Quick Comparison
| Firm | Founded / Tenure & Credentials | Services & Specialties | Geographic Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hertel Hardware & Plumbing Company, Inc. | 1927 (incorporated 1927-01-01); current President Anthony "Tony" M. Christiano (Tony Jr also serves as President); Jessica Fuchs owner | Buffalo Plumbing Board license plus 8 additional licenses on file (BuildZoom verified active May 2025); BBB Accredited | 250 Ramsdell Avenue Buffalo base; Buffalo plus Erie County and Western New York |
| WNY Plumbing | 1960 (Richard Greene and brother Donald Greene founders); current owners Dan Greene and Barrett Greene; second-generation Greene family operation | NY Master Plumber, BBB Accredited | 487 Erie Street Lancaster NY base; Buffalo plus Lancaster, Cheektowaga, Clarence, Amherst, West Seneca, North Tonawanda |
| Musso Plumbing, Heating & Cooling, Inc. | 1974 (founder was youngest Master Plumber in New York at firm's launch; one truck and small office on Elmwood Avenue Kenmore); Renee Musso current owner; family-owned and operated | NY Master Plumber, BBB Accredited | Williamsville NY base; Buffalo plus Williamsville, Amherst, Tonawanda, North Tonawanda, Kenmore, Cheektowaga |
| Frank's Mr. Plumber | 1985 (Frank DiMaria founder, started at age 15 from his bedroom); General Manager Duane Stehlar; Frank DiMaria Jr promoted to General Manager (leadership transition); two-generation DiMaria family operation | NY Master Plumber, BBB Accredited | Tonawanda NY base; Buffalo plus Western New York metro coverage |
1. Hertel Hardware & Plumbing Company, Inc.
- Address: 250 Ramsdell Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14216
- Phone: (716) 875-5759
- Founder: Founder lineage 1927-01-01 incorporation; current President Anthony “Tony” M. Christiano; Tony Christiano Jr. serves as President; Jessica Fuchs owner
- Operating Since: 1927 (99 years; one of the longest continuously operating plumbing-and-hardware operators in Buffalo)
- License: Buffalo Plumbing Board licensure plus 8 additional licenses on file (active per BuildZoom May 2025 verification); BBB Accredited
- Service area: Buffalo (North Buffalo, Hertel Avenue corridor, Allentown, Elmwood Village, Delaware Park, Riverside, Black Rock, Parkside) plus Erie County (Amherst, Tonawanda, Kenmore, Cheektowaga, West Seneca, Lackawanna)
- Website: hertelplumbing.com
99 Years of Continuous Buffalo Operation
Hertel Hardware & Plumbing Company was incorporated on January 1, 1927. Across 99 years of continuous family-owned operation, the firm has built a Buffalo institution combining plumbing service, heating, cooling, and a retail hardware supply line. Anthony M. Christiano serves as President with Tony Christiano Jr. also serving as President. Jessica Fuchs is listed as an owner. The firm’s 99-year operating tenure ranks Hertel among the longest-tenured family-owned plumbing operations in Western New York.
Ramsdell Avenue North Buffalo Base
The 250 Ramsdell Avenue Buffalo headquarters grounds the firm in north Buffalo near the Hertel Avenue commercial corridor (14216). The position opens rapid dispatch coverage across the North Buffalo neighborhoods plus the broader Erie County market. Service depth includes residential plumbing, commercial plumbing, heating service, air conditioning installation, and an integrated retail hardware supply storefront. The combined plumbing-plus-hardware operation supports walk-in repair-parts demand alongside dispatch service.
Buffalo Plumbing Board Plus 8-License Compliance Posture
Hertel Hardware & Plumbing operates under Buffalo Plumbing Board licensure with 8 additional licenses on file across plumbing, heating, hardware, and related trade categories. BuildZoom verified the license posture active as of May 2025. New York licensing for plumbers operates at the municipal level, with the City of Buffalo Plumbing Board issuing local credentials. BBB Accreditation provides third-party reputation verification.
2. WNY Plumbing
- Address: 487 Erie Street, Lancaster, NY 14086
- Phone: (716) 901-1500
- Founder: Richard Greene and brother Donald Greene (founded 1960); current owners Dan Greene and Barrett Greene (sons continuing the family business); second-generation Greene family operation
- Operating Since: 1960 (66 years)
- License: NY Master Plumber; BBB Accredited
- Service area: Buffalo plus Lancaster, Cheektowaga, Clarence, Amherst, West Seneca, North Tonawanda, East Amherst, Williamsville, Depew, Alden, Akron
- Website: wnyplumbing.com
Two Greene Family Generations Across 66 Years
Richard Greene and his brother Donald Greene founded WNY Plumbing in 1960. The firm built early scale through 1970s apartment-project work, including the Slate Bottom Creek and Garden Village Apartments contracts. The 1970s new-home construction boom across Cheektowaga, Lancaster, and Amherst drove additional growth. Today Dan Greene and Barrett Greene continue their father’s dream as second-generation owners, supporting 66 years of continuous Greene family ownership.
