Plumber Fights the Good Fight Against Private Equity

Back to the E-Newsletter Archive Western Rooter & Plumbing CEO John Bottala says private equity is fueling aggressive upsells and inflated quotes in the industry, and he’s determined to fight back with honest service.

09.02.2026

Residential and commercial plumbing news for industry leading contractors, franchisees and supply houses

Copper Development Association Supports Instructor Training Program

The Copper Development Association delivered a hands-on copper joining course at the United Association’s annual instructor training program, helping prepare trade educators to bring soldering and brazing expertise back to their local classrooms. Read more

Powerful “Bullet-Proof” Root 66 Anchors Florida Plumber’s Drain Cleaning Arsenal

Rugged General tools remain a key factor in forging customer satisfaction. Read more

Sponsored by: General Pipe Cleaners

Plumber Fights the Good Fight Against Private Equity

Western Rooter & Plumbing CEO John Bottala says private equity is fueling aggressive upsells and inflated quotes in the industry, and he’s determined to fight back with honest service. Read more

Unveiling September: Dive Into Our Latest Issue!

The September issue of Plumber is out, featuring Western Rooter & Plumbing of Arcadia, California. For many years the company stayed a fairly small operation. Things started to change around 2011 when current CEO John Bottala came into the picture. “At that time I was … getting my degree in internet marketing … I had an assignment to take what I learned in class and implement it in a company. So I implemented my knowledge within Western Rooter.” Watch preview

“Being useful before being hired is exactly why a homeowner picks the local company over the national brand, and search engines reward the page that answers the question over the page that merely names the service.”

From the article: How Small Plumbing Companies Win Against Franchise Giants Online