Today we’d like to introduce you to Victor Roa.
Hi Victor, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Twenty-three years ago, I started Hugo Plumbing with just one helper, one truck, and a dream to build something my family could be grateful for. Like many small business owners, I didn’t have investors or a detailed business plan. I simply had a strong work ethic, faith in God, and a desire to provide for my family while serving others with honesty and integrity.
The early years weren’t easy. There were long days, financial challenges, and many sacrifices. For nearly 10 years, it was just my helper and me doing every job we could. We worked hard, built relationships, and earned our customers’ trust one job at a time. We didn’t advertise—every customer came from referrals and word of mouth. Looking back, I believe that our customers became our greatest marketing team because they experienced quality work and honest service.
As our reputation continued to grow, we reached a point where we simply couldn’t keep up with the demand. We began hiring more technicians, and over the years Hugo Plumbing grew into a team of more than 20 employees. At that time, most of our work focused on commercial new construction and remodeling projects throughout the Houston area.
About five years ago, we made one of the biggest decisions in our company’s history by investing in marketing and expanding into residential plumbing service. My son, Isaac, became an important part of that journey by leading many of our marketing efforts and helping implement new technology and software that improved our customer experience and our day-to-day operations. It has been a blessing to watch the next generation become part of the business and help move it forward.
Then, just three months ago, after much prayer and careful planning, we made another major decision—we stepped away from commercial construction to focus entirely on residential plumbing service. It was a leap of faith, but it has already proven to be one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. We continue to grow, earn hundreds of five-star customer reviews, and build lasting relationships by providing honest recommendations, quality workmanship, and exceptional customer service.
Hugo Plumbing has always been a family-owned business, and we believe that every customer should be treated like family. We are greatful to be BBB Accredited with an A+ rating, and we are committed to maintaining the highest standards of professionalism and integrity. We are also feel good to be among the first—if not the first—plumbing service companies in Houston to operate an all-electric service fleet, reflecting our commitment to innovation and environmental responsibility.
One of the things I’m most grateful for isn’t just the growth of our company—it’s what that growth allows us to do for others. Through our nonprofit organization, Vida Mondo International, we help provide clean water, food, and sustainable resources to communities in need around the world while also serving families here in our local community. We believe that business should be about more than making a profit; it should also be about making a positive impact.
When I look back over the past 23 years, What started with one truck and one helper has grown into a thriving family business with an amazing team, loyal customers, and a purpose that extends far beyond plumbing. None of it would have been possible without God’s faithfulness, the support of my family, our dedicated employees, and the trust our customers have placed in us over the years.
As we look to the future, our mission remains the same: to serve every customer with honesty, excellence, and compassion while continuing to build a business that makes a lasting difference in our community and beyond.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Not smooth at all. It’s been a very challenging road.
There were many years where I worked extremely long hours—early mornings, late nights, and even weekends—just to keep things going. Because we were a small team, I often had to be on every job myself, which meant I missed a lot of time with my family. That was one of the hardest parts of building the business.
We also went through financial struggles, especially in the early years. There were times when customers would take a long time to pay, but I still had to make sure my employees were taken care of and paid on time. I remember a few situations where things were so tight that I had to borrow money from friends just to make payroll. Those were very stressful moments, but they also taught me a lot about perseverance and responsibility.
Looking back, those difficult seasons shaped me and the company. They taught me how to stay committed even when things were uncertain, and how to trust God through every challenge.
As you know, we’re big fans of Hugo Plumbing. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Hugo Plumbing is a family-owned residential plumbing service company based in Houston, Texas. Our focus is simple: provide honest, high-quality plumbing solutions while treating every customer with care, respect, and integrity.
Today, we specialize exclusively in residential plumbing service, which allows us to focus our attention on homeowners and their needs. We provide everything from leak detection and pipe repairs to water heater installation and replacement, drain cleaning, sewer line repairs, fixture upgrades, whole-home repiping, and emergency plumbing services.
One of the values that guides us is continuous improvement. I’ve never been very comfortable with the word “proud” because our goal has never been to feel that we are better than someone else. We don’t measure ourselves against other companies; we measure ourselves against where we were yesterday. We continually ask ourselves: What can we improve? How can we serve our customers better? How can we make the experience easier? At the end of the day, what gives me the greatest satisfaction is knowing that our team did the best we could and that tomorrow we can still find ways to do even better.
Honesty and communication are a big part of that philosophy. We don’t believe in unnecessary upselling or confusing customers with complicated technical terminology. We believe in honest recommendations, clear explanations, and making plumbing options as simple and easy to understand as possible. We want homeowners to understand what is happening in their home, what their options are, and why we are recommending a particular solution so they can make an informed decision.
Plumbing also comes with uncertainties. Pipes can be underground, behind walls, or beneath a home, and sometimes you don’t know exactly what you’re going to find until the work begins. When an unexpected condition changes the original plan, our priority is not to avoid the problem or make things difficult for the homeowner. We step up, explain clearly what we found, and work with the customer to find the best way to make it right. We believe the customer shouldn’t have to carry the stress of figuring everything out—we’re there to help solve the problem.
That approach has helped us earn hundreds of five-star reviews and, more importantly, long-term trust from families throughout the Houston area. We are also grateful to be BBB Accredited with an A+ rating. We see those things not as a reason to stop and celebrate what we’ve accomplished, but as a responsibility to continue earning that trust with every customer we serve.
What makes Hugo Plumbing unique is the combination of traditional family-business values with a willingness to embrace change and innovation. We believe in showing up, keeping our word, standing behind our work, and treating people fairly. At the same time, we continue investing in technology, training, and systems that can improve the customer experience. That includes digital scheduling and communication as well as our all-electric service fleet, which represents another step toward cleaner energy and the kind of company we want to build for the future.
At the heart of everything, though, are people. Our technicians and office team understand that we’re not simply repairing a pipe, clearing a drain, or installing a water heater. We’re entering someone’s home, often at a stressful moment, and they’re trusting us to help them. We never want to take that trust for granted.
For me, Hugo Plumbing has never been about trying to become better than everyone else. It’s about becoming better than we were yesterday. If we can continue improving, taking care of our customers, supporting our team, standing behind our work, and serving our community with integrity, faith, and purpose, then I feel we’re moving in the right direction.
Ultimately, we want people to remember Hugo Plumbing not only for the plumbing work we performed, but for how we treated them while we were there.
What does success mean to you?
I believe success is fulfilling your purpose. It is never about yourself; it is about serving others and doing God’s will. True success is using the gifts you’ve been given to make a positive impact, to serve people with integrity, and to honor God in everything you do.
Pricing:
- camera and drain service $150
- $50 off any service
- $30 off Fixture Install
- $200 off water Heater Installation
- $500 off whole House repipe
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Hugoplumbingtx.com
- Instagram: @hugoplumbingtx.com
- Facebook: Hugo Plumbing
