Customer service is paramount and the number-one priority for Nice Plumbing and Gas owner/operator Derrick Alexander. The new company, which started in November 2016, allows the Red Seal-certified plumber to provide the expertise and skilled workmanship he has gained during his 15 years in the industry to home and business owners in the Powell River area.
Derrick, who also holds an industrial class-A gas ticket, has experience in all aspects of plumbing and gas services, including furnaces, fireplaces, hot-water tanks, appliances and fixtures.
Building a relationship and trust with a homeowner or business owner is a major part of a consultation and quote process that takes place before any hands-on work begins. Making sure the customer is fully aware of the problem, and what needs to be done to address it, is of utmost importance, says Derrick.
“For residential work, you are dealing with someone’s biggest investment,” he says. “It can be really stressful for people when something is wrong with their house.”
Even if the situation ends up not being an emergency, from a homeowner’s perspective, it can still be worrisome.
“It is really important to protect their investment and make them feel comfortable, whatever the situation,” says Derrick. “You have to address the problem, be sensitive to their feelings and spend the time to build that relationship.”
According to Derrick, businesses are generally more accustomed to a variety of people walking through their doors than the average homeowner is.
“Business owners and their employees receive the same level of careful consideration in their establishments as a homeowner will enjoy in their homes,” he says. “The dynamics are different, but the quality of customer service offered is the same.”
Nice Plumbing and Gas is available for service calls, inspections, annual maintenance, renovations, planning advice and emergency services. The licensed, bonded and insured company takes care of leaking taps, broken plumbing fixtures, drain cleaning, hot-water tank replacements and in-floor heating installations, among many other services.
“I do conversions as well, from natural gas to propane,” says Derrick. “All appliances can be converted for off-grid systems.”
For homeowners thinking about making their houses more energy efficient by upgrading older appliances, Derrick says those decisions can save substantial amounts of money in some cases.
“It's worth finding out what rebates Fortis is offering when planning a project,” he says. “Part of my service is to point people in the right direction and show them where they can save money.”
Born and raised in Victoria, Derrick trained in Comox Valley before embarking on his career and gaining experience working and living in Nelson and Creston. Although he and his wife Amy enjoyed the small-town lifestyle, after seven years in the Kootenays, they decided to move closer to home. Amy also grew up in Victoria and has family in Comox.
“We were missing our families and the coastal life,” says Derrick. “We found Powell River and it has been fantastic. When you look around at small towns and find this kind of place, it’s like winning the lottery.”
In 2015, the couple and their children Sid, nine, and Waverly, six, arrived and settled in, which made for happy grandparents on both sides of the family.
“Powell River has been a great move for our family; when people found out we were new, they were congratulating and welcoming us,” says Derrick. “As soon as you arrive you realize how fantastic the community is. It is a great place; we’re happy to be able to stay here.”
For more information:
• 604.578.0135
• niceplumbing.ca
• info@niceplumbing.ca
