How A Second-Generation Plumber Builds Trust, Speed, And Lasting Community Ties

A trusted trade doesn’t have to feel transactional, and that’s the heartbeat of our conversation with second-generation owner Mike Prencavage Jr. of The Family Plumber. From a 1990 start to an upcoming 40-year milestone, Mike walks us through growing from a handful of trucks to a countywide fleet while keeping the warmth, responsiveness, and follow-up that neighbors remember. We get into how a family business serves homes, commercial sites, and new construction across Orange County and parts of Los Angeles without losing the small-company feel that builds loyalty.

We go straight at the big questions homeowners ask: Are plumbers overpriced? What’s the real value of hiring a licensed, insured company that backs its work with warranties and 24/7 service? Mike explains why “cheap” often hides risk and how clear options, honest scopes, and fast response lower lifetime costs. He also opens up about community-first marketing—skipping the PPC arms race to invest in chambers, youth centers, and city partnerships. As the exclusive plumber for Los Alamitos parks, recreation, and civic facilities, his team shows how trust grows when a company shows up for the place it calls home.

There’s a practical side, too. Mike hosts Instagram Live sessions that move beyond textbook plumbing into the street-smart techniques that save hours on the job. He shares how training, documentation, and technician-client relationships lead to repeat requests for familiar faces. Along the way, we get to know Mike beyond the uniform—live music, trunk-or-treats, golf, and surfing—reminding us that service is personal. If you’re searching for reliable plumbing services, licensed plumbers, emergency plumbing, or a local plumber you can actually trust, this story delivers both insight and proof.

Join us, then tell a friend who values great service. Subscribe, leave a review, and share your biggest takeaway so we can keep bringing you neighbor-made stories that matter.

Chapters

• 0:00 Meet Mike And The Family Plumber
• 0:49 Origins And Second-Generation Leadership
• 2:21 Growth With A Small-Company Feel
• 3:28 Pricing, Licensing, And Warranties
• 4:53 Community-First Marketing Approach
• 6:22 Instagram Live And Trade Tips
• 7:21 Hobbies And Community Events
• 8:36 What To Remember And How To Reach Us
• 10:20 Closing And Listener Nomination

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:00

This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Rachel Fife.

SPEAKER_02: 0:12

Well, welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast. Now, if you're looking for a plumber to cover all your plumbing needs, whether they're large or small, that resource is closer than you think. Today I have the pleasure of introducing your good neighbor, Mike Princavage Jr. with the Family Plum Plumber. With the Family Plumber. Hi, Mike. How is it going today?

SPEAKER_01: 0:36

Good, good. How are you, Rachel?

SPEAKER_02: 0:38

I'm doing great. Well, you know, we're really excited to learn about the flag the Family Plumber. It's about tell us about your business.

SPEAKER_01: 0:47

Yeah, so uh yeah, the Family Plumber. We were actually uh we were started in 1990, so we're actually celebrating our 40th year in business here shortly. And uh I'm actually a second generation business owner of the company. My father started our company originally, and um, and you know, as uh as as we kept it in the family, passed it on to me, and uh we've been fortunate enough to grow, especially over the past 10 years. Uh, we service all of Orange County, uh, most of Los Angeles area, and um, and for our size, we actually we can accommodate not only residential plumbing, but also we do a uh considerable amount of commercial plumbing and new construction. Um, but uh we're very, very well in uh involved in our community. So it's uh it's been a long time coming, but uh proud to say second generation business owner, and and we hope to keep it in the family for future generations.

SPEAKER_02: 1:38

So well, I love that. Now my next question is well, how'd you get into this business? But uh family owned, and so I'd love to have any more you want to expand on that or what it was like for you getting into it and stuff.

SPEAKER_01: 1:49

Yeah, so we actually uh uh I say we me and my brother are actually involved in the business. So it is truly a family-oriented business. And uh, and uh for me personally, I started back in high school. I've been plumbing since high school. Uh growing up in Orange County, uh, it's been uh one of those things where I pass by houses that otherwise I've I've worked on since high school. So it's uh it's a really proud moment when about 10 years ago, my father said, you know what, I think it's time for me to step back out of the limelight and uh for you to take over the company. So I I said, well, you know, let's uh let's do this. And I I think our our pathway to success has always been that we want to keep a small company feel uh to otherwise, you know, reasonably sized company. Um so we uh have gone through a bunch of changes over the past uh years or so since high school, uh, being that we only had a couple trucks and now we're over 20 in our fleet. But uh but we're very proud of what we've been able to build as a family. And uh genuinely speaking, since high school and since my dad started the company, we're very customer-centric. We we want to synergize with our customers, we want long-term customers, and uh and we build these relationships um that are uh they they come calling us back and they ask for specific technicians to come back to their home. And we we value that trust. So that's really what we we pivot off of. But it's it's been a whirlwind for sure. I think uh, you know, plus and minuses for family businesses are, you know, there's there's great things as things are working, uh, there's no arguments, but sometimes there's some arguments. There's always a family argument. You know how that goes.

SPEAKER_02: 3:27

Yes. Well, now what do you think are maybe some myths or misconceptions in your industry?

