NNThe secret to their success after more than a half-century of plumbing? "I think we provide a service that is fair," Craig said. "We treat people's homes as if we are working in our own home." It didn't hurt that Craig could name his son Ted. "His name was already on the truck."
NNOver the years, the Deans have seen their business grow and about 90 percent of their business is repeat customers. Chuck Hansen, a longtime Whittier resident, is one of them. He has called on the Deans to fix a variety of plumbing problems over the years. "They're straight-forward," he said. "We have found them to be dependable. I know their work will be good."
NNIt is work Craig and Ted see as not only a way to carry on the business but something they find fulfilling. After working as a journeyman plumber and learning from his father, Craig saw plumbing as his best option for making a living. He knows it so well, he teaches it as an adjunct faculty member at L.A. Technical College.
NNThird generation Ted attended Cal Poly Pomona. He considered law enforcement but the family business emerged as the best and most satisfying option. "It made the most sense," he said, "and I wanted to carry on the legacy my grandfather started."
NNTed remembers as a 6-year-old riding in the truck with his father and helping clean a sewer or lift a hot-water heater. The idea of being able to fix something, to be there to diagnose the problem and then do the repair, was appealing.
NNCraig Dean sees a bright future that includes an increasing demand for green plumbing services (both Deans are accredited green plumbers.) Ted Dean Plumbing plans to continue serving Whittier for generations to come.
NNTed Dean Plumbing has been repairing leaky faucets, fixing faulty toilets, cleaning clogged drains and installing water heaters in Whittier for three generations.
NNThe original Ted Dean started the home based business in 1957. Then it went to Craig Dean and the third generation is Craig's son, Ted. The chain of plumbers has made for a good living, one that caters to repeat customers who have come to know them by word-of-mouth.
