Did You Know

Ratings

Great ratings come from a good customer experience and a solid warranty.  In this section of the highest rated local plumber blog series I focus on these aspects and what R&B has to offer.

Whether it’s the Better Business Bureau, Homestars, Google or another online organization, the highest rated local plumber is a coveted distinction and one we work hard to keep.

The Better Business Bureau is a well-known resource for customer advocacy.  To that end, they conscientiously make every effort to ensure that if they designate R&B as the highest rated local plumber, we truly are.  R&B has a rating of A+ with the BBB.  We earned that through our years in business, our success with and attention to complaint resolution, and all the other attributes that make up the qualities of the highest rated local plumber.

There are many places to post reviews and they get posted passionately for all kinds of reasons.  We are proud to have our good service motivate so many to post their great experiences.  While we are not without a negative review, we do pride our selves on the resolution of these moments.  We always try and engage to find a resolution with the customer.

HomeStars is another rated stop for homeowners to visit in their quest for a company they can count on.  With them, we are a 9/10 with 17 of our 18 reviews being overwhelmingly positive.

At Yelp, Yellow Pages and Google we average 4/5 stars.  Here is what people are saying about us:

“Top notch!  Richard arrived promptly and was personable and efficient while working”

“R&B came out within an hour of my phone call. We had not used them before and selected them purely based on the positive comments online.

The glowing reports are accurate  – the plumber dispatched to my home (Malcolm) was efficient, knowledgeable and pleasant. He got the job done quickly and made sure there was no mess left behind…We will definitely use them again!”

And at plumbing ranking sites we are praised for our warranty.

“…it’s good to see that R&B Plumbing & Heating offers a warranty of 1 year on parts and labour and a satisfaction guarantee. Their warranty and guarantee offering is the best in the Lower Mainland.”

Warranty

R&B provides for a 1-year parts and labour warranty against defects in workmanship and material supplied for all completed work.  This is about 9 months longer than some of our competitors who have warranties that range from 30-90 days.  To be the highest rated local plumber is to stand behind the work you do.

When you are looking for your highest rated local plumber, look no further than R&B.

Ticketed Journeymen

People get into the plumbing and heating trade for many reasons but it’s not for the quick trip to the top.  Those who get their certification have put many hours and years into it.   Because they also want the best experience, they look for the highest rated local plumber to work for.  Once our technicians find us, they don’t want to leave.  For the customer that means continuity and getting to know your technician and them getting to know your home.

In addition to the school and work experience, apprentices need to be certified and signed off on by a ticketed journeyman who has been witness to their learning.  Because of that, there are some people who call themselves plumbers, but are working on experience alone as they have not done all the school hours, and have not been certified.  Others have the schooling but never got the supervised apprentice hours.  Certification and supervised apprentices do make a difference.  During their education, apprentices go to school no fewer than four times (years) and earn over 6400 supervised work experience hours.  Still they only get their ticket when another journeyman, who has witnessed their ability, undertakes to certify them.

Their education is current, they make fewer mistakes, and their on-the-job learning is monitored for quality.  R&B has a culture of education and has ongoing in-house and training for all employees.  As well, we provide for constant upgrading opportunities for our technicians.  To be the highest rated local plumber, we need to employ the highest rated local plumber!  Does the company you are looking at only employ journeymen and supervised apprentices? Ask.  At R&B, we do.

If you are looking for a go to company who will service your plumbing and heating needs, chances are you’ve Googled “highest rated local plumber”  You may also be wondering what makes R&B fall at the top of the category.  Part 3 of this series considers insurance.  What we need to have to serve you well and why we have it.

WorkSafe BC

The law requires that employees are covered by Worksafe BC.  That means that if they are injured on the job, they have the proper insurance and supports in place to manage the injury and the worker.  It also means that the homeowner will not be liable for any accidents that occur on their property.

R&B has a strong ethic for safety on the job.  Our recent COR certification means that we have gone above and beyond the standard level of safety to ensure our Health and Safety program is audited, effective and current.  With safe workers comes safe work practices.  For the homeowner it means that things are done right, to code and with a high level of care for both person and property.

