Our story
A San Francisco family plumbing shop, since 1929.
Founded by Herman Lutz in 1929. Owned by the Hotarek family since 1982. Three things we do: plumbing, HVAC, and wellness solutions. All out of one shop on 17th Street.
In 1929, Herman Lutz opened a plumbing shop in San Francisco's North Beach. The country was days away from the Wall Street crash. The city was still wiring up neighborhoods rebuilt from the 1906 quake, and it needed plumbers who understood Victorian supply lines and cast-iron drains as well as the new municipal code.
Herman's work ethic was simple: get the call, show up, do it right, stand behind it. The business passed to his son Bill, who hired a young plumber named Jerry Hotarek. After years working alongside him, Jerry bought the shop from Bill in 1982. In 1983 we moved to our current home at 3123 17th Street. Lutz Bath & Kitchen opened in the same building in 1990. Jerry and Susie are still involved today, and their sons now run both sides of the business.
The tools have changed (thermal cameras, tankless boilers, heat-pump water heaters). The craftsmanship hasn't. That's the short version of why Lutz is still here.
Plumbing is personal
You're calling us into your home, often on a bad day, to look at something you didn't plan for. That deserves a real conversation, not a pitch.
When you call, we take the time to explain what's actually going on and what the real options are: the patch that holds for now, the repair that lasts, and what's honestly urgent versus what can wait a month. We don't push toward the most expensive fix, and we won't talk you into work you don't need. If a problem can't wait, we find room in the day.
It's the way this shop has always worked. Nearly a century later, it's the reason it's still here.
Heritage
Nearly a century serving San Francisco.
Herman Lutz founds Lutz Plumbing
Herman Lutz opens the shop in San Francisco's North Beach, serving a city still rebuilding from the 1906 quake.
Hotarek family takes ownership
Jerry Hotarek, a plumber who learned the trade working for Bill Lutz (Herman's son), buys the business from Bill and keeps the name and the craft intact.
Move to 17th Street
The shop relocates to 3123 17th Street, the Mission-adjacent address we still call home today.
Lutz Bath & Kitchen opens
Our showroom launches in the same building. Curated fixtures specified and installed by the Lutz Plumbing crew under the same roof.
Next generation at the helm
Jerry's sons now run Lutz Plumbing and Lutz Bath & Kitchen. Same family, same address, same commitment to getting the work right.
How we work
Principles we've held since 1929.
Licensed and accountable
Every technician is badged, insured, and trained on current code. Every job is permitted. No shortcuts.
Family-owned since 1929
A San Francisco shop under one family's ownership for over four decades, carrying the name and the standards Herman Lutz set nearly a century ago.
Craftsmanship over shortcuts
We won't take a job we can't do right. We will talk you out of work you don't need. That's how we've lasted this long.
Clean, respectful, tidy
Drop cloths, shoe covers, no radio blasting. Your home gets the same respect as our own.
Manufacturer credentials
Authorized to service the brands we install.
As a factory-trained Authorized Service Representative, we're certified to repair and maintain premium fixtures, wellness systems, and water heating equipment, with manufacturer warranties intact.
Fixtures
Toilets, faucets, bidets, and luxury bath fixtures.
Ready for service that still means something?
Whether it's an emergency or a planned remodel, we'd be honored to help.