By William Jacko
Special to The Laker/Lutz News
When people think of an American success story, they may very well be thinking of Vladimir Breton and Optimum Plumbing.
After earning a civil engineering degree in his native Dominican Republic, Breton immigrated to the United States and took a job as a plumber’s assistant in New York. He did not speak English, but he had a plan — to one day own his own business.
Breton eventually moved to Florida to fulfill his dream. Starting with nothing, in just five years he proceeded to build a successful plumbing business. It was 2012 when Breton founded Optimum Plumbing in Land O’ Lakes with just one truck, and today the business has grown to five trucks servicing customers throughout Tampa Bay.
Services include new plumbing fixtures, leak detection, inspections, gas and waterline repair, re-piping, sewer line video inspections, repair and installation of garbage disposals, tubs, sinks, and water closets and whole-house water filters.
“We are also a licensed general contractor,” Breton said. “We wanted to offer more than just plumbing, and are now doing kitchen and bathroom renovation locally, and hotel and apartment complex renovation everywhere in Florida.”
Breton strongly believes in soliciting feedback from his customers to improve service.
“We always follow up with the customer,” he said. “We call the next day to make sure everything is OK, to ask, ‘How was the service? How was the technician?’ As soon as we close the call, we send a thank you email and send a link and to give us a review.”
Optimum Plumbing has earned more than its share of recognition. In 2013, the Hispanic Business Initiative Fund awarded it Startup of the Year. In 2016, it won the Pasco Economic Development Council Service and Distribution Industry of the Year Category 1 Award. The Better Business Bureau has rated it A+ for three consecutive years, and Angie’s List has awarded it Super Service in 2015, 2016 and 2017.
Breton appreciates the importance of community and is active in the Central Pasco, Upper Tampa Bay, and North Tampa Bay chambers of commerce.
“My wife and I have become part of the community,” he said. “Wherever we go, people know us. The business has been a way to meet people and to support community projects.”
Family is very important to Breton, and not surprisingly, several family members are involved in the business, including his wife as office manager, his sister-in-law as marketing director and even his 20-year-old college-student daughter, who works part- time in dispatching.”
Being licensed, bonded and insured, Optimum Plumbing offers 24-hour emergency service for plumbing, drain service and water heaters, and provide warranties on all of their work.
“We stand by our work, everything that we do, no matter what it is, from a job as simple as a garbage disposal to a sewer line cleaning,” Breton said.
The next time you need a plumber, call Optimum Plumbing at (813) 391-9287, or visit OptimumPlumbingllc.com.
