Advanced Plumbing and Rooter Service

Bill Van Mastrigt: Keeping the Faith  

By Matt Solis, Editor

From the quiet serenity of his home in Castro Valley, Bill Van Mastrigt reflects on a journey that took him from the structured life of the U.S. Air Force to the entrepreneurial world of plumbing. “I spent four years in the military and then went to work for Shell in Martinez for about six years, but I decided it wasn’t for me,” he remembers. “I ended up at a small plumbing company in Concord, and that’s what really got my foot in the door.”

Driven by a belief in his personal capabilities and independence, Bill eventually decided to venture out on his own. “I’ve always been the kind of person who believes I can do it better by myself, so when a friend of mine told me he was retiring, I decided to buy his company,” he explains. “The timing just felt right. I had recently earned my plumbing license but I didn’t know much about running a business, so I just took it upon myself to go out there and figure it out.”

Today, Advanced Plumbing and Rooter Service is testament to Bill’s commitment to growth—not just in business terms, but also in the personal and professional development of his team. “I really enjoy how much the company has grown,” he affirms. “Our technicians are really good at what they do, so I love seeing them grow in their professional lives and look at this place like a long-term career investment.” 

Bill’s dedication extends beyond the professional sphere—as a father, husband and Christian, he’s deeply invested in his family and community. “My wife and I have been married for 18 years and we have four kids, so family is very important to me,” he says. “We do a lot of outdoor activities like fishing, paddleboarding, swimming…anything that lets us have a good time on the water.”

Bill’s commitment to his community is evident through Advanced Plumbing and Rooter Service’s efforts to support local initiatives. “Through my church in Alamo, we’ve been able to set aside funds to send underprivileged kids to a Christian summer camp every year,” he explains. “It’s anonymous so they don’t know it’s coming from us, but we feel like it’s the right thing to do. We actually just partnered with a local electrical company to meet the church’s entire camp goal for the year, so that’s something I’m really proud of.”

In terms of a personal or professional philosophy, Bill believes in the importance of doing the right thing. “I always tell my guys, ‘How you live your life is how you do everything,’ so if you’re OK with your truck being a mess, you’ll probably be OK with putting less effort into a job,” he offers. “If you focus on taking care of your personal actions, that will carry over into how you treat others.”

When asked what his life might look like if he retired tomorrow, Bill says he would take advantage of the free time to see more of the world. “We have a motor home and we love going to national parks and seeing new places, so we would definitely travel more. My wife is big on long-distance travel, so we would probably take a trip to Europe or Central America as well.”

Ask Me Anything!

Q: If you could immediately travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?

A: Norway. I’ve been once before to visit relatives and it’s one of my favorite places in the world. I would also like to go to Switzerland again.

Q: Would you ever skydive?

A: Maybe when I was younger. I used to be more adventurous than I am now.

Q: What’s your earliest memory?

A: Walking in the woods with my grandfather near a cabin that we used to have. He would show me the trees and talk to me about the plants.

Q: What’s your favorite thing to do on a rainy day?

A: Making a fire in our wood-burning stove and hanging out with my family.