In every market, some companies offer low-priced products, while others offer high-priced premium products. If you want to justify a higher price, here are four things you must do.

Plumbers are typically independent and work alone from a service truck, but there are significant benefits to joining groups. These can include learning from peers and expanding your customer base. Consider joining these six groups as a plumber.

Some customers prefer using credit cards, but accepting them means paying merchant service fees. Contractors may offer cash discounts or add an upcharge, so consider how to handle merchant services.

Developing a strong brand can significantly impact your plumbing company by making it more familiar and less intimidating to consumers. This can lead to more calls and reduced marketing costs. Here are six important factors to consider when building a brand and brand image in your market.

After hard work, your contracting company is turning a profit. You need to decide when to invest some of that money back into the business, balancing saving and making improvements to stay competitive.

The IAPMO Water Demand Calculator has faced challenges due to exclusions from its documentation and calculations, causing difficulties for engineers in luxury apartment buildings.

If you treat a customer well, they will recommend your services to three others. However, if you treat a customer poorly and make them feel cheated, they will spend a lot of time spreading negative feedback, especially on social media.

Junkyards are one of those forgotten places we in the heating business must visit on occasion.

We all know about pricing, right? Hopefully, we know the difference between markup and margin. We know how to calculate break even. Here are eight things you should know about the psychology of pricing.

With remote work becoming the standard for many employees across the U.S. and homeowners spending even more time indoors as a result of the pandemic, a new focus is emerging on the need for sustainability and indoor environmental quality in homes. 

In order to achieve a more environmentally friendly footprint for its new education and research campus in Narre Warren, Australia, IAPMO and the Plumbing Industry Climate Action Centre (PICAC) chose one technology rooted quite literally in the earth.

When a crew in Maine needed to renovate the heating system in an elementary school, they were up against two challenges — time and cleanliness.

Attendees can earn credits and certifications.

These lead-free products are made of dezincification resistant brass, the company notes.

Installing the magnetic filter will increase energy efficiency, significantly prolong boiler life, protect pipework and considerably reduce maintenance calls, the company notes.

We are proud to present the fourth of the four-part eBook series that chronicles Dave's "Adventures in Hydronic Heating."

A happy sow is a better sow. If you didn’t know that, don’t worry: The people who need to know it do. 

An installer recently read about the benefits of piping a buffer tank in a “2-pipe” configuration.  

With a considerable volume of contradictory information in circulation regarding the application of different technologies for HVAC systems, this article seeks to explain some of the technical aspects of variable refrigerant flow (VRF) systems, and offer comparisons on the basis of cost and performance to more standard hydronic systems. 

I've had lots of opportunities to review plans for pending hydronic heating systems. I've also been on "forensic" visits to sites with improperly performing systems. Of the two, I much prefer plan review over forensics.

According to the United Nations, 2019 was the second warmest year on record at the end of the warmest decade (2010-2019) ever recorded.

There’s a saying in the environmental health and safety industry: “There are no accidents.” Basically, the idea is this that all accidents can be avoided.

With systems dating back into the 1800s, hydronic heating has been around a long time. As with many technologies, a modern hydronic heating system bears little resemblance to one based on the earliest design techniques and hardware.

For decades, changing out a thermostat for a retrofit hydronic heating system was a simple task for a service technician. From Bangor, Maine, to Breckenridge, Colorado, the mere two, 18-gauge thermostat wires running through a home was not a concern (short of the random nail or mouse taking one of the two out).

On a military base in east-central Alaska — where the average winter temperature is 16° F with lows that fall well below minus 50° at times — dependable, low-maintenance winter heating systems are critical for the active-duty military families and Department of Defense civilians who live on the military post.

Water is the life-blood of hydronic systems. Just as we strive to maintain the health of our own circulatory systems, it’s important to maintain the health of the water-based solutions that circulate through the hydronic systems we construct and maintain.

The age-old question of function versus form has confounded experts in every field for countless decades.

Jeff Sweenor, president and CEO of Sweenor Builders in Wakefield, Rhode Island, looks at it differently. He asks, why not both? Function certainly comes first, but when the dust settles, his projects look as good as they work.

