet not flushing properly. The new toilets were installed and I had hoped the problem would go away. It did not.

Ted explained the probably causes AND CAME BACK THE NEXT DAY TO EXPLORE POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS without the need for additional $$s or expectations... he just came back spent 30 -45 mins crawling around under my house looking for solutions, give me some options and left. I offered to pay for his time but he said it wasn't necessary. Never tried to sell me anything; just provided great info and options.

I highly recommend Ted/Thunderbird Plumbing !!
Kelly K.
Kelly K.
6/13/2015
We're so glad we went with Thunderbird Plumbing!! Ted gave us the best price out of the 5-star plumbing services in our area and we couldn't be more satisfied with the results! He said he'd be at our place between 12-1 pm, which normally translates into something totally different for other services but he was here at 12 pm on the dot!! He was very friendly, helpful, and fast (in & out in approx 45 min!) and gave my husband tips on what to look out for in the future. And we can finally breathe again in our bathroom w/out inhaling disgusting sewage gas!!!!
Tom P.
Tom P.
7/30/2013
Saw the great Yelp reviews for Ted at Thunderbird Plumbing on our side of town.  Emailed what I had in mind to them.  We set it up.  Ted came on time, did the job of moving a water line in the wall, had a great attitude and billed a fair price.  

Will call them again when I need a plumber.
anthony c.
anthony c.
06/04/2015 12:00:00 SA
Had a bad pressure reducing valve. It was easy to schedule with Jeff, he came out and replaced it. While he was here he looked at our fireplace (plumbers do gas lines) and said it was a chimney problem as the gas was not leaking.

We are thinking about changing over to a tankless system and we would definitely use him for that.

I brought up his bad yelp reviews around returning calls and he says sometimes things just get crazy busy and he might not return a call right away. He is a small shop so isnt going to be the machine that the larger shops will be, but also wont have the overhead.
Bob P.
Bob P.
08/09/2012 12:00:00 SA
I've used Thunderbird for two fairly major outdoor plumbing projects over the past two years and both times they were excellent.  Their prices beat their competitors, they made sure I understood what they were doing and what options I had, they did quality work, and the plumber (Ted for both jobs) is a really, really nice guy.

On the last job I had gotten a quote from a competitor of $550.  Thunderbird's quote (and final price) was $275.  When they found out I had to leave before the time they thought they could get to my house they rearranged their schedule to come by earlier (between other jobs) to look at the job and give me a quote.  By Wednesday evening they'd done the work and my water pressure was back to normal.  All of this the same day I called!

These guys will be my go-to plumbers from now on.
James B.
James B.
06/08/2016 12:00:00 SA
After seeing all of the wonderful reviews on Yelp, I excitedly called them to schedule service. I left a detailed message and then waited for a return call. It's now been over two weeks and I'm still waiting. If they don't even call me back when I'm trying to hire them and give them money, how helpful are they going to be if there's an actual problem? The fact that so many reviews specifically mention them responding to messages quickly makes me wonder how many of these reviews are actually legitimate.
Steve K.
Steve K.
1/30/2015
Their guy was right on time, friendly and informative.  Listened carefully and diagnosed the problem quickly.  And this is the best part:  It ended up being something I could fix myself, so he gave me some great advice on what to get and where and wouldn't take my money for the time spent!  Who does that anymore?!  These guys do.  Out-freakin'-standing professionalism and just downright good people!  A gem.  They've got my business and word-of-mouth evangelism (and I'm a loud mouth) for life.  Thanks guys.
Brian C.
Brian C.
09/06/2009 12:00:00 SA
We had a simple job: install a new gas range. We had planned to install it ourselves but the gas turn off valve wouldn't budge for us, and I was scared of the boom factor of gas.

I called them on a Wednesday afternoon, and Jeff promptly showed up at 8 AM and completed the installation by 8:30 AM, all the while allaying my fears of natural gas and explaining what he was doing.

And, I got a yelp discount!!!
Jam S.
Jam S.
9/30/2014
I have used Thunderbird for a long time, since 2005. Jeff has been great and he will walk me through problems on the phone first. I am so happy he's so busy now I can hardly book for service. You will not be disappointed. Such an honest guy.
Joni C.
Joni C.
08/11/2014 12:00:00 SA
I have been living a water nightmare at my house. We have had a leak under the slab that a leak detection service could not find. These guys came and figured out what was going on and repaired it the same day. They were professional, sympathetic to our situation and charged us very reasonably for the extensive work they did. They were even tolerant of my crazy dog who would not leave them alone, I highly recommend thunderbird plumbing and will be calling on them again to fix a few other plumbing problems we have been putting off !
Sean D.
Sean D.
4/24/2014
Jeff and Thunderbird Plumbing represent everything that great, local business should be all about.  They are friendly, informative, timely and extremely helpful in explaining what they do and why.  Jeff walked us through everything we needed to know about replacing our hot water heater.  We've definitely found our go-to plumber and will certainly be recommending Thunderbird to all of our friends here in Austin!
Jeff D.
Jeff D.
3/23/2015
I'd like to chime in for Thunderbird plumbing as well.  We have an older home with some aging parts and Ted has been out several times.  He is not only the friendliest plumber I've ever met, he is also the most knowledgeable.  Ted will patiently explain the problems, the rational behind the solutions and the building codes required.

But what impresses me most about Ted is that he sees things other plumbers apparently don't see.    Most recently, he diagnosed a faulty PRV with some experiments when others said we didn't even *have* a PRV.
Ross B.
Ross B.
10/09/2014 12:00:00 SA
I had Thunderbird come out and fix a couple of different things prior to selling our house. Mostly stuff to get things up to code, as well as installing a new sink. Jeff was super easy to work with, professional and quick. I'll definitely use them the next time I have plumbing work that needs to be done.
Dan H.
Dan H.
5/21/2011
Fantastic service.  I had a main line clog that was causing the sewage to back up into my showers and bathtubes.  Couldn't even flush the toilets. Nasty!  

I called Thunderbird Friday night and left a message, along with 3 other plumbers.  Even though their voicemail indicated they had a full schedule all weekend, Ted called me back first thing on Sat. He said he could come out in the afternoon.  Fortunately some time opened up and he quickly called me back and was at my door by 10:30.  Had the clogged fixed in no time.  

I have them coming back out to check the main line as I think there's more to fix.  I'm very pleased with their response and service and will recommend them to anyone who asks.
Lorraine W.
Lorraine W.
08/08/2014 12:00:00 SA
Yes, they really do deserve 5 stars!! They saved my mom over $300 compared to Radiant Heating and Plumbing. They came out the same day after we called them at 130pm! They brought a new water heater and had it installed in a few hours, all fixed up and at a great price. We are very pleased with this company. Whatever you do, avoid Radiant, they truly suck!
Jen S.
Jen S.
7/29/2014
We have a new plumber! Jeff and Ted answered fast, came out to estimate the job quickly and got it done neat and clean and for 1/3 of what ARS quoted us.  Ted also was very informative, walked us through how to operate our new water heater and was just a genuinely nice guy.  Thanks so much.  We have an old house and I'm sure we'll be calling Thunderbird again soon.
Kent L.
Kent L.
12/12/2010 12:00:00 SA
I echo the sentiments about Thunderbird Plumbing posted here. I turned to Thunderbird when I learned (gulp) that a hot water line had sprung a leak in or under the foundation in my sixty-year-old house. I was facing a major plumbing repair and needed plumbing professionals who were right for a job of this magnitude. I turned to Thunderbird based on the reviews here.

