Few things in life make you feel more vulnerable than your plumbing. When it's working, it's a miraculous system that you never give a second thought. When it's not, it's enough to induce panic in even the calmest of souls. The only antidote? Having a good plumber you know you can call in those moments, even if your watery crisis takes place at 3am on a Sunday. Power Plumbing & Sewer Contractor, Inc. is just such a plumber. Since 1979, Power Plumbing has been providing efficient, fair, and high-quality work to homeowners and business owners all around the Chicago area. And the Piccioli family, which founded the business, has been in the plumbing industry since 1950. Not only can you count on Power Plumbing to do a great job, it's also their mission to be as helpful as possible through all parts of the process.
Rae Lynn Piccioli, the daughter of the owner, is often the voice at the other end of the line. As a licensed plumber, she has an extra level of insight she can pass on to the frantic homeowners who often call for help. "I try to do my best to help the people who call," explains Rae. "Even if they don't hire us, I still want to help them out by pointing them in the right direction and giving them information that might help them protect their property and save them some money." Everyone at Power Plumbing understands the stress that a plumbing problem can cause. "One time I got a call from a girl whose faucet was spraying water," says Rae. "She didn't know how to shut off the water, so I talked her through it. It makes me feel good when I'm able to teach someone how to handle a problem like that."
Customers who work with Power Plumbing are continually impressed with the contractor's depth of knowledge and honesty. Even when it might mean less work and less money, Rae continually looks out for her customers' needs. "I was speaking with a homeowner about a problem with his faucet. I told him to check with the manufacturer since some will back their products," recalls Rae. "He called me back and made a point of telling me that I was right—the manufacturer agreed to send him the part so he could replace it. If we know of a way to save our customers money while still delivering a good product, we'll tell them about it."
Most people who want to hire a plumber generally go through a process of getting three bids. Because Power Plumbing does quality work with licensed, qualified plumbers, its bids generally fall somewhere in the middle. "We probably won't be the lowest bidder, but then why would you hire the lowest bidder when there's a chance you could have to rip out everything and do it again?" asks Rae. "If you're asking us to bid on something, please give me an opportunity to talk to you about our bid. There may be some things we could adjust, or you may not be comparing apples-to-apples." Unlike a lot of contractors, Power Plumbing is insured and reliable. "We show up when we say we're going to show up," says Rae.
Power Plumbing's customers are obviously happy with what they do. The contractor has received the Angie's List Super Service Award every year since 2002. Angie's List is a member-driven organization that rates all types of home service businesses. It was founded by a woman who hired a bad contractor and swore she never wanted to do that again. Only consumers can review businesses, so other consumers get a fair impression. "To get a Super Service Award, you're graded on three different categories and must have an 'A' or 'B' rating," explains Rae. "Less than 2% of the plumbers listed can qualify for a Super Service Award."
Rae and the rest of the staff at Power Plumbing believe that it's important to educate yourself about your plumbing before a problem arises. In addition to helpful phone calls, Power Plumbing offers monthly plumbing tips on its website to help homeowners and business owners be more proactive with their plumbing. Power Plumbing also gives a special packet of information to customers that includes a feedback questionnaire as well as a few brochures to help you better understand your plumbing. (Kids get a fun coloring book that explains the importance of plumbing and clean water.) The most important message that Rae and others at Power Plumbing want to get out is how vital it is to tell your plumber the truth about what's going on. "You need to communicate with your plumber, especially if you've used drain cleaners," explains Rae. "We had one of our guys out doing a job at a three-flat where the homeowner put dangerous acid in the lines and didn't tell the plumber. While he was working, the acid shot up and took the wallpaper off the wall and the metal off the medicine cabinet. Luckily the plumber wasn't seriously injured."
Education is also important for those planning a big remodeling project. Power Plumbing can be an important part of your rehab work. "People will go to a kitchen and bath designer and will spend $30,000 to $40,000 on a beautiful outside for their kitchens, but they forget to check what's going on behind the walls," says Rae. "Sometimes that's so much more important than what's going on outside." Homeowners are often penny wise and pound foolish. "A lot of people will put as much as $80,000 into finishing their basements, then they'll use a cheap battery back-up system for their sump pump," explains Rae. "We can help you find a better option that will keep your sump pump going without power for as long as two days."
