Creating of Big Blue

I started working for my father, when I was 15 years old. I actually started in the office doing heat loss calculations and building envelope drawings on the drafting table. I then began working in the field and going to Southampton Technical College as part of a London Institute City and Guilds Apprenticeship in plumbing and hydronic heating. That was back in Nineteen Something- Or Other. I migrated to The U.S. in 1996 and started my own business in 2000.

My Father’s company was called Dramont LTD which he named after a small Mediterranean island where my parents spent their honeymoon. My Father told me that he liked the idea of being reminded of a happy time and place, every time he went to work.

When I started my own company, I followed my Father’s direction and named my organization after the sea which, as a surfer, is my happy time and place, hence BIG BLUE and the logo that incorporates the ocean.

My Father also gave me this piece of advice: “Son”, he said, “How you do one thing is how you do all things”. To me this means the pursuit of perfection in all that we do.

I moved to America in 1996, I worked for a couple of plumbing companies and started my own business in 2000. I started a small, one truck operation out of my converted garage. I quickly grew a reputation for quality, integrity and reliability. From the local contractors I worked for, I learned a few things, some good and some bad and, along with my father’s influence, I have always known that I wanted my plumbing business to stand out from those around me for professionalism. As my client base grew, we moved out of my garage and in to a small place behind a cafe in Berkeley. Our reputation continued to spread and now we have a facility in Alameda with office space, warehouse and training room.