Jeff and Ted met with me, did some analysis and recommended that we opt for re-routing the water lines in the entire house instead of isolating the leak and drilling through hardwood/tile flooring, and possibly facing new leaks in the same aging hot water line in the future. They started the work the following Monday and worked two twelve plus hour days in a row at my house, completing the work on time and for exactly what they estimated. The quality of their workmanship is high, and it's easy to see that they don't cut corners.

I was so happy with their work we went ahead and had them clean-out some drain lines and replace our aging hot-water heater that we initially thought was the culprit in our hot water shortage while we had them at the house.

As others have noted, Jeff and Ted are simply a pleasure to work with and I couldn't recommend them higher. It's a bummer facing a major unexpected plumbing repair, especially something as significant as basically re-plumbing your whole house while it's inhabited. Thunderbird made it as painless as it could be. I have found my Austin plumbers for life.
Don R.
Don R.
7/25/2013
Just spoke to the owner, Jeff.  He saw my review and promptly reached out to apologize for the experience and offer assistance in helping me solve my plumbing problem.  I shared that I went with another company to fix my problem for which he was disappointed but totally understanding.   I really appreciated the fact that he called and wanted to rectify the situation.  He also sent me a check to cover the costs of the repairs done by this other company.   I think this says a lot about Jeff and Thunderbird--he acknowledged a mistake and rectified it by reaching out to his customer, apologizing, and reimbursing his customer for the cost incurred to bring in another company.    As I a said in my previous review, these guys have always been 5 stars on service for us up until this point.   I will chalk up this experience as an anomaly and consider using them again.
Jesse G.
Jesse G.
1/20/2015
Jeff Plunkett from Thunderbird Plumbing came over the other day to fix a few shower issues for us.  The Yelp reviews are right -- he is as good as advertised.

Before he even arrived, he had me send him some pictures so that he could be prepared and bring any necessary parts with him.  He alerted me when he was on the way from his previous appointment and arrived within his estimated time frame.  When he arrived, he was polite, thorough, and informative.  He fixed the issues quickly and charged me quite fairly for his time and the work done.  I would not hesitate to call him should I need further plumbing work done.
Todd D.
Todd D.
11/10/2015 12:00:00 SA
I called Thunderbird to talk about a tankless water heater, but after hearing my issue, Raymond recommended another option to speed up the time to wait for hot water, and it was MUCH cheaper.  I found them on YELP after comparing reviews of other businesses and I will definitely use them again!
Barry H.
Barry H.
01/07/2015 12:00:00 SA
Absolutely first-rate!  Jeff was knowledgable, and capable.  We had 2 GrundFos hot-water recirculating pumps installed.  Jeff took time to explain the technology and then installed them very neatly.  I would use Thunderbird again in a heart-beat.
Barry
Marisa P.
Marisa P.
2/18/2014
Wow! I didn't think honest service techs existed until these guys!  I was having issues with a Rinnai tankless water heater. I went to the manufacturer's website and called the 3 certified techs they had listed. One was booked solid, the other two were jokes.  The first guy not only said it was going to cost over $500 to fix (after charging me $150 just to look at the problem), but he also tore up a gasket causing the hot water to go out completely. (Thanks a lot ABC Home and Commercial Services)

Anyhow, we called thunderbird and Ken, who I'm realizing is probably actually named Ted based on other reviews (I have bad hearing), did an excellent job! He looked professional, he charged a fair price, and even took the time to teach me a little about my unit.

After all the pricey repairs ABC quoted, Ted came and did a system flush/descale and that completely fixed the problem!

I wish I would have called Thunderbird first!  I'm so excited to have found these guys! Thank you Ted (possibly Ken)!!

If you have issues, save some $ and call these guys first!
Patrick S.
Patrick S.
06/07/2011 12:00:00 SA
It's very sad.
You assume five stars plus 39 reviews equals a reputable plumbing company.  
Companies obvious game the reviews, by asking their customers fill out  five stars reviews.

Here is my experience, and if you live in West Austin, watch out for a HUGE zip code price mark up, if you live in any decent neighborhood.

On June 7, 2011
I called Thunderbird Plumbing from my hospital bed, as my wife told me that our hot water heater was out.

Not wanting my six year old and two year old to take a cold bath, I called Thunderbird after searching Yelp reviews.

Jeff was very pleasant, said he could get out same day after 4pm.  
Running late, he sent his partner, Ted, who inspected and later called me at 6-6:30pm in the hospital to give me my options:

Option 1: pay $400 for a fix on our seven year old hot water heater.
No guarantee it could go out in a month or a few years.
Option 2): pay $1100 for a new hot water heater.

Ironically, I had to have a hot water heater replaced by a licensed plumber during the ice storm in February, 2011.  

Every Austin plumber was booked repairing busted pipes!  
I was over a barrel, as my tenant was going to move out after waiting 4 days.
I paid about $600-$650 for a complete hot water heater replacement including all new vents, valves, etc.

When I asked Ted to break down parts and labor, he admitted it was about $400 for a new hot water heater.  He also admitted it would take two hours labor for a plumber and an assistant.

I questioned Ted about $700 in labor for only two hours of work.  I got a little tap dance and hemming and hawing.  I told Ted I'd have to think about it.

Thirty minutes later, Jeff called.  He reiterated $1100 was the price. He then told me other companies charge $1500-$1600.  So he was cutting me a deal.

I then called two friends for their plumbers.  Both agreed that $1100 was highway robbery.
I then made two calls, both plumbers said they'd do it for $650.

Lesson learned, call people you know for a plumber.

These guys should be ashamed trying to charge nearly double.

Unless they came and worked all night or on Christmas day!

If you live in West Austin, beware the zip code up charge these guys want to charge.  
Call your realtor or someone who knows reputable plumbers unless you like getting gouged.

No way these guys can be rated 100% five stars!
V V.
V V.
7/14/2014
Let me begin by saying these guys have been out to my place twice, and also to two of my neighbors (I know, and I'm just now writing a review, shame on me). Ted just replaced an ancient vanity and toilet in one of our bathrooms. Not only was the price fair and work superb, he also gave excellent suggestions that saved us a lot of headache.

They book up quickly, but trust me, they are excellent so it's worth waiting an extra few days to get them to come out.
chelsea b.
chelsea b.
06/03/2014 12:00:00 SA
Awesome experience!  We got 3 bids before choosing Thunderbird.  He came in almost identical to another bid, but we chose Ted because he's WONDERFUL.  He came in and did the job incredibly quickly and went the extra mile for sure.  It feels so good to give money to people you like and trust.  Thanks, Ted, for your help!
Kay B.
Kay B.
01/02/2016 12:00:00 SA
I recently had Thunderbird come out and replace a kitchen faucet and garbage disposal. They were a bit on the pricey side I thought HOWEVER I had a short timeframe for this work which they were able to accomodate. The guy called me the morning of to confirm the appointment and he arrived on time. He was courteous and did a good job. I will very likely use Thunderbird Plumbing again in the future.
Rohit J.
Rohit J.
02/10/2016 12:00:00 SA
I needed my gas fireplace repaired.  While Thunderbird Plumbing was not able to fix the fireplace, because it needed work on the fireplace unit itself that I later found no one actually does for the now defunct brand of fireplace I have, their professionalism was outstanding.  I think it was Ted who came over.  But he was very busy and even so accommodated me when he had an open slot since I was going to be out or town the following week.  He checked the fireplace out and indicated that it needed to be worked on by a fireplace company that worked on that specific brand so they could get parts for that fireplace to replace.  He did not charge me anything for the trip.  I told him that did not seem to be fair that he came over and spent his time to check the fireplace out and was not going to charge for it.  He said he did not fix anything and so he would not charge me, and that I should just keep them in mind the next time around.  Absolutely I will, with such unheard of professionalism, promptness, accommodation, and fairness!
Gillian R.
Gillian R.
01/08/2016 12:00:00 SA
Opened the account just to give some public recognition to this lovely company, as I know that a lot of people look to Yelp for home improvement referrals. We will never use another plumber after dealing with the lovely customer service at Thunderbird. Jeff is a class act and a very smart guy who is a pleasure to work with, and would probably be a fun guy to have beers with. :) We trust them totally, and their work is skilled and affordable. Thank you, Thunderbird! You turned a stressful situation into a pleasant one.
Amy J.
Amy J.
3/21/2012
Super happy with the service that Thunderbird provided.  

