business plan on plumbing

Plumbing Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Plumbing Business Plan

You’ve come to the right place to create your Plumbing business plan.

We have helped over 1,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans and many have used them to start or grow their Plumbing businesses.

Below is a template to help you create each section of your Plumbing business plan.

Executive Summary

Business overview.

Perfect Plumbing LLC is a new plumbing company located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. We are a small company that is committed to helping the residents of Chapel Hill with all of their plumbing needs. We have upfront pricing, years of experience, and promise to arrive on time, every time. With our excellent skills and service, we expect to be the #1 plumbing company in the area within the next five years.

Perfect Plumbing LLC is led by Harry Garcia who has been a plumber for 20 years. While working for competing plumbing companies, he provided a variety of plumbing services for hundreds of customers living in the Chapel Hill area. His work ethic and expertise has gained him a positive reputation in the community and he has already built an initial clientbase. His loyal clientbase and experience will be invaluable to the company.

Product Offering

Perfect Plumbing LLC will provide a long list of residential plumbing services to the residents of Chapel Hill, North Carolina. These services will include fixture installation, repair services, water heater services, and emergency services. We can provide practically any service that ensures our customers’ plumbing is always in good repair.

Customer Focus

Perfect Plumbing LLC will serve the homeowners of Chapel Hill, NC. We will also work with real estate companies and property management companies who need plumbing services for their residential properties.

Management Team

Perfect Plumbing LLC is led by Harry Garcia, an experienced plumber who has worked in the industry for 20 years. He has worked with hundreds of residents in the Chapel Hill area and has gained a great reputation for his friendliness, expertise, and work ethic. He has been planning on creating his own plumbing business for several years and is finally ready to launch. With his good reputation and loyal clientbase, Harry is confident that Perfect Plumbing LLC will be a success in the community.

Success Factors

Perfect Plumbing LLC is primed for success by offering the following competitive advantages:

• Quality plumbing services that are always on time and affordable.
• Management team with extensive plumbing experience and a focus on maintaining long-term relationships with customers.
• Skilled team of plumbing professionals who will get the job done right the first time.

Financial Highlights

Perfect Plumbing LLC is currently seeking $425,000 to launch. The funding will be dedicated to the office build out, purchase of initial supplies, working capital, marketing costs, and startup overhead expenses. The breakout of the funding is below:

• Store design/build: $100,000
• Vehicle purchase and maintenance: $50,000
• Equipment and initial supplies: $150,000
• Three months of overhead expenses (payroll, rent, utilities): $50,000
• Marketing costs: $25,000
• Working capital: $50,000

The following graph below outlines the pro forma financial projections for Perfect Plumbing LLC.

Company Overview

Who is perfect plumbing llc.

Perfect Plumbing LLC is a new plumbing company located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. We are a small company that is committed to helping the residents of Chapel Hill with all of their plumbing needs. We know that many plumbers disappoint their customers by being late, charging extraordinary fees, and not fixing the job the first time around. At Perfect Plumbing LLC, we are always upfront with our prices, reach our appointments on time, and have the expertise to fix the problem right away. With our excellent skills and service, we expect to be the #1 plumbing company in the area within the next five years.

  Perfect Plumbing LLC is led by Harry Garcia who has been a plumber for 20 years. While working for competing plumbing companies, he provided a variety of plumbing services for hundreds of customers living in the Chapel Hill area. His work ethic and expertise has gained him a positive reputation in the community and he has already built an initial clientbase. His loyal clientbase and experience will be invaluable for the company.

Perfect Plumbing LLC History

After spending several years in the plumbing industry, Harry Garcia has gained the knowledge, skills, and expertise necessary to start his own plumbing business. After years of planning out his business, he finally incorporated Perfect Plumbing LLC on March 1st, 2023.

Since incorporation, Harry has achieved the following milestones for Perfect Plumbing LLC:

• Developed the company’s name, logo and website
• Finished the list of services the company will provide
• Determined equipment and inventory requirements
• Found a potential office location

Perfect Plumbing LLC’s Services

Perfect Plumbing LLC will provide the following residential plumbing services:

• Bathroom and kitchen fixture installation
• Remodeling plumbing services
• Pipe leak repair
• Leaky faucet repair
• Water heater installation and repair
• Garbage disposal repair
• Water line services
• Emergency services

Industry Analysis

The plumbing services industry consists of repair and installation services that plumbers provide to residential and commercial clients. This can include installing bathroom and kitchen fixtures, installing water heaters and sub pumps, repairing leaks and broken fixtures, and providing emergency services. Nearly every building on the planet has some form of plumbing, so professional plumbers are always in high demand.

The plumbing industry is expected to grow over the next several years. This is primarily due to the increase in housing construction, leading to millions of new homes being built and needing new plumbing. Demand is also high due to many older buildings needing updates and repairs to their plumbing systems. According to Global Newswire, the global mechanical, electrical, and plumbing industry was valued at $50.2 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 10.7% from now until 2032. This substantial growth ensures the industry will remain profitable, making it a perfect time for new plumbing companies to enter the market.

Customer Analysis

Demographic profile of target market.

Customer Segmentation

Perfect Plumbing LLC will primarily target the following customer profiles:

• Real estate companies
• Property management companies

Competitive Analysis

Direct and indirect competitors.

Perfect Plumbing LLC will face competition from other companies with similar business profiles. A description of each competitor company is below.

Urgent Plumbing Services

Urgent Plumbing Services is the top plumbing company for residents experiencing plumbing emergencies. They are on-call 24/7 and can dispatch a plumber in as little as a few minutes. They can help with practically any emergency, ranging from leaks to sub pump failures. However, they only handle emergencies and do not offer common, non-emergency repair services. As such, they charge high rates for their services, which prevents many residents from hiring their services. Due to their prices and limited services, we expect Urgent Plumbing Services to be a minor competitor.

Chapel Hill Plumbing Co.

Chapel Hill Plumbing Co. has been one of the most popular plumbing services in the Chapel Hill area since 1976. They offer a wide range of services and boast a large crew of 50 plumbers on staff. As such, they can handle most of Chapel Hill’s plumbing demands for both residential and commercial clients. We expect Chapel Hill Plumbing Co. will be our largest competitor.

Johnson’s Plumbing Van

Established in 2012, Johnson’s Plumbing Van is a small operation founded by Bart Johnson. Bart is the sole employee for the company, but has a long and impressively loyal clientbase. He provides a long range of services, but can’t take on any projects that require more than one professional to be involved. As such, he is a minor competitor despite his current success.

Competitive Advantage

Perfect Plumbing LLC will be able to offer the following advantages over their competition:

• Pricing : Perfect Plumbing LLC will provide an array of plumbing services that will be priced competitively and be more affordable than the competition.
• Customer-Focus : Perfect Plumbing LLC’s focus will be on providing customer-focus service that prioritizes customer satisfaction and maintaining long-term relationships.
• Management : Harry has been extremely successful working in the plumbing industry and will be able to use his previous experience to make clients feel comfortable with the process.

Marketing Plan

Brand & value proposition.

Perfect Plumbing LLC will offer the unique value proposition to its clientele:

• Client-focused plumbing services, where the company’s interests are aligned with the customer.
• Service is built on long-term relationships and personal attention.
• Quality services for affordable rates.

Promotions Strategy

The promotions strategy for Perfect Plumbing LLC is as follows:

Social Media Marketing

The company will have several social media accounts and invest in ads on all social media platforms. These accounts will showcase pictures of our crew as well as a list of the services we provide. The company will use targeted marketing to appeal to our target demographics.

SEO Website Marketing

Perfect Plumbing LLC will invest funds into maintaining a strong SEO presence on search engines like Google and Bing. When a person types in “local plumbing services” or “Chapel Hill plumbing services”, Perfect Plumbing LLC will appear in the top three choices.

Advertisement

Advertisements in print publications like newspapers, magazines, etc., are an excellent way for businesses to connect with their audience. Perfect Plumbing LLC will advertise its services in popular magazines and news dailies. Obtaining relevant placements in industry magazines and journals will also help in increasing brand visibility.

Perfect Plumbing LLC understands that the best promotion comes from satisfied customers. The company will encourage its clients to refer other individuals and businesses by providing discounts on future services for every new client produced. This strategy will increase in effectiveness as time goes on.

The pricing of Perfect Plumbing LLC will be moderate and on par with competitors so customers feel they receive value when hiring our plumbing services.

Operations Plan

Perfect Plumbing LLC will utilize the following operations plan. Operation Functions:

• Harry Garcia will be the Owner of Perfect Plumbing LLC. He will run the general operations of the company and provide plumbing services to his initial clientbase. He will be the sole employee for the company in the beginning but will gradually hire the following staff:
• An Administrative Assistant who can answer phones, schedule appointments, and work on general administrative tasks.
• An Accountant who will manage all client invoicing, billing, and payables.
• A Marketing Assistant who will run all the marketing and promotions campaigns.
• Several contractors who will provide quality plumbing services.

Milestones:

Perfect Plumbing LLC will have the following milestones complete in the next six months:

• 5/1/202X – Finalize lease agreement for office space
• 6/1/202X – Office build out
• 7/1/202X – Hire and train essential staff
• 8/1/202X – Begin marketing campaign
• 9/1/202X – Launch Perfect Plumbing LLC
• 10/1/202X – Reach break even

Though he has never run his own business, Harry Garcia has worked in the industry long enough to gain an in-depth knowledge of the operations (e.g., running day-to-day operations) and the business (e.g., staffing, marketing, etc.) sides of the industry. He also already has a starting customer base that he served while working for other plumbing companies. He will hire several other employees who can help him run the aspects of the business that he is unfamiliar with.

Financial Plan

Key revenue & costs.

The revenue drivers for Perfect Plumbing LLC will come charging our clients for our plumbing services.

The cost drivers for Perfect Plumbing LLC will include the overhead costs, salaries, cost of supplies, vehicle maintenance, and marketing expenses.

Funding Requirements and Use of Funds

Key assumptions.

The following outlines the key assumptions required in order to achieve the revenue and cost numbers in the financials and pay off the startup business loan.

• Number Of Clients:
• Annual Lease: $25,000
• Vehicle Maintenance & Upkeep: $20,000

Financial Projections

Income statement.

Balance Sheet

Cash Flow Statement

Plumbing Business Plan FAQs

What is a plumbing business plan.

A plumbing business plan is a plan to start and/or grow your plumbing business. Among other things, it outlines your business concept, identifies your target customers, presents your marketing plan and details your financial projections.

You can easily complete your Plumbing business plan using our Plumbing Business Plan Template here .

What are the Main Types of Plumbing Businesses? 

There are a number of different kinds of plumbing businesses , some examples include: Commercial Plumbing, Residential Plumbing, and Service and Repair Plumbing.

How Do You Get Funding for Your Plumbing Business Plan?

Plumbing businesses are often funded through small business loans. Personal savings, credit card financing and angel investors are also popular forms of funding.

What are the Steps To Start a Plumbing Business?

Starting a plumbing business can be an exciting endeavor. Having a clear roadmap of the steps to start a business will help you stay focused on your goals and get started faster.

1. Develop A Plumbing Business Plan - The first step in starting a business is to create a detailed plumbing business plan that outlines all aspects of the venture. This should include potential market size and target customers, the services or products you will offer, pricing strategies and a detailed financial forecast. 

2. Choose Your Legal Structure - It's important to select an appropriate legal entity for your plumbing business. This could be a limited liability company (LLC), corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship. Each type has its own benefits and drawbacks so it’s important to do research and choose wisely so that your plumbing business is in compliance with local laws.

3. Register Your Plumbing Business - Once you have chosen a legal structure, the next step is to register your plumbing business with the government or state where you’re operating from. This includes obtaining licenses and permits as required by federal, state, and local laws.

4. Identify Financing Options - It’s likely that you’ll need some capital to start your plumbing business, so take some time to identify what financing options are available such as bank loans, investor funding, grants, or crowdfunding platforms.

5. Choose a Location - Whether you plan on operating out of a physical location or not, you should always have an idea of where you’ll be based should it become necessary in the future as well as what kind of space would be suitable for your operations.

6. Hire Employees - There are several ways to find qualified employees including job boards like LinkedIn or Indeed as well as hiring agencies if needed – depending on what type of employees you need it might also be more effective to reach out directly through networking events.

7. Acquire Necessary Plumbing Equipment & Supplies - In order to start your plumbing business, you'll need to purchase all of the necessary equipment and supplies to run a successful operation.

8. Market & Promote Your Business - Once you have all the necessary pieces in place, it’s time to start promoting and marketing your plumbing business. This includes creating a website, utilizing social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter, and having an effective Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy. You should also consider traditional marketing techniques such as radio or print advertising. 

Learn more about how to start a successful plumbing business:

• How to Start a Plumbing Business

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What to Include in a Plumbing Business Plan [& Free Template]

Plumbers who want to start their own plumbing company need a plumbing business plan. It’s a crucial tool that helps plumbers make informed decisions, set clear goals, secure funding if needed, and navigate the complexities of running a successful plumbing business. It’s essentially a roadmap for startups or existing plumbing companies to achieve long-term success and growth.

To help you design or improve your own plumbing business plan, get started with our free plumbing business plan template. We show you what to include in your business plan and how to write one using a company business plan template specifically designed for the plumbing industry.

Table of Contents

What is a business plan for a plumbing business, why should a plumbing business have a business plan, how to write a plumbing business plan [with template].

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A business plan for a plumbing business is a comprehensive document that outlines all aspects of the company’s operations, goals, strategies, and financial projections. It serves as a roadmap for the business owner and potential stakeholders by detailing step by step how the business will be structured, managed, and grown. Both startups and established plumbers use business plans to grow their plumbing companies , apply for funding, or seek financial investors.

A plumbing business plan is also a fluid document that needs adjusting on a regular basis along with your business goals and strategies. It can show you how many leads to generate, how many calls to answer, and what your techs’ average ticket needs to be to generate a certain level of revenue each month.

Developing a business plan is especially helpful for new plumbing companies, especially if they’re seeking funding from investors to get their small business off the ground. A plumbing company business plan also serves great purpose for an established plumbing business, as the company reflects on goals and updates its business plan throughout the year.

Plumbers, like any other business owners, benefit from a well-thought-out business management plan for two important reasons.

Reason #1: Fundraising purposes

If plumbers seek financing to start their own business or investors to expand into new businesses, a solid business plan is essential. Lenders and investors want to see a detailed financial report, monthly financial statements, balance sheets, a daily operational plan, and sales forecast — just to name a few of the most important documents to include in a business plan.

In short, lenders and investors want to see a detailed plan that demonstrates the business's potential for success and how it intends to use the funds. The main sources of funding for a plumbing business include personal funds, credit cards, bank loans, and investors. Personal savings and bank loans are the most common funding paths for plumbing companies.

Reason #2: Identify business goals and minimize risks

A business plan serves as your company’s blueprint, as it outlines the roadmap for where you want your plumbing business to go and how you plan to get there. By defining your company’s mission, vision, and long-term goals, and identifying ways to measure success, you and your management team can make informed decisions on the best path forward.

Risk management is also a critical component to your business plan. Include details about your competitors, the market, your target audience, and any future obstacles on the horizon, then develop a contingency plan to handle any potential risks or challenges.

A plumbing business plan should be tailored to the specific goals of your plumbing business and provide a realistic and achievable roadmap for its success. To help plumbing contractors know exactly what information to include in a business plan, ServiceTitan created a plumbing company business plan template for you to download and fill in.

>>Download our free plumbing company business plan template.

Here are the key components typically included in a plumbing business plan:

1. Industry analysis  

Begin by assessing the current market trends for the plumbing industry in your area. Who are your customers? What demographics define your target audience? Who are your biggest competitors? What is the market size or market share in your area, and how can you set your plumbing company apart from the rest? Then use your answers to help inform your overall plumbing business strategy.

2. Executive summary

Write your executive summary last, but include it near the top of your business plan as a constant reminder of your overall vision and goals for your plumbing company. Keep it concise with an overview of the entire business plan, including a mission statement, the business goals, target market, competitive advantage, and financial projections for future growth.

3. Company overview

Your business overview provides details about your specific plumbing business. Tell your company’s story, including how it got started and where it plans to go. Explain how your vision, core values, and business philosophy sets you apart from others in the plumbing industry. 

Outline your goals and objectives for the business, and identify specific key performance indicators (KPIs) you plan to monitor as your company grows. Elaborate on your target audience and how you plan to market your services to generate new leads. Identify the strengths and core competencies that make your plumbing company stand out, and demonstrate how your training processes help plumbing techs excel.

4. Products and services

Clearly describe your plumbing company’s pricing structure and what’s included for each plumbing service you offer, including repairs, installations, maintenance, emergency services, and specialized work.

Define the scope of your residential and/or commercial plumbing services and repairs, including clog-clearing, leak inspections, toilet plumbing, faucets, sewer lines, water heaters, sump pumps, new installations, and more. Then, develop creative guarantees for service, repair, and replacement that inspire customers to take notice and highlight any specialized work your plumbers do, such as gasfitting appliances or large drain clearing.

Do you price plumbing jobs by the hour, or offer flat-rate pricing? Include the service rate, add in the travel fee if you charge one, then total the billable amount for every job or service you offer.

ServiceTitan’s integrated pricebook helps plumbing businesses set accurate and profitable pricing every time. Also, Price Insights, available to users of Pricebook Pro , works to calculate the average price for each plumbing service, then shows you how your prices compare to others in your region. You can easily see if your prices are too low or too high, then adjust to keep your profit margins in line.

5. Market analysis

Take a thorough assessment of market trends in your area and analyze key competitors. Where do they shine, and where do they fizzle? How much market share do they control? How do they price their plumbing services? What gaps need to be filled in terms of the type of plumbing services offered or in areas where customers struggle to find a reliable plumber?

