An HVAC Contractor Who 'Gets' the Future

Hi. I’m Trent, I run marketing at Harvest. and it’s time to get real: I’m fascinated by home contractors. They are the backbone of so much of our personal lives. They can make your life great; they can make your life hell.

Finding a great contractor is a bit like discovering a new underground band: they’re usually found by word of mouth (or, great marketing). “Have you met this amazing plumber? He actually answers the phone!” “Oh, don’t touch that electrician with a ten-foot pole.” “My roof guy is amazing, I’d have beers with him any day.” 

HVAC (that’s heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) contractors are the most intriguing of all: they ensure we’re comfortable 24/7/365. It’s a miracle that they can do what they do, in such a short amount of time. 

So it’s really nice that I get to talk to so many great contractors as a part of my day job. One of Harvest’s greatest contractor partners is Larratt Brothers Plumbing, based in San Francisco. LBP (as we call them) are innovators, they’re fast, and they’re reasonable - which is why I asked Aaron Gianni, who owns the joint, to chat with me about what it’s like from the contractor side to install Harvest. We think you might like this because, as home-dwellers, we rarely get a chance to see what makes these people tick. And, as it turns out, contractors are people too.

Without further ado:

Trent Wolbe: Aaron, tell me about where you are and what you do.

Aaron Gianni: I'm Aaron Gianni, owner of Larratt Brothers Plumbing in San Francisco.We have a habit of saying yes to things, which usually leads to good opportunities. I found Harvest on Instagram and reached out. We've installed many water heaters in recent years, and I've been looking for good solutions for radiant systems that hit all the rebates. We're pivoting towards more service and green technologies.

TW: How did you come into this job and the company?

AG: I got into plumbing in 2000. My family's been in trades and small businesses in San Francisco since the early 1900s. I worked for a large commercial plumbing company for 10 years before leaving, due to my entrepreneurial spirit. I met the Larratt brothers through the union. They were looking for a way to grow their business, and I was looking for a vehicle to do bigger business. We've grown the company 15x since 2015.

TW: You're a poster child for not going to college. Are you seeing a shift in the next generation towards trades to support electrification and climate change-focused skillsets?

AG: I've said for years that the worst part of my industry is the people who are my peers, because many just end up here. There's not a lot of 43-year-olds in the trades or running businesses like mine. To fill this void [in contractors], it'll take 10-15 years at least. There's more interest now, but training is hard. It takes 5 years of programs and 10,000 hours of on-site training to truly master the craft.

Regarding electrification, the cost is high partly because there are so few of us who care about new technology. Many contractors prefer easier, familiar jobs. To drive down costs and make it more competitive, we need more skilled installers.

TW: Let's talk about the skills needed to install a Harvest system. How do you combine HVAC, plumbing, and electrical work?

AG: For Harvest systems, having electrical, HVAC, and plumbing skills is crucial. It's even better if the company has its own electrical and HVAC licenses; otherwise, you're subcontracting. What I love about Harvest is that you innovate quickly based on installer feedback. For instance, I suggested creating wiring harnesses on the first install, and now you provide them. You also include extra clips and other improvements that make our job easier. It's different from every other manufacturer I deal with.

TW: Can you tell us about your skid development for Harvest systems?

AG: The idea for the skid came from recognizing that we needed to solve many problems with connectors and mounting. Previously, a typical install in a raw garage took two guys five days. We now create the skid in our warehouse in about two and a half hours, reducing the on-site install time to 32 hours (about 2 days for two guys).

This efficiency is crucial for programs like the one in Palo Alto, which requires restoring hot water within 48 hours. With the skid, I can restore hot water in under 48 hours, even if we need to come back to finish some radiant work. It's a fun puzzle to solve these challenges.

TW: Can you elaborate on the emergency hot water replacement program in Palo Alto?

AG: Palo Alto put out a request for proposals for installing water heaters in emergency situations within 48 hours. This is unique – nobody else in the state or country is doing this on any volume. Most programs involve temporary water heaters because the average install time for a heat pump water heater is six weeks.

We're using an app I created called Plunjr to streamline the intake process. It becomes the general contractor, handling communication between the homeowner, electrician, and us. We can do the intake, qualification, proposal, and even get variances within the 48-hour window.

We're offering instant rebates in Palo Alto, which is built into the price. We expect to install around a thousand water heaters there next year. Palo Alto is a great test case for the state because they control their own utilities. For example, we can get a panel upgrade within two weeks, compared to six months with PG&E.

TW: Thank you, Aaron. We're so lucky to have you as a partner.

AG: Can I say one more thing about Harvest Thermal? [editor’s note: I promise I did not pay Aaron to say this]

TW: Absolutely, please do. 

AG: I'm not incentivized by Harvest Thermal beyond a hat [editor’s note: OK, we DID give Aaron a free Harvest hat] and some qualified leads. Other companies like Bradford White offer trips to Europe for selling enough units. Yet, I'm more motivated to sell Harvest systems. You guys actually believe in what you're doing, whereas others are just making a product to sell.

I like Harvest better than every other traditional heat pump water heater. You've gone so far to reach out and ask what's obscure in the market. Your leadership from the top down believes in what they're doing, and it shows in the end product. The support I get as an installer is unheard of in the industry. Bradford White, for whom I sell thousands of water heaters, doesn't give me the support I get from you guys.

For these reasons, I wear your hat, do interviews with you, and advocate for you where I can. I think you guys are going to be really successful in the next five years.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

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