Originally, I had called Strand Brothers to come out and take a look at our water heater because the pilot light went out and wouldn't start up again.  The guy told me that I needed to replace my whole water heater and everything he was telling me sounded incredibly fishy....so I decided to get a second opinion.

A couple of my friends mentioned that Jeff did a really great job and so I called him the very next day and left a voicemail.  Jeff was prompt in returning my call and he mentioned estimates were free and that he would come by that afternoon.  Woohoo!  On the phone, he already had a suspicion of what the problem was and confirmed it at his visit.  He was able to fix the issue with our water heater that afternoon and he saved us over $1K!!  THANK YOU, JEFF!  We will be calling you again without hestiation for future business.
Phil H.
Phil H.
5/20/2014
Showed up on time (which is more than I can say for a lot of plumbers) and took care of the job (replace water heater and snake washing machine drain line) quickly and efficiently. He even put a cap on the drain line so that it wouldn't overflow onto the flow if it became clogged again (something no other plumber had even suggested), and replaced a filter on the kitchen faucet just because he saw that it needed to be done.

I plan on using Thunderbird again for any future plumbing issues and would recommend them for anyone else in the Austin area.
Heidi G.
Heidi G.
12/30/2015
Jeff is like the pipe whisperer. He solved the problem when other companies had difficulty doing so. He is friendly, professional and courteous. We highly recommend him!!!
Megan H.
Megan H.
11/12/2015 12:00:00 SA
Jeff/Thunderbird was recommended by others in our neighborhood and I can now see why! I emailed him late last night with a concern/inquiry and he replied first thing this morning and was out here well before noon.  We were concerned about an undetected leak due to skyrocketing water bills lately.  Jeff was very knowledgeable and kind, and patient/generous with his time as he explored several different possibilities with me.  We think it's an irrigation issue outside so we don't need to proceed with any plumbing work at this time, but I will absolutely call him again if another issue arises or we need work done.
Caro T.
Caro T.
03/10/2010 12:00:00 SA
Like the other reviews, I have nothing but great things to say about Jeff with Thunderbird Plumbing. He came the same day I called, showed up on time, and was super courteous and knowledgeable. He fixed my plumbing problem (clogged washing machine drain) and even helped me with a little sink installation issue I was having. He also gave me the Yelp discount and a great little refrigerator magnet! Thank you Jeff, I'll recommend you and use you again.
Anthony G.
Anthony G.
6/17/2009
I called six plumbing companies before Tbird.  None of the others answered the phone.  I'm glad that they didn't.  Jeff was patient on the phone and was able to get to me same day.  The work was top notch and the price was fair.  Yeah, plumbers charge a lot, but have you ever tried to do this stuff DIY style?  They are worth it!  Highly recommended.
Vivek T.
Vivek T.
10/09/2010 12:00:00 SA
As always, yelp didn't let me down.
Our water heaters are ~7 years old, and I read somewhere that they needed to be drained annually. Of course, ours had never been drained.
So I called Thunderbird, and Ted came out. He looked the heaters over, and said everything looked good, and then even went over some basic maintenance techniques with me. He recommended that I *don't* drain the heaters because of the age, and told me just to monitor them over the next few years. All this for no charge - part of the free estimate!
I'm feeling guilty now, and I'm looking for opportunities for plumbing improvements in our house, just to send some business their way! :)
Outstanding guys!
Chad B.
Chad B.
7/31/2009
I've had Thunderbird do three different projects at my house and have been extremely satisfied each time. Jeff is the only employee I've dealt with - he has been punctual, honest and fair each time he's worked on my home. He is also pretty good at explaining exactly what he surmises as the problem and the solution in words an ignorant (to plumbing) person like myself can understand. Most recently he installed a dishwasher and was kind enough to fix a couple other quick leaks around the house free of a labor charge. Highly recommended.
lily l.
lily l.
10/21/2013
We had our pilot light go out and didn't know how to get it to turn back on.  As new homeowners, these things terrify us and Ted talked to us on the phone to reassure us and walk us through how to fix it.  Since I couldn't get it on, he said he would come over and give it a look.  To my embarrassment, all we had to do was turn up the gas.  He looked over the water heater and noticed some things that we might want to get repaired but didn't pressure me into getting it done.  He was awesome and quick and didn't make me feel embarrassed about not having the gas turned on.  Ted was awesome and I defiantly will have Thunderbird plumbing service us in the future.
Elena R.
Elena R.
01/09/2013 12:00:00 SA
Had Jeff replace the water heater last year. Great job. Completed quickly and thoroughly.

So we had him come out and handle a larger issue - rerouting the hot water line since it was leaking under the slab. First, he came out and gave us a free estimate. Then we made an appointment. They arrived on time, did the work as promised, and billed exactly what he said he would.

Professional, thorough, excellent work. Fairly priced. We'll hire them again for future plumbing work.
George C.
George C.
12/17/2013
Ted and Ray are awesome. The guys are fast and super smart. they fixed my issue and answered all my questions. Don't waste your time with other plumbers these guys do it right!!!
Curtis G.
Curtis G.
01/05/2012 12:00:00 SA
A little slow on the initial response time. Once they came out, they banged out the two problems that I needed addressed (leaky shower faucet and re-piping furnace) very quickly.
Noah W.
Noah W.
09/09/2013 12:00:00 SA
I emailed Jeff for several different quotes over a few months after seeing the great Yelp reviews. I finally ended up needing a professional for a job I wasn't willing to do and as always, Jeff's quote was considerably lower than his peers (others with great reviews). He sent Ted out the same day and the job was completed in a professional, efficient manner. Ted was very friendly, professional, and knowledgable. I will definitely continue to call Thunderbird for any plumbing needs.
Hayden G.
Hayden G.
10/17/2013
Jeff is the man!  We had what we thought was a major leak - turned out to be not so major - but Jeff came out within 2 hours of our call and immediately assessed/repaired the situation.  I spent more time fretting over the leak than it took for Jeff to fix it.  

