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Plumbing is something that all businesses need to carefully consider. Needless to say, different businesses are going to have different plumbing requirements. Working in agriculture is very different when compared with working in an industrial sector, for example. However, there are some common mistakes that we see a lot of companies make across the board, so we will explore this to help you avoid such errors.

• Having the incorrect pipe system in place for the industry in question – As discussed in the introduction, different industries have different requirements when it comes to plumbing, and this is something that needs to be considered carefully. You need to make sure that the piping that you have installed serves the right purpose. If it doesn’t, you could find yourself running into a whole host of problems. This is especially the case if you are handling chemicals or other abrasive materials. The best thing to do is consult with an expert who understands the specific needs of your industry so that they can cater to this effectively. 

• Going for poor quality replacement parts – It can be tempting to opt for cheap replacement parts because you want to save money. After all, a plumbing issue will never happen at a convenient time, and it is often something that a lot of businesses have not budgeted for. However, if you go for a cheap and poor quality replacement, this could end up causing even greater issues, which is only going to cost you more money at the end of the day. You can click here to discover more about the level of quality you should be looking for when it comes to replacement parts. 
• Trying to fix issues yourself – A final mistake that we see a lot of businesses make when it comes to plumbing issues is trying to fix the problem themselves. If you notice that there is an issue, you might start to research the problem online and try out different pieces of advice that you find on the Internet. The issue is that anyone could provide this advice, and so you could end up following information that is not correct or is not right for the circumstances in question. If that is the case, it is probable that you could end up making the situation worse. And, as we have established, this often leads to a greater hassle and more money being spent. Downtime can also cause frustration and lost profits as well. 

To conclude, these are some of the common mistakes that we tend to see people make when it comes to plumbing. From not having the appropriate pipework in place to sourcing poor quality equipment, there are many errors that we see businesses make again and again. If you can make a dedicated effort to avoid the mistakes that we have discussed above, you can give yourself the best chance of making sure you do not run into some sort of plumbing nightmare. 

You’re likely reading this because your business currently serves residential customers, taking care of domestic plumbing and HVAC system installations, repairs, and maintenance. But, your business only serves that particular niche market.

Things are going well for your business, and there is seemingly no shortage of customers. However, one thought that has crossed your mind on several occasions is whether you should offer commercial plumbing services as well.

As a contractor and entrepreneur, it can make good business sense to incorporate commercial plumbing services into what you offer. Here’s why:

Business Growth

Firstly, while you’ve got plenty of residential customers, you might have noticed that your business growth has hit something of a plateau in recent years. It’s a good idea to offer additional services to your business repertoire for the following reasons:

• Expansion. Providing commercial plumbing services means you won’t have to rely on one sole revenue stream, and you could even start operating in different regions;
• Lucrative Contracts. You’re far more likely to get put on a “retainer” by companies than individuals, especially if you provide a 24/7 emergency call-out service.

Financial Security

As a contractor, you want to make sure that you’ve always got the means to pay your personal outgoings each month. What would happen if residential plumbing work started to dry up in your local area?

When you offer commercial plumbing services, you’re less likely to have concerns about your financial security because you’ve always got reliable revenue streams. What’s more, commercial revenue can come from various sources:

• Companies
• Factories
• Property Management Firms
• Local Government

Of course, you may need to invest more in your business to offer commercial plumbing services, such as additional equipment, training for you and your staff, and complying with specific commercial plumbing regulations.

You may even need to stock different types of parts than you’re used to carrying, such as commercial oil water separators. However, such investments will be worth it, and your business will always be busy with work.

New Horizons

Sometimes, domestic plumbers feel like some days are exactly the same if they get called out for specific jobs, such as fixing leaking faucets or blocked drains. When you work on commercial plumbing jobs, you’ll contend with a whole new set of challenges.

If you’re the kind of person that relishes tough challenges and likes to learn about new things all the time, offering commercial plumbing services will be a no-brainer for your business.

Adding commercial plumbing to your list of services may even spark you into diversifying further. For example, you might wish to offer marine plumbing services for boats, ships, cruise liners, and other vessels.

Final Thoughts

There’s no denying that residential plumbing services are always in need by homeowners and householders across the country. However, you’re not just a residential contractor; you’re also a business owner, and you need to think more about its future direction.