Collect and analyze the market data, then strategize ways to outrank your competition on every key metric, from providing online booking capabilities and delivering excellent customer service to quicker response times and fewer callbacks.

6. Customer analysis

Fully research your target audience to gain a complete picture of who your customers are and who you want them to be. Define their demographics, such as age, gender, income level, location, and buying behaviors. If you plan to service residential customers, learn as much as you can about the age of their homes, total assessed value, date last sold, and even the type of plumbing system in use.

Leverage customer experience software to gain even more insight into your customers’ plumbing history, needs, and possible pain points, then train your CSRs and plumbing techs to use our automated customer relationship management (CRM) features to improve their overall performance.

Notable ServiceTitan CRM features include:

Scheduling : Automated scheduling options allow plumbing customers to book jobs at their own convenience, whether by booking directly online or through calls, text, or web chats. 

Detailed customer history : A robust CRM allows CSRs to personalize the customer experience from the start, then collect the necessary information to adequately inform service techs so they arrive fully prepared to do the job.

Text messaging communication : Text appointment reminders and technician bios to communicate with customers the way they prefer. With two-way SMS communication, customers can easily confirm or reschedule appointments, ask questions, or even pay their bill.

Live tracking : No more waiting around for the plumber to arrive! With live tracking features, customers can see the tech’s exact location on a map and know when they’ll arrive.

On-site estimates : With ServiceTitan Mobile , techs can build and display branded, digital estimates with good, better, and best options in just a few taps.  

Financing options: Ease customers’ minds about cost by providing easy financing options on high-dollar plumbing jobs. ServiceTitan offers several options, and customers can apply right from the tech’s mobile device, choose the plan that fits best, and receive instant approval.

7. Marketing and sales plan

Create a detailed plumbing marketing plan for how the business will attract potential customers and retain current ones through branding, pricing strategy, advertising methods, online presence, reputation management, and customer experience.

ServiceTitan’s home services marketing software analyzes your own customer data to come up with solutions to attract, convert, and retain customers. With ServiceTitan’s Marketing Scorecard, you can rank your campaigns by revenue so you know what’s working and what isn’t, and even drill down to see what kind of jobs your ads are producing.

8. Organization and management

Develop a chart that outlines the company’s organizational structure, roles and responsibilities of key team members, resumes of key team members, and the owner's qualifications, licenses, and permits. Include job descriptions and job interview questions so everyone knows your expectations for how the company will be organized and managed.

9. Operational plan

Include information about the day-to-day operations of your plumbing business. Detail your workflow processes, equipment and inventory used, go-to suppliers, and any plumbing partnerships that help you deliver premium service.

The more details you provide here will help to inform the company roadmap for your team, ultimately resulting in improved efficiency, higher productivity, and increased profits.

10. Financial plan

Your plumbing business’s financial plan typically includes startup costs, a 12-month profit-and-loss projection, a cash-flow projection, a projected balance sheet, and a break-even calculation. 

With customized reporting capabilities, ServiceTitan field reporting software helps you stay on top of every aspect of your financial plan, giving you data-driven visibility into the areas where you’re finding success and where you’re not.

Over to You

ServiceTitan’s cloud-based, all-in-one plumbing software gives plumbing business owners the technology they need to do the work efficiently, the data and reporting they need to do it smartly, and a wide array of resources to guide them as they grow toward achieving long-term success.

>> Want to start your own plumbing business or revitalize and grow an established business? Download this plumbing business plan template to get started.

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Plumbing Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Plumbing Business Plan

Over the past 20+ years, we have helped over 1,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans to start and grow their plumbing companies. On this page, we will first give you some background information with regards to the importance of business planning. We will then go through a plumbing business plan template step-by-step so you can create your plan today.

Download our Ultimate Business Plan Template here >

What is a Plumbing Business Plan?

A business plan provides a snapshot of your plumbing business as it stands today, and lays out your growth plan for the next five years. It explains your business goals and your strategy for reaching them. It also includes market research to support your plans.

Why You Need a Business Plan for a Plumbing Company

If you’re looking to start a plumbing business, or grow your existing plumbing business, you need a business plan. A business plan will help you raise funding, if needed, and plan out the growth of your plumbing business in order to improve your chances of success. Your plumbing company business plan is a living document that should be updated annually as your company grows and changes.

Sources of Funding for New Plumbing Companies

With regards to funding, the main sources of funding for a plumbing business are personal funds, credit cards, bank loans and angel investors. With regards to bank loans, banks will want to review your business plan and gain confidence that you will be able to repay your loan and interest. To acquire this confidence, the loan officer will not only want to confirm that your financials are reasonable, but they will also want to see a professional plan. Such a plan will give them the confidence that you can successfully and professionally operate a business. Personal savings and bank loans are the most common funding paths for plumbing companies.

Finish Your Business Plan Today!

How to write a business plan for a plumbing company.

If you want to start a plumbing company or expand your current one, you need a business plan. Below we detail the key components typically included in your own plumbing business plan:

Executive Summary

Your executive summary provides an introduction to your business plan, but it is normally the last section you write because it provides a summary of each key section of your plan.

The goal of your Executive Summary is to quickly engage the reader. Explain to them the type of plumbing company you are operating and the status. For example, are you a startup, do you have a plumbing business that you would like to grow, or are you operating plumbing businesses in multiple markets?

Next, provide an overview of each of the subsequent sections of your plan. For example, give a brief overview of the plumbing industry. Discuss the type of plumbing business you are operating. Detail your direct competitors. Give an overview of your target market. Provide a snapshot of your marketing plan. Identify the key members of your team. And offer an overview of your financial plan.  

Company Analysis

In your company analysis, you will detail the type of plumbing business you are operating.

For example, you might operate one of the following types of plumbing businesses:

• Commercial Plumbing : this type of plumber focuses on plumbing services for commercial businesses, complexes, and buildings.
• Residential Plumbing: this type of plumber provides plumbing services for households.
• Service and Repair Plumbing: this type of plumber focuses on servicing and repairing any plumbing issues and/or emergencies for both residential and commercial clients.

In addition to explaining the type of plumbing company you will operate, the Company Analysis section of your business plan needs to provide background on the business.

Include answers to question such as:

• When and why did you start the business?
• What is your plumbing company’s mission?
• What milestones have you achieved to date? Milestones could include the number of customers served, number of positive reviews, reaching $X in revenue, etc.
• Your business structure. Are you incorporated as an S-Corp? An LLC? A sole proprietorship? Explain your legal structure here.

Industry Analysis

In your industry analysis, you need to provide an overview of the plumbing industry.

While this may seem unnecessary, it serves multiple purposes.

First, researching the industry educates you. It helps you understand the market in which you are operating.

Secondly, market research can improve your strategy, particularly if your research identifies market trends.

The third reason for market research is to prove to readers that you are an expert in your industry. By conducting the research and presenting it in your plan, you achieve just that.

The following questions should be answered in the industry analysis section:

• How big is the plumbing industry (in dollars)?
• Is the market declining or increasing?
• Who are the key competitors in the market?
• Who are the key suppliers in the market?
• What trends are affecting the industry?
• What is the industry’s growth forecast over the next 5 – 10 years?
• What is the relevant market size? That is, how big is the potential market for your plumbing business? You can extrapolate such a figure by assessing the size of the market in the entire country and then applying that figure to your local population.

Customer Analysis

The customer analysis section of your business plan must detail the customers you serve and/or expect to serve.

The following are examples of customer segments: business complex building owners/managers, apartment complex owners/managers, homeowners, schools, contractors, restaurant owners/managers.

As you can imagine, the customer segment(s) you choose will have a great impact on the type of plumbing business you operate. Clearly, a homeowner would respond to different marketing promotions than an apartment complex, for example.

Try to break out your target customers in terms of their demographic and psychographic profiles. With regards to demographics, include a discussion of the ages, genders, locations and income levels of the potential customers you seek to serve.

Psychographic profiles explain the wants and needs of your target customers. The more you can understand and define these needs, the better you will do in attracting and retaining your customers.  

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Competitive Analysis

Your competitive analysis should identify the indirect and direct competitors your business faces and then focus on the latter.

Direct competitors are other plumbing companies.

Indirect competitors are other options that customers have to purchase from that aren’t direct competitors. This includes local handymen or hardware stores. You need to mention such competition as well.

With regards to direct competition, you want to describe the other plumbing companies with which you compete. Most likely, your direct competitors will be plumbing businesses located very close to your location.

For each such competitor, provide an overview of their businesses and document their strengths and weaknesses. Unless you once worked at your competitors’ businesses, it will be impossible to know everything about them. But you should be able to find out key things about them such as:

• What types of customers do they serve?
• What type of plumbing services do they offer?
• What is their pricing (premium, low, etc.)?
• What are they good at?
• What are their weaknesses?

With regards to the last two questions, think about your answers from the customers’ perspective. And don’t be afraid to ask your competitors’ customers what they like most and least about them.

The final part of your competitive analysis section is to document your areas of competitive advantage. For example:

• Will you provide lower interest rates?
• Will you provide services that your competitors don’t offer?
• Will you provide better customer service?
• Will you offer better pricing?

Think about ways you will outperform your competition and document them in this section of your plan.  

Marketing Plan

Traditionally, a marketing plan includes the four P’s: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. For a plumbing business plan, your marketing plan should include the following:

Product : In the product section, you should reiterate the type of plumbing company that you documented in your Company Analysis. Then, detail the specific products you will be offering. For example, in addition to plumbing, will you provide repair, replacement, servicing, or 24 hour plumbing emergency services?

Price : Document the prices you will offer and how they compare to your competitors. Essentially in the product and price sub-sections of your marketing plan, you are presenting the services you offer and your pricing strategy.

Place : Place refers to the location of your plumbing company. Document your location and mention how the location will impact your success. For example, is your plumbing business located in a busy retail district, from your own home, a standalone office, etc. Discuss how your location might be the ideal location for your customers.

Promotions : The final part of your plumbing marketing plan is the promotions section. Here you will document how you will drive customers to your location(s). The following are some promotional methods you might consider:

• Advertising in local papers and magazines
• Reaching out to websites
• Social media marketing
• Local radio and television advertising

Operations Plan

While the earlier sections of your business plan explained your goals, your operations plan describes how you will meet them. Your business operations plan should have two distinct sections as follows.

Everyday short-term processes include all of the tasks involved in running your plumbing business, including marketing your services, completing projects, preparing for new projects, and tracking inventory of your products and materials.

Long-term goals are the milestones you hope to achieve. These could include the dates when you expect to land your Xth client, or when you hope to reach $X in revenue. It could also be when you expect to expand your plumbing business to a new city.  

Management Team

To demonstrate your plumbing business’ ability to succeed, a strong management team is essential. Highlight your key players’ backgrounds, emphasizing those skills and experiences that prove their ability to grow a company.

Ideally you and/or your team members have direct experience in managing plumbing businesses. If so, highlight this experience and expertise. But also highlight any experience that you think will help your business succeed.

If your team is lacking, consider assembling an advisory board. An advisory board would include 2 to 8 individuals who would act like mentors to your business. They would help answer questions and provide strategic guidance. If needed, look for advisory board members with experience in managing a plumbing team or successfully running their own plumbing company.  

Financial Plan

Your financial plan should include your 5-year financial statement broken out both monthly or quarterly for the first year and then annually. Your financial statements include your income statement, balance sheet and cash flow statements.

In developing your income statement, you need to devise assumptions. For example, will you be the only plumber or will you have a team of plumbers? And will sales grow by 2% or 10% per year? As you can imagine, your choice of assumptions will greatly impact the financial forecasts for your business. As much as possible, conduct research to try to root your assumptions in reality.

Balance Sheets : Balance sheets show your assets and liabilities. While balance sheets can include much information, try to simplify them to the key items you need to know about. For instance, if you spend $50,000 on building out your plumbing business, this will not give you immediate profits. Rather it is an asset that will hopefully help you generate profits for years to come. Likewise, if a bank writes you a check for $50,000, you don’t need to pay it back immediately. Rather, that is a liability you will pay back over time.

In developing your Income Statement and Balance Sheets be sure to include several of the key costs needed in starting a plumbing business or growing your existing company:

• Advertising and marketing
• Cost of equipment and supplies
• Payroll or salaries paid to staff
• Business insurance
• Taxes and permits
• Legal expenses

Attach your full financial projections in the appendix of your plan along with any supporting documents that make your plan more compelling. For example, you might include your office location lease or costs needed to transport to a client location and expenses paid for working on projects.  

Putting together a business plan for your plumbing business is a worthwhile endeavor. If you follow the template above, by the time you are done, you will truly be an expert and know everything you need to about how to start a plumbing business. You will really understand the plumbing industry, your competition, and your customers. You will have developed a marketing plan and will really understand what it takes to launch and grow a successful plumbing business.  

Don’t you wish there was a faster, easier way to finish your Plumbing business plan?

OR, Let Us Develop Your Plan For You

Since 1999, Growthink has developed business plans for thousands of companies who have gone on to achieve tremendous success.   Click here to see how Growthink’s professional business plan consulting services can create your business plan for you.

Other Helpful Business Plan Articles & Templates

Plumbing Business Plan: Complete Guide & Template 

• Author | Becky Forbes
• February 15, 2023

Starting a plumbing business is an exciting opportunity, but it can quickly become overwhelming without a proper plan and strategy. That’s why having a comprehensive plumbing business plan is imperative for the success of your business. 

In this post, we will discuss the importance of creating a business plan for business owners. We will also provide guidance on what to include in a plan for a plumbing company. Additionally, we will offer a free plumbing business plan template.

Why a Plumbing Business Plan is Essential

A business plan is an essential and comprehensive guide for starting a successful plumbing business. This plan will act as a roadmap, guiding you through the ups and downs of running a successful plumbing business.

It outlines goals, strategies, operations, and financial plans to keep the business organized and on track. Writing a business plan helps you stay focused on your objectives and anticipate challenges so you can prepare for them proactively. It will also make it easier to secure funding, as investors and lenders will want to see a well-thought-out plan. 

Structure of a Plumbing Business Plan 

Executive summary.

This summary is an overview of the plumbing company’s goals, objectives, and mission statement. It should highlight the business’s unique selling points, including its experience and expertise in plumbing services and its commitment to customer satisfaction. The executive summary should also  provide an overview of the plumbing industry, including trends and market conditions, to help position the business as a leader in its field. 

Company Summary

The company summary should be clear, concise, and well-written to convey the business’s vision and growth plans. 

Industry Analysis 

This analysis provides an in-depth examination of the plumbing industry. The analysis includes market trends, a competitive analysis, and current regulations and standards. It helps to identify opportunities and challenges for the business and informs strategic competitive advantage planning.

Market Analysis 

This involves a thorough analysis of the target market for the plumbing business, diving into demographic information and consumer behavior to gain insights into the buying habits and preferences of the target audience. It also provides a comprehensive overview of the plumbing industry, including market trends, competitive landscape, and market size, which can be used to inform business strategies and decisions. 

This analysis can help your plumbing business effectively reach and engage with its target market, leading to increased customer acquisition and revenue growth.

Marketing and Sales Strategy 

This outlines a comprehensive plan for attracting and retaining customers in the plumbing business. It includes various marketing and sales tactics, such as advertising, promotions, leveraging word of mouth, and providing excellent customer service. The marketing plan component of this strategy outlines a more focused and intentional approach to promoting the plumbing business, taking into account key factors such as the target market. 

With a well-executed marketing and sales strategy, your plumbing business can effectively reach its target audience, differentiate itself from the competition, drive customer loyalty, and establish long-term customers. 

Service Offerings 

This section outlines the comprehensive range of services offered by your business, including both residential plumbing and commercial plumbing solutions. It provides a clear and detailed description of each service, including the scope of work and plumbing service pricing . By offering a wide range of high-quality plumbing services, your business can cater to the diverse needs of its customers and stand out in a competitive market. 

The clear and transparent presentation of service offerings can also foster trust and build credibility with potential customers, leading to increased customer acquisition and revenue growth.

If you’re looking for more ways to improve your plumbing customer service and increase revenue, partner with Payzer. Payzer is a plumbing management software that helps you simplify operations, sell more, and improve collections.

Schedule a Demo Today

Operations Plan 

This operations plan is a critical component of the overall business strategy, as it ensures that your plumbing business operates smoothly and efficiently and can provide top-notch service to your customers. 

This comprehensive plan outlines how the plumbing business will be run and managed daily. It covers critical operational areas such as employee management, staffing, equipment usage, appointment scheduling, and customer service processes. Additionally, it highlights the importance of offering credit card payment options, which can provide added convenience and flexibility for customers and help your business increase sales and revenue.  

By having a well-defined and executed operations plan, you can achieve your short-term and long-term goals, grow your customer base, and build a strong reputation in the plumbing industry.

Financial Plan 

This component of the business plan provides a comprehensive overview of the financial projections for your plumbing business. It includes detailed revenue projections, cash flow analysis, and growth projections. The financial plan also contains a balance sheet to demonstrate financial stability and potential for business success. 

This financial plan is a crucial component of the overall business strategy.It provides a realistic and data-driven view of your business’s financial future and helps to inform decision-making and secure funding. By having a well-structured and realistic financial plan, your plumbing business can attract investors and lenders, establish a strong financial foundation, and secure long-term success.

The conclusion is a crucial component of your business plan, as it ties together all of the key elements and provides a final demonstration of your plumbing business’s potential for success. 

The conclusion provides a concise and compelling summary of the key points. It reiterates the business’s mission, vision, and commitment to success and highlights the strengths and unique selling points of the business. 

The conclusion serves as a final opportunity to make a strong impression on potential investors, lenders, and stakeholders. It should leave the reader with a clear and optimistic view of the business’s future and convey a sense of confidence and determination to succeed. 