This one's a no-brainer, folks.  Call Jeff at Thunderbird.  He's professional, courteous, fast, and fair.
Ann W.
Ann W.
09/07/2010 12:00:00 SA
Wow.  Jeff is the bomb.  Woke up to find sewage in my bathtubs!  Had no idea what to expect with regard to the availability of a plumber, but it was an emergency and it was gross.  It was raining and messy outside - the day after Labor Day - but Jeff was here IN AN HOUR.  He cleared the line and even reset a slightly leaky toilet.  He was very knowledgeable and professional.  I will tell the world about Jeff and Thunderbird. Thanks for all of your reviews because a good (and reasonably priced) plumber is hard to find.
Angela H.
Angela H.
5/13/2011
I called Thunderbird Plumbing and left a message. Jeff called back within an hour and we set up a time for him to come out to fix tub drain and install a new kitchen faucet. He got the drain fixed very quickly but ran into trouble with the new faucet because there was a wrong part in the box from Home Depot. He went to work on another job while I exchanged the faucet and pulled up at my house exactly as I did. Kitchen faucet is installed. He did a really great job and was very honest and fair. I know many other places would have charged me more to come back.
Jill M.
Jill M.
11/06/2011 12:00:00 SA
I met Jeff when he was sent to fix a toilet at the rental my husband and I were moving out of into our newly purchased house.  After speaking with him about our new house's issues, I called to make an appointment for them to come fix a pedestal sink that the contractor had put in incorrectly.  When I spoke with Ted on the phone, I added on three other jobs and he gladly agreed to conquer them all!  Ted came out the next day right on time and finished all the jobs!  We had all new faucets, two new sinks, new supply lines and a toilet fixed!  I love these guys!!!  And we love our new sinks and faucets! I will certainly call Thunderbird Plumbing when we are ready to have our shower faucets updated!  Thanks guys!
Richard C.
Richard C.
2/13/2012
Water leaked through the bathtub tile and I thought it would be a nightmare repair like a leaky pipe which would require tearing into the wall. I called Thunderbird and Jeff came out and found the toilet leaked and the tub spout was bad because it was sending water into the wall behind the tile. Jeff quickly fixed the leaky toilet and repositioned the spout so it stopped leaking as well. He finished up the job by sealing everything and finished within an hour. Awesome job!! Professional service at a reasonable price. I highly recommend.
Helga D.
Helga D.
2/21/2017
Whew! We could not be more relieved and happy to have found Thunderbird plumbing. Our water heater, which is in our attic, leaked so we had to get it taken care of FAST!  We left a message with Thunderbird and Ted called us back quickly and was at our house within an hour. He was professional, friendly and calm in a situation that was stressful for us. Most importantly, with 19 years of plumbing experience, he knew what he was talking about which was reassuring. We were in a bind, not having the luxury of time on our side and knowing this, Ted did not take advantage of the situation. He quickly assessed the problem, stopped any further leaking and gave us an extremely fair estimate. He and his assistant were able to come the very next morning to replace the water heater and they did an excellent job! They were done in less than 2 hours. These guys are awesome. We will continue to use them if need be in the future.
K S.
K S.
11/09/2015 12:00:00 SA
Ted came by and fixed my slow draining tub and sink quickly and efficiently. Very friendly and helpful. Very reasonable cost. He even called ME twice in a row to follow up on my inquiry call I had placed 2 days earlier.  Highly recommend.
Lisa H.
Lisa H.
08/07/2013 12:00:00 SA
I live away from Austin and own a couple of properties in Austin.  I had a handiman come out to one of my rental properties who unfortunately bid on 100% of the work but ended up only doing 80% (I had my inspector do a re-inspect so I found out that way)?!?! Anyway, instead of taking my sister-in-law's recommendation for a yet another defunct handiman, I went to yelp and found THUNDERBIRD PLUMBING!! Oh, how I love thee, Thunderbird!  Ted came out and confirmed what had been done, what hadn't been done and then gave me a very reasonable quote to finish the job. Mind you, he came all the way out to 620/183 area. He could have told me that the $150 job that I had was imperative to complete. But instead, he told me that it was more cosmetic and could wait at this point.  THEN he told me that we would FOR FREE fix my dishwasher's problem (didn't get food out).
Guess what?!?! Thunderbird Plumbing is now my go-to for plumbing repairs for both of my houses. AND I will recommend them to my parents, my sister, AND my sister-in-law. Thanks Ted!!
Sonny L.
Sonny L.
4/13/2011
Jeff is great.  He helped installing 2 toilets.  High quality works.  Leave no mess.  Will call him again.
Craig A.
Craig A.
04/08/2016 12:00:00 SA
Timely response, clear communication, quick installation of hot water heater.  Justin was awesome!
Chris N.
Chris N.
02/05/2011 12:00:00 SA
These guys were able to make time during Austin's busiest period (Feb 11 ice storm) to come and work on my hot water heater. They found some interesting issues and everything is in order now. The price was comparable to others in town and service was perfect.
Anjali A.
Anjali A.
8/13/2013
I have never written a yelp review before, but I felt compelled to do it after my experience with Ted and Thunderbird Plumbing. He was truly phenomenal and dealt with several issues that we encountered. Ted included some extra jobs and did not even go over his quote. If you need a plumber in Austin, you would be making a mistake if you do not go with Thunderbird Plumbing.
Kevin P.
Kevin P.
12/03/2011 12:00:00 SA
Found my hot water heater leaking last Sunday night.  Saw Thunderbird here on Yelp and called the next morning.  Jeff had another job in the area, but came by after that and confirmed a new heater was in order.  He soon left to pick one up and had the job done by the time I returned from an abbreviated day at work.  Price was higher than it might have been because improvements were needed to meet code (my heater was 20 years old).  He was easy to work with and answered all my questions.  I'd call Thunderbird again.
Elias K.
Elias K.
9/15/2014
Don't trust the coverage map.  Just called Thunderbird and got told that they won't come to our house, despite it being well within the coverage area on the map on Yelp.
Dave K.
Dave K.
09/01/2015 12:00:00 SA
We replaced two heaters. Great job. Came on time and completed soon. I had an issue and called. Someone came the same evening and relighted the heater and left. Good people. Strongly recommended them to other folks.
Tom R.
Tom R.
03/09/2016 12:00:00 SA
Justin just added a pump to our hot water heater to give us hot water faster to our water lines farther away from the unit.  Talked to him yesterday...he had another customer in the neighborhood scheduled for today and fit us in this morning.  Now that's what I call service and using time management.  Wow!!!  Before I had two other plumbers that can highly recommended.  One never returned my messages after 8 days and when I got someone on the line they came up with excuses.  The other again highly recommended was suppose to be here at 8:30am yesterday...called me at 8:36am(which was a good thing)...and said that they would be here in 30 minutes.  They never showed...I called to reschedule and had to leave a message.  Still have not received a call for either the reason why they never showed or for rescheduling.  So I highly recommend Thunderbird Plumbing Co.
Justin E.
Justin E.
06/06/2011 12:00:00 SA
Called at 5:00 Sunday evening, and Ted was at our door at 7:30 Monday morning, as promised.  He is super friendly and professional; not what I expect out of a plumber.  He did the admittedly nasty job uncomplainingly and quickly, and explained very clearly what we could do to prevent it in the future.  These guys are totally amazing.
Helen T.
Helen T.
6/30/2011
Called Ted to install a sink and finish upgrading my old valves in the guest and master bath.  I was waiting on the granite installer so we scheduled the job a week later.  He did a great job and finished up quickly and the price was exactly what I expected. A good plumber is hard to find which is why Thunderbird and Union Jack are booked solid based off Yelp reviews.  I don't understand the negative reviews people are leaving for services they never even received.  I heard for awhile they were so busy that they weren't able to do smaller service jobs but I'm glad that Ted took my call and came to do the job - even on a Saturday- and for that I'll remain a repeat customer.
Jamie N.
Jamie N.
06/12/2013 12:00:00 SA
Very pleased with Thunderbird's service, Ted showed up on time, couldn't have been a nicer guy, finished the work quickly and cheaper than the quote on the phone. I showed him a couple other potential projects and he was very helpful and informative into what would be required to complete the project, when the time comes I'll be hiring them again.
C F.
C F.
7/27/2015
What can I say, we rent an old old house. I have now emailed Jeff several times for help with different problems and he's so responsive, friendly and willing to help out over email. Thunderbird are in demand because they're great, but Jeff always finds a way to fit you in.
Frances S.
Frances S.
3/29/2009
When my water heater stopped producing hot water, I called Thunderbird Plumbing.  Jeff arrived on time and found the problem
quickly.  Although I needed a new water heater (the ond one was 15 years old), he installed the new water heater at a fair price, and I had hot water within a couple of hours.  
Seriously, give this guy a try.  I will be using him for my future plumbing repairs!  Thanks Jeff!
Suzanne J.
Suzanne J.
8/27/2011
Excellent service! I was a little worried when I called and got an answering machine, but they called back quickly and were at my house an hour later. Not only did they fix the problems with our gas leak, but they took care of other water leaks we had in the house. I also thought the pricing was very fair. They came highly recommended from my neighbors and I would in turn  recommend them to all of my friends.
Andy S.
Andy S.
1/30/2013
We've had Thunderbird out twice recently. Both times we got excellent service at a good price.

