Hartley Plumbing, Kent, WA
About me
I'm Dale. I've been a plumber 26 years, and this year I went out on my own.
How I got here
I started as a helper. I got my journeyman card in 1999.
The last 19 years I was a service plumber in Tukwila. Water heaters, drains, leaks, the whole thing.
Then the company was sold. Every truck got a sales number. I wouldn't upsell, so my numbers were the worst on the board. In March I was let go.
In June I got my contractor registration, got bonded and insured, and bought a van.
Lessons from my first boss
My first boss was an old plumber named Walt. He used to say this, and I still work by it.
fix what's broken, tell them the truth about the rest, and let them decide.
How I work now
I'll tell you if all you need is a $12 flapper. You get the price before I come out. If something I did leaks, I come back and fix it, no charge.
I like helping older folks most. A lot of them have been taken advantage of before. They call already scared of what I'll say.
When you tell them it's a $40 fix and not a $4,000 fix, you can see them breathe.
The paperwork
- Contractor registration, bonded and insured
- Journeyman card since 1999
Text me a photo of the problem
Send the picture and your address. I'll call you back with the price before I come out.