SPEAKER_01: 3:33

Well, I I think specifically as it relates to plumbing, is that uh there's plumbers out there that maybe charge too much. Uh or um, you know, uh there's there's there's a certain value that I think our customers or any any customers that are looking for plumbing repairs are trying to fulfill. And I think if it's uh cash value, uh there's there's gonna be some some quality issues maybe there, uh as well as licensing. I think it's super important for licensing. But I think um that's probably a misconception with uh plumbing companies, is maybe they're overpriced, or maybe they um, you know, uh they offer too many services up front. Uh for us, we've always kept, like I said, the the smaller hometown feel plumber, which is we want to charge a reasonable price, but we also we want to make sure that we are protecting our clients. And that involves proper licensing, proper insurance, um, and also warranties. I mean, most plumbing companies uh should offer warranties, we do, uh, on all of our work. So if you ever have an issue, hopefully you don't, but if you ever have an issue, you can always call us and we'll be out, you know, uh within 24 hours, uh, plus our 24-7 service. So we're always available.

SPEAKER_02: 4:48

So that's wonderful. Now, you know, we know marketing is at the heart of every business. So how are you finding your customers?

SPEAKER_01: 4:55

Yeah, so we uh this is different to other plumbing companies, but uh most other plumbing companies are doing a lot of PPC or LSA marketing where they're going um online and they're hoping the online exposure is what builds a lot of leads or or revenue uh in that case. But for us, we've always stuck to really hometown hero feeling. Uh, and what I mean by that is we are so heavily involved with our local community. It's it's where I grew up, it's where my brother grew up, it's where my dad grew up uh for the most part. And uh I think it's important to keep that hometown uh touch to things. So I would I would consider us more of a guerrilla style marketing uh company where uh boots on the ground, I'm at multiple different events, at chamber events. Uh I'm also uh heavily involved with associations that benefit the local community, such as the Youth Center of Los Angeles and Orange County. I'm actually uh currently the president elect. So I I think that type of engagement in the community really draws a level of um trust that ultimately we are we want to build that trust and we want to earn that trust. But I think that helps towards that, as well as uh so many other things. I mean, we're we're staying connected with the community. And if we see uh areas where maybe we can uh donate our time, donate our our material, our efforts, our labor power, uh we're we're more than happy to do so. And we uh we do that on uh city by city basis, but we uh in our local town here in Los Alamitos, uh we are actually are the exclusive plumbers for the community. So we service all of the parks and recreation, we service the civic center, uh as well as a police department, which is great. I love the police here in Los Al.

SPEAKER_02: 6:41

So wonderful. Now, have you ever thought about doing your own podcast?

SPEAKER_01: 6:47

Actually, I do sometimes. Uh so I actually do not necessarily a podcast, but I do uh uh Instagram live. And it's uh the the Instagram live is really specific to plumbing, and we go over all sorts of uh tips and tricks, not only in business, but also how to uh develop your skills as a plumber. There's there's being book smart. I think with any industry, there's book smart and then there's street smart. So we uh teach the the little uh the little tricks of the trade that would otherwise make an eight-hour job turn into a two-hour job, which is always great.

SPEAKER_02: 7:20

So wonderful. Well, outside of work, what do you like to do for fun?

SPEAKER_01: 7:24

Uh well, that I I'm an absolute I I don't know about you, but I love live music. That's one of my biggest things. So I you'll typically find me on the weekends at some type of live music, whether it's a concert or even uh I love local restaurants that offer, you know, you know, maybe somebody that's trying to get their start in the music industry. I just love I I love that type of talent. And uh so you'll see me at live music concerts. You also see me more than likely at community events. I love going to all the all the fun fairs and and uh things of the sort, especially around the holidays. Um, we do trunk or treat uh for most cities here in Orange County, and and we dress up our truck, and I just love it because you see the kids and everything else, and and you you uh you feel very um you know interconnected with the community. So love doing that. And then outside of that, golfing and surfing are my two favorite sports, anyway, to personally do.

SPEAKER_02: 8:19

So wonderful.

SPEAKER_01: 8:22

Yeah, can't say can't say I'm the best at both of those, but I want to get out there, okay?

SPEAKER_02: 8:26

Oh, you're getting out there, that's the important part.

SPEAKER_01: 8:29

That's it, that's it.

SPEAKER_02: 8:30

Now, Mike, you know, please tell our listeners one thing they should remember about the family plumber.

SPEAKER_01: 8:36

Yeah, so I I think it's it's pretty much exemplified in our name, but we truly are family oriented. Uh, we are here for your family. And when we enter into your domain, so your home or your business or uh any any anything that you otherwise own, and that's that's uh what we're here to do is to enter into uh your world, but we're also here to give you uh sound advice. Uh make sure that you are presented all the options so that you can make an a uh valued decision on your plumbing needs. Uh but I would hope that uh that we're best known for our trustworthiness, our um multiple different things, but our trustworthiness, our quick response, and our follow-up. Um that's so important to me uh for building customer retention.

SPEAKER_02: 9:26

So wonderful. Well, how can our listeners learn more about the family plumber?

SPEAKER_01: 9:32

Well, definitely give us a call. Uh our phone number is 562-431-1960. Uh, we have a website which I love because we can schedule online. So you can schedule online through our website, which is thefamilyplumber.com, thefamilyplumber.com. Uh, when you go on the home page, you can actually click schedule now, uh, which automatically tells our dispatcher to send a truck out. Um, and the the process for the most uh part is actually seamless. So you don't necessarily need to talk to somebody on the phone to uh to get a plumber to your front doorstep.

SPEAKER_02: 10:05

So that's wonderful. Well, Mike, I really appreciate you being on the show, and we wish you and your business really the very best moving forward.

SPEAKER_01: 10:13

Thank you, Rachel. I really appreciate being on. That is great. Good.

SPEAKER_00: 10:18

Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to gnporangecounty.com. That's gnporangecounty.com or call 714 941 862.