Quick Comparison
| Firm | Founded / Tenure & Credentials | Services & Specialties | Geographic Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| A T Large Plumbing & Heating | 1955 (originally Butt Plumbing & Heating); 1971 Alfred Large acquisition; 2016 DBA A T Large; four Large generations | VA DPOR Master Plumber, BBB Accredited | Bowland Parkway base in Virginia Beach (23454); VB, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Hampton Roads |
| Atomic Plumbing & Drain Cleaning | 1968 (James F. Lane founder; Jim Steinle ownership 1986) | VA DPOR #2701032060, BBB Accredited | London Bridge Road base in Virginia Beach; Norfolk, VB, Chesapeake |
| Atlantic Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning | 1977 (Tom Hartman founder; current owner son Jordan Hartman); two Hartman generations | VA DPOR Master Plumber and HVAC, BBB Accredited | Hampton headquarters; Hampton Roads (Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, VB) |
| Tony & Son Plumbing | 1981 (Tony Sr. founder; current owner-operator Tony with father-to-son trade transmission); Master Plumber and Gas Certified since 1998 | VA DPOR Master Plumber, VA Gas Certified | Virginia Beach service base; Norfolk, Chesapeake, Suffolk, Portsmouth |
1. A T Large Plumbing & Heating
- Address: 2425 Bowland Parkway, Suite 109, Virginia Beach, VA 23454
- Phone: (757) 481-9700
- Founder: Original 1955 founding as Butt Plumbing & Heating, Inc.; Alfred Large acquired the firm in 1971 (after completing his plumbing apprenticeship in 1964); current owners Alfred T. Large Sr, plus son Alfred T. Large Jr. (Ted); fourth Large family generation Gabe (Ted’s son) joined in 2011
- Operating Since: 1955 (71 years); four Large family generations after the 1971 acquisition; renamed DBA A T Large Plumbing effective January 1, 2016
- License: Virginia DPOR Master Plumber; BBB Accredited
- Service area: Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Hampton, Newport News, Williamsburg, Yorktown, Smithfield
- Website: atlargeplumbing.com
Four Large Generations Across the Original 1955 Predecessor
The firm started in 1955 as Butt Plumbing & Heating. Alfred Large completed his plumbing apprenticeship in 1964. He purchased the company in 1971. His son Alfred T. Large Jr. (Ted) joined the operation. In 2011, Ted’s son Gabe became the fourth-generation Large plumber on the team. The DBA changed to A T Large Plumbing on January 1, 2016. The 71-year tenure is Hampton Roads’s longest continuous plumbing operation.
Bowland Parkway Base and Hampton Roads Coverage
The 2425 Bowland Parkway headquarters sits in Virginia Beach (zip 23454) near the Lynnhaven corridor. Daily dispatch covers all of Hampton Roads. Service extends north into Newport News and Williamsburg. The firm handles residential and commercial plumbing across the diverse Hampton Roads housing stock from pre-war Norfolk neighborhoods through 1950s-1970s post-war Virginia Beach tract expansion through contemporary master-planned communities.
VA DPOR Master Plumber and BBB Accreditation
Virginia regulates plumbing through the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) (master plumber credentialing requires examination passage and continuing-education renewal. A T Large holds VA DPOR Master Plumber licensure plus BBB Accreditation through BBB Coastal Virginia. The four-generation operating tenure plus continuous DPOR credentialing across multiple Large family generations supports a verifiable multi-decade compliance record.
2. Atomic Plumbing & Drain Cleaning
- Address: 1377 London Bridge Road, Virginia Beach, VA
- Phone: (757) 448-3620
- Founder: James F. Lane (founded 1968 with two trucks); Jim Steinle joined the firm and took over operations in 1986 after Lane’s death; current President Jim Steinle
- Operating Since: 1968 (58 years); ownership transition from Lane to Steinle in 1986
- License: Virginia DPOR #2701032060 (renewal cycle through 6/30/2026); BBB Accredited
- Service area: Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Hampton, Newport News
- Website: atomicplumbing.com
James F. Lane Founding Through Jim Steinle Ownership
James F. Lane founded Atomic Plumbing in 1968 with only two trucks. Lane built the firm through the 1970s and into the early 1980s. Jim Steinle joined the operation and took over after Lane’s death in 1986. The 58-year operating tenure spans the Lane founder era and the Steinle ownership era. Steinle has now run the firm for 40 years. The 2006 relocation to the current 1377 London Bridge Road address consolidated operations into a permanent Virginia Beach base.
