George Breslaw Plumbing LLC

George Breslaw established a small plumbing company in 1929, opening up shop at the beginning of the Great Depression. For more than 85 years, the business has grown, despite challenging markets and trying times.

George Breslaw Plumbing LLC (GBP) operated for 20 years out of lower Manhattan. In the 1950s, George moved the operation to Hell’s Kitchen, making more room for the shop and office to accommodate a broader clientele. The company’s current location features a signature copper man sculpture, a sight familiar to locals.

In the 1970s George’s sons, Richard and Milton, took over the business. The brothers operated the landmark plumbing company for three decades before handing the reins over to the third generation of family owners.

In 2011, Richard’s son, Seth Breslaw, took over ownership of the company. He now works beside his brother, Michael Breslaw, as well as his sister, Amy Breslaw, providing high-quality, efficient plumbing services throughout the five boroughs.

Qualified contractors

There is not much that the Breslaw family cannot handle. With decades of experience between the siblings, GBP is able to tackle a wide range of plumbing-related repairs and installations. The company’s target market includes several major general contractors and realty companies throughout New York City. Whether customers are looking to replace a leaky faucet or run a hot water heating system through a 50-story skyscraper, GBP is qualified to get the job done right.

Seth employs 60 people, primarily union plumbers, who work throughout the city on small and large jobs. While the most significant lump revenue comes through large new construction projects, GBP provides a range of repair and maintenance services for customers throughout the city. The business offers 24-hour service for emergencies and someone is always available to take customer phone calls.

Over the years, GBP has built a reputation for quality work, no matter what size the project. From a leaky pipe to a full system installation, customers have come to count on the team’s experience, expertise and resources. While service work is an important part of the business, Seth and his team have been busy on some larger commercial contracts over the last few years.

“We are working on Four World Trade at the World Trade Center now,” Seth elaborates. “We completed a project at One World Trade. We have also performed contracts for the Brooklyn Academy of Music, the Fish Market, Queens Center Mall and many others.”

Always a fit

The company’s in-house fabrication services make a reasonable comparison for GBP’s history. While plumbing installation and repair make up a majority of revenue, the crew frequently produces pieces in the shop to accommodate outdated or unusual pipe sizes, as well as brand new fixtures.

Creative ability is a major factor in the company’s long-term success. Through the economic downturn, the business faced many of the same challenges as other contractors. Through ingenuity, smart marketing and creative cost management, the company was able to remain stable and is now experiencing a return to growth.

As the market picks up speed, Seth and his crew are looking out for new opportunities. Diverse capabilities allow the business to succeed in a number of market sectors. The company’s union affiliation also helps to guarantee experience, safety and proper training. While union labor tends to run at a higher cost than non-union, Seth and his family stand by the investment. His team offers value and understands that to succeed, customer satisfaction is at a premium.

“Every job should be a job well done,” Seth notes. “Completing projects on time, on budget and to the satisfaction of our customers is what keeps us going.”

While the team performs most work in-house, relationships with subcontractors are also an important component of GBP’s success. “We sub out stoppages and certain types of insulation that we don’t handle in-house,” Seth elaborates. “Everything else we do ourselves. While our service work rarely depends on those partnerships, the larger commercial jobs require strong performance from every member of the team. Our relationships with those subcontractors are very important to our success as a business.”

Over the coming years, these relationships will continue to support the growth of GBP. Seth and his crew continue to look for new opportunities in the market, with a backlog of projects growing for 2015.

While the market is still stabilizing, Seth is cautiously optimistic. As the business has done over the past, a creative approach to building margins and revenue will help push the team forward. With hard work, ingenuity and integrity, George Breslaw Plumbing LLC continues to grow as a trusted plumbing business in New York.