While having some work done in our kitchen, they noticed a slight gas smell in a cabinet near our range.

Raymond (I think his name is) came out an re-did the connection to the range to fix the problem. He was very thorough in checking all the fittings, even the connections in the attic. He also called the next day to make sure the odor was gone.

Then, the hot water stopped flowing in our kitchen sink. Ted came out and found the washer in the turn off valve under the sink had deteriorated clogging it up. He replaced both valves with quarter turn, quick shut-off valves.

Ted was running late because a prior job took longer than planned, but he called giving me plenty of notice. Since he was coming at the last minute and at the end of the day, that was no problem. He didn't leave our house until after 6:30PM.

We've used Thunderbird in the past and will do so next time we need them.
Dustin H.
Dustin H.
8/16/2009
These guys replaced my water heater in a flash. Their price quote was the best in town, they showed up right on time, and finished the job ahead of schedule. They were even nice enough to give me a Yelp discount, and replace a broken valve on the cheap.

Bottom Line? Jeff & Ted are really great plumbers.
Vicki L.
Vicki L.
08/09/2010 12:00:00 SA
Another plumber told me I needed a $700 repair, and they would only be guessing about the problem they thought I had.  Ted came out within a couple of hours of my call and isolated the problem quickly.  I'll still have to get a sprinkler guy out here, since Thunderbird doesn't do sprinklers.  I'm confident the cost of the inspection and sprinkler repair together will be less than the first guy quoted.  This is who I'll call next time!
David W.
David W.
10/26/2010
The guys at Thunderbird Plumbing rock!  I've used them twice in the last few months with mucho satisfaction.  They helped fix a bathroom problem and a prv value at the street.  They will be the first call I make with future plumbing jobs.
Colleen G.
Colleen G.
05/08/2011 12:00:00 SA
Jeff was super helpful and professional. He came to install a pressure regulating valve to reduce our crazy high water pressure and prevent trouble down the road. It was really fast and with the Yelp discount, was under $300 (which is not too shabby since the city gives a $100 rebate). Another plumber quoted me $800. As an added bonus, when I asked Jeff about a leaky faucet on the outside of my house, he was like yeah, no big deal I'll go ahead and replace it for you for free, AND HE DID!!!

Overall, a great experience for a new homeowner who felt leary about hiring professional work for the first time. I know who to trust if we ever have a plumbing issue again!
Jennie G.
Jennie G.
07/03/2012 12:00:00 SA
I can't tell you the number of times Thunderbird has helped us out of plumbing situations.  We have several rental properties and they have done work, -minor leaks, small remodels, and major drain repair, at all of them.  My tenants, amazingly have called me up to tell me what a great job either Jeff and/or Ted have done.  Recently, as a Realtor, I needed a drain inspection done on a house.  Ted spent hours looking for the drain clean out only to find much later that it had been covered up by a patio remodel.  Thunderbird gave us a fair price for the extra time he spent there.  It was much appreciated by my nervous home buyers. I feel very confident recommending Thunderbird to friends and clients.
Alex M.
Alex M.
10/26/2012
I contacted thunderbird due to their good yelp reviews.  I was not disappointed.  I shot them an email late one Sunday night, and early Monday I got a call.  I was able to schedule something in short order, and the next day I had a new water heater, some fixed drains, and a leaky faucet repaired surprisingly quick.  The new hardware looks great and the quality of installation is obvious.  The price was very fair and well explained for each step.
Dez G.
Dez G.
11/09/2015 12:00:00 SA
I am not a Yelp user; however, I needed a plumber and wanted customer opinions, so I came to Yelp. I am pleased that I did. I called Thunderbird to replace my garbage disposal and Raymond scheduled me for the next day. I couldn't be home but my mother-in-law was at my house caring for my kids. She said that Raymond was kind, courteous, and understanding. She also mentioned that he didn't make her feel the least bit nervous being that he was a strange man in the house with her and her grandchildren. On top of that, he did really good work and was fast. My home inspector was pleased with the outcome. Thank you, Thunderbird. And, thank you, Yelp; you have earned my business.
Daniel Z.
Daniel Z.
07/10/2013 12:00:00 SA
Jeff, Ted, and Raymond are a pleasure to work with and they know their craft inside and out. My house was built in the 1940s and the original galvanized metal pipes were starting to fail. They replaced everything in a single day, including the water line to the street! The new pipes are non-metal so they won't rust through or burst from freezing. The pricing was reasonable enough that I called them back a few weeks later to install new faucets for all my sinks. Now I can sleep at night without worrying about leaks, my water is no longer rust-colored, and my friends keep complimenting my new fixtures.
Jorge A.
Jorge A.
10/02/2013 12:00:00 SA
We discovered that our 1950s home had the dreaded Orangeburg plumbing that is ubiquitous in Central Austin. The city gave us 60 days to fix this since it was causing issues with our wastewater. We contacted all the highly rated plumbers on Yelp and received quotes from all. Thunderbird was the lowest price and were also the quickest to respond.

Within a week, they were digging huge trenches in our front yard and replacing the orangeburg mess. They pride themselves on ensuring that your yard will look the same after the work as it did before. Sure enough, I came home from work on the second day of work and was amazed since the yard looked as if nothing had happened.

I highly recommend Thunderbird as they are professional, conscientious and were very affordable in this case. Great job guys! Hopefully, I will not need to call any time soon.
Mabyn P.
Mabyn P.
6/13/2013
I choose Thunderbird based on the Yelp reviews and couldn't be happier.  He arrived right at his scheduled time (even calling ahead to make sure the time still worked for me), determined my water line did not need to be replaced, just patched, and was done in 30 minutes!  Did I mention that he charged me $40 less than quoted because it was a simple repair!  Plus he looked at my water heater for me and answered some questions about our timer for nothing.  Great experience and can't wait to surprise my husband with a repaired ice maker. Highly recommend.
Leah R.
Leah R.
9/30/2013
I needed to have the gas line behind my oven lowered to enable us to push the oven directly against the wall. I had contacted several other plumbers but even when they came out to give an estimate they were too busy to get the job done right away and in one case to even get me an estimate in a timely manner. After reading its positive reviews on Yelp,  I left a message on Thunderbird's machine over the weekend in hopes I could talk with them early in the week.