Erie Street Lancaster Operating Base
The 487 Erie Street Lancaster headquarters speeds dispatch reach across the eastern Erie County corridor. Service extends through Buffalo plus Lancaster, Cheektowaga, Clarence, Amherst, West Seneca, North Tonawanda, East Amherst, Williamsville, Depew, Alden, and Akron. The position supports residential and commercial service across the Buffalo metro east-suburb arc.
NY Master Plumber Compliance and 66-Year Greene Family Tenure
WNY Plumbing operates under New York Master Plumber credentialing through Erie County and the City of Buffalo plumbing licensing frameworks. The 66-year continuous Greene family operating tenure plus second-generation ownership transition supports a verifiable compliance record. BBB Accreditation provides third-party reputation verification.
3. Musso Plumbing, Heating & Cooling, Inc.
- Address: Williamsville, NY (Buffalo metro service)
- Phone: (716) 632-1900
- Founder: Mr. Musso (founded 1974 as youngest Master Plumber in New York at the time; started with one truck and small office on Elmwood Avenue in Kenmore); Renee Musso current owner; family-owned and operated
- Operating Since: 1974 (52 years)
- License: NY Master Plumber; BBB Accredited
- Service area: Buffalo plus Williamsville, Amherst, Tonawanda, North Tonawanda, Kenmore, Cheektowaga, Lancaster, Clarence, East Amherst, Depew
- Website: gomusso.com
52 Years of Continuous Musso Family Operation
Mr. Musso founded Musso Plumbing in 1974 with a single truck and a small office on Elmwood Avenue in Kenmore. At the time of founding, Mr. Musso held the distinction of being the youngest Master Plumber in the State of New York. Across 52 years of continuous family-owned operation, the firm has grown from one truck to a Williamsville-based operator covering Buffalo plus the eastern and northern Erie County suburban arc. Renee Musso continues as current owner.
Williamsville Operating Base With Buffalo Reach
The Williamsville headquarters enables rapid dispatch across Buffalo plus the eastern and northern Erie County suburban corridor. Service extends through Williamsville, Amherst, Tonawanda, North Tonawanda, Kenmore, Cheektowaga, Lancaster, Clarence, East Amherst, and Depew. Multi-trade depth covers plumbing, heating, and cooling service for residential and commercial customers.
NY Master Plumber Compliance Plus 52-Year Family Tenure
Musso Plumbing operates under New York Master Plumber credentialing through the City of Buffalo and Erie County plumbing licensing frameworks. Founder’s 1974 youngest-Master-Plumber-in-New-York status places the firm’s trade-credentialing depth. BBB Accreditation provides third-party reputation verification. Continuous Musso family ownership across 52 years supports a verifiable compliance record.
4. Frank’s Mr. Plumber
- Address: Tonawanda, NY (Buffalo metro service)
- Phone: (716) 694-8524
- Founder: Frank DiMaria (founded 1985 from his bedroom at age 15); General Manager Duane Stehlar; Frank DiMaria Jr (age 30) promoted to General Manager (second-generation leadership transition in progress); two-generation DiMaria family operation
- Operating Since: 1985 (41 years; “rooted in Buffalo for over four decades”)
- License: NY Master Plumber; BBB Accredited
- Service area: Buffalo plus Tonawanda, North Tonawanda, Amherst, Williamsville, Kenmore, Cheektowaga, Lancaster, West Seneca, Hamburg, Orchard Park, East Amherst
- Website: callmrplumber.com
41 Years of DiMaria Family Operation From Bedroom Origin
Frank DiMaria founded Frank’s Mr. Plumber in 1985 at age 15, starting from his bedroom. Across 41 years of continuous DiMaria family ownership, the firm has grown from a one-person teen-launched operation to a Tonawanda warehouse-rooted operator that recently tripled its space. Duane Stehlar serves as General Manager. Frank DiMaria Jr (age 30) was recently promoted to General Manager, marking the second-generation leadership transition. The firm carries lifelong Western New York founder roots.
Tonawanda NY Base With Buffalo Metro Reach
The Tonawanda warehouse headquarters extends dispatch reach across the Buffalo metro footprint. Service extends through Buffalo plus Tonawanda, North Tonawanda, Amherst, Williamsville, Kenmore, Cheektowaga, Lancaster, West Seneca, Hamburg, Orchard Park, and East Amherst. The expanded warehouse position supports increased dispatch capacity across the four-decade-grown service operation.
NY Master Plumber Plus Second-Generation DiMaria Transition
Frank’s Mr. Plumber operates under New York Master Plumber credentialing through the City of Buffalo and Erie County plumbing licensing frameworks. The second-generation DiMaria family transition (Frank DiMaria Jr to General Manager) supports continuous family-line operating succession. BBB Accreditation provides third-party reputation verification.
Reference Notes
New York plumbing licensing operates at the municipal and county level, not statewide. The City of Buffalo Plumbing Board issues plumbing credentials within Buffalo city limits. Erie County maintains additional credentialing requirements for unincorporated and suburban work. Verification runs through the City of Buffalo Department of Permit and Inspection Services. The City of Buffalo Department of Public Works handles water service connections plus annual backflow-prevention testing across the Buffalo public-water system. Suburban Erie County water districts maintain separate connection-and-testing protocols.
