THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | DECEMBER 26, 2021
27 BUSINESS
EV plumbing firm’s business plan includes charity BY MELODY BIRKETT Arizonan Contributor
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ome people might think Wayne Decker’s business plan makes no sense. But Decker, president of PlumbSmart Heating and Air, says it not only makes sense but a lot of cents. “We charge less than the big players and we still do very well,” he said. “Our profit margins are still very good. Our guys have every benefit you can imagine and have high compensation. There’s no downside to having this philosophy. They all (other plumbing companies) could have it, but they choose not to because they want to have much greater margins.” To top it off, charity is a big part of Decker’s business plan: Since the pandemic began, his company has done at least 200 jobs for free for people in need. Decker started his residential repair
Wayne Decker, president of PlumbSmart Heating and Air in Mesa, find his business plan of charity and lower prices has yielded growth and strong profit margins.
(David Mionton/Staff Writer)
plumbing business in 2006 and previously was in the service business, serving homeowners for more than 40 years. He started his company exactly for the reasons it lives by. “It was more of an answer to the prevailing attitude which exists today – that plumbing companies are just way too expensive and they charge too much.” For example, he said a lot of companies charge $400-$1,000 to unclog a toilet that takes about 20-30 minutes. “If you make $20 an hour, that’s going to be about a week’s take-home pay to unclog a toilet.” While costs have gone up for parts or items like hot water heaters, PlumbSmart hasn’t raised its labor prices. “We’re so confident about our prices that even if a customer doesn’t want to
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Chandler flooring specialist sees uptick in business ARIZONAN NEWS STAFF
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att GiIstrap’s business gives him the chance to demonstrate his passion and skill for remodeling and designing. The Oregon native last year moved to Chandler and also opened Footprints Floors – a business that makes it easy for people to buy flooring and accent walls without ever leaving their home. “I have always had a passion for remodel and design,” Gilstrap said. “I love learning about the customers’ vision for the project and working together so see it come to life. I was drawn to flooring because there are so many choices and it makes such an impact. It’s the foundation to any great remodel.” Gilstrap specializes in installing luxury vinyl plank flooring, laminate, tile flooring, tile showers, backsplash and accent walls Though he has no storefront, he said, “We offer products using our mobile showroom that we bring to you or cus-
Matt GiIstrap
tomers can use our ‘visualizer’ tool on our website to shop from home. Not surprisingly, he hardly skipped a beat during the worst of the pandemic – particularly as people stayed home and got to pay more attention to their surroundings and where they might spruce things up. “When the shutdowns first happened, we saw a little slow down but it didn’t last long,” Gilstrap said. “Once customers were confident in our safety precautions and we could go back into homes, business picked back up. “Between the real estate boom, people relocating, and people spending more time working and learning from home, they began tackling projects and reinvesting money back into their homes. We haven’t slowed down since. Year over year, we’ve seen an increase in revenue.” And one of the areas in their homes that people tend to notice quickly is the condition of their floors, he said. “As people continue to work and learn from home, it’s easier to notice the projects
you’ve overlooked or improvements you’ve been putting off. Because floors are such an integral part of rooms, floors are one of the first places people start,” Gilstrap said. Yet, the pandemic-driven supply chain disruptions have taken a toll. “Right now there is a national shortage of glue, which is affecting some of our installs,” he said, “but we work with great vendors and partners that make sure our customers get their new flooring even if a little delayed.” While he said “I’m looking forward to expanding my territory, giving back to the Chandler community, and hiring a production manager,” Gilstrap also saves time for other priorities in his life. “As many business owners will tell you,” the challenge of running your own shop is “maintaining a good work life balance.” “The business is obviously a huge priority, but so is making enough time for my family, friends and hobbies.” Information: footprintsfloors.com/ chandler.
