Testimonials From Satisfied Customers

Fort Myers, Fla., contractor Aristocrat Plumbing splits its business nearly straight down the middle between residential and commercial jobs, providing the company with stability when one area may be stronger than the other.

“In our region, the commercial market tends to lag about a year behind residential. It follows once an area has been built up with single-family homes, townhouses and apartment buildings that those new residents need restaurants, banks, retail shops and grocery stores,” explained owner Nick Guerra. “Our 50/50 focus on commercial and residential has allowed us to weather the ups and downs that are intrinsic to the business.”

Another decision that has provided 14-year-old Aristocrat with stability is its switch to CPVC piping from PEX and copper systems. The company became a 100-percent FlowGuard Gold® CPVC shop more than four years ago.

Before making the switch, Aristocrat was using about 80 percent PEX and 20 percent copper on both residential and commercial jobs. According to Guerra, though, the company found itself constantly dealing with callbacks due to leaks of installed PEX systems. At the same time, copper prices were beginning to rise.

“PEX backed us into a corner. Our insurance premiums were on the rise, and our reputation took a hit. We needed another option, and CPVC allowed us to continue installing plastic systems, which are in high demand in Florida due to cost and corrosion concerns. By converting, we also virtually eliminated callbacks,” Guerra said. “FlowGuard Gold CPVC has delivered on its promises. We haven’t had a major leak claim since we switched.”

Although PEX systems are plastic and highly flexible, Guerra and his team did not experience a noticeable advantage in installation time over copper systems. They found the time they should have saved over a copper installation was eaten up due to the way PEX connects, with numerous joints and tools that need calibration too often, Guerra explained.

In the commercial market, Aristocrat has completed a number of retail, office building and restaurant installations, including a Lowe’s in Cape Coral, Fla. Aristocrat is also installing CPVC in the 25-store Lehigh Acres shopping center in Lee County, Fla., and in the Westgate Medical Center complex.

“The engineer specified copper for the Westgate project but, at our insistence, switched it to CPVC,” Guerra stated. “This facility is primarily being used for medical records storage and processing and medical supplies. With CPVC, they won’t have to worry about leaks, corrosion or maintenance.”

On the residential side, Aristocrat has installed FlowGuard Gold CPVC plumbing systems on a number of single-family housing developments, townhomes and two- to three-story apartment buildings for some of the area’s largest builders, including Ryland Homes, Meredith Homes, Prime Homebuilders, Shelby Homes, Southern Homes and Transeastern Homes.

One of the firm’s largest residential projects is the Meadows of Estero, a luxury development from Shelby Homes. The upscale coach homes in this exclusive gated community, which is located right on Florida’s Gulf Coast, range in size from 2,011 to 2,878 square feet. Residents can choose from two or three bedroom models, both of which have two-and-a-half baths. Aristocrat is using FlowGuard Gold CPVC plumbing systems on all 400 homes in this ongoing project.

“We’re a 35-person firm, so every team member is critical to our ability to consistently meet deadlines and handle large and small projects alike,” Guerra said. “We’ve cut our installation time and costs in half with CPVC. This not only benefits our bottom line, but also allows us to turn around projects faster. And without the nagging worry of callbacks, we’re onto the next project without having to fix a previous one.”

A number of CPVC advantages have contributed to Aristocrat’s savings in installation time. The weight of CPVC is substantially lighter than copper, making it easier to transport on the jobsite. And with its streamlined system of pipe and fittings, the company has eliminated the need to carry around calibration tools used for PEX systems and the torches and other heavy equipment needed to install copper.

Another contributing factor for Guerra is that CPVC is installed using a one-step solvent cement joining system and requires no soldering. The joined pipe can then be pressure tested  in a very short period of time.

“The joining system was easy for my guys to pick up and learn, and they appreciated that,” Guerra said. “It allows us to install the system quickly, which is especially important on a large job like the Meadows project. More importantly, we’re installing a higher quality system that our customers, the builders, can stand behind.” The builders, both residential and commercial, that Aristocrat works with also benefit from the fact that CPVC is 100-percent corrosion resistant. Their customers, home and business owners, will never have to worry about scaling, build-up or pitting that they likely might experience with a copper system.

“FlowGuard Gold CPVC allows us to confidently stand behind our residential and commercial work. It doesn’t matter if it’s a luxury single family home, a townhouse, a restaurant or a 10,000-square-foot retail center – we know that our reputation is secure with CPVC,” Guerra concluded. “And I have the confidence that the FlowGuard Gold CPVC systems we’re installing will hands-down outlast any copper or PEX system.”

Since Lubrizol’s development of CPVC plumbing systems more than 50 years ago, billions of feet of FlowGuard Gold pipe have been installed in homes, condominiums, buildings, apartments and hotels, including OVER twelve (12) million homes. For more information on the FlowGuard Gold® plumbing system, including pipes, valves, joining cement, caulks, sealants and tools, call 888.234.2436, ext. 4477393 for a sales consultant, or visit www.flowguardgold.com.

"...CPVC allowed us to continue installing plastic systems, which are in high demand in Florida due to cost and corrosion concerns. By converting, we also virtually eliminated callbacks. “FlowGuard Gold CPVC has delivered on its promises. We haven’t had a major leak claim since we switched.”

“FlowGuard Gold CPVC allows us to confidently stand behind our residential and commercial work. It doesn’t matter if it’s a luxury single-family home, a townhouse, a restaurant or a 10,000-square-foot retail center – we know that our reputation is secure with CPVC. And I have the confidence that the FlowGuard Gold CPVC systems we’re installing will hands-down outlast any copper or PEX system.”

Type of Construction:
Residential / Single Family and Commercial

Installation Type:
New