For Kevin and Janet Cordeiro, the story behind A Plus Plumbing, LLC is not one of quick success or easy growth. It is a story shaped by long nights, seasonal work, family legacy, and a willingness to do whatever it took to build a business the right way. What many residents today know as a dependable local plumbing company started with second jobs, unpredictable schedules, and a couple determined to create something stable for their family and their community.
Kevin’s path into plumbing began while he was operating a hay business, which provided income only during certain seasons. “I had a hay business at the time, and that was only seasonal,” Kevin explained. “During the winter I would do plumbing.” He had been giving the opportunity to work with another plumber and quickly found that he enjoyed the work and the problem-solving that came with it. The work felt like a natural fit. “I’ve always been able to work with my hands and figure out issues. The plumbing kind of came naturally,” he said. The trade was also part of his family history. “My great-grandfather was a plumber and so was my great uncle,” Kevin shared, noting that plumbing was not entirely new territory for him.
A Plus Plumbing, LLC officially opened in 2010, but those early years required real sacrifice and teamwork. Kevin was often working hay at night while taking plumbing jobs during the day. Janet was there through it all, helping in ways that rarely show up on a balance sheet but make all the difference in a small business. “When he was first starting, he was still doing hay. I would go with him at night watch my iPad, and get some rest in the truck while he was out baling hay,” Janet recalled. “When he got done, I would drive home so he could get rest, so he could go to work and do plumbing in the morning. That’s what we did in the beginning.” Kevin remembers how much that support meant. “She would drive so I could sleep after working all night and come back,” he said. Those early routines were exhausting, but they helped lay the foundation for the business they were building together.
In the beginning, there was no office or storefront. “We didn’t have an office or anything, so we had that out at our ranch,” Kevin said. That changed in 2013 thanks to a phone call that turned into one of their most memorable moments in business. “A funny memorable story is when Bill Mattos, from Valley Real Estate called me,” Kevin shared. “I was at home doing paperwork at the kitchen table, and he called me asking if I had told him I was interested in a building. I said, ‘No, I don’t recall telling you that.’” After Kevin hung up, Janet asked about the building and encouraged him to find out more. “She said, ‘Where’s the building? Why don’t you find out?’” Kevin called back within minutes. “I told him I didn’t remember mentioning interest, but now that he brought it up, where’s it at?” After meeting at the site, discussing the price, and negotiating, they decided to purchase it. Kevin joked that he thinks the realtor may have called on purpose just to see if he would be interested, but that unexpected call ultimately gave A Plus Plumbing, LLC a permanent home in town.
Over the years, the company steadily expanded. What started with one truck eventually grew into a fleet serving residential, commercial, agricultural, septic needs. Their work has taken them beyond Gustine into surrounding communities, but their approach remains rooted in reliability and communication. Kevin emphasizes that good service often comes down to simple habits. “You’ve got to be 120% committed,” he said. “Answer your phone. Communicate with your customers. That’s pretty much key.” Plumbing, he noted, does not follow a clock. “It’s 11 o’clock at night and somebody’s getting out of bed to solve the problem, whether it’s local, or a surrounding town” That willingness to respond when people need help is part of what has built customer trust over time.
Janet is open about what comes with running a business. “Do not measure your ability by looking at another company’s success. Every business has struggles. With the right team and a strong support system, you get through them,” she shared when offering advice to those thinking about starting their own company.
She also speaks candidly about the financial side. “Many people do not realize how much goes into operating legally. Liability insurance, workers’ compensation, payroll, compliance, and overhead all add up. Those expenses are part of the cost of doing business, even if customers do not always see them. Do not let it overwhelm you.”
Her perspective reflects the responsibility required to operate properly and remain compliant in California, thanks to my son Trinten.
Community involvement is another pillar of their business philosophy. Supporting local organizations is not an afterthought for the Cordeiros. “We’re very active,” Kevin said. “That’s how we feel we give back to our customers, by supporting the same places that have hired us.” For them, giving back is a way of saying thank you to the communities that have trusted them for years.
Now 16 years after opening, A Plus Plumbing, LLC stands as a reflection of persistence, partnership, and pride in one’s work. From sleeping in trucks during hay season to running a full-scale plumbing operation with deep community ties, Kevin and Janet’s journey mirrors the path many small-town businesses take slow growth, steady effort, and a reputation-built job by job. Behind every service call is a family that put in the hours, took the risks, and stayed committed. For the Cordeiros, plumbing is not just a trade. It is a livelihood, a legacy, and a way to serve the community.
