Allens Plumbing

Home of the Drain Surgeon

Four Decades of Plumbing Innovation in Hawaii

In 1983, Steve Allen, Owner of Allen’s Plumbing, took a leap of faith that would eventually shape one of Hawaii’s most respected plumbing companies. Before that, he started The Drain Surgeon in 1982 as a way to gain traction in the industry while waiting for the residency requirement needed to obtain his contractor’s license. “I opened up the Drain Surgeon because you had to have a year’s residency before you could get a contractor’s license,” Allen explains. “Once I met that requirement, I took the test, got licensed, and Allen’s Plumbing was formed as a DBA of The Drain Surgeon.”

What began as a one-man operation in a station wagon has grown into a dynamic, forward-thinking company. Four decades later, Allen’s Plumbing operates across Maui and Oahu, with a team that exceeds 50 employees, including seasoned managers who have been with the company for decades.

Technician no. 99

The evolution of Allen’s Plumbing is steady and determined, grounded in a simple premise that consistent service builds trust. “In the early years, it was just me, myself, and I,” Allen recalls. “We grow to one employee, then two, then three. I don’t think I’ll be getting that big, so I’ve given myself the designation of Technician Number 99. I figure that will solve the problem of running out of numbers. Today, there are over 300 technicians, and I am still number 99.”

Allen’s Plumbing now runs a structured organization with general managers and plumbing managers at each location, supported by transparent processes that keep the field and the office in sync. “We run a drain division and a service division, and we also have project crews,” he says. “Everyday work for us is essential—faucets, toilets, broken pipes, water heaters, stoppages. But we also take on projects, which for us means anything that takes more than a day. We just wrapped up a three-month project and will start a two-month one next week.” The project crews step in for larger rehabilitations and replacements, while the core service teams stay focused on urgent calls and preventive work, ensuring that both routine and complex needs receive the proper attention.

The company’s reputation for reliability and efficiency grows alongside its infrastructure. A centralized call center on Maui manages communications for both islands, with a call center manager who coordinates schedules, dispatch, and customer follow-up. This hub is supported by modern field software, tablets, and redundant systems that safeguard operations across locations. The result is consistent service quality, faster response times, and a seamless customer experience from the first call to the final sign-off.

Fairness over hierarchy

When asked about the culture at Allen’s Plumbing, Allen does not lean on corporate jargon or formalized handbooks. Instead, he leads by example. “You can’t have an A team performing for a B coach,” he says. “I’ve always believed in treating people fairly. Just because you’re the boss doesn’t make you special. If a guy needs help washing the vehicle or holding the shovel, you do it. I don’t like a hierarchy of kings and servants. Everyone is treated equally.”

That approach has paid dividends. Employee turnover at Allen’s Plumbing is remarkably low. The general manager has been with the company for 25 years, the plumbing managers for 14 and 19 years, and the call center manager for 18 years. Others have retired after 20 years of service. “The turnover rate is minimal, and that speaks volumes,” Allen notes.

Beyond fair treatment, the company invests heavily in training, equipment, and technology. “Nobody wants to work with outdated tools. We always buy the best equipment we can and keep vehicles within five years old,” Allen says. “We just added $100,000 of equipment in the last 30 days and another $170,000 last week. Our people know we’re committed to giving them the best tools so they can do the best job.”

Employees also benefit from ongoing education. “We belong to an organization that provides remote training. It’s not free, but the guys know it’s an investment in their future. They feel good knowing they’re learning the latest skills in the trade,” he adds.

Always ahead of the curve

From the very beginning, Allen’s Plumbing has been known for its innovative mindset. Allen recalls purchasing his first hydro jetter in the 1990s, long before the technology was standard in Hawaii. “I bought one after reading about it on the mainland. It enabled us to clear drains using water pressure, something others couldn’t do. That set us apart,” he says.

Innovation became a hallmark of the company. In 2000, Allen invested in one of the first powerful trailer hydro jetters in the state, and by 2007, he had pioneered pipelining in Hawaii. “We were putting liners inside old pipes and creating new pipes without digging. We graduated from lining under houses to vertical stacks in high-rises. We just finished 15 vertical stacks of five stories without ripping the walls open. That ability to do invasive work without destruction has become a real selling point.”

The company also became a national leader in solar hot water systems. “At one point, I was invited to join the National Plumbing Committee to create a syllabus for training on thermal solar. They told me I was doing more residential solar installations than anyone in the country. That was one of the first times I realized just how far ahead we were.”

Today, the company continues to push boundaries, recently completing its first underground boring project for a gas line installation. “We’re drilling hundreds of feet without digging. This has not been done here before,” Allen says.

Marketing in a changing world

While innovation drives the technical side of the business, marketing has been a constant challenge. “Marketing is probably the toughest issue to deal with,” Allen admits. “AI is changing the game at an unsettling rate. It took 20 years for the internet and Google to dominate, and now AI is shifting things in half a year.”

Allen has witnessed the transition from Yellow Pages dominance to the modern era of pay-per-click advertising. “In the old days, I was king of the Yellow Pages. I knew how to dominate them. When I started using Google Ads in 2005, the cost was three or four dollars. Now those same ads are $100 to $150. You must be very careful because if you get a click and don’t respond, you’ve wasted your money.”

Despite these challenges, Allen remains focused on fundamentals. “Word of mouth and referrals are still the best. Our repeat customers make up 70 percent of our calls. That’s where you want to be because retaining customers is far less expensive than acquiring new ones,” he says.

Resilience through relationships

In business, Allen has learned that relationships with vendors and suppliers come down to trust and respect. “In the wholesale business, the best customer is the one who pays their bills on time. That’s been my philosophy from day one. I don’t ask wholesalers to cut prices. I ask them to do their best, and I pay them promptly,” he explains.

The importance of dependable partners was never more evident than during the COVID-19 pandemic. With tourism halted and revenue down 80 percent in the drain division, Allen leaned on a vendor from Sweden to move up a scheduled project. “I told the board I’d cut 25 percent off the project if we could start right away. They agreed, and I called our vendor. He flew in, quarantined, and worked with us for two weeks. That project kept five guys working for four and a half months and essentially kept us in business through 2020. We broke even that year, and I was grateful for it. That’s a special relationship.”

Vehicle maintenance has also proven critical. “Downtime is where revenue dies. If a truck generating a couple thousand dollars a day is parked for three or four days, that money never comes back. Having a repair shop we can trust is beyond important. It is a necessity,” Allen emphasizes.

Guiding a legacy into new hands

As Allen reflects on the future of the company, legacy is at the forefront of his mind. “Allen’s Plumbing is 43 years old, and I am not a young man anymore. I built this company out of passion and drive, so there is a deep personal investment in it,” he says.

He has no intention of selling. Instead, the company will transition into an ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan). “The vision is to guide the company through the beginning of that process over three years, with a normal transition in five years. We have a strong, young team of about 50 employees who respect the industry. This company is in great hands,” Allen affirms.

He also sees tremendous opportunity for young people entering the skilled trades. “This industry has so much to offer. Skilled trades allow people to make a great living, and we need to encourage that. Allen’s Plumbing has outgrown my capacity years ago, but that’s the beauty of building a team. I started in a station wagon with no business education, and here we are today. The future is bright.”

AT A GLANCE

Who: Allen’s Plumbing

What: A full-service plumbing company offering emergency & routine plumbing services, including sewer/drain, hot water, gas line, and related home/commercial plumbing solutions.

Where: Oahu & Maui

Website: www.allensplumbinghi.com