We hope that you have a good understanding of the key elements that should be included in a plumbing business plan. These elements provide a roadmap for starting and running a successful plumbing business, as well as strategies for marketing, customer service, finances, and business operations. With the right plan and determination, you can build a successful plumbing business. 

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How to Start a Business With No Money

Simple Business Plan Outline

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10 Qualities of a Good Business Plan

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How to Create a Business Plan for a Plumbing Company

In this article, we unpack what a plumbing business plan is and why you need it. We’ll also tell you how to create one for your soon-to-be amazing plumbing services company.

Melissa Kartiganer

Managing Editor

Strategic Planning

Your plumbing business plan is your roadmap to success. Without it, your company will struggle to stand out and attract the right customers.

But with a clear business plan, you have a clear path to follow.

A path with markers that help you nail every aspect of running a thriving plumbing business. On it, you’ll find guidelines for everything from marketing and operations to finances and company strategy. (Wow, can someone show us where to find this magical path?)

The plumbing industry is set to bring in another $124 billion this year. So now is the perfect time to get started on your business plan.

Once you put together your plan, you can put the wheels in motion for growth and take a larger slice of that billion-dollar pie.

What Is a Business Plan and Why Does Your Plumbing Company Need One?

A business plan is a written document detailing your company’s plan for becoming successful.

It covers everything from company goals to financial projections and plans for reaching your target market.

A lot of startups use a business plan to attract investors or get bank funding. But even if you’re mostly self-funding, you still should put together a business plan.

You need this document to give structure and form to what, right now, might only be a new business idea.

A written plan details how each area of your business will function and what you’re striving to attain. This helps you bring your vision for a successful plumbing business to life.

Your plumbing business plan will also be a resource you can turn to along the way. As you near each goal—and each obstacle that crops up—you can refer to your business plan. Use it to see if you’re on track and identify where you might want to do things differently.

With your business plan in hand, you can stay on that magical, clearly defined path to success.

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How to Start a Plumbing Company

What should you include in your plumbing business plan.

Just like any other new business, your plumbing business plan must start with the basics.

In this case, that’ll be an executive summary that outlines your business, your management team, and your focus. Then, it’s time to dive into the details of market research, money, and strategy.

Here’s what you should include in your plumbing company’s business plan:

Executive Summary

An executive summary is an overview of your business. It basically introduces the what, why, and who of your company to investors and others who read your plan.

For a plumbing company, the executive summary will focus on a few things, such

• What services you offer
• Your target market
• How your business will differentiate itself

Here’s an example of a plumbing business executive summary:

Perfect-Time Plumbing is a new company that offers plumbing services to homeowners and small businesses within 20 miles of our headquarters in Nearby Town. The company is staffed by five full-time licensed plumbers. We provide installation, repair, and plumbing maintenance services. Our team is also available on weekends and evenings for emergency repairs.

Perfect-Time Plumbing’s competitors don’t offer after-hours services. This is how the company will stand out as a reliable service provider in Nearby Town.

The executive summary should also include a brief overview of your marketing plan, management team, and financial plan. Then, the rest of your marketing plan will go into more detail.

Company Summary

The company summary is exactly what it sounds like—a summary of your company. This part of your business plan will outline the following:

• Company Owner. How much experience and training does your founder have in plumbing and related industries?
• Company Startup. How much will you need to spend to get your company off the ground?
• Company Services. What specific services will your company provide? This might include gas plumbing, hot water system installation, and piping services, for example.

Market Summary

This is the section of your business plan in which you’ll explain your market. 

For our example above, Perfect-Time Plumbing would detail how many households and small businesses are in Nearby Town. They’d also list where they’re located and what percentage of customers would need their different services. 

This is where you’ll specify whether you’ll serve residential or commercial clients or both. And it’s your chance to outline what competitive advantage you’ll use to stand out. For example, offering lower prices or 24/7 customer service.

Your business plan will also look at how many customers you expect to have going forward. Include market size estimates for each year for at least the next five years, illustrating your company’s vision for growth.

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Company strategy.

You can’t just launch a company and start turning a profit on day one. (And if you can, please reach out to our team). You have to have a strategy for marketing, product pricing, and sales.

The details of these strategies should be included in—you guessed it—your plumbing business plan.

Use your plan to outline your initial marketing strategy. Include details like what marketing channels you’ll use and what types of content you’ll create to engage customers.

You’ll also want to define how your pricing will compare to competitors in your company strategy.

You might have lower prices to appeal to budget customers. Or you could list higher prices because of the expertise and service level you provide. Either way, include this information in your plan.

Additionally, you need a sales strategy and forecast showing how your new plumbing business will acquire new customers.

Financial Plan

The last section of your plumbing business plan will be your financial strategy. Basically, you need to have clear guidelines around how your plumbing company will make money.

In your financial plan, include a few financial and accounting tools to illustrate what your company needs to do to be successful.

Here are some examples:

• Break-Even Analysis . This analysis shows how many “units” of plumbing services you need to sell to break even each month.
• Profit and Loss Statement. This statement details your business’s total expenses, profits from sales, and taxes incurred. This allows you to compare these numbers and see your net profit. If this is your first year of business, you might only have a profit and loss statement for a couple of months or a projected profit and loss.
• Balance Sheet. A balance sheetshows assets and liabilities. As a startup, you might not have a balance sheet yet. But this is something you’ll add to your business plan if you want to use it to seek funding.

As you start fleshing out your plumbing business plan, there might be some areas that you’ll need to update or add to later. And that’s okay!

Your company’s business plan should be a dynamic document that reflects the best plan you have at any point in time.

As you learn more about what works and what doesn’t for your business and your customers, and as you gather more financial data, you can make changes.

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How often should you update your business plan.

You might update your plan a few times in that first year of business. But even after that, you should still review your business plan once a year.

Review your strategies and decide if they’re working or not. Make any changes that could help you better reach your business goals. Or changes to help you cope with the current business environment.

For example, if the economy is plunging into a recession, you might decide to cut back on certain expenses.

You’ll also want to review your business goals. Are you still on track to meet them? Or do your existing goals no longer make sense for your business?

And finally, you’ll want to update your financial documents, such as your profit and loss and break-even analysis. These numbers will change from year to year.

Top 10 Plumbing Industry Trends

What happens if you don’t have a business plan.

Technically, you can start operating without a business plan. We’re not going to stop you.

But eventually, you’re going to need to sit down and create one. Mostly because if you don’t have a plan, you won’t be able to get funding to help your business grow.

You also won’t have a documented strategy for running your business.

Without a clear strategy for reaching customers and selling your services to your market, you’re not going to be able to run a tight ship. That means, while you could get some customers if there’s high demand in your area, you might not make a profit.

A business plan maps out all the details of your business operations as well as financial performance. The reality is that there are a lot of moving parts a business owner must manage.

So, to actually run the business—and have time to serve customers, make sure your staff has what they need , and eat lunch!—you need your business plan to do some of the work for you.

Deciding how to price your services, a marketing strategy, when to add to your team, how to angle your brand—it’s all there in the business plan.

Why Your Home Services Business Needs an Annual Marketing Plan

3 tips for developing your plumbing business plan.

So, you’re ready to sit down and get started but feeling a little overwhelmed. Don’t worry—that just means you’re a normal human being. A business plan can seem daunting.

But here’s the good news—there are ways to make creating a plan far easier than it looks.

1. Use a Template to Get Started

A business plan template is a great way to guide yourself through the process. You just have to plug in the information.

Keep in mind that if your plumbing company is new, keep your business plan on the lean side. You can add more details as you go.

(Pssst. We’ve included some links to templates for you at the end of the article.)

2. Use Supporting Data

A business plan doesn’t need to have long-winded paragraphs. But it does need solid information.

As you gather data from your market research and financial activity, use that information to create graphs and charts . These data visualizations make it easier to quickly understand the current and projected business landscape.

3. Get Help

Having someone walk you through part of this foundational work of creating a business can go a long way in helping you be successful early on. Professional business plan writers, consultants, and even your accountant can help you create a powerhouse plan.

Next Steps: Resources for Creating Your Own Plumbing Business Plan

Chances are that, as a plumber, writing business plans isn’t your favorite hobby.

But that doesn’t mean you don’t have the tools you need to create a comprehensive business plan for your company.

There are plenty of resources at your fingertips. Here are a few you can plunge into to get started:

• Use a business plan template. There are business plan templates for plumbing companies, such as this template from Tradify  or these free templates .
• Get help from the Small Business Administration (SBA). The SBA also offers free business plan templates. You can use their traditional business plan or a business plan for a lean startup. Additionally, you can access a Small Business Development Center (SBDC) in your area for help getting started.
• Begin market research. Start doing some market research for your plumbing business plan. You can gather helpful information from trade associations. This includes groups like the American Society of Plumbing Engineers (ASPE) and the Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors Association (PHCC).

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About the author.

Melissa can masterfully bring to life any form of content, whether it’s a landing page or a guide to befriending gnomes. When she’s not crafting stories, she’s either crocheting, smothering her cats in unwelcome affection, or spending time with her husband.

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How to Start a Plumbing Business in 9 Steps

Free Plumbing Business Plan Template

11 Min Read

A plumbing business company is a blend of the pleasure of working with the satisfaction of providing essential services. If you are keen on solving practical problems and have a background in mechanical design, then the plumbing industry aligns with your goals.

Starting a successful plumbing business is not easy. This requires not only technical expertise but also involvement in financial forecasting, business planning, complying with regulatory frameworks and tools, and developing lasting client relationships, however, it doesn’t have to be a trip from the pipeline dreaming up to pipe success is awesome.

We are here to guide you through all the possible challenges of installing your plumbing business, ensuring you have all the tools and knowledge at hand.

Let’s turn the valve so that opportunities flow!

Benefits of Starting a Plumbing Business

Starting a plumbing company project offers a unique and promising opportunity for aspiring entrepreneurs to start their new plumbing business. The plumbing industry is experiencing massive growth through urban development and technological advancement.

Let us explore what makes plumbing services a proper fit in the current market environment.

• Rapid Industry Expansion
• Flexibility
• Demand for Smart Plumbing
• Work Availability

It’s fascinating to see how the plumbing industry combines practical services with innovative trends like smart bathrooms!

How to Start a Plumbing Business: 9 Steps to Get Started

• Create a plumbing business plan
• Training and certifications
• Business registration and legal paperwork
• Financing your plumbing business
• Determine your service offerings
• Get business insurance
• Purchase necessary equipment and tools
• Build a team
• Promote your business

Starting a plumbing business doesn’t need to have a brand-new idea. It is just a need to see people’s faces in your locality and offer them a solution.

To make a good plumbing business, first, look around you. Listen to what people complain about when it comes to their pipes and water. Think about any plumbing troubles you had. Is there something missing in the plumbing services out there?

Here’s how you can figure out what plumbing service to offer:

• See what’s missing in the plumbing services available and think of how you can do it better.
• Talk to people who might need plumbing to learn what bothers them the most.
• Use what you know about plumbing to come up with a good solution.

Try to address the plumbing issue at once. Choose one specific area, like fixing leaks or installing eco-friendly toilets, and become the best at it.

1. Create a plumbing business plan

A Well-prepared plumbing business plan is not a formality but a roadmap that guides your journey and helps you secure funding.

It can be of several sections, including:

• Executive Summary
• Market Analysis
• Plumbing services
• Marketing Strategies
• Financial Projections

Having a plumbing business plan not only allows you to understand the business structure but also acts as a living document of your plumbing business. Update it regularly as your business grows and evolves.

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2. Training and certifications

Having the proper certifications shows your expertise and builds trust with potential customers. So, be the master plumber by leveling up your plumbing skills.

Here are simple steps on how to do this.

• Start with the basics: Enroll in a plumbing job at a local trade school or community college.
• Learning: These programs combine classroom instruction with on-the-job training under the supervision of experienced plumbers.
• Obtain a License: Obtaining a business license usually involves testing your knowledge of plumbing laws and passing a proficiency test.
• Keep learning: Attend meetings and make further progress in other subjects.

Focusing on your education and getting the right licenses and certifications shows that you are serious about becoming a great plumber. This commitment not only demonstrates your skills but also increases client trust and scope.

It is well-proven that the more you learn and develop skills, the more successful you will be in your career.

3. Business registration and legal paperwork

The first step to starting a successful plumbing business is registering your business so that your business has a strong legal footing in the market.

Decide if you want to operate as a sole proprietorship, a limited liability company (LLC), or another legal entity. Each option comes with business taxes and personal liability. Don’t forget to include obtaining a plumbing contractor license in your plan.

Once you have chosen your business structure, you must register your plumbing business with the appropriate state and local government agencies.

Remember that legal documentation such as obtaining a plumbing license and insurance requirements can vary depending on where you are operating your services.

4. Financing your plumbing business

Now let’s focus on the financial side of becoming a plumbing business owner. You will need capital to purchase plumbing tools, hire labor, and pay the initial operating costs. This question may come to mind:

How much money do I need and where do I get it?

If you already have this thought, it is time to plan your finances. Detail your expected sales, revenue, start-up costs, cash flow, and running costs to understand your business expenses.

Many plumbing businesses start by self-financing, or “bootstrapping” for their new plumbing company This can be favorable because it allows you to have full control of your business but if your savings are not enough, here are some options for business loans to consider funding from:

• Small Business Loans
• Angel Investors
• Venture Capital Firms
• Government loan schemes

Another option would be to borrow money from friends and family. Yet, it’s essential to approach such arrangements with clear terms to avoid personal conflicts.

Careful planning and consideration will form a solid foundation for your plumbing business and help to attract the right investors to fund your plumbing business.

5. Determine your service offerings

Not all plumbing business owners offer outstanding customer service. Deciding on your expertise helps you attract new customers and build a reputation for your plumbing business. Here are some things to consider:

• Residential Plumbing Services: This includes a wide range of services from repairing leak fittings, and toilets in homes to installing new fixtures and water heaters.
• Commercial Plumbing Services: Focus on major professional projects such as maintaining complex plumbing systems, repairing underground pipes, and installing backflow prevention devices
• Specialty Plumber: Go into the niche by providing unique services such as trenchless sewer repairs, green plumbing solutions using environmentally friendly technology, or medical gas installations.

If you want to go with special services, there is a board category that needs to be addressed again. Some common types are:

• Gas Service: Deals with gas leaks and related problems.
• Pipefitting: Specialize in system and pipe installation

Remember, you can always expand your service offerings later, but starting with a defined plumbing service helps you stand out in the market.

6. Get business insurance

Plumbing mishaps happen, and being prepared is key.  Take the necessary insurance policies to protect your business:

• General Liability Insurance: Covers bodily injury and property damage claims resulting from accidents or negligence in the course of your business.
• Workers’ Compensation Insurance: Protects your employees if they are injured on the job, covering medical expenses and lost wages.
• Commercial Vehicle Insurance: Covers your business vehicle in the event of an accident, including injuries to other vehicles, property, and others.
• Commercial Auto Insurance: It covers the driver’s liability if they cause an accident

Depending on your specific industry, consider other coverage options such as equipment or pollution liability insurance.

7. Purchase necessary equipment and tools

Having the right plumbing equipment is important. Invest in high-quality plumbing equipment and consider logistics like a reliable work vehicle to transport your supplies.

Here are some common tools and safety equipment one should consider purchasing for their business operations:

• Plungers and Drain Snakes
• Pipe Cutters
• Soldering Equipment
• Teflon Tape and Sealants:
• Safety Gear

Proper plumbing makes any plumbing job easier and faster. With the right tools, you can perform a variety of tasks such as tightening or loosening pipes, cleaning blockages, cutting or joining pipes, covering leaks, etc.

Damages can occur with bad quality tools which further affect the performance of plumbers. Therefore, high-quality plumbing equipment is a smart investment for any plumbing job.

8. Build a team

As your plumbing business begins to grow, it’s a good idea to expand your workforce. It is very important to hire experienced and licensed plumbers who are dedicated to providing the same high level of service as you.

By building a strong team, you’re not just adding human resources, you are building a team of professionals who can help grow your business to new heights.

A strong team is the backbone of any successful business, boosting you to consistently deliver exceptional service, thus strengthening your reputation in the marketplace.

9. Promote your business

Now that you’re all set to launch a new plumbing company, it’s important to know how to potential customers. Even the most effective plumbing service needs to be focused on the target market when starting with their plumbing service.

At this point, you need to develop your go-to-market plan to promote your plumbing business. If you are planning for immediate services for homes or looking to secure contracts for larger projects, a strong marketing strategy is essential to getting your new plumbing to greater heights.

Consider these questions to answer for an effective promotional strategy.

• What will be your sales strategy and what channels will you use to engage with potential customers?
• How much budget do you want to set aside for marketing?
• What marketing tools will you need to reach the audience?
• Do you handle marketing in-house, or are you planning to hire an outside agency?
• Which marketing channels are most likely to reach your target customers best?

Considering all these marketing channels is understandably overwhelming and confusing. But don’t worry, we’re here to help you understand them easily and create a successful development strategy

Some marketing strategies you can use for your plumbing business include:

• Use Google Ads or Local Services Ads to advertise your services to attract customers looking for immediate plumbing solutions.
• Creating a business page to showcase your business on social media, share tips and advice, and communicate with your followers and potential customers.
• Reaching out to homeowners associations, local builders, or real estate agents to collaborate and secure contracts for larger projects.

Initially, it is important to experiment with a mix of marketing strategies to determine what works best for your plumbing business. Don’t worry too much about the initial cost of marketing, view it as an investment to expand your reach and establish your brand in the competitive plumbing marketing market.

Tips for Starting a Plumbing Business

Plumbing services can be a promising industry in today’s market, but it requires ways to differentiate your business and make a profit. You can think of some tips to grow your new plumbing business.