Commercial plumbing services can be a lucrative market to enter, and it’s one you should highly consider to grow your business.

You have passed your plumbing qualification and it’s time to find a job. Or, you have decided to start your own company. Either way, amazing news. When you are starting out as a plumber, there are some obvious things you need like uniforms, tools, and more than knowledge on how plumbers unclog drains. But, we bet there are items you might forget about other business essentials that can maximize your work and results. 

Headwear

As a plumber, you will need protective wear for health and safety reasons. Aside from a hard hat, a face covering is a good idea. 

You can wear a Choob to protect you from dust and bacteria while on the job. These are multi-functional, so you can wear them for other purposes. However, they are ideal for plumbers. They cause no fuss and they are tight to the face and won’t fall down while you are mid-task.

Business cards

Having business cards is a great way to get repeat customers. When you have finished the job, you can leave them your business card with your details on so that they can get back in touch with you for future projects. 

If you leave behind a few spare business cards, then they can hand them out to their friends and family so that you can attain more customers. 

Website

Speaking of attaining customers, a website is an ideal marketing tool to attract new customers. Having your name online will grow brand awareness and allow more customers to discover your plumbing business. 

On the website, you can include contact information and prices. You could also offer a booking system so that customers can book a consultation easily without waiting for you to pick up the phone. 

Having a website will also put you higher up on the search rankings. Although your plumbing business and contact details might be in an online directory, it can be lost in the sea of other businesses. Ensure to use good keywords so that customers can find you for specific projects. Furthermore, make sure that it is easy to navigate and a user-friendly website so that customers won’t get frustrated and lose interest. 

Safety gloves

When you are handling tools, it is essential to wear safety gloves. These will protect you in the case of an incident. You may often handle saws, drills, and chemicals, which can harm the skin. 

Rubberized gloves are great to protect you against electricity. Having gloves at hand will ensure that you can always be safe, no matter what job you are doing. 

A mode of transportation

It’s all well and good having the uniform and tools, but it would help to easily be able to get to and from jobs. Having your own mode of transport gives you the freedom to drive around from job to job. You can maximize your business by having a van or car, as you will be able to meet the needs of further away customers. 

If the vehicle is just for business, it can help to add personal branding and contact details. It will act like a moving mode of marketing, which many will notice and remember. 

No matter what kind of small business you have, plumbing or not, needs to have a secure business website. For those in the plumbing industry, being able to have a website can be a vital way for potential customers to learn about your business, see reviews and photos of your work, as well as learn about the areas that you work in and your charges. When you have a website and get website visitors, especially if they are leaving their details for you to call them back, then you need to keep their information secure. As a result of a data breach, your plumbing business could be facing large fines, as well as a loss of reputation, so it is vital to keep your site secure.

When you are a plumber, you rarely sit down at a desk. You are out and about on jobs each day, so what can you put in place to make sure that your website is secure when you can’t monitor it all the time? Here are some things that all plumbers with a business website need to think about.

Secure passwords

It might come as a surprise to learn that many people use words like ‘password’ as their password! But for hackers, this can be one of the things that they will try. It may seem obvious, but make sure that you are choosing passwords that are secure and that aren’t easily guessed, such as ‘plumber2021.’ Choose passwords that are complex, including letters, numbers, special characters, and capitals. These should always be changed regularly too, which can easily be done when you’re home, after a day out on the job.

Outsource IT Services

If you are looking for someone else to look after the security of your website, then it can be a good idea for your plumbing business to outsource your IT services to someone else. When you don’t have to think about it, you can have peace of mind that your site is secure. An IT services provider can make sure that the site is prepared for any potential threats and be proactive in preventing any problems. Plus, if the worst does happen, an IT service provider will be able to recover your site.

Make sure software is up to date

No matter who hosts your website and what software you use, there will be times when the software will stop being up to date. Hackers will look for weaknesses in outdated software as a way to get into your website and get your customer information, so you should always look for regular updates. If you are able to, make sure that auto-updates are enabled, so that it will take care of it all for you. If you can’t do this, regularly checking this yourself is important. 

These are just three simple steps that could help to keep your plumbing business website secure. When you have customer information and your website helps to attract customers to your business, these areas are definitely worth looking into.