About Us

History

When Sean Stephens ventured forth to set up a new company in 1996, the plumbing market, without really recognising it, was beginning to demand a total solution. It needed more than just another plumbing and drainage company. It was seeking more value added input to projects. The terms ‘energy efficient ’ and ‘energy efficient heating’ were beginning to be used. Home owners, particularly those in high end residential and semi rural were demanding solar heating, underfloor heating and modern sewer and waste treatment plants. Delivering against these demands was going to become critical to the company’s future success.

To Sean, that meant a commitment to being right up there with technology and using quality, proven products. It meant knowing the right systems to use — those that he had trialled extensively and knew performed well - all without cutting corners. And having solid relationships with suppliers who were ‘in sync’ with his vision.

Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither was Plumbcraft. But with his vision for a bigger and more professional organisation firmly in his sights, Sean set about targeting the right customers and surrounding himself with the right people to realise his dream.

However, finding the ‘right’ people with the range and diversity of skills suited to his business proved challenging sometimes and almost impossible at others.

He set out to train his staff on the ‘Plumbcraft way’, mentoring and encouraging his apprentices to obtain registration. This strategy resulted in the company recruiting its own people and training them to become qualified tradesmen. The result is that now Plumbcraft-trained tradesmen are specialists in the complete range of skills required — underfloor heating, solar water heating, plumbing, drainage and gas fitting. Sean sees the future of the business resting on this diversity of skill sets and the smooth support of an efficient office operation. These form the platform from which the company is able to offer a wide range of services throughout New Zealand - and has the confidence to deliver on them.

Today Plumbcraft is the realisation of that vision. With a hardworking and dedicated team who share the ethos conceived by Sean all those years ago Plumbcraft now prides itself on its ability to draw on the best of technical support and product resources both within New Zealand and internationally. As a result Plumbcraft has developed a wide and loyal customer-base of specifiers, developers and some of New Zealand’s largest construction companies