Service Specialization

Consider specializing in a specific field of plumbing:

• Residential Plumbing: Focus on home plumbing needs, from installation to maintenance.
• Commercial Plumbing: Addresses businesses and commercial properties that require large-scale plumbing solutions.
• Emergency Plumbing: Provide emergency services 24/7 for immediate plumbing issues, allowing you to isolate and attract needy customers immediately.

Quality and Equipment

Invest in high-quality tools and equipment to ensure the efficiency and reliability of your services. With the best tools, quality workflow can do wonders for customer expectations which ultimately results in repeat business.

Branding and Marketing

Create a powerful and unforgettable brand for your plumbing business. Make sure your brand accurately reflects your skills, beliefs, and high standards.

Integrate search engine marketing with traditional channels to better reach your target audience.

Plumbing Services

Provide excellent customer service to build trust and encourage referrals. Being responsive, timely, and transparent about price and service can have a huge impact on your business reputation.

With the basics in mind, you can build a solid foundation for your plumbing business, differentiate your business in the marketplace, and create a strategy for success.

The demand for plumbing services is constant, but the growth of such projects goes beyond just providing basic services. Success requires a comprehensive business plan, dedication, and the ability to adapt to new technologies and changing market trends.

Maintaining your core principles, paying close attention to business developments, and using Business Planner Software to effectively plan your business.

With the right approach and strategy, your plumbing business can not only meet current needs but also set new standards of efficiency and innovation for other plumbing companies.

The Quickest Way to turn a Business Idea into a Business Plan

Fill-in-the-blanks, AI-assistance, and automatic financials make it easy.

Frequently Asked Questions

What qualifications do i need.

Starting a plumbing business doesn’t necessarily require a degree. With practical experience and by hiring a team of skilled plumbers, you can successfully launch and run your plumbing service 

How much capital do I need to start a Plumbing Business?

Starting a plumbing project can range from $10,000 to $50,000 . The main cost is usually the purchase of needed plumbing and equipment, which can vary greatly depending on quality and specification

How do I find customers?

• Network: Attend industry events, join trade associations, and network with other professionals. Word of mouth is powerful in the plumbing industry.
• Online presence: Create a business website, list your business in local newsletters, and engage on social media.
• Local Advertising: Use flyers, business flyers, and local flyers to promote your business.
• Offer referral discounts: Encourage satisfied customers to refer others to your business.

Can I run it from home?

Yes, you can do plumbing from home, especially if you provide services such as Pipefitting, Residential Plumbing, and Administrative Services.

However, for on-site work, you will need a workspace and storage space for tools and equipment.

About the Author

Shyam Dua is a seasoned tax professional with 40+ years of experience & a mentor at SCORE. He stands out due to his exceptional business planning skills. With a keen eye for detail and a strong financial acumen, Shyam crafts compelling business plans that pave the way to success. A CPA with a philanthropic heart, Shyam's strategic expertise, and dedication make him an invaluable asset in shaping thriving business ventures. Read more

Reach Your Goals with Accurate Planning

Plumbing Business Plan Template & Guidebook

Are you looking for an easy-to-follow, comprehensive guide to create a successful plumbing business plan? Look no further! The #1 Plumbing Business Plan Template & Guidebook provides an invaluable set of tools to help you plan, organize and launch your business. This comprehensive guidebook covers all the critical elements of a business plan, including setting goals, market analysis, and financial planning. With the help of this template and guidebook, you can create a winning plan that will ensure the success of your venture.

Get worry-free services and support to launch your business starting at $0 plus state fees.

• How to Start a Profitable Plumbing Business [11 Steps]
• 10+ Best & Profitable Plumbing Business Ideas [2023]
• 25 Catchy Plumbing Business Names:
• List of the Best Marketing Ideas For Your Plumbing Business:

How to Write a Plumbing Business Plan in 7 Steps:

1. describe the purpose of your plumbing business..

The first step to writing your business plan is to describe the purpose of your plumbing business. This includes describing why you are starting this type of business, and what problems it will solve for customers. This is a quick way to get your mind thinking about the customers’ problems. It also helps you identify what makes your business different from others in its industry.

It also helps to include a vision statement so that readers can understand what type of company you want to build.

Here is an example of a purpose mission statement for a plumbing business:

Our mission at ABC Plumbing is to provide premier, efficient, and reliable residential and commercial plumbing services to our local community, while upholding the highest standards of customer service, professionalism and craftsmanship.

2. Products & Services Offered by Your Plumbing Business.

The next step is to outline your products and services for your plumbing business. 

When you think about the products and services that you offer, it's helpful to ask yourself the following questions:

• What is my business?
• What are the products and/or services that I offer?
• Why am I offering these particular products and/or services?
• How do I differentiate myself from competitors with similar offerings?
• How will I market my products and services?

You may want to do a comparison of your business plan against those of other competitors in the area, or even with online reviews. This way, you can find out what people like about them and what they don’t like, so that you can either improve upon their offerings or avoid doing so altogether.

3. Build a Creative Marketing Stratgey.

If you don't have a marketing plan for your plumbing business, it's time to write one. Your marketing plan should be part of your business plan and be a roadmap to your goals. 

A good marketing plan for your plumbing business includes the following elements:

Target market

• Who is your target market?
• What do these customers have in common?
• How many of them are there?
• How can you best reach them with your message or product?

Customer base 

• Who are your current customers? 
• Where did they come from (i.e., referrals)?
• How can their experience with your plumbing business help make them repeat customers, consumers, visitors, subscribers, or advocates for other people in their network or industry who might also benefit from using this service, product, or brand?

Product or service description

• How does it work, what features does it have, and what are its benefits?
• Can anyone use this product or service regardless of age or gender?
• Can anyone visually see themselves using this product or service?
• How will they feel when they do so? If so, how long will the feeling last after purchasing (or trying) the product/service for the first time?

Competitive analysis

• Which companies are competing with yours today (and why)? 
• Which ones may enter into competition with yours tomorrow if they find out about it now through word-of-mouth advertising; social media networks; friends' recommendations; etc.)
• What specific advantages does each competitor offer over yours currently?

Marketing channels

• Which marketing channel do you intend to leverage to attract new customers?
• What is your estimated marketing budget needed?
• What is the projected cost to acquire a new customer?
• How many of your customers do you instead will return?

Form an LLC in your state!

4. Write Your Operational Plan.

Next, you'll need to build your operational plan. This section describes the type of business you'll be running, and includes the steps involved in your operations. 

In it, you should list:

• The equipment and facilities needed
• Who will be involved in the business (employees, contractors)
• Financial requirements for each step
• Milestones & KPIs
• Location of your business
• Zoning & permits required for the business

What equipment, supplies, or permits are needed to run a plumbing business?

To run a plumbing business, you will need the following supplies and equipment:

• Plumbing tools (wrenches, augers, pipe cutters, etc.)
• Pipes, fittings, and valves
• Pipe insulation and sealants
• Testing and diagnostic equipment (drain cameras, water pressure gauges, etc.
• Emergency safety gear (fire extinguisher, safety goggles, etc.)
• Business-related supplies (business cards, accounting/bookkeeping system)

In addition to supplies and equipment, you may need certain permits depending on where you are located. Check with your local municipality for more information.

5. Management & Organization of Your Plumbing Business.

The second part of your plumbing business plan is to develop a management and organization section.

This section will cover all of the following:

• How many employees you need in order to run your plumbing business. This should include the roles they will play (for example, one person may be responsible for managing administrative duties while another might be in charge of customer service).
• The structure of your management team. The higher-ups like yourself should be able to delegate tasks through lower-level managers who are directly responsible for their given department (inventory and sales, etc.).
• How you’re going to make sure that everyone on board is doing their job well. You’ll want check-ins with employees regularly so they have time to ask questions or voice concerns if needed; this also gives you time to offer support where necessary while staying informed on how things are going within individual departments too!

6. Plumbing Business Startup Expenses & Captial Needed.

This section should be broken down by month and year. If you are still in the planning stage of your business, it may be helpful to estimate how much money will be needed each month until you reach profitability.

Typically, expenses for your business can be broken into a few basic categories:

Startup Costs

Startup costs are typically the first expenses you will incur when beginning an enterprise. These include legal fees, accounting expenses, and other costs associated with getting your business off the ground. The amount of money needed to start a plumbing business varies based on many different variables, but below are a few different types of startup costs for a plumbing business.

Running & Operating Costs

Running costs refer to ongoing expenses related directly with operating your business over time like electricity bills or salaries paid out each month. These types of expenses will vary greatly depending on multiple variables such as location, team size, utility costs, etc.

Marketing & Sales Expenses

You should include any costs associated with marketing and sales, such as advertising and promotions, website design or maintenance. Also, consider any additional expenses that may be incurred if you decide to launch a new product or service line. For example, if your plumbing business has an existing website that needs an upgrade in order to sell more products or services, then this should be listed here.

7. Financial Plan & Projections

A financial plan is an important part of any business plan, as it outlines how the business will generate revenue and profit, and how it will use that profit to grow and sustain itself. To devise a financial plan for your plumbing business, you will need to consider a number of factors, including your start-up costs, operating costs, projected revenue, and expenses. 

Here are some steps you can follow to devise a financial plan for your plumbing business plan:

• Determine your start-up costs: This will include the cost of purchasing or leasing the space where you will operate your business, as well as the cost of buying or leasing any equipment or supplies that you need to start the business.
• Estimate your operating costs: Operating costs will include utilities, such as electricity, gas, and water, as well as labor costs for employees, if any, and the cost of purchasing any materials or supplies that you will need to run your business.
• Project your revenue: To project your revenue, you will need to consider the number of customers you expect to have and the average amount they will spend on each visit. You can use this information to estimate how much money you will make from selling your products or services.
• Estimate your expenses: In addition to your operating costs, you will need to consider other expenses, such as insurance, marketing, and maintenance. You will also need to set aside money for taxes and other fees.
• Create a budget: Once you have estimated your start-up costs, operating costs, revenue, and expenses, you can use this information to create a budget for your business. This will help you to see how much money you will need to start the business, and how much profit you can expect to make.
• Develop a plan for using your profit: Finally, you will need to decide how you will use your profit to grow and sustain your business. This might include investing in new equipment, expanding the business, or saving for a rainy day.

Frequently Asked Questions About Plumbing Business Plans:

Why do you need a business plan for a plumbing business.

A business plan is an essential document for any business. It outlines the strategies, objectives, and financial goals of a plumbing business in order to help make informed decisions and guide the business’s growth. Additionally, a business plan is often a necessity if you are looking to secure funding from potential investors or lenders. A plumbing business plan should include an executive summary; analysis of the industry, market, and competition; a marketing plan; operational strategy; financial projections; and other relevant data.

Who should you ask for help with your plumbing business plan?

You should ask a professional business consultant, an experienced plumber, or a small business attorney.

Can you write a plumbing business plan yourself?

Yes, it is possible to write a plumbing business plan yourself. A number of online resources can be found that can help guide you on how to go about writing a business plan. Additionally, you may want to consult with a professional who specializes in helping individuals create and develop business plans.

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5 Steps to a Plumbing Business Plan for Increased Growth and Net Profit

Operating your plumbing business without a business plan is like sailing a ship across the ocean without any instruments or even a simple compass. There’s a chance the ship may reach its desired destination; however, it’s not likely.

For more than 20 years, CertainPath has successfully guided thousands of contractors to enhanced sales and profitability. Read on to learn about the different components of a plumbing business plan , strategies for writing a comprehensive business plan, and resources to help you make sure you have everything you need to get started and to reach your desired destination at the end of a fiscal year.

What is a plumbing business plan?

A business plan should outline everything that must be done to achieve your desired goals for the year. It should consist of five core components:

• Marketing plan
• Manpower plan
• Training plan
• Priority list

If you can successfully outline these five items, you will know precisely what you must accomplish every day, every week, every month, and every quarter to have an exceptional year. Breaking down big goals into attainable benchmarks makes managing your operation considerably easier.

What you need to know before writing a plumbing business plan

There are three things you must do before constructing your plumbing business plan:

Define your vision statement, mission statement, and core values.

You can’t determine where you’re going until you define who you are. The very best plumbing companies—those that hit their revenue and profit goals, have an exceptional culture, and possess a sterling reputation in their communities—have clearly defined vision statements, mission statements, and core values. While each of these could be its own blog post, we’ll summarize them here.

Vision statement

Your vision statement should explain what drives your company every day.

Mission statement

Your mission statement should explain your daily purpose, including how you serve your market.

Core values

These are the bedrock principles that guide your organization’s conduct and its relationship with its clients, partners, and shareholders.

Your core values will shape your vision, and your mission will help you achieve your vision.

State your revenue and profit goals

Too many plumbing business owners simply operate day by day without ever truly considering where their company is going. As you construct your business plan , it is imperative that you clearly state your sales and profit goals. It’s our experience at CertainPath that 20% topline annual growth is a reasonable number, and you should aim to reach a 15% net profit.

MUST READ: If you are not achieving 15% net profit right now, stop planning for aggressive sales growth . There’s an expression that holds true: More money, more problems. If your operation is struggling to make money, it’s only going to become worse if you try to add more customers, more employees, and more trucks. Dedicate the next year to finding your operational inefficiencies and craft a plan to solve them. Once you’re profitable , then you can work on growing sales.

Make planning a priority.

We get it—no one likes planning. As a plumbing business owner , you’re a do-er, and you want to be in the field, helping your techs and talking with customers. However, as you are the leader of your company, your decisions help your team to feed their families and pay their mortgages.

Be intentional in creating your plumbing business plan. Set aside a minimum of two to three days to complete it and try to carve out time without interruptions. You may even want to check in to a hotel or lock yourself in a room. Include your key management team in this planning process.  If they are involved in creating the plan, it is now “our” plan and not just yours.

Now, let’s dive into what you’ll want to accomplish during those two to three days of planning .

Five steps to writing a plumbing business plan

Writing a business plan takes focus and work, but the time and effort you put into each of these five steps will pay off in the end in the form of more sales and higher profit margin.

1. Build your budget. 

Your budget identifies what parts of the business make and lose money . If your plumbing business does residential service, commercial service, and residential new construction, each of those departments should have its own budget. If not, there’s no way to know if one is making or losing money. Over the last two decades, we at CertainPath have found countless contractors who swore their new construction division was killing it, only to find once we separated their financials that it really was killing them. It may have generated big revenue, but it was doing so at a huge loss for the company.

Assuming you’ve been properly departmentalized for a while, you will ideally have three years of budgets to review to properly forecast your new fiscal year. Let’s say you want to increase your residential service sales by $1 million 3next year. Based upon your past knowledge, you know each truck produces roughly $1,500 in revenue every day, and there are 260 working days in a year. Thus, each truck generates roughly $390,000 in sales annually. So, to increase revenue by $1 million next year, you will need three more trucks on the road, assuming you’re priced properly, and your margins are correct.

When you’re priced properly, you can finally make a real profit that fuels your business’ growth and allows you to pay your people the very best wages in your market. CertainPath has created a formula that can tell you exactly what you should be charging for every single service in your plumbing business. Talk to an advisor to find out more !

2. Determine your marketing budget and plan. 

Your marketing plan will be dramatically impacted by your marketing budget. How much you spend on marketing should be dictated by your projected annual revenue.

Start by defining how much you want to make, then budget about ten percent of that for marketing. For example, if you’re hoping to have a $4 million residential plumbing business, budget $400,000 for marketing. That’s your loose constraint.

Next, break down your revenue goal into the number of calls it will take to achieve it. CertainPath members 17 have proprietary, key performance indicators (KPIs) available to them that will ensure they’re on target to hit their financial goals. Two of those KPIs are average invoice and technician closing percentage. Based on how many jobs your team took last year, how much they sold, and the average revenue generated by each ticket, you can determine how many additional calls you must generate to hit your revenue target. How you spend your budget depends on your company and market size.

If it sounds confusing, we have a team of experienced business coaches to walk you through the math. Get in touch with CertainPath to learn more .

3. Construct your manpower plan. 

To grow your plumbing business revenue significantly, you need to add more service trucks. Now, you must put plumbers in those trucks! How do you do that? It begins with a manpower plan.

Your first step is to construct an organizational chart. Even if you’re currently a three-person company, you must have one. Every job function in your company—from GM to CCR to Plumber to Service Manager and beyond—should have a box. While you may only be three people, your org chart can still have seven or more boxes.

At CertainPath, we offer customizable organizational charts for our plumbing members to adopt and utilize. Get in touch to find out more !

Let’s assume your goal is to add three trucks. You will need to create three new boxes in your org chart for the three plumbers you must hire . Include a “goal date” in each box for when you want to have those positions filled.

To determine your “goal date” hiring your new plumbers, note when your busy season usually hits. If you’ve been properly tracking your call counts, this should be easy to figure out—it’s the time of year when you struggle to keep up with demand. We recommend hiring seasoned technicians at least three to six months before business spikes, so they can be properly trained.

By the way, more plumbers also mean more support staff. The last thing you want is to hire and train great plumbers only to watch them leave because they feel like they’re not being properly supported in the office.

At CertainPath, we offer our members a successfully structured program for onboarding “green” employees—those with no experience—into your business. We also provide metrics that tell you how when it’s time to hire a Service Manager and an additional Customer Call Representative (CCR) based upon the numbers of people you have in the field. Find out more !

4. Review your training plan. 

After improper pricing, the most common reason that plumbing businesses fail is a lack of training. You should have processes for onboarding, technical training, communication training, and performance management for your plumbers, and you should also have training available for your CCRs.

You should sketch out your employee training plan for an entire year. Schedule days in your calendar to have your plumbers come in for technical training and communication training. Make time for monthly ride-alongs to ensure your techs are executing the training you’re providing. Also, make time for monthly one-on-ones with each plumber. This is time for you as the business owner, to talk with your plumbers about how you can help them become more successful. You’ll be surprised at how your plumber retention will increase with that simple, monthly meeting.