They did leave me a message early Monday afternoon. I returned the call at 2:40 pm. Raymond said he could do the job and was at my house by 3:20! He looked at the job, gave me a very fair estimate, and immediately got to work. Even with needing to run for supplies, the work was completed by 5:20 pm and at a third of the price of a previous estimate.

Needless to say I am quite pleased with their rapid service and fair price. Thunderbird will become my plumber to rely on for future jobs.
Andee C.
Andee C.
2/19/2015
Awesome experience with Jeff for my water heater!! Excellent work and communication!! I'm very happy!! Will call again to have new toilets installed.
Paul C.
Paul C.
8/15/2009
Like others, we included Thunderbird on our list because of online reviews, like here on Yelp.  Of the three that we had come look at our slab leak (as much as you can look at a slab leak), Ted from Thunderbird spent the most time, took the most consideration, and provided the best and clearest explanation of the anticipated approach to an admittedly complex problem, without being a salesman, or assuming that I was ignorant.

We had them come out the next week, and they finished yesterday...quickly, neatly, professionally, and completely.  Ted is a really nice guy, and you know that you as the customer are important as a person to him, not just as a customer.  Highly recommended.
J.B. R.
J.B. R.
9/13/2009
The handle on our kitchen sink came off in my hand - on Friday afternoon.  I called several plumbers and Jeff was the first one to call me back.

He was super helpful and patient on the phone.  He was prompt in getting the job done and his rates were reasonable.

Highly recommend Thunderbird plumbing.
Erika P.
Erika P.
01/03/2011 12:00:00 SA
I don't get on Yelp very often to write a review, but after using it myself now to find a few different services, I realize what a valuable tool this really is. And how much I rely on other people's reviews. Here's the deal, we had a water line break on New Year's Day. We, like many, are struggling to make ends meet so the idea of calling a plumber was overwhelmingly scary! I checked in with friends and what you find is that most people have plumbing horror stories! Based on a friend recommendation, I called Thunderbird first thing Monday morning (we have been without water since Saturday) and within an hour Will was at our door. He quoted us an extremely reasonable price and got started right away. Will even fixed an outside hose pipe fitting that's been dripping for months and after he was finished and brought the receipt - he charged us LESS than what he quoted.

My point is, this company is GREAT, local, reasonable and most of all TRUSTWORTHY. Call these guys and you'll never have to stress out about having to find a plumber. I would recommend them to all my friends....and oh, I will!
Caryn H.
Caryn H.
1/21/2011
Thunderbird Plumbing is an example of what customer service should be! I called one afternoon to see if I could schedule an appointment to have a garbage disposal installed. Jeff promptly returned my call and said he could be at my house in a couple of hours and gave me an estimate for service.  I was shocked I could get service so soon that didn't cost an arm and a leg. Jeff called to let me know when he was on his way and arrived shortly later. He installed the garbage disposal in no time and let us know the labor comes with a one year warranty. The invoice was for the amount I was quoted and not a penny more. I will definitely call Jeff and Thunderbird Plumbing for any future needs and recommend their company to my neighbors as well.

