22/09/2026
Today marks 10 years since I took over our family business, becoming the fourth generation of Riches Plumbing here in Canterbury.
It’s a milestone I’m incredibly proud of.
Our family has been in the plumbing industry since 1920, and being able to continue something that generations of my family have built before me means a hell of a lot. A huge thank you has to go to my father, who was the third generation of our family business. Dad carried the Riches Plumbing name before me and I’m extremely proud to have followed in his footsteps and continued what our family started more than a century ago.
I also want to acknowledge my former boss and mentor, Russell Bates, who passed away recently.
My mum, who was always one of my biggest supporters. Sadly, she’s no longer here to see this milestone, but I know how much she believed in me and supported what I was doing. I hope she’d be looking down today feeling pretty proud of what we’ve achieved and where the family business is now.
This year, our tenth year in business, has been our hardest year yet. Because of that, I want to make a special and heartfelt thank you to Nicolette Barrett and my cousin Andrew Riches for the part they played in supporting our business through one of the hardest times we’ve ever had. Their support meant a huge amount to me and to our business, and it’s something I won’t forget.
Running a small business isn’t always what people see from the outside. There are long days, early starts, late finishes, cash-flow stress, endless paperwork, and plenty of times when the phone simply doesn’t stop ringing. But through all of that, I’ve genuinely enjoyed what we’ve been doing, and I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve managed to build.
I’m especially proud of the team we have today. I genuinely believe we have the best plumbers Canterbury has to offer. They’re a great group of people who care about the job they do, care about our clients and take real pride in their work. The standard they deliver day in and day out is a huge part of the reputation Riches Plumbing has today, and I couldn’t be prouder of the team we’ve built.
To all of our clients, suppliers, builders, contractors and everyone we’ve worked alongside over the last decade — thank you.
Some of our clients have been with us for many years, and some, in fact, have been clients of our family for three generations. That sort of loyalty is pretty special, and it’s something I’ll never take for granted.
And to my two boys — I’m sorry that Dad’s phone rings on weekends, that work sometimes follows us home, and that there are times when Dad has to work when he’d much rather be with you. A big part of why I work as hard as I do is for you both, and to give you and our family the best life I possibly can.
Ten years has gone incredibly quickly.
It hasn’t always been easy, but looking at Riches Plumbing today, I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve built, the people we have around us, and the reputation our family name continues to have in Canterbury.
And lastly, but most importantly, my wife Laura.
Laura does a huge amount behind the scenes. She puts up with my long hours, my late-night phone calls, and even the phone ringing when we’re supposed to be away enjoying a family holiday.
She’s supported me and the business through everything that comes our way, and quite simply, we wouldn’t be where we are today without her.
So to my family, our team, our clients, our suppliers, and my friends who have supported me along the way — you know who you are — thank you.
I’m incredibly proud to be the fourth generation of our family business, and I’m looking forward to seeing what the next 10 years bring.
Dale Riches
Riches Plumbing 💧