At CertainPath, we have defined tools for each that our members can easily download, customize, and utilize in their company. In addition, we offer countless in-person and online trainings hosted by our award-winning trainers, such as:

• Service Essentials
• Plumbers Advanced
• The Fundamentals of Drain Cleaning
• Telephone Essentials
• Dispatching for Profits
• Developing Winning Trainers
• Developing Effective Managers
• … and more.

Talk to a CertainPath advisor and get started today !

5. Write a priority list. 

Your budget, marketing plan and manpower plan are all based on simple math: for you to achieve a certain amount of revenue and profit, you must have a certain number of calls run by a certain number of people.

However, there’s another part of your plumbing business plan that is not necessarily driven by numbers: your priority list. This is a list of critical initiatives that you want to implement in your business—changes or additions that will improve your plumbing business, making it easier for your team to hit those revenue and profit goals year after year.

For example, perhaps you’re thinking about hiring a Service Manager or Call Center Manager for your growing business. For those new positions to be successful, you want to provide them with checklists and standard operating procedures (SOPs), so you should include those on your priority list with a due date. That’s just one example of a task that should be on your priority list.

Hold a meeting with any senior leaders or managers in your company and do a SWOT—strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats—analysis. Ask each team member to write down their own lists of these that they see in the business. Once you compile that information, you will quickly know what needs to be improved and add those items to your priority list. Review your priority list quarterly with the same team to see what you’ve accomplished, hold one another accountable, and look for new tasks to add to it.

CertainPath provides our members with customizable priorities list to use as starting point. Contact us to find out more !

Frequently asked questions

What should be included in a plumbing business plan.

There are many things you can include in your plumbing business plan, but at a bare minimum, you must absolutely have a well-constructed budget, marketing plan, manpower plan, training plan, and priority list. All those plans, CertainPath offers both templates, training, and one-on-one coaching on how to correctly build. Before you go to work building your plan, we urge you to take time to write down a clearly defined vision statement, mission statement, and core values. Those will serve as the foundation of your company that will help you and future managers make critical decisions in your business.

What is the best way to advertise my plumbing business?

The best way to advertise your plumbing business depends on the size of your organization and where you’re located. First and foremost, you need to determine what your budget is. At CertainPath, we recommend spending roughly 10% of your projected revenue on marketing. If you’re a smaller plumbing company , as much as you focus on sales, you must equally focus on getting 5-star reviews. We can show you how to pleasantly ask a homeowner for one on every call. You can make your very small plumbing company look gigantic if you have a ton of 5-star reviews. As a small contractor, you should be networking.

Next, you should find a solid vendor to assist you with a professional website, as well as how to optimize that site using HSA, PPC, and SEO. Then, as you get much larger, there’s a right time to begin investing in branding initiatives on TV and radio. When you get to that point, you must be exceptionally careful. Never work with a TV or radio station’s creative people. Find a reputable third party. Again, we have vendors and coaches who can walk you through this process. Get in touch with CertainPath !

How do I create a plumbing business plan template?

Creating a plumbing business plan template is straightforward: you must have a budget, marketing plan, manpower plan, training plan, and priority list. The good news is once you have these constructed, you can use the previous years as a template. What if you don’t have them yet? Not a problem! At CertainPath, we can provide examples for you. If you want to do it on your own, it doesn’t have to be complicated. Sit down at a computer, or even just with a pen and paper. Identify what you desire to achieve in terms of revenue and profit. From there, utilizing the information in this blog, you can begin writing out your plan.

What qualifications are needed to start a plumbing business?

The licensing and certification requirements of every city, state, and province vary greatly. I recommend researching your area. Once you’re in compliance, if you’re looking to start your own plumbing business, we would recommend looking to join an organization like CertainPath to help guide you. So often we work with companies who have a host or problems and challenges that have developed over the years. The more problems, the longer it can sometimes take to repair that plumbing business. As a new plumbing business owner, you have the ability to c reate the proper foundation with which to flourish. Get in touch with CertainPath to find out more.

How do I market my plumbing business?

Marketing your plumbing business is very specific based upon two conditions: the size of your company and the type of media market you reside in. For example, profitable plumbing businesses should budget to spend 10% of their overall budget on marketing. Naturally, the smaller your company, the less you can spend on marketing. In marketing, you can either spend money or time to create business. So, naturally, if you’re a smaller company, you must invest more of your time. That means going to business networking events , working trade shows, and asking customers personally to leave you a five-star review on Google. As your revenue expands, as does your marketing budget. You should invest in a professional website and promote it using SEO, PPC, and HSA ads.

The final step is the costliest; however, it’s exceptional for branding. It involves investing in traditional media like radio and TV. Once you get to that point in your plumbing business journey, it’s imperative you work with an outside agency with a successful track record in home services. Again, CertainPath can help with that as well. Talk to an advisor to find out how !

What type of liability insurance do I need for a plumbing business?

Liability insurance is an important part of running any business, but it is especially important for plumbers since they are working with hazardous materials and dealing with potential hazards on other people’s property. Depending on the area in which you operate, the types of liability insurance you will need may vary. Generally, you should look into getting general liability, auto liability, workers’ compensation, professional indemnity, and product/completed operations coverage. These policies will provide protection from claims related to bodily injury, property damage, accidents, and errors and omissions. In addition to these types of policies, it is also important to consider umbrella policies that can increase your coverage limits in case of catastrophic events.

CertainPath™ provides contractors with a proven path to success , professional coaching, software solutions, and a member community of 1,100+ strong. Find out how to join our family today !

How do I find customers for my plumbing business?

We’ve talked extensively throughout this blog about ways to market your plumbing business. However, there are two other avenues where you can capture customers that we haven’t covered. The first is the easiest and least expensive. It’s building a club membership program.

Essentially, you’re offering premier services to your customers, and in exchange, they pay you a monthly or annual amount. In addition, as part of the membership, your plumbers visit their home once a month to provide a safety inspection. Those safety inspections provide peace of mind for customers, and they provide your plumbers with service calls during those traditionally slow, shoulder months when the phone isn’t ringing. CertainPath has a customizable club program available to members that has been successfully implemented in thousands of cities and towns across the country for more than two decades. Get in touch to learn more !

The other way to find customers for your plumbing business is to acquire them. Every day, there are plumbing business owners looking to retire or sell. Those companies all have customer lists of homeowners they’ve developed relationships with over the years. You’ll be shocked at how inexpensive those lists can be. Very often it’s much cheaper than the money you’d invest in advertising. At CertainPath, we can show you how to identify these plumbing business owners, how to approach them about acquiring their member list, and how much you should pay for that information. Talk to a CertainPath advisor today .

What is the best way to price my plumbing services?

Pricing is the number one reason plumbing businesses go out of business. Please, value your services! Plumbing is a difficult trade, and you deserve to be paid like a true professional. When building your prices, it’s critical that you take into account your time and your plumbers’ time, the cost of your materials and equipment, the cost of your trucks and tools, the cost of your shop, the cost of the utilities, the cost of your office staff, the cost of your marketing, the cost of insurance and benefits, etc. In other words, every cost you incur should be covered by your customers. That’s how business is done. Don’t worry about what any other competitors charge. You must charge enough to cover all your expenses, plus make a profit of at least 15%. It’s with those profits you can hire more people, buy more trucks, buy a bigger office… in short, invest in your business. Trying to figure out how to develop your pricing for all your services is tricky.

Learn what’s possible with CertainPath. Attend a Profit Day near you or online to gain critical insights, tips, strategies, and advice to increase your profits and streamline your business operations.

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Plumbing Business Plan Sample

Published Jul.25, 2018

Updated Sep.14, 2024

By: Cynthia Turner

Average rating 4.1 / 5. Vote count: 7

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Table of Content

Do you want to start plumbing business

Are you planning to start plumbing business ? The plumbing industry in the U.S. has been on an upward trend for the last decade. In 2009, plumbing revenue in the U.S was approximately 100 billion dollars. Professional plumbing is a key subcontracting industry that is important for both residential and non-residential buildings. Plumbers install systems both for new constructions as well as do repairs and maintenance of existing structures. As a critical service sector, venturing into this business is a great idea so long as you have a good business plan in place to guide implementation.

Executive Summary

2.1 the business.

The plumbing business will be registered as Greenhouse Plumbing and shall be located in Lower Manhattan, New York. The business is owned by Graham Johns who is an experienced professional plumber.

2.2 Management Team

Graham Johns, Owner of Greenhouse Plumbing is an experienced plumber with more than 15 years of experience in the plumbing industry. Before starting a plumbing business , Graham dedicated his expertise to the corporate industry by working for numerous companies in the United States.

2.3 Customer Focus

Given his deep industry experience, Graham has vast knowledge of plumbing that is a great asset to help him set up Greenhouse Plumbing and target the right customers.

2.4 Business Target

Graham knows the plumbing industry well and how to go about getting the right customers to bring in the anticipated business revenue. With the right set of strategies, he hopes to penetrate the market and get good business.

Company Summary

3.1 company owner.

Graham Johns is an experienced plumber whose successful career in the plumbing industry has lasted almost two decades. As a leading expert, Graham has worked on large-scale plumbing projects which has equipped him with knowledge on how to run a successful plumbing business .

3.2 Aim of Starting the Business

With the growth of both residential and commercial real estate industry, a lot of opportunities have been created as plumbers play a key role in constructing, repairing and maintaining plumbing systems. Having been in the industry for long, Graham knows too well the future of plumbing is bright and this informed his decision to start Greenhouse Plumbing.

3.3 How the Business will be Started

Armed with extensive plumbing experience, Graham is a successful plumbing professional with vast technical experience of how to run the business. He clearly understands what needs to be done to setup but has also engaged financial business experts to come up with a comprehensive financial analysis.

Services for Customers

Greenhouse Plumbing offers a wide variety of services for clients in the greater New York area. In order to effectively know how to start your own plumbing business , it’s a great idea to identify services to be offered. To penetrate an established industry which already has other plumbing companies, Graham John plans to focus on excellent service delivery and professionalism to grow plumbing business . With diversified services targeting all types of clients, customers will be able to enjoy a vast number of benefits all under one roof. Greenhouse Plumbing intends to offer the following types of services to both residential and commercial clients in New York.

• General plumbing services that include repair, maintenance and setting up of new plumbing systems
• Streamfitting and piping services
• Gas plumbing and appliance repair
• Installation of septic tanks, lawn sprinkler and hot water systems

Marketing Analysis of Plumbing Business

Plumbing is a key service sector that plays a vital role in both the residential and commercial real estate industry. Builders who come up with numerous projects are often in need of professional, experienced, reliable and well-priced professional plumbers who can offer excellent plumbing services. With the rapid expansion of New York’s real industry, Greenhouse Plumbing has an incredible opportunity considering Graham has vast knowledge of how to run a plumbing business .

5.1 Market Segment

For Greenhouse Plumbing to meet its financial objectives, this plumbing company business plan explains in detail the customer target and which marketing strategies shall be used to woo prospective customers. Identification of the target market is vital to ensure customized marketing strategies are adopted in order to yield the desired results.

5.1.1 Individuals and Households

With a population of over 8 million people, New York is the largest city in the United States meaning it has the highest number of households than any other city in the U.S. Because of this, the largest source of customers for Greenhouse Plumbing is expected to be individual households that are in need of professional plumbing services. This plumbing business plan lays out emphasis on what needs to be done to effectively reach out to this market projected to be a key revenue source for Greenhouse plumbing. From the onset, Graham and his team must find ways of connecting with local households in various New York residential neighbors.

5.1.2 Corporates

New York is a corporate hub with thousands of commercial buildings that host corporate companies. Whether it is fixing plumbing systems for new buildings or doing maintenance and repairs for existing structures, the corporate industry is a lucrative market for Greenhouse Plumbing. Corporates award large long-term plumbing maintenance and repair contracts which are lucrative and a great revenue source for the company. The corporate industry is keen on getting the best professional plumbing services and therefore, Greenhouse plumbing needs to implement strategic marketing policies that attract corporate clientele.

5.1.3 Real Estate Owners and Developers

New York is among top U.S. cities with a vibrant real estate sector which is one of the biggest customers for the plumbing industry. New York is home to some of the largest and most popular real estate companies in the United States. Due to the large number of real estate firms, Greenhouse Plumbing has to know how to market a plumbing business to various New York real estate owners and developers. Among the priority target markets should be focus on how to penetrate the real estate industry.

5.1.4 Government Agencies

Government is a major customer segment with a good capability to provide Greenhouse Plumbing with a good source of revenue. Even though government jobs aren’t easy to secure, the business stands a good chance to secure business from various federal agencies.

5.2 Business Target

Greenhouse Plumbing has plans to offer a superior plumbing service that will cut out the business from the rest of its competitors. New York being a large city with diverse types of customers is an advantage for the business. Despite the presence of established plumbing companies, the company has formulated a clear business operational plan that will help realize an annual sales increase of 20%-25%.

5.3 Product Pricing

When thinking about plumbing business start up costs , Greenhouse Plumbing has come up with a pricing structure which takes into account market rates and what competitors are charging. Ultimately, the plan is to ensure the correct pricing mechanism is put in place for the business attains its revenue targets.

With the right strategies put in place, there is a lot of revenue potential for Greenhouse Plumbing to tap. A host of creative marketing strategies will be helpful in aggressively marketing the plumbing business. To start a plumbing business that will be successful, it is imperative to have the right strategies in place.

6.1 Competitive Analysis

Greenhouse Plumbing has extensively studied the market and identified areas it can capitalize on to generate revenue to outsmart its competitors. New York is a large city with plenty of opportunities that can only be identified through consistent market analysis and research efforts.

6.2 Sales Strategy

For Greenhouse Plumbing to penetrate the market and win loyal customers as well as keep attracting new clients, the sales strategies below will be used to advertise the business.

• Distribute introduction letters, company materials and brochures to targeted customer segments in an effort to market and create awareness about the new plumbing company
• Organize an opening party and invite stakeholders as well as prospective customers from key industries such as real estate professionals and managers. This forum is a great networking opportunity to create rapport with customers.
• Attend exhibitions and events that bring together plumbing companies.
• Advertise the business in local print and broadcast media such as television, radio and newspapers
• Adopt digital marketing strategies such as Google Ads, Facebook and Twitter as many clients now seek plumbing services through the internet
• Market the business in listings such as the Yellow Pages
• Word of mouth marketing

6.3 Sales Forecast

For Greenhouse Plumbing to achieve its goals, below is a detailed sales forecast which has been formulated to guide the business on a path towards success.

Personnel Plan

Greenhouse Plumbing understands too well the importance of having skilled, experienced and reliable employees. Hiring personnel is a key component of how to start a plumbing business . Plumbing is highly technical and the success of this business depends on the caliber of staff hired to work on various systems.

7.1 Personnel Plan

For Greenhouse plumbing to operate effectively, the following staff will be hired to work in various areas of the business. For starters, Graham Johns who is the owner of the business will also be the Chief Executive Officer. In addition, the following staff will hired to offer a helping hand.

• Technical Manager
• 2 Sales and Marketing Executives
• 1 Accountant
• 1 Customer Service Assistant
• 5 Plumbers and Handymen

Successful applicants will be taken through intensive training to familiarize themselves with plumbing company operations.

7.2 Average Salaries

Greenhouse Plumbing intends to compensate staff the following salaries within the first three years of operation.

Financial Plan

Green Plumbing has come up with a detailed financial plan that will help steer the business to development. One of the key things to think about when starting plumbing business is to have a sound financial strategy. A bulk of the capital will be raised from Graham’s personal savings and two investors who are his close friends. Additional funding will be sought through a bank loan for business plan to finance the remaining budget deficit. Using this detailed breakdown of financial parameters, the business will be best positioned to fully harness plumbing business opportunities for the sake of growth. The following is a detailed financial breakdown for Greenhouse Plumbing.

8.1 Important Assumptions

The financial forecast for Greenhouse Plumbing is based on the assumptions below.

8.2 Brake-even Analysis

Greenhouse Plumbing brake-even analysis is shown in the graph below.

8.3 Projected Profit and Loss

Profit and loss information for Greenhouse Plumbing as calculated on a monthly and annual basis is indicated below.

8.3.1 Monthly Profit

8.3.2 Yearly Profit

8.3.3 Monthly Gross Margin

8.3.4 Yearly Gross Margin

Profit and Loss Analysis for Greenhouse Plumbing is illustrated below.

8.4 Projected Cash Flow

Below is a summary of Pro forma cash flow, subtotal cash received, subtotal cash spent, subtotal cash from operations and subtotal cash spent on operations.

8.5 Projected Balance Sheet

Below is a Projected Balance Sheet for Greenhouse Plumbing that indicates assets, liabilities, capital, long term assets and current liabilities.

8.6 Business Ratios

The following is the Ratio Analysis, Business Ratios and Business Net Worth for Greenhouse Plumbing.

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BUSINESS STRATEGIES

How to start a plumbing business in 7 steps

• Jeremy Greenbaum
• 15 min read

If you're skilled in plumbing, enjoy working with your hands and have a knack for problem-solving, starting a plumbing business can be a fulfilling and lucrative venture. From honing your skills to setting up a professional business website , we'll cover everything you need to know to successfully start a business and turn your plumbing expertise into a career.

What is a plumbing business?

A plumbing business is a service-based company that offers a wide range of plumbing services to residential, commercial and industrial clients. These services include installation, repair and maintenance of plumbing systems, such as pipes, fixtures, drains and water heaters. Plumbing businesses play a vital role in ensuring proper water flow, waste removal and overall plumbing functionality in buildings. Plumbing is constantly in demand, and reliably so. This type of venture is also thought of as a boring business —in a positive and dependable way.

