denys Kavaler shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi denys , thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: What do you think is misunderstood about your business?
Most people think of plumbing as simple household repairs – a leaky faucet, a clogged drain. What’s misunderstood is that emergency plumbing is something completely different. It’s not routine maintenance, it’s critical response. When a pipe bursts in the middle of the night, or a sewer line collapses, the damage isn’t just inconvenient – it can shut down daily life in a heartbeat. Families face flooding, businesses are forced to close, schools can’t open their doors.
What people don’t always see is that in those moments, a plumber is not just a tradesman – he’s the first line of defense. Every decision we make under pressure can mean the difference between a quick recovery or tens of thousands of dollars in loss, between a safe environment or a health hazard.
For me, that’s what defines our work. It goes far beyond pipes and tools. It’s about showing up when no one else does, bringing calm into chaos, and giving people the confidence that their life can get back on track. That’s why I chose to specialize in emergency services – because every hour matters, and when people feel they have no one else to rely on, that’s exactly when we need to be there.
Just yesterday, on Labor Day 2025, we received a desperate call from the owner of a local hair salon. A pipe had burst, and water was flooding his business. He explained that he had called multiple plumbing companies, but because it was a holiday, no one picked up, no one could come – except us. He reached us at 5:30 p.m., and within only 30 minutes we were on site stopping the leak. His salon was fully booked for the first working day after the holiday, and shutting down would have meant serious financial losses and disappointed clients. Thanks to our immediate response, his business was fully operational the next morning.
And this was not an isolated case. We constantly see the same with homeowners. Families are forced to cancel all their plans, miss work, or even stay up through the night because a burst pipe or severe leak turns their life upside down. Especially during nights, weekends, or holidays, when most companies are unavailable, we are often the only ones who respond. These cases show that plumbing is not just about fixing pipes – it is about protecting homes, keeping businesses open, and making sure daily life in the community doesn’t come to a halt.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am Denys Kavaler, a licensed plumber and the founder of FPP Plumbing in North Dallas, Texas. I founded this company with one clear mission: to provide 24/7 emergency plumbing services in moments when delays can mean disaster. Too often, clients discover that advertised “emergency” services are unavailable during nights, weekends, or holidays. My commitment has always been to ensure that when families or businesses face a crisis, someone shows up – immediately, day or night.
Currently, 40-50% of all service calls we handle are true emergencies – burst pipes, severe leaks, and sewer backups – many of which occur outside of regular business hours. With our 24/7 availability, we maintain an average arrival time of just 20–30 minutes from the client’s call to a licensed plumber on site, which often determines whether damage is contained or escalates into a health and financial catastrophe.
During severe winter freezes in North Texas, when widespread pipe failures affected thousands of households and businesses, FPP Plumbing was among the very few companies able to respond immediately, including overnight. We helped homeowners stop flooding before it destroyed their property, supported restaurants that could not afford to close, and provided critical backup for property management companies overseeing hundreds of units as well as restoration companies addressing water damage. This consistent record of rapid intervention demonstrates both the demand for my work and its significance to community safety, infrastructure protection, and economic stability.
At a time when the United States faces a well-documented shortage of skilled plumbing professionals, the need for reliable 24/7 emergency plumbing services is greater than ever. My goal is to expand this model throughout Texas and, in the long term, replicate it nationwide to ensure communities across the U.S. have access to rapid, life-saving plumbing response.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
One moment that really shaped how I see the world was realizing how differently people react when something unexpected happens. I remember being young and seeing a situation where everything suddenly went wrong – nothing dramatic, but enough to throw people off. Most of the crowd froze, overthinking what to do, waiting for someone else to step up. But one person didn’t hesitate. They acted quickly, and within minutes the problem that felt overwhelming was already under control.
That left a deep impression on me. I saw that hesitation almost always makes things worse, while action, even if imperfect, changes everything. Since then, I’ve tried to live by that lesson myself. Even when it feels scary or uncomfortable, I push myself to act – and most of the time, the result is far better than I imagined.
Over the years, I’ve come to believe this is what separates successful people from everyone else. Success isn’t about waiting for the perfect moment – it’s about moving forward when others hold back. That mindset defines how I approach challenges in my own life: while others stop, I act. And that difference often decides the outcome.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Success is fast feedback. It pats you on the back and moves on. The tougher seasons do something different – they slow you down and make you look in the mirror. What they taught me isn’t dramatic; it’s practical. I learned to measure progress by habits, not headlines. Ten quiet, consistent days will beat one loud win every time.
