A factual timeline of the Encinitas Plumbing name and its origins in Encinitas, California
Homeowners deserve to know exactly who they are hiring.
Over the past several decades, multiple plumbing businesses have operated in north San Diego County using similar names, including Encinitas Plumbing and Encinitas Plumbing & Drain. As companies formed, changed ownership, were dissolved, were operated under different corporate entities, confusion naturally developed regarding which company had performed prior work, which contractor’s license had been used, who remained responsible for warranties, and which business customers were researching or hiring.
In some cases, plumbing work may have been performed under a business name that later ceased operating. Those historical records—including contractor licenses, permits, warranties and corporate filings—remain publicly traceable even if the business later changed names, ownership, or branding.
This page exists to provide a clear factual timeline of the Encinitas Plumbing name using publicly available records—not rumor, speculation, or incomplete information.
One important fact should be established immediately:
Encinitas Plumbing, the California corporation formed by Timothy Sortor on June 19, 2019, has operated continuously under the same corporate entity since its formation, with no gaps in its California contractor’s license or authority to perform plumbing work.
The historical timeline below is based on publicly available records, including:
- California Secretary of State filings
- San Diego County fictitious business name filings
- California Contractors State License Board records
- Nevada corporate records
- Federal court records
These records are presented to help homeowners distinguish between similarly named businesses, understand how those businesses relate to one another over time, and identify which company they are researching or hiring.
The goal is simple: to document how the Encinitas Plumbing name came to be associated with the current company operating under that name today.
Methodology: This timeline is based on publicly available records, including California Secretary of State filings, San Diego County fictitious business name registrations, California Contractors State License Board records, Nevada corporate filings, and related court records. Dates, descriptions, and events are drawn from those records and presented for historical clarity.
Why This History Matters
Business names, contractor licenses, corporate registrations, permits and public records are how homeowners determine who they are hiring and who remains responsible for work performed in the past.
When multiple companies use similar names over a period of years, it can become difficult to determine:
- which company performed the work
- which contractor’s license was used
- whether permits were obtained
- who remains responsible for workmanship, and
- which business currently operates under a perticular name
This timeline exists to organize those historical records into a single chronological reference so homeowners can make informed decisions based on documented facts.
The Original Encinitas Plumbing
Encinitas Plumbing was originally operated by Paul Nibecker, a local plumbing contractor who obtained his California contractor’s license in 1990.
In 1995, Mr. Nibecker formally recorded the fictitious business name “Encinitas Plumbing” with the San Diego County Recorder/Clerk. He operated under that name in North County for many years before eventually retiring from the plumbing industry.
The original fictitious business name registration for Encinitas Plumbing expired in January 2019. From that point forward, the name became legally available for registration under California law.
Related Resource: Personal Experience
While this page documents the history of the Encinitas Plumbing name through publicly available records, licensing documents, business registrations, and court filings, readers interested in understanding these events from the perspective of someone directly involved may also wish to review my personal account contained in the following link.
My Experience Working with James Roy Booth →
That page is clearly identified as a firsthand narrative based on my personal experiences, contemporaneous records in my possession, and publicly available documents. It is intended to complement—not replace—the historical timeline and public record information presented throughout the North County Plumbing Listing Transparency Project.
Formation of Encinitas Plumbing (2019)
Encinitas Plumbing was first incorporated as a California corporation by Timothy Sortor (Mr. Sortor) on June 19, 2019. Since its formation, Encinitas Plumbing has continuously operated under the same corporate entity. (See the statement at the beginning of this page regarding continuous licensure.)
At the time of incorporation:
- the prior Encinitas Plumbing fictitious business name registration had expired,
- no active county fictitious business name registration existed for Encinitas Plumbing,
- and the name was legally available for lawful registration and use under California law.
Mr. Sortor was first licensed as a California contractor on January 23, 2004, and currently holds both:
- a C-36 Plumbing Contractor license, and
- a B General Building Contractor license in the State of California.
Use of Similar Names Prior to and After 2019
Prior to and following the formation of Encinitas Plumbing in 2019, public records reflect that James Booth operated plumbing-related businesses using names associated with “Encinitas Plumbing & Drain.”
Public records further reflect that Booth was associated with multiple plumbing-related business entities in both Nevada and California over a period of years, several of which were later revoked, suspended, or dissolved by state regulatory agencies.
