Plumbers Barrow in Furness

It all started in 2009 when Dad decided to leave the big plumbing company he had worked for. He felt it was time to take control of his career and do things his own way, so he took the brave step of starting his own business. It was a big risk, but he believed in his skills and wanted to create something lasting.

This marked the beginning of our family journey into plumbing.

In 2010, Dad began building a reputation by focusing on quality work and excellent customer service. He worked tirelessly to earn the trust of major boiler companies, and his dedication paid off.

By the end of the year, he had gained approved installer status from top brands like Baxi, Ideal, and Glow-worm. This recognition meant his small business was seen as a trusted partner by some of the best names in the industry, which helped us get more work and build credibility with customers.

The first big milestone came in 2012 when Dad took on his first employee—one of his school friends. They worked side-by-side, tackling jobs together and growing the business.

Having an extra pair of hands made a big difference, allowing them to take on more jobs and provide faster service to customers. It also marked the beginning of our business expanding beyond just Dad, as we started to grow into a small but capable team.

With demand picking up, 2016 was a year of growth for us. Dad bought a second van and brought me (his son) on as his first apprentice. This was a huge step, not just for the business, but for our family as well.

Now we had two teams out there helping customers, which meant we could take on more work and serve more people in the community. Working alongside Dad, I learned the ropes of the trade and began to understand what it takes to run a successful plumbing business.

By 2018, the business was really starting to take off, and it became clear we needed more help in the office. That's when Mum joined the team, taking care of the office side of things—scheduling, paperwork, and keeping everything running smoothly. Her support allowed us to focus more on the job itself, knowing that the administrative tasks were in good hands.

This year, we also started landing bigger projects, like converting Dalton Library into seven luxury apartments and turning West Point House into a hotel. These projects were a big step up for us, and they helped put our name on the map for larger-scale work.

In 2020, we added a third van to our growing fleet and welcomed two more team members—both friends of mine from school who had started apprenticeships elsewhere but couldn't finish due to their company shutting down. We took them in and helped them complete their training, which was a rewarding experience for all of us.

Now we had three vans on the road and a solid, hardworking crew that could handle even more jobs. It was a challenging year, but it felt great to be able to provide opportunities for others and continue growing as a business.

Another brother joined the team this year, starting his apprenticeship too, making it a real family affair. We also added another van, bringing our fleet to four, which meant we could take on even more work and cover a wider area.

Right now, we're a team of seven, and we're even considering adding another crew before the year's out. It's been quite a journey, and we couldn't be prouder of how far we've come. Each new challenge has helped us grow stronger as a team, and we're excited to see what the future holds.