Before diving into starting a plumbing company, it's important to decide on your business idea in order to understand the legal and regulatory aspects involved in these business types . You'll need to register your business with the appropriate authorities, obtain the necessary licenses and permits and comply with local building codes and regulations. This ensures that your plumbing business operates legally and meets the highest standards of safety and quality.

Starting a plumbing business requires careful planning, preparation and adherence to legal requirements. Here are seven essential steps to help you establish your plumbing business and set it up for success.

Develop a business plan

Choose a business structure and plan

Obtain the necessary licenses and permits

Secure financing

Acquire the right tools and equipment

Build a professional network

Create an online presence

01. Develop a business plan

Creating a comprehensive business plan serves as a roadmap for your plumbing business. It outlines your goals, target market, competition analysis, marketing strategies, financial projections and operational plan. Your plumbing business plan should include:

Executive summary : A concise overview of your plumbing business, its mission and key differentiators.

Market research: Identify your target market, analyze local demographics and understand the demand for plumbing services in your area.

Competitive analysis: Study existing plumbing businesses in your region, identify their strengths and weaknesses and develop strategies to differentiate your services.

Marketing and sales: Develop a marketing strategy to promote your plumbing business, establish your brand and attract customers. Consider online and offline advertising, social media marketing and partnerships with local businesses.

Financial projections: Create a detailed financial forecast, including startup costs, monthly expenses, revenue projections and profitability analysis. Include a contingency plan to address unforeseen expenses or changes in the market.

02. Choose a business structure and name

Select a legal structure or business entity for your plumbing business, such as a sole proprietorship , partnership , limited liability company (LLC ) or corporation . Each structure has different legal and tax implications so you might want to consult with an attorney or accountant to determine the most suitable structure for your business.

For example, learn how to start an LLC in New York.

Register your business with the appropriate state agency, such as the Secretary of State or county clerk's office. This step establishes your business as a legal entity.

Name your business. Consider using a business name generator for inspiration when deciding on a plumbing business name idea . Check for name availability in your jurisdiction.

03. Obtain the necessary licenses and permits

Research and comply with the licensing and permit requirements for plumbing businesses in your area. These may include contractor's licenses, trade-specific certifications and permits for operating a business. Additionally, you may need liability insurance to protect your business and clients in case of accidents or property damage.

For example, in most states you'll also need a plumbing contractor's license on top of a normal business license. You may also need liability insurance and workers’ compensation insurance, if you plan on hiring employees. Some states require a surety bond for plumbing businesses too. Also always be sure to check local regulations for any specific permits or zoning clearances.

04. Secure financing

Consider your startup costs and financial needs to determine the financing options for your plumbing business. These options may include:

Personal savings: Consider bootstrapping from your own savings and personal funds to invest in your plumbing business.

Small business loans: Explore loans from banks, credit unions or Small Business Administration (SBA) loans tailored for small businesses to help you raise money for your business .

Investors: Consider seeking investors who are interested in partnering with you and providing capital in exchange for equity.

Equipment financing: If you need specialized plumbing equipment, you can explore financing options specifically designed for equipment purchases.

Financial pitch deck: Prepare a comprehensive financial plan and present it to potential lenders or investors as you embark on the process of raising money for your business .

05. Acquire the right tools and equipment

As a plumbing business, having the right tools and equipment is essential for providing efficient and high-quality services. Invest in plumbing tools, diagnostic equipment, safety gear and a reliable vehicle for transportation. Research reputable suppliers and compare prices to ensure you get the best value for your investment.

Some basic plumbing equipment to start with might include:

Pipe wrenches

Drain snakes

Pipe cutters

Soldering equipment

Plumber's torch

Teflon tape

06. Build a professional network to drum up business

Establish relationships with other professionals in related fields, such as construction contractors, architects and real estate agents. Networking can lead to referrals and collaborations, helping you expand your customer base and build a solid reputation.

07. Create an online presence with a website

In today's digital age, having a strong online presence is crucial for business success. Create a plumbing website for your business to showcase your services, expertise and customer testimonials. Consider using a small business website builder like Wix , who offer user-friendly interfaces and customizable templates to manage your plumbing website cost effectively . Check your website is mobile-friendly and optimized for search engines to attract organic traffic.

Additionally, use social media platforms to engage with your audience, share plumbing tips and promote your services. Consider creating accounts on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn to connect with potential customers and establish your credibility.

Thinking of starting another type of business? Check out some of these creative service business ideas  to help get you started.

How much does it cost to start a plumbing business?

If you're starting a plumbing business in the US, it can cost you anywhere from $10,000 to $100,000 or more, depending on which state you're located in and the size of your business. A rough breakdown of the necessary costs to start a plumbing business should include:

Licenses and Permits: $500 - $5,000 (varies by state and type of business entity)

Insurance: $1,000 - $5,000 per year (depends on size of company and number of employees)

Equipment and Tools: $5,000 - $20,000+

Employee Wages : Varies based on number of employees and location

Training and Certification: $500 - $2,000 per employee (depending on their current experience and qualifications, also varies by state)

Working Capital: Varies based on operating expenses and business growth plans

Legal and Accounting Fees: $1,000 - $5,000 or more

It's important to remember that these figures are rough estimates and can vary widely based on your specific circumstances, location, and business goals. It's important to thoroughly research and budget for each aspect of starting your plumbing business to ensure you have a clear understanding of what it will take financially to get your business off the ground.

It's also worth noting that some costs, like insurance, will be ongoing expenses, while others, like equipment purchases, are upfront costs. Creating a detailed business plan and consulting with industry experts, accountants, and business advisors can help you create a more accurate estimate of the funds you'll need to start and operate your plumbing business successfully.

Managing a plumbing business effectively

Once your plumbing business is up and running, effective management is crucial for its long-term success. Here are five essential steps to manage your plumbing business effectively:

Streamline operations: Implement systems and processes that streamline your business operations , such as scheduling software for appointments, invoicing software for billing and project management tools for tracking tasks and deadlines. Use technology to automate administrative tasks and maximize efficiency.

Provide excellent customer service: Customer satisfaction is key to building a strong reputation and attracting repeat business. Train your team to deliver excellent customer service, emphasizing professionalism, punctuality, clear communication and problem-solving skills. Actively listen to customer feedback and address any concerns promptly and professionally.

Manage finances: Maintain accurate financial records and regularly monitor your cash flow, expenses and revenue. Use accounting software to track income and expenses, generate financial reports and ensure compliance with tax obligations. Consider hiring an accountant or bookkeeper to assist with financial management and tax filings.

Invest in employee development: Continuously invest in the training and development of your plumbing team. Provide ongoing education on industry best practices, safety procedures and new technologies. Encourage employees to pursue certifications and professional development opportunities to enhance their skills and expertise.

Focus on marketing and promotion: Consistently market your plumbing business to attract new customers and maintain a competitive edge. Utilize a mix of online and offline marketing strategies, such as search engine optimization (SEO), local advertising, social media marketing and referral programs. Monitor the effectiveness of your marketing efforts and adapt your strategies based on customer feedback and market trends.

Promoting a plumbing business

Once your plumbing business is operational, effective promotion is crucial to attract customers and build a strong brand presence. Here are five tips to help you promote your plumbing business successfully:

Develop a strong online presence by making a website  for your plumbing business, optimize it for search engines and include valuable content such as plumbing tips and FAQs. Utilize social media platforms to engage with your audience, share informative content and run targeted ad campaigns.

Keep your branding consistent: No matter where you promote your business, make sure to keep your branding consistent. Use Wix’s logo maker to create a logo and plumbing slogan that you can feature in all of your digital assets. Check out these cleaning logo ideas for inspiration.

Local SEO: Optimize your website and online listings for local search queries. Include location-specific keywords in your website content, meta tags and business descriptions. Encourage customers to leave reviews on platforms like Google My Business to boost your local search visibility.

Referral program: Implement a referral program that rewards customers for referring new clients to your plumbing business. Offer incentives such as discounts, gift cards or future service credits to encourage word-of-mouth recommendations.

Networking: Attend local business networking events, join professional organizations and participate in community activities to connect with potential customers and build relationships with fellow professionals. Consider offering your services pro bono to charitable organizations to increase visibility and contribute to the community.

Customer testimonials and case studies: Collect positive customer testimonials and create case studies highlighting successful projects or challenging plumbing issues you have resolved. Feature these testimonials and case studies on your website, social media platforms and marketing materials to build credibility and trust with potential customers.

Why start a plumbing business?

The plumbing industry is a fundamental part of any community and the demand for plumbing services remains steady. Although the industry is only expected to grow about 2% from 2021 to 2031 , there continue to be over 48,600 job openings in the field each year due to current professionals switching careers or retiring. Here are some reasons why starting a plumbing business can be a wise choice:

Consistent demand for plumbing services

Plumbing issues can arise at any time, making plumbing services a necessity for both residential and commercial properties. As the population continues to grow and buildings age, the demand for professional plumbers is expected to increase.

Profit potential

Plumbing services are typically billed at an hourly rate, allowing you to generate substantial revenue from your expertise. Additionally, plumbing emergencies often require immediate attention, enabling you to charge premium rates for urgent repairs.

Job security

Plumbing is an essential service that cannot be easily replaced by automation or technology. By starting a plumbing business, you'll be entering a field that offers long-term job security and stability. It's also reasonably recession proof, as an essential home service.

Other benefits of starting a plumbing business

Starting a plumbing business comes with several advantages, similar to starting any kind of service business, that can contribute to your professional and financial success. Here are some benefits to consider:

Financial independence: As the owner of a plumbing business, you have the opportunity to control your income and build a profitable enterprise. By providing high-quality services and attracting a loyal customer base, you can secure a steady stream of revenue.

Flexibility and autonomy: Running your own plumbing business allows you to set your own schedule and work at your own pace. You have the freedom to choose the projects you undertake, the clients you work with and the areas you serve.

Personal satisfaction: As a plumber, you'll have the satisfaction of using your skills to solve complex problems and provide valuable services to your customers. Helping people resolve their plumbing issues can be immensely rewarding.

Career growth opportunities: A plumbing business can expand over time, allowing you to hire and train additional plumbers or diversify your services. This opens up possibilities for business expansion and increased profitability.

Challenges of running a plumbing business

While starting a plumbing business can be rewarding, it's important to be aware of the challenges that come with it. By understanding and preparing for these challenges, you can position your plumbing business for long-term success. Here are some blockers you may encounter:

Intense competition : The plumbing industry is highly competitive, with numerous established businesses and individual plumbers vying for clients. Standing out from the competition requires strategic marketing, exceptional service and a strong reputation.

Seasonal fluctuations: Plumbing needs may vary throughout the year, with certain seasons experiencing higher demand for specific services, such as pipe repairs during colder months. Managing cash flow during slower periods can be a challenge, requiring careful financial planning.

Skill and knowledge development: Staying up-to-date with the latest plumbing techniques, technologies and building codes is crucial. Continuous learning and professional development are necessary to ensure you provide the best possible service to your clients.

Customer satisfaction and complaints : Plumbing work can be complex and unpredictable, and customer satisfaction is paramount. Addressing customer concerns and resolving complaints promptly and professionally is essential to maintaining a positive reputation.

Successful plumbing businesses on Wix

Bates plumbing.

Bates Plumbing : Bates Plumbing is a residential and commercial plumbing company based in Lombard, Illinois. With over 30+ years of experience, they do water heaters, sump/ejector pumps, leaky pipe repair, toilets, drain/sewer cleaning, water filters, garbage disposals, re-piping and more.

West Coast Plumbing

West Coast Plumbing : West Coast Plumbing has been serving the West Michigan area as a master plumber since 1992. They offer services ranging from faucet install to new home construction and commercial services.

Real Deal Plumbing and Heating

Real Deal Pumbing & Heating : Real deal plumbing & heating has been providing quality plumbing repairs, modifications and installations to the Boston/South Shore area since 2013. From cleaning and de-clogging pipes to repairing broken fixtures, they’re trained, licensed and fully insured to handle any plumbing job.

For more inspiration, you can check out these service business examples to help you get your creative juices flowing.

How to train to become a plumber

There are two main ways to train to become a plumber: through an apprenticeship or through a vocational training program.

Apprenticeship

An apprenticeship is a paid training program that combines on-the-job training with classroom instruction. Apprentices typically work under the supervision of a licensed plumber for 2-5 years, depending on the state. During their apprenticeship, apprentices learn about all aspects of the plumbing trade, including:

Basic plumbing principles and practices

Installation, repair, and maintenance of plumbing fixtures and systems

Reading and interpreting blueprints

Troubleshooting and resolving plumbing problems

Vocational training program

A vocational training program is a formal training program that teaches students the skills they need to become plumbers. Vocational training programs typically last 1-2 years and cover the same topics as apprenticeship programs.

Requirements:

To become a plumber, you must typically meet the following requirements:

Be at least 18 years old

Have a high school diploma or GED

Pass a background check and drug test

How to find an apprenticeship or vocational training program

To find an apprenticeship or vocational training program, you can contact your local plumbers union, community college or trade school. You can also search online for apprenticeship and vocational training programs in your area.

Once you have completed your apprenticeship or vocational training program, you will need to pass a state licensing exam in order to become a licensed plumber.

Starting a plumbing business without being a plumber

To start a plumbing business without being a plumber, you'll need to hire licensed and experienced plumbers for your team. Focus on managing and growing the business, handling customer relations, marketing and administrative tasks. This could also mean developing partnerships with suppliers, creating a website and ensuring compliance with licensing and legal requirements. You should consider learning the basics of plumbing to communicate effectively with your team and clients. Prioritize customer satisfaction, quality service and timely project completion. Network with other businesses in the construction industry and build a reputation for reliability. Continuously educate yourself on industry trends and regulations at the same time.

How to start a plumbing business FAQ

Can a plumber be a millionaire.

Yes, a plumber can be a millionaire. In fact, many plumbers earn well over $100,000 per year. The top-earning plumbers can earn over $200,000 per year. There are a few factors that can contribute to a plumber's success, including:

Skill level: Plumbers with more skills and experience are in higher demand and can charge higher rates.

Location: Plumbers in high-cost areas can charge higher rates.

Business acumen: Plumbers who are good at running a business are more likely to be successful.

How do I make my plumbing business successful?

What type of plumbing makes the most money, what do i need to start a plumbing company, how much money does a plumber make, how to start a plumbing business in a specific state.

It's important to note that registration and licensing requirements can vary by state and local jurisdiction. Therefore, it's crucial to research and comply with the specific regulations and requirements of your location to operate legally and protect your business. Here are some helpful resources:

Start a business in Pennsylvania

Start a business in Tennessee

Start a business in Connecticut

How to start a business in Missouri

How to start a business in Indiana

How to start a business in Tennessee

How to start a business in Colorado

How to start a business in Virginia

How to start a business in Georgia

How to start a business North Carolina

How to start a business in South Carolina

How to start a business in Arizona

Don’t see your chosen state here? You can use the search bar in the Wix Blog to find all the information you need.

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A 10-step Guide on How to Start a Plumbing Business

• By Rakesh Patel
• Last Updated: October 19, 2023

• Establishing a plumbing business requires obtaining the required permissions and licenses, as well as insurance protection for the enterprise and customers.
• For businesses to draw in new customers and keep existing ones, it’s critical to establish a solid reputation for quality work, prompt responses, and outstanding customer service.
• To ensure profitability, it is essential to develop a pricing strategy that accounts for overhead costs, material prices, and labor costs.
• Your business operations can be streamlined and time saved by putting in place a system for managing appointments, funds, and inventory.

Looking for a business opportunity in the plumbing industry? You have landed exactly on the right page. As per IBIS, the current market size of the U.S. plumbing industry is $129 billion, which is expected to grow by 24% in the next couple of years.

With rising construction in both residential and commercial sectors, plumbing opportunities are growing at a high rate. The shortage of skilled labor continues to drive up the demand for plumbers across the U.S. Hence, this is the best time to start your plumbing business as the demand is constantly rising.

Starting a new plumbing business means you will need an efficient team of plumbers and the right equipment. Initially, it would be difficult for you to develop a customer base, but once you get off the mark your plumbing business is likely to flourish. In this blog, we will help you how to start a plumbing business in 10 simple steps.

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Table of Content

10 Steps to Start Your Plumbing Business

• Things to Keep In Mind Before Starting a Plumbing Business

Advice and Tips for Starting a Plumbing Business

• How Upper Can Help to Grow Your Plumbing Business?
• Frequently Asked Questions

Here is the 10-step process to start your plumbing business. 

1. Create a business plan

The first important thing to starting a new business is to have a strong business plan. The plumbing business plan should include the business name, the business (company) structure, and the business goals. 

If you are planning to operate a new plumbing business in the U.S., you have to make sure that no other company is using your plumbing company name. You also have to choose the business structure between an LLC (limited liability company), sole proprietorship, or partnership. Also, ensure to check how business taxes work in your state.

The traditional components of a business plan are: 

• Executive summary
• Company description
• Market analysis
• Organization & management
• Service or product line
• Marketing & Sales
• Financial Projections.

Once you are done with your business name and business structure, you have to plan your business goals based on your target market or audience. The business goals can be in the form of financial projections, growth opportunities, marketing costs & strategies, and short-term, and long-term goals.

2. Register your business and obtain a plumbing license

After a base for your business is planned, you can formally register your business by contacting the local government. Next, you must apply for an EIN (Employer Identification Number) and TIN (Tax Identification Number) from the federal government. This identification number will help you further in opening business bank accounts as a plumbing business owner.

Moreover, you will also need to obtain a plumbing contractor license and permissions based on the structure. Failing to get the plumbing license or permit can result in huge fines and even shutting down your business completely.

There are separate state and local licensing requirements for the business license. To learn about legal requirements in your state you can visit SBA’s reference to state licenses & permits.

