WHITEWOOD — Flatland Plumbing and Heating Ltd. out of Whitewood has been in operation at their Kipling location since last summer, offering their services twice a week until now.
Derek Ecklund, licensed plumber and gasfitter of Whitewood and owner/operator of Flatland Plumbing, is pleased to announce they are now offering services full-time in Kipling and area.
Ecklund was a second-year apprentice when he and a business partner started up Flatland Plumbing and Heating, and as of this past summer, Ecklund is now the sole owner of the business.
Prior to his career in plumbing, Ecklund was working in the oilpatch on a pipeline, and then the recession hit.
"I was only giving it another year or two anyway in the 'patch and that gave me the push to get out."
"My former business partner was working as a plumber in Esterhazy and he got me a job there and I never looked back. I was 25 when I made the decision to go into a career in plumbing and then we started the company.
These technicians are plumbing, heating and air conditioning specialists.
The team does everything from service work, renovations, new housing, commercial work, pressure systems, air conditioning, well pumps, septic systems, furnaces and boilers.
"There's not much we don't do," said Ecklund.
"We were down in Kipling on a lot of service calls," explains Ecklund. It only made sense to open up a full-time shop.
"We have 15 'on the tools' staff who receive calls and we're all over the countryside," says Ecklund, who also employs three office staff.
"We're hoping to have a full-time tech in Kipling starting in January," says Ecklund.
The most common service call Ecklund and his team receives is for an issue with a furnace.
"We have guys on call 24/7 during the winter. When it gets cold, the guys are usually working late."
Plumbing and heating issues tend to be most of the service calls the team tackles, although the team has completed many larger jobs.
There was a big shop done in Melville last year for the Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure, a Bumper-to-Bumper job in Rocanville and a co-op renovation.
"We've done a lot of big shops."
"There was a job lined up this summer in Nunavut to do work on a big shop up there," says Ecklund.
"A carpenter in Rocanville has contacts up there with the government and they're looking for a contractor to go up there and service the community. There could be more potential up there."
Ecklund explains that they'd maybe go a couple of weeks at a time to work on some small projects.
"It was a bit of a shock when I got the phone call asking me to go up there and help out."
COVID has had an affect on most people's lives for the past 18 months. And for Flatland Plumbing, it's affected their business in being able to get supplies in.
"Oh massive! Half of the furnaces I can't get in, huge delays in receiving materials and when I do find materials, I'm overstocking," explains Ecklund.
Flatland Plumbing and Heating will be celebrating their 10-year anniversary in April 2022.
Ecklund can see his business growing even more in the future.
"If things keep going good and work keeps coming in I plan to keep the business growing."
Maybe one day when Ecklund and his wife Jessica are ready to retire, their three sons Kai, Jagger and Crue will follow in their dad's footsteps and take over the business.
To book your appointment in Kipling and area, please give Hayley Beaudry at call at 306-736-5328 or stop by the office at 515 Main Street.
Their friendly and knowledgeable techs are there to help.
"We plan to service Kipling and area the best that we can," says Ecklund.