Ask for our most recent Clearance Letter.  We have been in good standing for so long that we are cleared a year in advance.

General Liability

A small owner/ operator may be covered under an independent general insurance policy outside of WSBC.  This will cover the contractor, but doesn’t come with any safety requirements or standards.

A general liability and insurance policy with a coverage limit of at least 2million dollars will mean the property owner is covered in the event of an accident.  Does your favorite plumbing and heating company carry liability insurance?  R&B carries $5 million.

Business Philosophy:

As Rob’s Dad, whom started this business in the early 1970s, used to say,

“Customers think they want the cheapest price, until they get it in exchange for cheap work.”

He found that what customers really want is quality work at a fair price; this is what he built this company on.   While R&B won’t be the cheapest company, we will offer the highest quality solutions for any given need and back those solutions with a reliable warranty. You will find that the highest rated local plumber, like R&B will share that philosophy.

We believe that at the end of the job, customers want to feel satisfaction that the job has been done with quality workmanship, quality materials, and that they won’t have the same problem again.  Our mission is to provide that.

Longevity

We are not a fly-by-night operation—unless the night is over 40 years long.  We have a solid foundation, many years in the business and as a second-generation company with kids, many years to go.  That means that next week, next year, or even next 40 years, R&B will be here to service its client base.  With our reliable warranty, you can feel secure in choosing R&B.  Highest rated local plumber means, we’ve built our reputation overtime and it will stand the test of time.

The next piece of this blog series will focus on insurance.  What does the business need so that you are protected.

Are you looking for quality, reliability, fix it right the first time?  What you really want is an honest plumber.  For your highest rated local plumber, look no further than R&B.  It’s not just that I’m biased, read on to find out why we qualify.  Here’s what to look for:

The highest rated local plumbers will check these boxes:

• Business philosophy & Longevity
• WSBC Insurance and General Liability Insurance
• Ticked journeymen and indentured apprentices
• An A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau
• Customer Experience (with a grain of salt) & Warranty

Whether it’s a used car salesman, auto mechanic or plumber, there are some professions from whom the general public has a fear of being ripped off, taken advantage of, otherwise getting nothing for something.  While most mechanics, plumbers and general trades (not vouching for used car salesmen) are honest there are ways to tell you are considering a good plumbing and heating company.

In this five-part blog series, I’ll review each of these and why they are important to you.

Local 24-Hour Emergency Service Available

We know that when you need us, you need us.  So we always keep plumbing and heating technicians on-call 24/7, even on holidays.  Call our number and speak to a real person, never an answering machine.  We’ll promptly dispatch a highly qualified journeyman to your location.  It won’t take long because, we’re local.  And with fully stocked trucks and a shop right here on the North Shore, we have the tools and equipment no matter what your emergency.  Your emergency is OUR emergency!  We’re just a phone call away – day or night!

We work with restoration companies

We know that when disaster strikes, the restoration can’t begin until the problem is under control.  Often we can arrive as a first responder so that when your remediation expert arrives to start with the drying and clean-up protocol, we’ve dealt with the issue and the y can get started without undue standby. With sewer backups and water leaks, speed counts.  That’s why we have locally dispatched service trucks available to serve you faster.  We have experience working with restoration companies both before and after their work.

Blog 2 of 4.

Why is R&B the best heating company? We love boiler and furnace rooms!  We love what we can do with them.  If only there were a show called “R&B Style – Smart Decorating for your Furnace Room” that would be our show, because as far as I know, nobody else does it like we do.

When R&B replaces your old boiler it usually goes like this: We typically take out a disorganized maze of old pipe and remove that giant noisy inefficient box or tank and replace it with a neat little unit with organized piping.  If you are buying a new boiler, you can even choose a hip colour background that you actually can hang on the wall.

The high efficiency boiler set up is one of our specialties.  It is over 96% efficient and will often replace ones that are near 50% efficient.  If your usual gas bill is $200/month, the efficiency savings will be approximately $80 per month or almost $1000 per year.  Of course if a new setup is not in your budget, we are happy to get your existing setup in the most efficient running condition with a boiler or furnace service or cleaning.