Business lessons are everywhere. I’ve long been a student of the game of life, and one of my biggest curriculums of education is business. Due to the rapid changing landscape and structures of the plumbing and mechanical industries, we all have a lot to learn. The lessons exist regardless of the size, location or current structure of your business. 

From being able to get things done to staying on track, distractions can sabotage productivity in ways that we don’t even realize.

At the end of the day, if you want your business to be truly successful, you need to look after your people — that means giving them the tools to succeed, the resources they need to perform and a clear vision of where they’re going.

It's easy to fall prey to mediocrity. But, when you’re willing to put in the hard work and do what many people will not do, you'll find that the payoff is well worth it.

Many people run a business because they love to create and share with others. Others are driven to earn money. Some are driven by respect from others and ego. But sometimes, all it takes to run a fun and profitable business that people enjoy is to change the way you think about it.

When faced with decisions, we humans are wired to seek out patterns to help make our choices. However, when we're faced with countless decisions — many of which do not offer a pattern to follow — we tend to develop what's called "decision fatigue."

Motivation. It’s something we all need and want, but that’s where the commonality ends. Each of us needs different things to motivate us to get things done. That means that when you talk about motivation, you need to know what kind of motivation your specific team member is interested in and what they will best respond to.

Whether you’re bringing on new team members or looking to build a more cohesive group within your current team, the first box you need to check is whether or not you’ve clearly defined each role. This foundational step not only keeps everyone on the same page and working toward the same goals, it also makes your team easier to manage.

Businesses are facing major changes in the way they operate and the way they interact with clients, partners and suppliers. These changes, which are rooted in uncertainty, often challenge our business confidence as leaders at the highest level.

Are you struggling to move on from past mistakes? Many leaders in the trades find themselves in this position at some point in their careers. It can be difficult to let go of what's happened and focus on the future, but it's essential for your continued success. This month, I’m sharing some tips on how to move forward despite past mistakes.

In order to be an effective leader, you need to first understand what leadership actually is. Many people mistakenly believe that leadership is simply overseeing a group or organization. However, there's much more to it than that. Effective leaders possess a number of qualities that allow them to successfully navigate through challenges and inspire others to do the same.

The most effective leaders understand that leadership is more than just giving orders and dictating how things should be done. It’s about understanding the unique needs of everyone in your company (or department) and finding a way to lead in a fair and compassionate manner.

As service business leaders, we often focus blindly on the results — key performance indicators, sales targets and other specific goals. But when it comes to success in any industry, relationships are often much more important than simply reaching a result-based goal. This is especially true for plumbing contractors who need trust and cooperation from our manufacturers, distributors, clients and other partners to succeed call after call, day after day.

For business leaders in the plumbing contracting industry, it is crucial to understand that problems always hold solutions. Instead of shying away from them or seeking ways to avoid bumpy roads and obstacles, we should embrace challenges.

 A concept gaining widespread interest is that of the self-managing company. The aim? To liberate leaders from operational minutiae, paving the way for strategic foresight and innovation.

A productive and positive state of mind and being is more important than ever.

By diligently delineating well-structured goals and objectives for the upcoming year, you can guide your enterprise toward a path of unmatched growth and prosperity.

Regardless of how long you’ve been in the trades, I’m sure you know how important learning is to your journey. Let’s take a deeper look.

The service industry needs both data and emotion. Emotional intelligence is crucial to balance them. Strive to understand the 'why' behind the numbers, promote emotional intelligence, pilot programs, open feedback channels, and keep an eye on the long game.

The skilled trades industry is booming, and a new generation of passionate individuals is eager to join the workforce. Let's support and guide them to become the leaders of tomorrow. With my optimism and ideas, we can pave the way to their success. So, let's dive in and explore these ideas together!

Trust-building in corporate culture often used to involve dramatic events like fire-walking retreats, placing the onus of risk and trust on team members. However, there's now a shift towards recognizing trust-building as a daily, intentional effort integral to creating positive workplace environments.

Succession is a crucial phase for leaders. Proper planning and strategy can make it the best decision for the company.