100 homes and counting: Ipplepen plumber fits 100th boiler in his home town

8th December 2021

Doug Bacchus of Doug Bacchus Plumbing & Heating Services has celebrated his one hundredth boiler installation in his village of Ipplepen, near Newton Abbot in Devon.

Over the course of just nine and a half years, Bacchus has fitted boilers in one in 10 homes in the village of 2,400 people. In fact, of the 100 boilers – all manufactured by family-owned heating company Viessmann and most purchased from Plumbase in Torquay – nearly one third have been installed in Bacchus’ own road!

“I’ve lived in Ipplepen for 23 years, and I love being part of the community here,” says Bacchus. “Any job is really important, but when it comes to helping your friends and neighbours, it’s that bit more personal. I feel so proud to have been chosen by so many Ipplepen residents over the years, and to celebrate this milestone is really touching.”

The 100th installation took place in a three-bedroom barn conversion, owned by the Cox family, on the outskirts of Ipplepen. The Viessmann Vitodens 111-W wall-mounted combi boiler selected is a model from the same product range as Bacchus uses in his own home: “I have seen from my own experience how reliable and cost-effective the Viessmann boilers are, and the quality of the products really helps me know that I’m offering the best to my customers.”

At a time when so many small businesses rely on online presence and advertising to generate new business, it is referrals alone that have proven hugely successful for Bacchus. He continues, “I would say around 99 per cent of my work comes through word of mouth. And this was the case with the hundredth install, which came via referrals from two separate former customers.”

“As a small business, and especially when serving homes on my doorstep, I need to know I’m giving people exactly what they need. I believe using quality products and providing great service is what’s helped the company reach this success,” says Bacchus.

“There can be no better advertisement for our boilers than an installer like Doug who has such confidence in the technology that he fits so many of them so close to home,” commented Melissa Puryer, Viessmann Area Business Manager for the South West. “Imagine how awkward it would be to bump into dissatisfied neighbours in the street every morning! We think the people of Ipplepen are very lucky having Doug Bacchus on hand for all their heating needs.”

Doug set up his heating business in 2004. He employs Scott, his very first apprentice who joined the company over 15 years ago and Adam, who has been with Doug for over two years. Installer, Nick Andrews, and apprentice Louis Bacchus also joined the team this year.