An Atlanta Plumber's System, Built for Speed

Something to Aspire To!

Heath clearly believes in systems that make his crews faster. If they can save 20 minutes per job, they can do 1 more service call in a day.

A key quote from Heath:

That said, it requires discipline in putting every part and every tool back in its rightful place after every job is complete or when we receive a parts order. It is my pet peeve. I get very upset when I go on guys' trucks and find parts or tools scattered about or hear someone say “I was going to put I away the next time I open the box”, etc. etc. I do not accept the excuses.
It’s a requirement I insist everyone comply with so that I can pay my guys more than other plumbing companies. To that point, we are tremendously blessed to have the crew we have now. They are absolutely top shelf.

The Structure

This truck is built for speed and is well stocked. Since the video, the PVC bin layout has changed to take up less space.

Tool bags are hung at the back of the truck and are easy to grab.

Most of the structure is plywood shelving, bins, and cabinets that hold a monster load of PVC pipe and fittings.

The pipe rack holds lots of pipe, sorted by type and size. One side of the rack is devoted to scrap pipe.

A fill valve and hose bib mounted at the rear of the truck alow them to carry onboard water in a 55 gallon drum. This helps when they need to shut off water for the day.

How Do They Do It?

For some jobs, they use a Grab 'n Go strategy. Toolbags are setup for individual jobs so that the plumber can grab the bag for a particular job and complete the job. So, the toilet bag has all the tools and parts needed for fixing toilets.

How does this help make them efficient?

• Fewer trips to the truck for tools and parts.
• The plumber doesn't need to tool-up or grab specific parts from the bins before heading into a home. He just grabs the bag.

They use toolbags instead of toolboxes because the boxes can damage customers' floors. They picked up Veto Pro Pacs for their employees for Christmas one year.

Details

There is a 2000 watt power inverter that provides electric to the receptacles at the back of the truck. Next to the receptacles is a switch for the flourescent lighting and a battery charging station.

For convenience, there is also a bucket toilet in the back of the truck. You might laugh, but for saving time, this beats having to waste time cruising to a gas station down the road.