Many companies talk about doing business the "old-fashioned way" by paying particular attention to customer service while at the same time keeping costs down.

At Coral Gables Plumbing, on the other hand, they never had to re-learn that particular trait because they never stopped in the first place.

Coral Gables Plumbing, which opened in 1926, is almost as old as South Florida itself. However, the company is about to make a change that will drastically improve its already excellent service. It will be moving to a new facility at 13101 SW 87 Ave.

The new location will enable the firm to continue providing the same great service to customers in Coral Gables while also reducing costs and improving service to customers in south Miami-Dade County from a more central location.

The same family has owned Coral Gables Plumbing since 1947 when it was purchased by Edward Carl Swanson and Helen Mary Swanson. The Swansons lived in Coral Gables and were prominent members of that community.

Now it is owned by their son Rick Swanson, and his son Brandon is the service manager. Until recently, Larry Swanson, Rick's brother, was the co-owner until he retired. In addition to Brandon, Rick Swanson has three children, Bowman and Wyatt, his two youngest, and Heather, who teaches English as a Second Language at FIU.

Brandon Swanson, who attended Coral Gables Senior High and has worked his way up through the company, believes the reason for Coral Gables Plumbing's lasting success is simple.

"We try to go above and beyond what you've come to expect from companies these days, whether it's coming up with a hard-to-find part or doing the most extensive repairs. We really try and do business the old-fashioned way, with customer service as the backbone, and we won't be happy until our customer is completely satisfied," he said.

It takes a staff dedicated to this premise to ensure their continued success, and Coral Gables Plumbing has assembled such a group. From the office staff, to the plumber's assistants, to the plumbers, the staff is committed to customer service.

And the new facility will enable them to give even better service without passing the price tag on to the customers.

"We had outgrown this building [4119 Ponce de Leon, their home since 1965] and we were expanding as a company," Swanson said. "The new facility will have two buildings and a new showroom with an even bigger inventory. And we will still be able to take care of our customers in the Gables, while being closer to our customers in the Pinecrest area and south to Homestead, two fast-growing areas that have become our leading secondary markets.

"Coral Gables itself had just become too expensive for us," he continued, "especially with the mall going in across the street. And, by moving we can keep our costs down and, as a result, our customer's costs down as well."

Coral Gables Plumbing's regular service hours are from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. but the company also offers 24-hour emergency service. The company works strictly on residential and commercial repair and service and does no new construction. That includes all pumps and water softeners, as well as water treatment and purification systems.

"We do complete residential repair and remodeling, specializing in older items or designs that might be hard to find," Swanson explained. "We have one of the broadest, most detailed parts counters in all of Miami-Dade. If you are looking for older, antique, or hard-to-find models, we're the ones to turn to."

Ralph Callendar, field manager, has been with the company for 25 years and encourages the attention to detail that typifies the company's work.

"Ralph doesn't go out and do a job, it's like an art form to him," Swanson said. "He's a true perfectionist. We have customers that have been with us for 50 years and that's no accident. We want everything done to your total satisfaction and we want you to feel like if you're not totally satisfied you can call and know that we'll take care of the problem immediately. That's the way we've always done business." .