London Bridge Road Operating Base
The 1377 London Bridge Road headquarters sits in central Virginia Beach near the I-264 corridor. The position enables rapid dispatch into Norfolk west and Chesapeake south. Atomic Plumbing handles residential plumbing service, drain cleaning, water heater work, sewer service, and the broader plumbing-trade scope across Hampton Roads.
VA DPOR #2701032060 and Active Credential Status
Virginia DPOR License #2701032060 covers Atomic Plumbing’s Master Plumber credentialing. The active status runs through the 6/30/2026 renewal cycle. BBB Accreditation provides third-party reputation verification through BBB Coastal Virginia. The 58-year operating history plus continuous DPOR licensure provides verifiable multi-decade credential continuity.
3. Atlantic Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning
- Address: 609 Copeland Drive, Hampton, VA 23661
- Phone: (757) 595-0235
- Founder: Tom Hartman (founded 1977); current owner Tom’s son Jordan Hartman; two Hartman generations
- Operating Since: 1977 (49 years); two Hartman family generations
- License: Virginia DPOR Master Plumber and HVAC; BBB Accredited
- Service area: Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Yorktown, Williamsburg, Poquoson, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Suffolk
- Website: atlanticphac.com
Tom Hartman 1977 Founding Plus Jordan Hartman Succession
Tom Hartman founded Atlantic Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning in 1977. He built the firm from the ground up over five decades. His son Jordan Hartman now serves as current owner. The two-generation Hartman family operating succession preserves Tom’s founding principles of reliable craftsmanship plus trustworthy customer service. The 49-year operating tenure covers the Peninsula and Southside Hampton Roads residential markets.
Plumbing Plus HVAC Integrated Service Stack
Atlantic operates dual plumbing and HVAC service lines under separate Virginia DPOR classifications. The integrated stack supports residential customers needing plumbing service plus HVAC mechanical work under one operating relationship. The dual classification distinguishes Atlantic from plumbing-only or HVAC-only operators in the Hampton Roads market.
Hampton Headquarters and Peninsula-and-Southside Coverage
The Hampton operating base supports service across both sides of the Hampton Roads region. The Peninsula side covers Hampton, Newport News, Yorktown, Williamsburg, and Poquoson. The Southside extends through Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, and Suffolk. The two-generation operating depth supports service across the diverse Hampton Roads residential housing stock.
4. Tony & Son Plumbing
- Address: 3808 Highland Court, Virginia Beach, VA 23456
- Phone: (757) 567-7869
- Founder: Tony Senior (father, multi-decade Hampton Roads plumbing-trade career); current owner-operator Tony (son, learned the trade from his father)
- Operating Since: 1981 (45 years); two-generation Tony family operation; Tony holds Master Plumber and Gas Certified credentials since 1998
- License: Virginia DPOR Master Plumber; Virginia Gas Certified License (since 1998)
- Service area: Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Suffolk
- Website: tonyandsonplumbingva.com
Father-to-Son Trade Transmission Pattern
Tony Senior worked the Hampton Roads plumbing trade for decades. His son Tony learned the trade directly from him. Tony established Tony & Son Plumbing in 1981 carrying the family-trade transmission forward. Tony earned his Master Plumber license plus Gas Certified license in 1998. All work is performed by Tony directly, not subordinate technicians.
Owner-Operator Service Model
The owner-operator model means Tony performs all plumbing work in person. Customers interact directly with the senior decision-maker rather than a dispatcher. The 45-year operating record plus the deliberate small-firm scale supports tight quality control. The model differs from larger multi-truck dispatch operations.
Master Plumber Plus Gas Certified Credential Stack
Tony holds both Virginia DPOR Master Plumber licensure and Virginia Gas Certified credentialing since 1998. The dual credential covers plumbing service plus gas-line work for water heater hookup, gas appliance installation, and gas-line repair. Hampton Roads natural-gas distribution coverage is partial across the region. Some neighborhoods rely on propane or LP gas, which the Gas Certified credential supports.