One reason why Power Plumbing is so trustworthy is that it's a family-owned and operated business—with a large number of family members involved. Rae's dad Ray and her brother Joe founded the business in 1982. Ray has been a plumber for 55 years and was in the first graduating class of Chicago's Washburn Trade School. When Rae was a girl, she occasionally would go out on calls with her dad. Elizabeth Piccioli, Rae's mom, is the president of Power Plumbing. Rae started working at Power Plumbing since a few years after it opened. Today, she works with her sister, Robin, her niece Nicole, and her daughter Stephanie. "I learned a lot from my family being in business so many years," says Rae. "My family instilled in me really strong morals and a good work ethic." The other plumbers are like family, too. "We work as a team." Dave Lamb is Power Plumbing's foreman. He has more than 20 years of experience and is known as the "MacGyver" of the business who can solve just about any type of challenge. "What's important to him is that Power Plumbing is an 'I CAN' plumbing company, not an 'I CAN'T' plumbing company," explains Rae.
Power Plumbing is a full-service plumber that does a range of work for homeowners and business owners. They'll work on existing plumbing systems, gut rehabs, or on installing new ones. There are plumbers available who specialize in servicing different kinds of properties, so they are ready for all types of calls. "A plumber that handles only new construction won't know what to do with a vintage property," explains Rae. "It's very complicated when you're dealing with older fixtures. It's a special skill to take out 100-year-old fittings without damaging them. Our guys have a range of knowledge that brings a lot of value to our business."
Besides rehabs, Power Plumbing will handle water service for bigger projects. This involves increasing the water capacity that flows from the city water service to a building. "We'll submit the plans to the city and take care of all the calculations to figure out the appropriate sizes for the new fixtures," says Rae. "You must be a licensed plumber to pull a permit for this type of project." They'll also take care of riser placements in new construction or gut rehabs. "We'll build a complete plumbing system from scratch," says Rae. Other services provided include gas line service, sewer service, and general services such as repairing or replacing water heaters, faucets, tubs, toilets, etc. "When we send someone out on a call, there are jobs that we tend to send certain guys for," explains Rae. "Everyone has their specific niche." Power Plumbing has a fiber-optic camera for diagnostics and a hydrojetter. "This works well for restaurants and larger buildings," says Rae. "It uses a high-powered jet of water to clear out the lines. We have a camera that takes a before and after picture for you. It's great for buildings to get on a regular maintenance schedule so that they can keep their systems clean."
Power Plumbing has a list of products they recommend and prefer to work with that includes Moen faucets, TOTO toilets, and Bradford White hot water heaters. Customers can always purchase fixtures from their own source or from Power Plumbing's stock. For replacing old fixtures, Rae recommends The Faucet Shoppe at 3844 N. Elston. Lately Power Plumbing has seen customer interest in green fixtures growing. "We're bidding out a green project right now," says Rae. "It's something that we're still learning about, but we do offer a number of items that help you save water. Fresh water really is a precious commodity and we need to start recognizing that."
Power Plumbing has a network of other contractors that can help you out with other tasks, such as electrical work, painting, or carpentry. Unlimited Woodworks, Inc., for example, is one of the contractors Rae refers to customers who need woodworking. If you need any referrals, please call and they'll be happy to give you the information.
If you're interested in working with Power Plumbing, give them a call and Rae will send you an intro letter with information about the company. You can always call with any questions. "We're able to accommodate our customers on Saturday with normal rates," explains Rae. They also will do their best to work with customers' schedules. "If you live 20 minutes from where you work, we can give you a call 20 minutes before we arrive so you don't have to take extra time off," says Rae. And of course, if you do have that middle-of-the-night emergency, Power Plumbing has 24-7 emergency service. "We all take turns taking the calls through the night," Rae says. "I always try to do my best to help people through their problems." "There's a lot to know about plumbing and my mom's an encyclopedia," says Rae's daughter Stephanie. "She could talk and walk through just about any type of situation."
Power Plumbing & Sewer Contractor, Inc.
3840 North Ashland Avenue
Chicago, IL 60613
773.248.9574 (24-Hour Answering Service)
www.powerplumbinginc.com
Hours
Monday - Saturday 7:30am to 3:30pm
(Regular Rates)
Monday - Friday after 3:30pm
(Time + 1/2)
Saturday after 3:30pm
(Double Time)
Sundays and Holidays
(Double Time)
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