Almost fifteen years ago, a friend from church introduced Chris McAuliffe to the field of plumbing. He had always been passionate about helping people, so when he found plumbing to be a great fit for his skill set, that simple introduction turned into a career.
“People usually only call a plumber when they have a problem,” shares Chris. "Being able to help them fix their problem and get them back to better than they were before is a good feeling. It's very rewarding."
After years of working for other companies, Chris paired up with his father, Mike, to open McAuliffe Plumbing. “I enjoy getting to work with him and bounce ideas off him,” Chris says. “He has experience running businesses. I’m the one who goes into the homes, but it's very helpful to have my dad working with me behind the scenes.”
Chris’ wife, Katheryn, does the bookkeeping and scheduling, and although he isn’t ready to officially join the family business yet, their four-year-old son enjoys any time he can spend tagging along with dad.
Before beginning his career in plumbing, Chris considered being a teacher. His first boss helped him see that plumbing is just sharing information in a less traditional setting.
“He explained to me that I could still teach because people are always curious about why something went wrong or how to get it fixed,” says Chris. “I can impart knowledge about what caused an issue and how it can be prevented from happening again in the future. I do really enjoy that part of the job, and people thank me for taking the time to slow down and show them what I’m doing.”
Because his work is often located in less visible and hard to reach places, Chris frequently takes photos of the problem and the completed work so that customers will know and understand what he has done.
“Plumbing can be expensive, especially considering the cost of the parts. I want them to know that they're getting a quality product from somebody who knows what they're doing and isn't trying to take advantage of them,” shares Chris. “That trust is so important because 98 percent of my business is from direct referrals or repeat customers.”
McAuliffe Plumbing services include leak repairs, resolving clogged lines and toilets, water heater installation, and water fixture installation and replacement. With his background in new construction plumbing, Chris also has the experience needed for bathroom and kitchen remodels, as well as plumbing new additions.
Although Chris offers emergency services, he does his best to help customers determine if the problem requires emergency attention or if there are steps the homeowner can take to mitigate the crisis and allow the problem to be handled during regular hours, which greatly reduces the cost of services.
In every aspect of his business, Chris focuses on honesty, integrity, and using his experience to make wise decisions about what needs to be done to solve problems. “I want to show people that I'm not just coming in and putting a band-aid on a problem; I want to figure out what caused the problem to begin with, and how to prevent it from happening again,” he explains.
If additional work is needed to prevent a problem from occurring again, Chris provides the information and his recommendations, then allows the homeowner to make the final decision. “I point out what we can do to address something so that it doesn’t become a problem several months down the line,” says Chris. “If I fix a leaky pipe, I may recommend fixing the surrounding area because if the pipe is all the same age and in the same condition, you’re probably going to run into the same problem in a different area later. That’s something we want to avoid.”
McAuliffe Plumbing is a family owned and operated business that is fully licensed, certified, bonded and insured. To connect with McAuliffe Plumbing, visit www.snohomishwaplumbing.com, call (425) 231-1282, and follow McAuliffe Plumbing on Facebook and Instagram.
"Being able to help them fix their problem and get them back to better than they were before is a good feeling. It's very rewarding."
"I’m the one who goes into homes, but it's very helpful to have my dad working with me behind the scenes."