Reference Notes
Virginia plumbing licensing runs through the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR). DPOR issues Master Plumber, Journeyman Plumber, and Apprentice Plumber credentials through sequentially numbered records. Verification runs through dpor.virginia.gov. Virginia Beach Building Inspections issues building permits within city limits. Hampton Roads Sanitation District (HRSD) handles regional wastewater service. Local water utilities (Virginia Beach Department of Public Utilities, Norfolk Department of Utilities, Chesapeake Department of Public Utilities) administer water service connections plus annual backflow-prevention testing.
Hampton Roads residential housing spans about 200 years. Pre-1900 colonial-period housing remains in Norfolk’s Ghent and West Ghent districts plus Williamsburg’s restored historic district. Norfolk’s Freemason and Downtown secure 19th-century commercial-and-residential cores. Virginia Beach’s Oceanfront and Cavalier-era resort housing dates to 1920-1940. Postwar tract expansion built out Aragona, Kings Grant, and the Hilltop corridor through 1950-1975. The 1980s-1990s drove the Princess Anne master-planned-community surge. Sandbridge and the southern Virginia Beach corridor extended outer-suburban growth. Coastal-corrosion exposure from saltwater plus annual hurricane-season flood risk shape recurring service categories: cast-iron drain replacement in pre-1960 stock, lead service line replacement in older Norfolk neighborhoods, and post-storm restoration plumbing.
The four firms profiled cover four positions on the Virginia Beach market arc. A T Large Plumbing & Heating leads tenure with its 1955 origin (originally Butt Plumbing & Heating, Inc.) and four Large family generations after Alfred Large’s 1971 acquisition. Gabe became the fourth-generation Large plumber in 2011. Atomic Plumbing & Drain Cleaning runs 58 years from James F. Lane’s 1968 founding through Jim Steinle’s 1986 ownership transition. The firm holds VA DPOR #2701032060. Atlantic Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning brings 49 years of Hartman family ownership across two generations (Tom 1977 founder, son Jordan current owner) plus a plumbing-and-HVAC integrated service stack. Tony & Son Plumbing operates as an owner-operator firm under Tony, who learned the trade directly from his father Tony Senior. Tony has held Master Plumber and Gas Certified credentials since 1998.
Verification paths run through dpor.virginia.gov, BBB Coastal Virginia listings, the PHCC of Virginia directory, and Virginia Beach Building Inspections contractor records. Pre-1960 Norfolk and Hampton historic housing tilts toward A T Large’s 71-year four-generation depth. Multi-decade Lane-and-Steinle service work fits Atomic. Plumbing-plus-HVAC integrated work fits Atlantic. Owner-operator gas-certified service fits Tony & Son.
Selection Methodology
Selection follows four criteria. First, continuous family ownership or founder-operator continuity outside the national rollup pattern. Second, verifiable Virginia DPOR Master Plumber license cross-checked via the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation public lookup. Third, BBB Accreditation or equivalent third-party rating. Fourth, minimum 10-year continuous operating tenure with documented Virginia Beach 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) are excluded.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I verify a Virginia Beach plumber’s license?
Use the Virginia DPOR public licensee database at dpor.virginia.gov. Search by license number or business name. Confirm active status, classification, bonding, and insurance before authorizing work.
What credentials should a Virginia Beach plumber hold?
At minimum: Virginia DPOR Master Plumber credential plus general liability insurance and workers’ compensation coverage. Specialty work (gas line, backflow prevention, fire sprinkler, sewer lateral) requires additional credential layers. Gas Certified is a separate Virginia credential beyond Master Plumber.
How can I tell if a Virginia Beach 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 Virginia Beach?
Burst pipes, sewer backups, gas leaks, no-water events, and water heater failures justify after-hours dispatch. Coastal-flood and hurricane events also drive emergency demand. 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 state license databases, BBB business profiles, and firm-published websites where available. License numbers should be re-verified through the Virginia DPOR public lookup before authorizing work. Information current as of the date below; firm details may change without notice. Last updated: 2026-05-10.