3. Training and certification

Before you start your own business, you should know the inside out. This will prevent your business from going directionless. So, it is recommended to get proper plumbing training from a trade school, as it will develop the required skills for the job. Alternatively, you can offer courses related to plumbing knowledge for your employees.

This will later be a great advantage for your business as you will become a plumbing professional in your field. The training and experience will help you to build a trustworthy brand identity too.

4. Insure your business

As a plumbing business owner, you are exposed to many risks. And customers are also skeptical about dealing with any unsecured company. So, you will need business insurance for your plumbing company after you have got licenses and permits.

Business insurance takes care of the company’s financial well-being and protects it from unforeseen risks or losses. Plumbing insurance will protect you, your workers, and your business in case of accidents, injuries, or damages.

You can get coverage for General Liability Insurance, Worker’s Compensation Insurance, and Property Insurance for your plumbing business.

5. Create a business bank account 

To record the financial performance and source of income for your business, a business bank account is a must. A separate bank account will also help to separate your assets from the company’s assets. It simplifies your annual tax filing and makes accounting easier for your business.

Additionally, you can get a business credit card; it will help to separate your personal and business expenses. It also helps to build the credit history for your business, which later can help raise money.

6. Finance your business

The next important thing is capital because starting a plumbing business is not cheap; it will require some cash initially. As a plumber, you will need to invest in vehicles and equipment, but it may vary with the market you will serve. You have two options to invest in your business- the first is to fund your venture, and the second is to get cash from a third party.

On the other hand, if you do not have sufficient cash, you will need to contact the bank or some lenders for a small business loan. For business loans, you will need a business account and a business credit card. Just make sure that you have a proper plumbing business plan to approach for the loan because no bank is going to lend you money unless you have a proper plan.

Other options to finance your business can be government loan schemes or angel investors. Government loan schemes are the financial schemes to help new companies, whereas angel investors provide capital for new/small businesses or start-ups. In return, angel investors want convertible debt or a percentage of ownership.

7. Invest in plumbing equipment

To start your business, you will need to invest in equipment for plumbing jobs. 

After you have managed the capital, you can invest in a van and plumbing equipment. You can invest in plumbing tools , inventory, and safety equipment to stock your plumbing tool kit. The right equipment will reduce the chances of running to the store for every job.

You are not required to invest all your money in buying new equipment. Initially, you can start with essential hand tools and rent or purchase equipment for specialty jobs once you have licenses, skills, and customer demand.

Essential plumbing tools and equipment include pipe wrenches, pipe twisters, hacks, plumber torches, gloves, glasses, plungers, screwdrivers, crumpers, bore scopes, and pliers.

8. Finalize your plumbing services

Proper pricing will ensure that you remain competitive in the market and get fairly paid for your hard work. But before pricing, you should prepare a list of commercial and home services you will offer. You can invoice your client payments with different types of payment methods like cash, cheque, credit card, or e-transfer. 

Once you have made a list of services, you can schedule a list of materials required and the charges. These things will help you to calculate your profit margin for your plumbing businesses.

There can be two standard ways of pricing your plumbing services: it can be an hourly rate or a flat rate. A service agreement can be made outlining details of the plumbing job, the time to complete the job, and the plumbing price list. 

The plumbing services pricing list will ensure both parties, you and the customer, have a clear idea of the service expectations.

9. Assemble your team 

Some plumbers can work on themselves and some may hire a team of plumbers to grow their business. Hiring the right plumbers is the most important thing, so try to find one with the best qualification and experience. You can consider the Plumbing Hiring Test to get the master plumber for your business.

You have to prepare yourself legally before hiring plumbers. For example, in the US, you will need an EIN (Employee Insurance Number), while in Canada, you will need a SIN (Social Insurance Number).

Once you have hired the right plumber, you have to provide them with proper training so that you can increase your sales further.

10. Promote your newly-launched business 

After you have set up rates and hired the right team, you are ready to offer plumbing services to the customers. 

Initially, to promote your small business, you can consider the below things:

• Develop your brand and reputation: Good branding of your company can make you stand out from your competitors in the market. When creating a brand, you should keep in mind that you design a good logo and plumbing business slogan that should be unique. 

You need to spend a lot of money on advertising or marketing agencies. Rather, you can advertise your services through business cards or uniforms so that you can represent your company when you are on the field job. 

• Set up online visibility: These days, plumbing businesses understand the importance of creating a website and social media accounts. It has become a part of digital marketing strategy for plumbing companies, for example, email marketing. Social media marketing through Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube is also an effective strategy to reach millions of new customers for the company.
• Provide excellent customer service: Once you provide a good customer experience, you do not need to spend money on marketing. This means happy customers will return to you or stay longer with you. They can also refer your services to their family or friends. Word of mouth can be the most powerful tool to market your business.

Additionally, you can also add other customer perks for your permanent customers like discounts or referral programs.

You can also use internet marketing strategies to get a new customer base for your business. You can create an online community in the starting and gradually grow. This will lead to more customers and successful business in the longer run.

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Things to Keep in Mind Before Starting a Plumbing Business

It’s challenging to start a business and gain immediate success. The ultimate goal for your business should be to convert your first-time customers into lifelong customers. 

But, here is what you need to take care of as a plumbing business owner:

• Rely on experienced and licensed plumbers to get quality plumbing work done and maintain competition in the market.
• Work with your competitors in plumbing businesses to explore more about this industry.
• You would need a plumbing license to work in a particular locality . 
• Automate the process of managing your cleaners and their work distribution with plumbing software. For example- you can send appointment reminders or automatic payment reminders to the customers to improve your customer communication.
• Get advanced tools to handle plumbing tasks smoothly.
• Use the right navigation app or a delivery route planner to help you get to job sites in a minimum time.

When you give so much time and effort into starting your plumbing business, you need to follow the expert’s advice. Right? Here are a few tips that can help your company thrive in this challenging marketplace and reach potential customers:

• Work in an organized manner. Plumbers need to manage everything systematically, such as invoices, work orders, and payroll, so that it is easy for future reference.
• Get skilled plumbers ; it simply means not trying to handle everything independently. Instead, you can make your life easier by hiring people to handle incoming calls, schedule meetings, and contact customers for overdue invoices.
• Adjust break times ; you should manage to take gaps between your hectic schedule of work for 10-12 hours. This will help to manage the company smoothly and reduce the overall workload.
• Reward your employees ; you can do this through appreciation, which can be a team dinner or reward with gift cards. Small business owners do this to encourage their employees to work harder and potentially grow themselves.

How Upper can Help in Expanding Your Plumbing Business?

Thinking about plumbing business services, it is not easy to meet all the customer expectations. But Upper has made it very simple with its advanced features. It aims to provide a great customer experience that keeps you on top of your business.

Proper route planning helps the plumbers get to the right place on time and saves a lot of time and money. This increases your business’s operational efficiency and cuts down on fuel costs. Upper reduces the time between scheduled customer appointments by allocating the work to the other plumbers on site. 

This also helps to prepare schedules for the employees and reassigns them routes for other tasks. This reduces paying more plumbers and saves the company time. Upper auto-assigns tasks to the plumbers if they are at home so that they do not have to waste time reaching the office and then going to the assigned place.

The Upper helps to plan effective work distribution and improve productivity. Upper helps to optimize routes and schedules, helping plumbers to reach on time . It helps to distribute a balanced workload to all the team members. This helps to do more work in less time, delivering excellent customer service.

You can go for Upper’s 7 days FREE trial to get the right start and boost your plumbing business.

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Starting your plumbing company can be a great experience. The plumbing industry is showing continuous growth and there is a high demand for new or master plumbers. Moreover, the industry saw a growth of 3.7% from 2020 and the market size is worth $124 billion.

As many established other plumbing companies are working in the plumbing sector, it is not easy to start a new plumbing company. You have to market your services at a better price than your competitors and also provide personalized customer service to stand out in the market.

The basic tools required for plumbing business are: 

• Pipe wrench
• Adjustable wrench
• Basic wrench
• Internal pipe wrench
• Tube cutters
• Hole saw lit
• Plumber’s torch
•  Hydro jetting machine
• Heat shields

To gain more new customers for your plumbing company, you can follow the below steps:

• Take advantage of SEO to market your small business
• Build a website
• List your business on Google My Business
• Start newsletter
• Build customer trust base
• Plan customer referral program

It is difficult to start a plumbing business without experience as it’s specific and requires some resources and training to operate. You must understand the rules and comply with city and state laws. It includes that you should get an appropriate plumbing certification for your business as well.

The 10-step process will help you launch your own plumbing business and reach potential clients. But, you would still need to tune your skills to become a qualified plumber to run a successful plumbing business. Therefore, you should be precise about the business resources, capital involved, and capacity.

Whether you are planning a small business or want initial growth, Upper will improve your operational efficiency and also save money. Upper raises the standard of your business because of the proper management of your team and their performance. To know more about the features of Upper, you can book a demo now. 

Rakesh Patel, author of two defining books on reverse geotagging, is a trusted authority in routing and logistics. His innovative solutions at Upper Route Planner have simplified logistics for businesses across the board. A thought leader in the field, Rakesh's insights are shaping the future of modern-day logistics, making him your go-to expert for all things route optimization. Read more.

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Starting a Plumbing Business: 11 Steps to Becoming an Independent Pro

By Timothy Dale

Updated on Oct 26, 2023 6:56 PM EDT

We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn More ›

Becoming a plumber is a rewarding career path that can lead to a range of interesting opportunities, such as operating a one-man plumbing business, working for established plumbing franchises, or working as a plumbing business owner and managing other industry professionals. However, before starting down this path, it’s necessary for an individual to get the proper plumbing certification for the area. Specific licensing requirements vary from state to state, so it’s important that they check local guidelines.

After acquiring the necessary certifications and working in the field, experienced plumbers may become interested in starting a plumbing business. This can be a great option for dedicated plumbing professionals with a knack for management, but there are still several steps that must be completed before starting a plumbing company. Prospective business owners can use this guide to find out how to start a plumbing business and learn several tips for how to grow a plumbing business.

Before You Begin…

Starting a plumbing LLC (limited liability company) requires knowledge, experience, and planning, so before jumping into a search for “how to start my own LLC,” it’s recommended for plumbers to become more familiar with the costs and responsibilities of a plumbing business owner. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) , the national average salary for a plumber is about $60,090, and a plumbing business owner salary can be much higher than that, depending on the current standing of the business.

According to Andrew Miles, CEO at WaterFilterCast.com , “In my time as a plumber, I’ve found that the career offers great job stability since plumbing services are always in demand. I also appreciate the good pay and the opportunity to solve hands-on problems and see the direct results of my work.”

When first starting out, plumbers will need to pay for a business license, registration, plumbing software programs, insurance, uniforms, plumbing equipment, inventory, a website, plumbing business cards, and a work truck or van. These start-up costs will typically range from $6,325 to $8,150, though it may cost more if the business owner chooses to purchase the company vehicle instead of leasing it.

Additionally, the plumbing business owner will be responsible for getting the appropriate insurance. This will ideally include general liability insurance, workers’ compensation insurance, property insurance, and vehicle insurance, as well as business interruption insurance.

Tips for How to Start a Plumbing Business

• Properly organize every part of the business, including managing invoices, work orders, and payroll.
• Hire a reliable crew of plumbing and customer service professionals to help support the company.
• Be on the lookout for ways to cut overhead costs without sacrificing quality.
• Show appreciation to hard-working staff through appropriate pay and benefits, regular raises, and financial bonuses.

STEP 1: Complete all necessary training, either through a trade school or an apprenticeship, to earn your plumbing license.

A plumbing business owner needs to have the appropriate plumbing licenses to be able to perform plumbing work on their own. Individuals can start this process by becoming an apprentice plumber, either by attending a local trade school, taking one of the best online plumbing courses , or finding a master plumber who is looking to take on an apprentice. Apprentice plumbers cannot work unsupervised, which means they cannot start their own business. First, they will need to work for several years as an apprentice to further their skills, then take the journeyman plumber licensing test.

A journeyman plumber has a higher salary than an apprentice plumber, and they can work independently without supervision. At this point, the plumber can continue to work for an established company or they can choose to build their own plumbing business. However, it may be more beneficial for them to pursue a master plumber license before starting a plumbing company. This is the highest level of licensure, which allows the holder to train and supervise both journeyman and apprentice plumbers.

Beyond the standard plumber licenses, the business owner will need to consider whether they will be limited to residential plumbing jobs or if they will be taking on commercial, industrial, and institutional contracts. Acquiring a plumbing contractor license is essential for anyone who plans to bid on and oversee large plumbing projects outside of standard residential work.

Additionally, some plumbing jobs may require speciality certifications that fall outside of typical plumber licensing. Some examples of speciality certifications include a gas fitters license to work with gas water heaters, a confined space certification for working in pits and chambers, or even a certification indicating that the company follows green plumbing practices.

STEP 2: Determine your business goals and write a comprehensive business plan that covers short- and long-term goals, marketing strategies, growth opportunities, and the business’s financial outlook.

Starting a business is a serious endeavor that should not be undertaken lightly. Before diving into equipment sourcing, tool purchases, and employee hiring processes, it’s necessary for an individual to consider the goals for the business in order to put together a cohesive business plan. This will help keep the company on a path toward success, though it’s also a good idea to research competitors and look into potential marketing strategies that have worked for other businesses in the area. Some new businesses will rely on the guidance of a plumber business consulting company to get started, but this isn’t strictly necessary.

Entrepreneurs will want to take some time to evaluate current market trends and growth opportunities in the community. For instance, if there are several companies that cater to water heater repairs and servicing, it may be best for a new business to focus on a different specialty niche, such as irrigation system installation. Similarly, new companies can attract more attention with high-quality service, including building a comprehensive website that provides potential customers with easily accessible information about home plumbing systems, plumbing services, pricing, and any warranties or guarantees the company offers.

“I have found that plumbing jobs come in waves,” explains Bill Bruininga, co-owner of Billy’s Plumbing & Rooter in the Los Angeles area. “This means sewers, new construction, and service calls are all great, but if you sit just waiting for sewer calls, you will be waiting while other work is available. Be open to multiple specialties. Know your workers and their abilities. The first years should be spent developing how you want everything done. Don’t allow others to dictate your future.”

This research and initial marketing forethought will help aspiring business owners put together a realistic plumbing business plan. The plan will need to include an executive summary, market research, a competitive analysis, business structure and operations, and marketing and sales strategies, as well as financial projections for the first 3 to 5 years.

• Executive summaries are used to record a concise summary of the complete business plan, which is often necessary to show potential investors and banks.
• Market research will help the company understand customer needs and assess market viability in the area.
• Competitive analysis is essential for researching other plumbing companies in the area to analyze their strengths and weaknesses.
• Business structure and operations outlines the legal structure of the business and identifies the operational factors, such as the staffing needs, equipment needs, and any certifications or licenses the business requires.
• Marketing and sales strategies are used to come up with innovative ways to attract customer attention, such as promotional sales, pricing strategies, and service packages. A plumbing marketing agency may be able to help if marketing isn’t a strong suit for the business owner.
• Financial projections for the first 3 to 5 years are crucial for gaining an understanding of the potential profitability of the business. Financial projections will need to include projected income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements, as well as start-up costs, and any funding requirements.

STEP 3: Research financing options, which could include a loan from a financial institution or private lender, funding from a venture capital firm, or a grant or loan from the government.

There are many factors involved with starting a plumbing business, such as getting the proper licensing and insurance to operate the company or purchasing a work van or work truck to travel between appointments. Most steps in the process will require some type of financial investment, whether it is to pay for trade school, purchase new tools, or hire workers to expand the company, so the plumbing business owner will likely need to look into potential financing options.

Entrepreneurs will want to make sure they have a well-thought-out business plan compiled in an executive summary before seeking financial support from any financial institutions, private lenders, or venture capital firms. The executive summary should include a brief breakdown of the market research, competitive analysis, business structure, operational requirements, marketing strategies, and financial projections for the next 3 to 5 years.

With a prepared business plan, the plumbing business owner can begin looking for financial support from a variety of investment sources, but it’s important for them to set up a bank account for the business beforehand to ensure that any financial investment the company receives remains separate from the owner’s private assets. This method of organizing the company finances lends more credibility to the business and helps to protect the business owner from potential liabilities in the future.

• Government funding can be a good choice for a start-up business. The government will often offer funding programs such as small loans and investment capital.
• Business loans or lines of credit can be applied for at a bank or from a trusted online lender. Some business owners may also feel comfortable approaching a family member or a friend for a loan, though this isn’t recommended as it can create a strain on the relationship.
• Business credit cards can help keep track of business expenses, such as fuel purchases for the company vehicle.
• Business grants may also be available, though there may be other business owners competing for the same grant money.

STEP 4: Register your business and get the appropriate insurance coverage.

Once the company has financial backing, it’s time for the business owner to select a company name and register the business. They’ll want to take time to come up with a company name that is easy to remember, gets to the point about what the business offers, and draws customers to the business. Ideally, the company name will be short enough to fit on business cards, company uniforms, documents, and vehicle decals.

After deciding on a suitable name, the owner will need to determine the business structure. Common options include a sole proprietorship, a partnership, a corporation, or a limited liability company (LLC). If the business owner isn’t sure about which structure would best suit the business plan, they may want to speak with a business adviser or an attorney to get professional advice.

• General liability insurance is required to do business in almost all states. The purpose of the insurance is to cover the business in the event of injury or property damage claims.
• Workers’ compensation insurance is essential for any company that plans to hire employees. This insurance will help alleviate the costs of worker injuries, covering medical bills, lost wages, and rehabilitation.
• Property insurance is intended to protect the physical building where the business is located and any property inside the building.
• Commercial auto insurance will help to cover vehicle repairs and replacement in the event of theft or an accident. It also includes liability coverage to protect the business if the driver of the vehicle causes an accident resulting in injury or property damage to a third party.
• Business interruption insurance supplements lost income if the business needs to stop operations temporarily for any reason.

