How does a young plumbing company owner a few years out of high school go about shopping for water heaters, boilers and fixtures to install for customers? Jeremy Sar, owner of J.Sar Plumbing & Heating in Lowell, Massachusetts, says he learned the art of procurement and establishing supply links by taking full advantage of an apprenticeship program and subsequent employment positions.
“As an apprentice, I became familiar with a number of different supply houses. Working in different cities and handling materials for employers, I learned supplier locations and talked to counter people. You start to develop favorites and see big differences between the supply houses in customer service.”
So, instead of just idly visiting the suppliers as part of his job, Sar critically examined a store’s line of equipment and observed the responsiveness of customer service people. Such a mindset often is found in future company owners.
He began to sort out brands, noting which manufacturers stood behind their products. Consequently, Sar already is a fan of Bradford White, Weil-McLain boilers and Spirotherm. “You can’t go wrong with Kohler kitchen and bathroom appliances and Symmons valves and fixtures. Symmons was founded in Massachusetts and their products are still manufactured here.”
In the end, the young plumber and company owner settled on a regional supplier, Peabody Supply, with eight outlets scattered around New England. Specifically, Sar opted to work with people in the company’s Nashua, New Hampshire, location.
“Sometimes I text them after hours, and whatever I need is pulled from inventory and ready for me at the counter the next morning. They have a very solid crew that delivers great customer service.”
Read more about J.Sar Plumbing & Heating in the August 2026 issue of Plumber magazine.
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