Those records show that:
- Down Under Plumbing, Inc., a Nevada corporation associated with Booth, was formed in 2004 and later permanently revoked.
- Encinitas Plumbing & Drain, LLC, a Nevada entity formed in 2012, was also later permanently revoked.
- In California, Booth later operated through entities including C & Z, Inc., which experienced periods of suspension before being revived and renamed Encinitas Plumbing & Drain in July 2020.
Public records also reflect that:
- the Encinitas Plumbing & Drain fictitious business name was not formally recorded in San Diego County until August 17, 2017,
- and the revived Encinitas Plumbing & Drain corporate entity did not receive a California contractor’s license until November 9, 2020.
During the years preceding and following the formation of Encinitas Plumbing in 2019, portions of the local plumbing industry operated through overlapping referral relationships and recurring business associations involving drain service and dispatching activity. Individuals familiar with the industry during that period described informal referral practices among operators using similar or related business names.
This historical context helps explain why confusion later arose regarding affiliation, licensing alignment, and the use of similar business identities within the North County plumbing marketplace.
The businesses were not affiliated and operated independently under separate entities, licenses, and branding..
Prior to 2021, the businesses generally operated independently without widespread marketplace confusion. However, after the revival and renaming of a previously suspended corporation as Encinitas Plumbing & Drain, Encinitas Plumbing began receiving a significant number of consumer calls and inquiries suggesting confusion regarding affiliation, ownership, or identity between the businesses.
2021 Federal Litigation
In 2021, litigation was filed by Encinitas Plumbing & Drain and its owner against Encinitas Plumbing relating to the use of the “Encinitas Plumbing” business name and related business activities.
The lawsuit followed the revival and renaming of a previously suspended corporation as “Encinitas Plumbing & Drain” after Encinitas Plumbing had already been incorporated and operating independently under separate licensing and registration for almost 2 years.
The litigation included allegations involving:
- trade name and trademark issues,
- unfair competition,
- business interference,
- and claims asserting that Encinitas Plumbing’s business filings and registrations were improper.
The matter was litigated in federal court.
In February 2022, a United States District Court Judge dismissed the case with prejudice, bringing the litigation to a final conclusion.
The dismissal rejected the claims asserted in the lawsuit, including allegations of fraud. No ownership rights to the Encinitas Plumbing name were awarded, and the litigation did not invalidate Encinitas Plumbing’s corporate formation, licensing, or lawful use of the name.
Encinitas Plumbing & Drain later ceased operations on February 28, 2023. Following the closure of that entity, related operations later reappeared in the marketplace under different branding and business names.
Addressing Recent Rumors and Misinformation
In recent years, various public allegations and rumors have circulated regarding the history and registration of the Encinitas Plumbing name.
Those issues are not new. Claims involving the company’s formation, business filings, and use of the Encinitas Plumbing name were previously raised during the 2021 federal litigation.
In February 2022, the lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice by a United States District Court Judge. Encinitas Plumbing’s corporate formation, licensing, and lawful use of the name were not invalidated.
This page exists simply to provide historical clarity through publicly available records, documented filings, and court outcomes rather than rumor, speculation, or incomplete information.
Current Business Status
As of the time of publication, Encinitas Plumbing operates as:
- a properly registered California corporation,
- a fully licensed California plumbing contractor in good standing,
- and an independent business operating under its own license, entity, and branding since 2019.
Encinitas Plumbing has never been affiliated with Encinitas Plumbing & Drain.
Today, Encinitas Plumbing continues to provide residential service and repair plumbing throughout Encinitas and North County coastal San Diego.
Sources and Public Records Referenced
- California Secretary of State — Corporate entity filings
- San Diego County Recorder / Clerk — Fictitious business name filings
- California Contractors State License Board (CSLB) — Contractor license records
- United States District Court — 2021–2022 litigation records
- Nevada Secretary of State — Corporate filings
- Nevada State Contractors Board — License records
Related Consumer Protection Resource:
Homeowners interested in evaluating whether a water heater installation meets current California plumbing code may also wish to review our Water Heater Evaluation Project, which explains common installation deficiencies and provides a complementary preliminary photo review.
This page summarizes publicly available records and historical filings relating to the Encinitas Plumbing name and is intended solely to provide historical and factual context.