A plumbing shop built on referrals

Our story

One van, one bay, and a rule about surprises

Ray Kowalczyk rented half a bay on Vulcan Street in 2011 with a used van and a licence he had earned the long way, through an apprenticeship in the west end. The first year was almost entirely referrals from a single Rexdale property manager who liked that Ray phoned when he was running late.

That is still roughly how the company grows. Around two-thirds of our calls come from someone who was told about us over a fence, at a hockey rink, or in a neighbourhood group. We have never bought a lead list.

What we decided not to become

Plenty of plumbing shops in the GTA scale by hiring subcontractors and taking a margin. We stayed on payroll-only for a plain reason: when a repair fails at 11 p.m. on a Sunday, there is nobody to point at. Every plumber wearing a MapleFlow shirt is our employee, holds an Ontario 306A Certificate of Qualification, and is covered by our insurance and WSIB.

We also stayed residential-first. Commercial work on the Vulcan Street corridor is about a fifth of what we do, and we like it that way — it keeps our crews fluent in the quirks of 1950s Rexdale bungalows and Kingsway century homes rather than only new construction.

The promises we actually keep

• The quote you approve is the invoice you receive, even when the job runs long.
• You get a text with your plumber's name, photo and licence before they arrive.
• Floor protection goes down at the door, and old parts leave in our van.
• Two-year labour warranty on repairs, five years on installations.
• Same rate at midnight, on a Sunday, and on a statutory holiday.