SOME PEOPLE see a problem and accept it as the way things are. Others see a problem and decide to fix it. Andrew Francis has always been in the second group. From the moment he first picked up a wrench at 16, plumbing just made sense to him. But over the years, Francis realized that what didn’t make sense was the way many companies treated their employees. When he couldn’t find a business with the kind of culture he needed, he stopped searching and started building.
At 16, Francis’ cousin hired him as a helper at his uncle’s plumbing business, where he quickly discovered a knack for the trade. More than the work, it was the supportive, family-like atmosphere that impacted him, showing him what a healthy workplace could be.
However, as the years went on, Francis found himself going from company to company, searching for the kind of work environment he had known at his uncle’s business, where employees were treated like family. Instead, he found himself in a system that pushed workers to their limits, treating them like numbers instead of people. He would come home exhausted, barely making it to the couch before falling asleep. It wasn’t sustainable.
One evening, after an especially grueling day, he told his wife, Kelly Francis “I’ve got to do something different.”
That night, the idea became clear to him. He wasn’t going to wait for someone else to build the work environment he needed — he would create it himself. In 2014, Francis started Pro Plumbing Plus Electrical.
In the beginning, Francis knew little about management. He was just a plumber, figuring it out as he went. The first few years were stressful and full of trial and error. But through those growing pains, he learned how to lead, motivate, and build a team that shared the same values.
Francis started small, taking on Lowe’s installation jobs to keep the business afloat, but most of his service calls came from Manchester, about 60 miles away from his home in Columbia. However, as the demand for his services grew, Francis and his wife decided in 2015 to make Manchester their permanent home.
“Coffee County is probably one of the nicest places I’ve lived,” he explained. “It’s almost like Mayberry. It’s a calm, peaceful town where everybody’s nice to each other. It was the best move we ever made.”
Once they planted their roots in Manchester and bought a building for the business, Pro Plumbing Plus Electrical took off.
Francis and his team believe their primary responsibility is protecting the nation’s health. Without proper plumbing, sanitation issues would run rampant, and diseases would spread.
“You can live without electricality,” he shared. “You can live without heating and air. But you can’t live without clean water and proper sanitation.”
Francis encourages customers to keep their plumbing updated. Keeping everything up to date is crucial in avoiding expensive repairs down the road.
Pro Plumbing Plus offers services like water heater installation and repair, drain cleaning and repair, jetting services, sewer inspections, and plumbing for new construction. Francis also offers a few tips to keep septic systems running properly.
“Many people don’t know that you should never put coffee grounds down a drain, and if you’re on a septic system, don’t flush anything other than waste and toilet paper,” said Francis.
With a solid foundation in place, Francis has focused on growing his business while staying true to his core values. Success, for him, is building a workplace that resembles the one he had longed for, where people look out for one another. Even more meaningful, it’s about the people who make it all possible. GN
Call (931) 928-1428 or visit proplumbingllc.com for more information. Address: 302 S. Spring St., Manchester