Thanks Jeff!
Shannon G.
Shannon G.
05/02/2014 12:00:00 SA
Ted was referred by a friend. He returned my call immediately and arrived on time for the appointment. He fixed everything and his rate was reasonable! So happy to have finally found a reliable and honest plumber in Austin!
Braxton B.
Braxton B.
06/05/2010 12:00:00 SA
I wasn't able to use these guys because I left them a voicemail and it took days to get a call back.
Mickey S.
Mickey S.
10/05/2012 12:00:00 SA
Jeff really helped us out this week.  We had an issue with the water at a rental property (happened over the weekend), and were scrambling to get someone out asap on Monday as our usual go-to company was booked for the day.  I left voice mails with a handful of companies, and Jeff was not only the only person to call back, but he was able to fix the issue the same day! And ..... wait for it .... wait for it ... at a reasonable rate! Score! We might have just found a new go to! Thanks Jeff.
Kim R.
Kim R.
02/04/2015 12:00:00 SA
Quick to respond and save the day when another company dropped the ball.  Professional, on time, fair price.  Will definitely use them again!
Jessie P.
Jessie P.
06/12/2014 12:00:00 SA
Ted is awesome!  I used Thunderbird before and called to install some bathroom faucets, but got a voicemail that they were pretty busy for the next two weeks.  I left a message anyway and also tried some other plumbers.  Ted from Thunderbird got back to me after 2 days and  I got estimates from about 4 other plumbers as well.  Plumbinators (see my other good review of them) and Thunderbird had the lowest estimates and the same recommendations for my bathroom faucets (needed valve/flex lines as well).  I went ahead with Thunderbird since I used them before and was not disappointed.  Ted showed up early/on time when he said he would and did a fantastic job, he was very friendly and definitely knows his stuff.  Very happy with my new bathroom faucets.
Stephen C.
Stephen C.
10/22/2014
Jeff called me back in about 45 seconds after I left them a message and advised me on my concern about nasty tasting water coming from the faucet. Said it was related to the pull out hose and that it's from the metal in that hose but nothing to worry about, just let the water run as we have been. He has the same issue on his water. So we saved a bunch of money that we may have spent on water tests etc. This issue was not an issue in the bathroom faucets where there is no hose so this does make sense and puts us at ease. I would use these guys for future service just for their consideration on this call where he surely knew calling back there'd be monetary benefit for him.
Hanney D.
Hanney D.
5/22/2010
We've had quite a bit of work done on our house, and have had several plumbers doing different things for us. Jeff is hands-down the one I will call if I ever need anything else done. He showed up early, he calls back promptly even though he's a very busy guy. We had some work done on our water heater, because it had a gas leak, and he saved us from replacing the whole thing. He added a wax ring to the toilet, because the plumber who installed it neglected to read the instructions for a Toto Aquia toilet. It has an unconventional mounting & Jeff knew immediately what our sewer gas problem was. He fixed everything within a 1/2 hour so I didn't have to take a whole lot of time off from work. I couldn't have been happier.
Bruce I.
Bruce I.
09/10/2014 12:00:00 SA
Thunderbird made my day!  They saved me a lot of money compared to other estimates, and they got the work done promptly.   Raymond was a true professional, very polite and efficient.
Rik R.
Rik R.
6/21/2011
I think I've finally found a plumber!  I live out of state but own rental property in Austin. Therefore, its important to me that I can utilize good reliable service people since I will usually not be there to supervise and review the quality of the work.  Prompt service is also important and, as always, so is the final bill.
I was notified by a tenant that there was what sounded like a sewer line leak in the yard. Based on the good Yelp reviews and the fact that Thunderbird also works on Saturdays, I chose them.  It was a Friday and I did not want to have to allow the leak to continue all weekend.  I was hoping they would be able to fix it by Saturday. I called and left a message and Jeff got back to me within an hour or so. He indicated that he could go by the property within a couple of hours.  He did exactly as he promised and called me with the estimate (which was very reasonable compared to previous similar work).  I liked the estimate and when I was told he could fix it right then, I gave the go ahead. Since they take credit cards, payment was no problem and was handled over the phone. The next day he sent me a receipt via e-mail - again, just like he promised.  The whole experience was positive and I will be a repeat customer.
Joe M.
Joe M.
08/09/2013 12:00:00 SA
Thunderbird replaced our Hot Water Heater, which was more challenging than a typical install. Our hot water heater is in the attic in our two story house. To top it off, it looks like the ductwork must have been installed after the original water heater was in place. In addition,some support cross members were put in place just to make it interesting for future installs!
This was no big deal for Thunderbird. They approached this problem in a systematic, professional manner. Jeff showed up promptly and proceeded to get measurements which he called in to his partner Ted waiting at the water heater dealer. This saved time and ensured they brought the appropriate water heater. The fit was extremely tight as mentioned, plus they had to consider the size of the attic opening. They were obviously experienced in a situation where there were numerous opportunities for failure.
The price was not cheap, but it was fair given the circumstances.
Overall, I give Them an A! Highly recommended!
Katherine S.
Katherine S.
11/27/2011
We had an excellent experience with Thunderbird Plumbing. We called on Friday, the day after Thanksgiving - and when many plumbers were either not calling us back or closed due to the holiday weekend, Thunderbird returned our message within the hour, gave a rough estimate over the phone, and was able to make it to our house same-day (and right on time). Jeff was extremely knowledgable, explained everything to us in detail about our home's plumbing (much appreciated since we were first-time homeowners of only 4 days!), and even waited patiently on hold with our home warranty company so we could be sure and get the work covered under our policy. Jeff was personable, professional, and did the job quickly (in and out in an hour). We will absolutely use them again if necessary.
Will L.
Will L.
08/08/2013 12:00:00 SA
A+ experience. We had a blockage in our pipes that backed up water on to the floor.  Raymond called me back in about 30 minutes to schedule an appointment. His schedule was booked next day. However, not only did he call another guy on the team to see if they could fit me in...when they couldn't he called another customer to see if he could come a tad bit later to their appt so that he could work me into his schedule. That is bending over backwards to get someone on your schedule (he made 4 calls just to get me a next day appt).  Then when he showed up, he was polite, friendly, explained everything, answered all my questions, was very thorough and made me feel comfortable. The opposite of most other plumbers who try to talk fast and make fast money. They snaked my pipes and fixed the issue at a VERY affordable rate (with a 3 month guarantee to boot). I will be calling them back within the next month to help us with bathroom sink and kitchen sink replacements.  Thunderbird is now my go to plumber, hands down.  Raymond is awesome and I am sure all the rest of the team is as well.  Look no further.
judy f.
judy f.
2/17/2015
i wrote a review of Thunderbird Plumbing over a year ago when they installed our heater and was very pleased. we are now selling our house and the inspector called out a few things for the water heater.    one indication of a good company is how they respond when you call them over a year later with a question of the job they did.   Jeff called me back immediately and was at my house in less than an hour.  (even though their recording said they were booked till next week).   He came out and took care of the few things that needed to be addressed according to the inspector.  thank you to jeff for the quick response and for wonderful customer service.
Eric K.
Eric K.
8/18/2011
Thunderbird is a first class plumber.  They installed a flexible tubing gas line for our new gas cooktop as well as replacing a toilet.  They even picked up the new toilet from the retailer.  They were professional, knowledgeable, timely and less costly than some of the high advertised plumbers
Jake S.
Jake S.
11/16/2010
I called Thunderbird to fix a broken sewer pump behind my garage apartment.  Jeff answered the phone and was at my house in 45 minutes.  He took care of the problem quickly (which my previous plumber could not after two tries) and charged me about 60% of what my previous plumber charged. I couldn't be happier with Thunderbird's service and prices.  I will definitely call them again when I need plumbing service.
Susan N.
Susan N.
08/02/2011 12:00:00 SA
Ted at Thunderbird Plumbing is absolutely fantastic.
I initially heard about Thunderbird Plumbing from a friend who had also had a great experience with them. We both have the same opinion: Thunderbird Plumbing is professional, very knowledgeable, and most of all, honest and fair. I've been dealing with my plumbing problems for a long time. I'd previously had 3 plumbers at my house saying that the plumbing work that needed to be done was extensive and would cost ALOT of money. Ted and his team came out; he thoroughly examined all of my plumbing, did some tests, and told me that the plumbing wasn't a major concern (if I fixed the foundation, it would be fine). I paid for the tests (very reasonable) and he left. Unlike the other plumbers who had quoted me thousandS (!) of dollars, Ted was honest and told me the truth. I'm not in sales and I usually don't recommend businesses to people. I would recommend Thunderbird Plumbing to anyone. Thanks Ted.
Anne J.
Anne J.
2/13/2011
Based on good Yelp reviews I called them and am very satisfied. He was polite and lucky for me had an appointment available that day. He arrived at the expected time and continued to be very polite and informative. I found their pricing to be very reasonable and he got the job done. Yay for Thunderbird Plumbing and Yelp!
Larry S.
Larry S.
02/06/2014 12:00:00 SA
Had an emergency. I broke off a hose faucet, inside my siding at the copper pipe. Sean came out 6:30am, in 27 degree weather and promptly and professionally fixed the problem. He is not only professional and competent but also a friendly, nice guy. I will not hesitate to call on this company again and I highly recommend them to everyone. And their pricing is quite reasonable.