Buffalo-area residential housing reflects more than 200 years of construction since the city’s 1816 incorporation. Pre-1850 housing remains in Allentown, the Cobblestone District, and the historic downtown core. The 1850-1920 streetcar-suburb expansion built out Allentown, Elmwood Village, Delaware Park, Hertel Avenue, North Buffalo, Riverside, Black Rock, Parkside, and the Polish East Side. Pre-war Tudor-revival, Colonial-revival, and craftsman housing filled out 1900-1940 across Parkside, Delaware Park, North Buffalo, and the Hertel corridor. Postwar tract construction built out Cheektowaga, Tonawanda, Kenmore, Amherst, and the Erie County suburban ring through 1945-1980. The 1980s-2000s drove the Williamsville, Clarence, East Amherst, and outer Erie County suburban expansion. Cast-iron drain stacks, galvanized supply piping, lead service lines in pre-1940 housing, steam-and-radiator boilers, and Lake Erie freeze-burst considerations shape recurring service categories.
The four firms profiled cover four positions on the Buffalo market arc. Hertel Hardware & Plumbing leads tenure with 99 years of continuous family-owned operation since 1927-01-01 incorporation. President Tony Christiano (and Tony Jr) plus owner Jessica Fuchs currently lead the firm from a Ramsdell Avenue North Buffalo base. WNY Plumbing follows with two Greene family generations since brothers Richard and Donald Greene founded the firm in 1960. Sons Dan and Barrett Greene now own the firm. Musso Plumbing brings 52 years of family-owned operation since the firm’s 1974 founding by Mr. Musso, who was the youngest Master Plumber in New York at the time. Frank’s Mr. Plumber runs 41 years of DiMaria family operation since Frank DiMaria’s 1985 founding at age 15. Frank DiMaria Jr’s recent General Manager promotion marks the second-generation transition.
Verification paths run through the City of Buffalo Department of Permit and Inspection Services, BBB Upstate New York listings, the PHCC of Western New York directory, and the Erie County contractor records. Pre-1900 Allentown, Cobblestone District, and downtown Buffalo housing tilts toward Hertel’s 99-year operating depth. Two-generation eastern Erie County residential and commercial service since 1960 fits WNY Plumbing. Williamsville-area plumbing-and-HVAC service since 1974 fits Musso Plumbing. Two-generation Tonawanda-and-Buffalo metro service since 1985 fits Frank’s Mr. Plumber. National rollup brands operating in Western New York (Authority Brands’ Benjamin Franklin Plumbing, Neighborly’s Mr. Rooter, Service Experts, Roto-Rooter, Wrench Group, Redwood Services, Master Trades Group, ARS, Apex Service Partners, Turnpoint Services) sit outside the four-firm independent profile.
Selection Methodology
Selection follows four criteria. First, continuous family ownership or founder-operator continuity outside the national rollup pattern. Second, verifiable City of Buffalo Plumbing Board or Erie County plumbing license cross-checked through the appropriate municipal lookup. Third, BBB Accreditation or equivalent third-party rating. Fourth, minimum 10-year continuous operating tenure with documented Buffalo service coverage. Firms acquired by national franchise networks (Authority Brands’ Benjamin Franklin Plumbing, Neighborly’s Mr. Rooter, Service Experts, Roto-Rooter, Wrench Group, Redwood Services, Master Trades Group, ARS, Turnpoint Services) are excluded.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I verify a Buffalo plumber’s license?
Use the City of Buffalo Department of Permit and Inspection Services contractor records. The City of Buffalo Plumbing Board issues local plumbing credentials. Erie County maintains separate registration for suburban work. Confirm active credentialing, bonding, and insurance before authorizing work.
What credentials should a Buffalo plumber hold?
At minimum: City of Buffalo Plumbing Board credential plus general liability insurance and workers’ compensation coverage. Suburban Erie County work may require additional county-level registration. Specialty work (gas line, backflow prevention, fire sprinkler, sewer lateral, boiler service) requires additional credential layers.
How can I tell if a Buffalo plumber is locally owned versus a national rollup?
Check ownership disclosures and acquisition history. National franchise brands typically operate under parent-company branding. Search the firm name plus “acquired” or “parent company” to surface ownership structure. The four firms in this directory all run as independent locally-owned operators.
When should I call an emergency plumber in Buffalo?
Burst pipes, sewer backups, gas leaks, no-water events, frozen-pipe events, and water heater failures justify after-hours dispatch. Lake Erie winter snaps drive freeze-burst pipe demand across Western New York. Each firm in this directory offers either 24/7 emergency service or structured after-hours response.
Editorial Note
Compiled by the editorial team. Firm details cross-verified through municipal license records, BBB business profiles, and firm-published websites where available. License credentials should be re-verified through the City of Buffalo Department of Permit and Inspection Services before authorizing work. Information current as of the date below; firm details may change without notice. Last updated: 2026-05-10.