One of the strengths we at Apex Plumbing pride ourselves on most is our owner’s Master Plumber’s License. It seems like a fairly small thing in the grand scheme of things, but it actually matters a great deal. Why, you ask? Allow me to explain.
In 2018, MVM Construction of Mount Vernon, NY was awarded a $1.3 million contract to build the water and sewer infrastructure to a brand new 28-apartment building in Chappaqua, NY. As this article explains, “Westchester County bought the property in 2016 to fulfill part of its obligation under a 2009 federal decree to build affordable housing in predominately white communities.” As they were awarding contracts, the county chose MVM for all of their underground wet utilities. MVM did not employ licensed master plumbers as required for sewer work under the county’s regulations. To get a work permit, they belatedly hired MJS Plumbing & Heating Inc. to act as its licensed plumber. Unfortunately, MVM did terrible work. They backfilled the pipes and concealed them before they could be inspected and tested. The water lines failed pressure tests. In 2019, the sprinkler line and fire department connection were retested, but the water was not drained from the lines so the pipes froze. As the article states, MJS Plumbing, the licensed contractor, “concluded that the work was so deficient that the infrastructure had to be replaced.” As they began removing a water line, they discovered that the storm water and sanitary sewer lines were also installed incorrectly. So all in all, the owner of the property concluded the water line, sprinkler line, fire department connection, and storm water and sanitary utilities were all defective. Due to these major issues, MVM and their bonding company (Aegis Security Insurance Co.) are now being sued for nearly $2 million for additional labor costs, insurance and loans, incurred delays, and loss of rental income because of the defective work. What a complete disaster!
Apex Plumbing provides repair services for all of the work listed above including fire lines, water lines, storm water, and sewer lines. However, a few key points separate us from them. First, according to this site, they were founded in 2010. When they were awarded the contract, they had not been in business for more than 8 years. We’ve been around since 1985. Along with the previous site, this webpage claims they have 2 total employees. Apex Plumbing has 60 employees. MVM also has no website or discernable web presence. We have one of the best in our industry and use it to help homeowners and realtors better understand underground plumbing. I am not writing this to compare Apex to MVM as much as to demonstrate the importance of choosing a company who knows what they are doing. Licensure is a big part of that. We have put in the work (36 years of it, to be exact) to ensure you are getting the best in the business when you choose Apex. Are you in need of a repair on your underground plumbing? Don’t make a costly mistake by choosing an unlicensed and unexperienced company. Contact Apex today!