alex g.
alex g.
12/09/2010 12:00:00 SA
Thunderbird came over at less than an hour's notice and quickly diagnosed a problem that has been causing us major problems for months. They told me the part i need to order and provided a reasonable quote for fitting it. they will be my plumber of choice in the future. its a pity there arent more contractors like them.
virginia k.
virginia k.
11/26/2012
I always feel good about calling Thunderbird Plumbing Company.  They are so good about returning calls and so pleasant to deal with.  I called and left a message for Ted this morning.  He returned my call promptly and came out to repair two broken toilets this afternoon!   I couldn't ask for better service.  Ted is very kind and patient and will show you the work he has done and explain everything he did, then ask you if you have any questions.  Now that's customer service- Thanks Ted!
Matt W.
Matt W.
10/05/2011 12:00:00 SA
Jeff was great. We had low pressure throughout the house that turned out to be a bad pressure valve, and he replaced it the same day. He explained everything and charged accordingly. We originally planned to meet around 12-1, but he was ahead of schedule and we met around 10. He was DONE with my house at 1. Thanks Jeff!
Han G.
Han G.
06/05/2012 12:00:00 SA
Had them come out to install a water heater in the attic. Great job, on-time, well-done, courteous, professional and very reasonable rates.
Sally H.
Sally H.
08/08/2013 12:00:00 SA
My prayer was answered to find a great plumbing comapny with a fair price. I almost gave up finding a plumber without ripping me off. Then Ted called me returning my call, quoting an amazingly hard to belive price. Other companies gave me an estimate from $500-900 or more. He saved me hundreds of dollars with an superb service. He was very pofessional, knowledgeable, and courteous,  he knew what he was doing. He completed the job in a couple of hours. I am not looking around and hoping anymore. I found him. We thank you, Ted
Brian W.
Brian W.
5/18/2010
I have an old house that often needs work, so I'm very pleased to have plumbers as good as Jeff and Ted helping me out. They've been out 3 times now for various jobs and have done outstanding work each time. They are always on time, they respond to calls and emails very quickly, they charge a fair rate, and they do good work. They're also very nice guys. What more could you want? I'm a very tough grader, but I can't recommend them highly enough.
Liz T.
Liz T.
02/03/2011 12:00:00 SA
Quick response and extremely professional!  Ted and Will came out to inspect a plumbing situation in a house we are about to purchase.  They gave me a detailed assessment of the problem and explained the solution.  I will continue to use these guys for all my plumbing issues.
Andrew C.
Andrew C.
2/22/2011
Excellent Service.  Can't thank these guys enough.  They have helped my family out on more than one occasion and have always left us smiling.
Kim S.
Kim S.
04/07/2011 12:00:00 SA
The pilot on hot water heater kept blowing out. I'd start the shower, go to get in and it would be cold water.  I'd relight the pilot but have to wait an hour for the water to heat up.  After twice in one week, I was annoyed enough to call Thunderbird.  My family is related to the owners of another plumbing company in town that wasn't being responsive. So after two weeks of trying to set something up through them, I got on yelp and found Thunderbird.  They came out within 3 hours, found out the gas was only half on to the water heater, turned it all the way on and said to call back if there were any more problems.  And they didn't charge a thing.  I will call Thunderbird for all future plumbing issues and will definitely recommend them to family and friends!!!
Erika N.
Erika N.
7/25/2011
We have used Ted for our plumbing needs for years and wouldn't dream of using anyone else.  He shows up quickly (even for non-emergencies), is super friendly, and always does a great job - and fast, too.  If I could give him more than 5 stars, I would.
Emily M.
Emily M.
12/15/2011
My husband and I were replacing a tub/shower combo with a tiled shower and needed the drain reset and the mixing valve replaced and repositioned. We called Thunderbird for a quote, and Jeff came by two days later. He was late, but he called to let us know he'd be late. We initially expected to do some of the prep and finishing work ourselves to save money, but were pleasantly surprised by his quote for the whole package and decided to let the pro do it all. While doing the installation he checked in with me several times to discuss what he was going to do, since we had chosen to use the Schluter-kerdi shower system, which he hadn't worked with before. He was able to set everything up properly on time and for the quoted price. He even fixed another minor plumbing issue afterwards for a small fee.
elaine e.
elaine e.
6/14/2012
In all the years that we have lived in Austin and as many contractors that I have used , Jeff and Ted are the best . They are very busy - but when it is your call - their time is all yours . Knowledgeable, helpful, concerned, fair - there is not much more I can say . Call them , they are good, fair and decent people!
Troy E.
Troy E.
07/05/2012 12:00:00 SA
My wife and I have used Thunderbird Plumbing twice in the last year.  We had the pleasure of meeting Ted who arrived on time and was very punctual to each appointment. The first time, we had a gas line re-routed, new water line to fridge, dishwasher installed, as well as several other appliances.  Most recently, we had trouble with a hot water heater and some hose bibs outside. I could not have been happier with our experience. Ted is incredibly knowledgable and extremely  thorough.  His quotes were competitive AND he helped us save quite a bit of money (encouraging us to buy a better product and doing what he could to fix the problem before jumping to a replacement). I don't typically like to leave my wife alone in the house with a repairman... but I had no reservations with Ted. He is very professional and personable. Without a doubt, Ted will be  the first plumber I call in the future!
Philip W.
Philip W.
09/05/2012 12:00:00 SA
The second time I have used Thunderbird and again great service, great work at a fair and reasonable price. Sent an email requesting service, got phone call a few hours later. I did not call back the next morning because I got busy. Ted called me! Scheduled a time right after lunch, gave me an estimate did the work. Quick, clean and incredibly nice. Don't you wish everyone did business this way. Don't hesitate.. just make the call, send the email.
Tom K.
Tom K.
11/29/2012
Another great experience with Thunderbird.  I live out of town and had to coordinate some repair work on my Austin home, and Jeff couldn't have been more accommodating.  And he pays attention to the little things...like insulating supply lines for the water heater, knowing that I'm often away when the weather turns unexpectedly frigid. I have great comfort knowing that whenever I have a problem, Jeff will get on it and do the job right.
Claire I.
Claire I.
04/04/2013 12:00:00 SA
We had Jeff from Thunderbird plumbing come and fix a gas leak and do some plumbing repair on our house in late December and early January.  We have used many plumbers in the past, but thunderbird was by far the best.  He was open and honest about cost and we ended up paying less than what was quoted in the original estimate.  He was easy to get in touch with and communicated openly with us during every step of the process.  If we ever need a plumber again we will be calling Thunderbird for sure.
Mark S.
Mark S.
4/24/2013
Very responsive and flat get the job done.. Great local company and reasonable.. Great people!
CJ P.
CJ P.
01/04/2013 12:00:00 SA
Another great recommendation from fellow Yelpers.  We returned from vacation to have an alarm going off for our septic pump, and needed some help quickly.  I left a message at first and got a return call within the hour.  I was told he would be here from 3-5 but he actually showed up early!  He got to work quickly, diagnosed the problem, called a partner for a two-person job (who also got here super quick), and finished within an hour.  Super nice, courteous (would not accept my offer to come in the house to wash up...it was a muddy day and a dirty job!), and quick.  They told me our system should be replaced soon but we could wait and see how much longer this one will last, so no high pressure sales at all.  Highly recommend, and will use when we do need to replace the current system.
Leslie D.
Leslie D.
1/17/2013
I'm so glad that I called Thunderbird.  Called at 8:30 said they would try to make it by 11 the same day and sure enough showed up on time.  Friendly, courteous, fixed the problem.  I will certainly hire them again in the future!
Alice H.
Alice H.
10/21/2010
Had a new water heater installed in the attic.  Jeff spent time talking about our different options.  I felt satisfied with the choice we made.  Highly recommend Jeff and Ted.  Very professional.  Got the job done quickly with no problems.
Rc H.
Rc H.
12/17/2013
I'm a relatively small person, so home maintenance can sometimes be a challenge.   Since I can barely twist a wrench using the full force of my weight, I call a plumber when there's a leaky pipe.  I'm really glad I chose to contact Jeff.  To begin with-  what a nice guy!  He seems like that friendly neighbor who is willing to help you get your cat out of a tree.  He had so many great stories to tell about the history of plumbing and his experiences as a plumber.  It made the time pass quickly despite the fact that I had him pretty busy with loads of work to do around the place.  I had an expansion tank added to my water heater, then I also had said heater drained/flushed then both bathrooms needed new fixtures for the tubs and inside the toilet tanks.  He also fixed that blasted toilet seat that always rocked because the floor was not level.  All the work was done to perfection and he also showed me some things about my plumbing that I could fix on my own.  Now that's great service!  The bill was a good price considering how much work he did, all the parts and his time invested.  I'm no Rockefeller, so when I find a good price, I'm sold.  I'll definitely be calling Thunderbird again.  What a professional company!

To write a review, you must login first.

Similar Items

Rutkowski Plumbing

Rutkowski Plumbing

Alamo Renovationz

Alamo Renovationz

Double D Plumbing

Double D Plumbing

USA Plumbing

USA Plumbing



Call Us Now

Hours


Mon 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Tue 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Wed 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Thu 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Fri 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Sat Closed

Sun Closed

Location

USA Plumbing location

Manager

Admin
phoneCALL US NOW!