At our latest Business Networking South Leicestershire meeting, Roy Lee of Roy Lee Plumbing & Heating Ltd marked a very special milestone – 40 years working in the plumbing and heating trade.
Roy’s presentation, appropriately titled “40 Years on the Tools”, took us from his first steps into the industry in 1986 through to running his own successful plumbing and heating company today.
He also looked ahead, explaining how he believes the heating industry is changing and why his focus for the coming years will increasingly be on proper diagnosis, repair and extending the life of existing heating systems rather than automatically recommending replacement.
Find out more about Roy and his services:
https://www.royleeplumber.co.uk/
40 Years of Plumbing and Heating Experience
Roy started in the plumbing and heating trade in 1986, initially through YTS in Wigston before completing his City & Guilds craft apprenticeship.
It was very much a traditional apprenticeship – learning directly from experienced tradesmen while working on real jobs.
Roy explained that this grounding taught him far more than simply how to fit plumbing and heating equipment. It gave him an understanding of how complete heating systems work, how to diagnose problems and, perhaps most importantly, the importance of taking pride in doing a job properly.
Four decades later, that experience remains at the heart of how Roy approaches his work.
Going It Alone in 2008
In 2008, Roy established Roy Lee Plumbing & Heating Ltd, based in Littlethorpe and serving customers throughout Leicestershire and Warwickshire.
Roy explained that the business has been built around four very straightforward principles:
- Turn up when promised – a booked appointment is a kept appointment.
- Do the job properly – complete work correctly and to the appropriate standards.
- Give honest advice – including telling customers when they don’t need to spend money.
- Respect the customer’s home – work cleanly and leave the property tidy.
They may sound like simple principles, but after 18 years running his limited company, they have helped Roy build a business where much of his work comes from repeat customers and personal recommendations.
Qualified, Certified and Gas Safe Registered
Roy also stressed the importance of using properly qualified tradespeople, particularly where gas appliances are concerned.
Roy Lee Plumbing & Heating Ltd is Gas Safe Registered – registration number 227303.
Roy is also qualified to work with LPG systems and oil-fired heating, and is a member of the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (CIPHE).
His message to customers was clear: qualifications and registrations aren’t simply logos to put on a van or website. When someone is working on equipment that involves gas and combustion, competence and appropriate registration are fundamental to safety.
What Does Roy Lee Plumbing & Heating Do?
After 40 years in the trade, Roy’s experience covers a broad range of plumbing and heating work for domestic and commercial customers.
His services include:
- Boiler servicing
- Boiler repairs and fault diagnosis
- New boiler installations
- Full central heating installations
- Radiators and heating system upgrades
- LPG installation, servicing and repair
- Oil-fired heating systems
- Gas fires and cookers
- General plumbing
- Taps, valves, wastes and showers
- Leaks and blockages
- Landlord gas safety records
Roy provides free, no-obligation quotations before work begins.
Find out more about Roy’s plumbing and heating services:
https://www.royleeplumber.co.uk/
Repair Rather Than Replace
One of the most interesting parts of Roy’s presentation concerned the changing economics of heating a home.
With household costs remaining under pressure, Roy believes customers increasingly want tradespeople who will explore whether something can be properly repaired before recommending an expensive replacement.
This fits perfectly with the way Roy has worked throughout his career.
His approach is to diagnose the problem properly first, establish what is actually wrong and then give the customer an honest assessment of whether repairing or replacing the boiler represents better value.
Where an older boiler remains fundamentally sound and suitable replacement parts are available, repairing it can potentially extend its useful life and avoid the considerable expense of replacing the complete appliance.
Sometimes replacement will be the right answer – but Roy’s philosophy is that it shouldn’t automatically be the first answer.
Roy’s Five-Year Plan
After looking back over his first 40 years in the trade, Roy turned his attention to what comes next.
His plans include developing several areas of the business:
Repair-First Boiler Care
Proper diagnosis will continue to come first, with the aim of extending the life of sound boilers rather than defaulting immediately to replacement.
Fixed-Price Servicing Plans
Roy plans to develop servicing options that make the annual cost of maintaining a heating system more predictable while giving customers priority when breakdowns occur.
Smart Heating Controls
Not every improvement requires replacing the complete heating system. Smart thermostats, thermostatic radiator valves and improved heating controls can help customers gain better control over how and when their homes are heated.
Properly Installed New Boilers
When a boiler genuinely does need replacing, Roy’s emphasis remains on doing the complete job correctly – including ensuring the heating system is clean, commissioning the boiler properly and completing the relevant Benchmark and warranty documentation.
Diagnose First, Quote Second
Perhaps the best summary of Roy’s approach is simply: find out what’s actually wrong before deciding what needs replacing.
That means diagnosing the fault rather than swapping components in the hope of finding the problem, sourcing parts for older but otherwise serviceable boilers where appropriate, and making sure customers understand their options.
It’s an approach based on experience rather than sales targets – and after four decades working with boilers and heating systems, Roy has plenty of that experience to draw upon.
40 Years – One Standard
Roy concluded his presentation with the phrase:
“Forty years. One standard.”
It’s a good summary of a career that began with a traditional apprenticeship and has developed into a trusted local plumbing and heating business serving customers across Leicestershire and Warwickshire.
Forty years later, Roy remains on the tools, fully certified, Gas Safe registered – and still answers his own phone!
Need a Plumber or Heating Engineer?
If your boiler isn’t behaving itself, your heating system needs attention or you’re considering a new boiler, speak to Roy before assuming that everything needs replacing.
Whether it’s a repair, annual service, heating upgrade or complete new installation, you’ll get straightforward advice from someone with 40 years of hands-on experience.
Roy Lee Plumbing & Heating Ltd
Littlethorpe, Leicester
Telephone: 0116 286 9882
Mobile: 07842 234403
https://www.royleeplumber.co.uk/
Come Along to BNSL
Roy’s presentation was another great example of the experience and knowledge that exists within Business Networking South Leicestershire.
Our members aren’t simply names on a directory. They’re experienced local business owners and professionals who get to know one another, build trust and confidently recommend each other’s services.
If you’d like to meet Roy and the rest of the group, why not come along to a BNSL meeting as a guest?
We’re friendly, relaxed and supportive, with only one member representing each profession.
Contact the BNSL Committee to arrange your visit:
https://businessnetworkingleicestershire.co.uk/contact-us/
Local. Supportive. Affordable. Real.
— The BNSL Committee