Hard stretches taught me discipline without an audience. Show up on the days you don’t feel like it. Do the boring reps. Double-check the small things because small things turn into big things. They also taught me to say ‘I don’t know’ sooner – then go learn it and come back better. That one shift builds more competence than pretending you have all the answers.
Another lesson was listening. When things are tense, people don’t need speeches; they need to feel heard. I learned to slow my voice, ask one more question, and solve the root, not just the symptom. Owning mistakes came with that too. If I missed something, I fix it and make a note so it doesn’t happen twice. That’s how standards are built – not by slogans, but by corrections you actually keep.
Struggle also reset how I treat time and promises. Be early. Keep your word. Finish what you start. Those habits aren’t flashy, but they turn into trust – and trust is the only currency that compounds forever. It’s the reason people work with you again, recommend you, and believe you when you say you’ll handle it.
And there’s a leadership piece: tough seasons taught me to invest in people and in systems. Share what you know. Write it down. Train someone else to do it right. If good work only happens when you’re in the room, that’s not resilience – that’s luck. Real resilience is when the standard holds even when no one is watching.
So what did hardship give me that success never did? Patience for the long game. Uncompromising standards. The humility to learn, the honesty to own it, and the steadiness to finish. Success is a snapshot; struggle is the long exposure that develops character. That’s the part you can build a life – and a company – on.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
One belief I hold onto, no matter how long it takes, is that our industry has a serious gap – and it needs to be filled. Routine plumbing takes care of maintenance, and many companies advertise emergency services, but when a real crisis hits, too often people are left with nobody answering. That gap between everyday service and true emergency response is what I’ve dedicated myself to closing.
FPP Plumbing was built on the idea that reliability isn’t a luxury – it’s a lifeline. When a family wakes up to water pouring through the ceiling, or when a commercial building loses water service, people don’t need a slogan, they need someone to act. And acting fast matters. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) warns that wet or damp areas should be dried within 24-48 hours to prevent mold growth ( https://www.epa.gov/mold/brief-guide-mold-moisture-and-your-home ). Mold doesn’t just leave stains on walls – it spreads quickly, threatens health, and leads to expensive structural repairs. Every extra hour of delay raises the risk that a small plumbing issue will turn into long-term damage.
That’s why our principle is simple: we show up before the problem becomes something much bigger. Our clients tell us again and again that what they value most is not just the repair, but the peace of mind of knowing they won’t be left alone when a crisis hits. For me, that reliability is the foundation of our work, and it’s the project I’m committed to building for the long term.
Looking ahead, my vision is to expand this model step by step into a franchise across Texas and eventually nationwide. It won’t be quick, but it’s worth it – because every community deserves access to emergency plumbing that actually delivers. Closing this gap, and helping people avoid the health risks and costs that come with neglect, isn’t just a business plan. It’s a mission.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I want people to say we were the team that actually showed up and did the work – every time. Over the years in North Dallas, we’ve built a reputation the slow way: call by call, fix by fix, referral by referral. Our clients keep our number saved because they know what to expect from us – we answer, we explain, we solve the root of the problem, and we follow through. The reviews and word-of-mouth reflect it, but more than that, the repeat calls do. People come back because reliability isn’t a slogan for us; it’s a habit.
If we disappeared tomorrow, a lot of households and commercial spaces would feel that absence right away. Homeowners would lose the crew they trust to pick up at odd hours. Property managers would lose the team that keeps buildings running. Shops, clinics, salons – the places that keep a neighborhood alive – would lose a safety net they’ve come to rely on. Our clients tell us this all the time: ‘We count on you because you do what you say you’ll do.’ That’s the kind of dependence you earn only by delivering, not promising.
To me, that’s the legacy worth leaving: a community of satisfied clients who know they can count on us 100%, and a clear standard for what “emergency service” should mean in real life – not marketing, but response; not talk, but results. We’ve turned that into our culture and our system so it outlives any one person. If people remember us for setting that bar – for making dependable help the norm rather than the exception – I’ll consider the work well done.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://fppplumbing.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fpp_plumbing/profilecard/?igsh=eWl5OWNqMWc1cjNi
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/denys-kavaler-504698310
- Twitter: https://x.com/fpp_plumbing
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/FPP-Plumbing/61561826846359/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/fpp-plumbing-plano-2
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@fpp_plumbing
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@fpp_plumbing?_t=ZP-8sBYYN2sjp1&_r=1