STEP 5: Purchase necessary business equipment, such as tools, chemicals, parts, and a business vehicle.

“I also needed to purchase all the necessary tools and equipment for plumbing repair and set up an accounting and invoicing system,” explains Miles. Plumbers use a wide variety of tools and equipment to conduct day-to-day business, so a new plumbing business will need to invest in all necessary equipment, including tools, chemicals, inventory parts, and a work truck or van. This step will typically be the biggest financial investment to get the business started, so the owner will want to be prepared to spend a significant amount to get high-quality tools, parts, and materials.

Purchasing low-quality tools and equipment can be a useful method for starting the business on a budget, but in many cases these low-quality products are better suited for infrequent DIY jobs. It’s unlikely that low-quality tools will be able to hold up for long when they are being used on a daily basis in a professional plumbing environment. With this in mind, it’s better for the business owner to invest more money up front in quality tools, since having a tool break in the middle of a job can give the company a reputation for being unprofessional.

The business owner will need to purchase tools and equipment for the business location, such as shelving, containers, and other organizational products. They will also need to invest in the necessary tools and equipment for the plumbing truck setup. Business owners can consider the following list of common plumbing tools when purchasing equipment for a startup plumbing company.

• Pipe cutters are used to cut through copper, lead, galvanized iron, and composite pipes.
• Pipe wrenches grab and hold smooth plumbing pipes, as well as gripping and turning unions, couplings, and other plumbing fittings.
• Plungers use applied pressure to dislodge clogs.
• Drain snakes physically break up or dislodge clogs after being fed into a small drain. These tools are usually manually operated and limited in length.
• Drain augers are intended for removing large clogs deep inside the plumbing system with a motorized snake that enters through the nearest opening in the drain line.
• Inspection cameras allow plumbers to see inside drain lines, behind walls, up in the ceilings, or under floors.
• Pipe and tubing benders help to bend and shape piping for custom installations.
• Pipe threaders cut pipe threads into bare piping so that couplings, unions, or other threaded fittings can attach to the pipe.
• Acetylene torches are commonly used for soldering, though some plumbers may prefer a MAPP gas torch, which uses methylacetylene-propadiene propane as fuel and can reach higher temperatures than other types of torches.
• Flame shields help protect wood, tile, drywall, insulation, and any other vulnerable materials from heat and flame during soldering.
• Fire extinguishers are necessary for ongoing safety and protection while a blow torch is being used.
• Hacksaws can be used to cut through pipes and other materials.

STEP 6: Establish a reliable accounting system.

Any business can fail if the business owner does not remain focused on the income and expenses of the company. A plumbing business is no different. The owner will need to balance the costs of tools, materials, salaries, property rental, vehicle repairs, insurance costs, and more, while ensuring that the business is bringing in enough income. There are accounting software tools that are designed for company use to help organize and streamline the accounting process. This can be an effective way for business owners to establish a reliable accounting system for the company without hiring any additional employees.

However, the larger the business grows, the more costs and expenditures there will be for the owner to balance. With this in mind, it’s a good idea for the business to have an accounting professional on staff to help manage the finances for the company. This does not mean, however, that the business owner can step back from the accounting side of the business. It’s important for a business owner to always be aware of the incoming revenue, the outgoing costs, and the financial projections of the company.

Entrepreneurs will want to ensure they put aside enough of the business’s earnings to cover marketing costs, employee salaries, inventory purchasing, rent, utility bills, insurance costs, and income tax. It’s always better for a business to have more than enough saved than to fall short when an important bill comes due.

Plumbing business owners may also consider investing in the best plumbing software (such as Jobber ) to help improve the efficiency of day-to-day business operations. These programs can handle scheduling, dispatching, invoicing, and more, while the best home design software may be beneficial if it allows the user to design plumbing systems in the home. Some of the best plumbing software can also integrate with accounting programs, such as QuickBooks, though it depends on the individual program.

STEP 7: Determine which services you’ll offer, and create a pricing structure.

Plumbers are capable of working on a wide range of systems, so when building a new plumbing company, it’s important for the owner to consider the type of service the company will offer. Some plumbing companies limit the service to residential plumbing, choosing to focus on water-using appliances, repairing or replacing plumbing lines, and residential drain system maintenance. Other companies refuse to take on any residential work, instead focusing on large industrial, commercial, or institutional plumbing systems, such as those in factories, malls, schools, or hospitals.

Neither option is easier, so it often comes down to the personal preference of the business owner. This doesn’t mean that the business must be limited to residential plumbing. As the plumbing company grows, the business owner can look into taking commercial or industrial plumbing contracts and hiring plumbers with substantial experience in these fields. However, if the business owner did their apprenticeship primarily in residential plumbing, then it’s a better idea to start the business in residential plumbing, rather than jumping into a portion of the industry that isn’t as familiar.

After deciding between residential or commercial plumbing, the business owner will want to consider the specific services they will offer, such as water heater installation, fixture installation, drain cleaning, water filtration system maintenance, backflow testing and repair, slab leak detection, or trenchless sewer repair. A company does not need to offer every type of plumbing service. In fact, it’s better for a business owner to research existing companies in the area to determine what services they offer, then use this information to fill any gaps in the market. For instance, if most companies offer water heater installation and maintenance, but only one or two mention backflow testing and repair, then it can be beneficial for the business owner to add backflow testing and repair to their company’s service offerings.

Next, the business owner will need to put together a pricing structure. They can start by calculating the hourly base rate and the overhead costs, then factor in the planned profit margin to calculate markup. Then, they’ll need to figure out the total labor costs and estimate the cost of materials for the project, then add these figures together to come up with suitable price estimates for the various services the company plans to offer. Business owners may want to consider creating service packages that offer customers a combination of services at a discounted rate, such as a maintenance package that includes regular inspections, water heater maintenance, and drain cleaning.

STEP 8: Create a website, Google Business Profile, and social media profiles for your business.

It’s difficult for a business to exist in the modern world without an online presence, so when building a new plumbing business, it’s essential for the owner to create a company website. It’s also a good idea to make a Google Business Profile, as well as business profiles for various social media platforms. This will help direct potential customers to the new plumbing company and hopefully drum up some business. Additionally, an online presence makes it easier for wary customers to research the company, check past reviews, and find the company information to contact the business.

Business owners will want to start by building a company website. The website will need to have a brief plumbing company bio that gives some background on the business, the business owner, and any notable licenses or certifications. Typically, customers will also want to see hours of operation, a list of offered plumbing services, pricing, and contact information so that they can call or email to book appointments or ask questions. Another great idea is to have a database of informative articles to educate customers on plumbing components and plumbing systems.

Next, the business owner will want to create a Google Business Profile. This profile needs to contain work hours, location, and company information so that it’s easy for customers to find or contact the business. Additionally, they’ll want to spend some time building social media profiles on platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter), or YouTube. These profiles can be used to advertise the business, answer questions, address concerns, or even to post pictures of a particularly impressive job that was recently completed, assuming the customer has given permission.

Email marketing and communication are also important for the ongoing success of the business. Many people prefer to have a record of a conversation, especially when they are hiring new general contractors or plumbers. Instead of forcing customers to call in, the business owner can make appointment booking available through email.

STEP 9: Hire qualified and experienced technicians to help grow your business

It’s possible to have a one-person plumbing business. In fact, it’s a great way to initially get started in the industry. A single person can hire themselves out for a small amount of work, gradually building a name and saving for future investments. However, when it is time to expand the company, it’s important for the business owner to put a heavy emphasis on finding skilled, experienced, and overall reliable workers. A company can have the top plumbing expert in the area, but if they are rarely available for work, then the investment in the individual has diminishing returns and can even make the company look bad.

Ideally, the plumbing business owner will have their master plumber license. This alone can be an attractive reason for plumbing apprentices to apply to the company. Hiring apprentices is a great way for a plumbing business to take on more work without paying the higher salary of a journeyman or master plumber. Additionally, apprentices are an investment for the business. If they are trained properly, they can be great assets in the future once they have passed the journeyman plumber licensing test. Though, the drawback is that an apprentice will require direct supervision for the duration of their apprenticeship.

Business owners can avoid becoming overworked by ensuring that there are enough qualified and experienced technicians on staff. This will also include customer service staff and accounting staff to help manage the business. When hiring a new employee, the business owner will need to decide on the position that needs to be filled, then write a job description that outlines the responsibilities, benefits, and wages for the position. Some companies will withhold advertising the salary to encourage more applications, but this can lead to wage disagreements and wasting time in dead-end interviews. It’s better to be up front about pay rates when advertising on the company website, online job boards, and social media.

After coming up with a list of potential candidates, the business owner can meet with them one on one to ask a series of interview questions. They’ll want to relate the questions to the position that the business is looking to fill. Plumbers will need to be able to provide proof that they hold a plumbing license and to answer a series of technical questions related to plumbing systems.

STEP 10: Build a customer base and work on building up your company’s reputation to attract additional customers.

Putting all the effort into building a company only really pays off once the company starts to succeed. Before that point, the business owner may struggle to pull in new customers, meet payments, and keep up with advertising efforts. In order to succeed as a new company, the business needs to build up a base of repeat customers while finding ways to attract attention from new customers.

The most direct way to get customers is through word of mouth, so it’s essential for new customers to feel happy and satisfied with the service they have received. Friends and family members can also help spread the word about the new business, but an honest review from an individual who is not connected to the owner or any employees holds more merit than a glowing commendation by a close friend or partner. For this reason, it’s recommended for the business to post customer reviews on its website to provide an honest assessment of what the company has to offer.

Website and search engine optimization can help to increase the visibility of the company website on search engines. Similarly, companies can use pay-per-click (PPC) advertising platforms to display ads and marketing campaigns. The business owner or customer service staff can reach out through social media platforms to engage with customers or build an email list to send out regular newsletters with informative updates and home plumbing DIYs.

Another great way for the business owner to improve the company’s reputation is to get involved in local events, such as sponsoring local sports teams, joining community organizations, or participating in charity initiatives. New plumbing businesses can opt to use a referral program to encourage word-of-mouth marketing by offering incentives or discounts for successful referrals. Business owners will also want to remember the importance of being seen. Applying logos and company information on plumbing vans or trucks can help promote the business wherever the vehicles go.

STEP 11: Keep up to date on licensing and certifications.

Licensing, certifications, and insurance coverage requirements can vary depending on the location and the type of work. They can even change over time, so it’s necessary for business owners to keep up to date on the operational requirements for the business. The plumbing business owner will want to regularly update any licenses or certifications as needed, while investing time into learning about new techniques and any changes to the industry.

Business owners can also consider networking with other plumbers and plumbing business owners to learn from their success stories, as well as their failures. They’ll want to regularly evaluate and adjust the company business strategies, while also identifying areas for improvements or changes that can help them adapt to the market. Business owners can further their own education by attending industry conferences, researching new technologies, and by taking on new apprentices. After all, there is much that can be learned by teaching.

Similarly, effective financial management is key to the success of the business. It’s important for business owners to maintain accurate records, monitor cash flow and stick to a budget to ensure financial stability and profitability for the foreseeable future. They may also want to consider taking a course to fill in any gaps in their knowledge base, such as an accounting course or management course.

There is more to building a successful plumbing business than a catchy name. It requires careful planning, strategic decision-making, and dedication. When starting a plumbing business, the owner will need to ensure they have the proper licenses and certifications, as well as the appropriate insurance coverage for the business, property, company vehicle, and workers. It’s also necessary for the business owner to put together a solid business plan, including market research, a competitive analysis, business structure and operations, and marketing and sales strategies, as well as financial projections for the first 3 to 5 years.

Next, the business owner must consider where to get financial backing for this endeavor and determine the services the business will offer. Only then can they build an online presence, hire additional employees, and begin growing the business toward success. A business owner who sticks to this plan can expect to lay a strong foundation for the future and differentiate the company in the current market to build a thriving plumbing business.

Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics , Jobber

Plumbing Business Plan [Sample Template]

By: Author Tony Martins Ajaero

Home » Business ideas » Home Improvement » Plumbing

Are you about starting a plumbing business ? If YES, here’s a complete sample plumbing service business plan template & feasibility report you can use for FREE to raise money .

One thing is common amongst people that are in the plumbing line of business, they tend to work as handymen in order to maximize profit in the industry since plumbing is a subset of the handyman industry. A handyman is one that provides a wide range of services needed for the maintenance of buildings and properties.

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The services provided by a handyman include plumbing, electrical works, carpentry, painting, heating and cooling services and other building and property maintenance and repair works.

To succeed in the business, you should try as much as possible not to reject jobs from clients as some jobs might be seen as too small for you to accept.

Doing the small jobs is what often opens the way for you as a plumber or handyman with your clients. When they have bigger jobs, they will remember you and call you to handle their bigger projects for them.

A Sample Plumbing Services Business Plan Template

1. industry overview.

First and foremost, it is important to establish that the plumbing services business is a subset of the handyman repair services industry.

The plumbing cum handyman industry provides general maintenance and repair services to residential and commercial customers, including plumbing and electrical repairs, appliance installation and repair, painting and carpentry.

Players in this industry install and maintain plumbing fixtures, fittings and equipment and the industry activities include work on household pipes and drains; installation of gas cooking and heating appliances; and work on bathroom and toilet fixtures and venting systems.

Emergency repair work ( e.g. unclogging drains or repairing burst water mains ) represents a significant source of industry revenue. They may also supply plumbing appliances and coupling products for construction projects as a means of increasing income for the business.

The industry grew as a result of the shift in focus from do-it-yourself (DIY) to do-it-for-me (DIFM) as the eighties drew to a close.

This was because time became more precious for the coming generation than money. By the mid-nineties handyman businesses began to appear all over the place to cater to people who did not have time to spare to fix little problems in their homes.

In 2003, the plumbing cum handyman industry was one of the fastest growing ones in the united states and the industry keeps expanding further. This sector is a resource for the growing number of aging homeowners and is also a source of business opportunity for entrepreneurs.

The Plumbing cum Handyman services industry will continue to grow going forward due to the support it will get from the accelerating house market. Besides, housing prices are also on the rise and the increase in the existing home sales will help to drive the demand for remodeling projects and repair works in homes and on properties.

There is a growing need for home repair work and improvement that is reliable because of the emergence of vacation homes, second homes, commercial properties and rental units.

Also, the increase in the number of older people who wish to keep on living in their homes is a factor for the growth in the industry and younger families with children of school-age who chooses to renovate and remodel their homes, instead of moving out to look for new homes in the real estate market with its high price.

Statistics has it that the Plumbing cum Handyman Services industry in the United States of America, is worth $106 billion, with an estimated growth rate of 4.2 percent.

There are about 115,908 registered and licensed plumbing and handyman services businesses in the United States and they are responsible for employing about 9,180 people. It is important to state that there is no company with a dominant market share in this industry.

The plumbing and handyman services industry will keep on thriving in the coming decade especially if an entrepreneur in this line of business is committed to providing reliable and quality work for customers in the home repair and property services they render.

The market is highly unsaturated and there is room for growth as the industry is expanding and maturing. The good news for would be entrepreneurs in this line of business is that there is an estimate of continued annual growth for the handyman industry for as high as 20 percent.

Over and above, the plumbing cum handyman services industry is very open to any aspiring entrepreneur who has acquired the required trainings, skills and perhaps professional certifications to start his or her own business and of course make good money from the industry.

2. Executive Summary

Lumber Jack® Plumbing Services is a licensed and standard plumbing services company that also handles other related handyman services. We have been able to secure a standard and well – positioned office facility in a growing community in Dallas – Texas.

We are a plumbing cum handyman Services Company that is set to compete in the highly competitive handyman services industry not only in Texas, but also throughout the United States market.

Aside from this service; installing and maintaining plumbing fixtures, fittings and equipment and working on household pipes and drains; installation of gas cooking and heating appliances; and working on bathroom and toilet fixtures and venting systems and emergency repair work (e.g. unclogging drains or repairing burst water mains)  services which happens to be our core services.

Lumber Jack® Plumbing Services will also provide general maintenance and repair services to residential and commercial customers, including wiring and electrical repairs, appliance installation and repair, painting and carpentry services et al.

Our business goal is to become one of the leading plumbing cum handyman service companies in the United States and we will make sure that we do all we can to compete favorably with leaders in the industry.

Our workers will be selected from a pool of certified and highly experienced technicians and tradesmen with different trade skills as it relates to our service offerings in and around Dallas – Texas and also from any part of the United States of America as the business grows.

We will make sure that we take all the members of our workforce through the required trainings that will position them to meet the expectation of the company and to compete with leading plumbing and handymen service providers and installation, maintenance and repair companies in the United States and throughout the globe.

At Lumber Jack® Plumbing Services, our client’s best interest will always come first, and everything we do will be guided by our values and professional ethics. We will ensure that all the repair jobs we carry out stand the test of time, we will hold ourselves accountable to the highest standards by meeting our client’s needs precisely and completely.

We will cultivate a working environment that provides a human, sustainable approach to earning a living, and living in our world, for all our partners, employees and for our clients. Lumber Jack® Plumbing Services is founded by Mr. Charles Coleman, a plumber per excellence who also has various skills as a certified tradesman cum handyman.

It is a family business, and the business will be managed and financed by the family. Mr. Coleman has well over 15 years of experience working as a plumber cum handyman for the public works department of the United States of America.

3. Our Products and Services

Lumber Jack® Plumbing Services is established with the aim of maximizing profits in the plumbing cum handyman services industry.

We want to compete favorably with the leading plumbing cum handyman service companies and installation, maintenance and repair companies in the United States which is why we have but in place a competent quality assurance team that will ensure that every plumbing repairs, installations and services carried out or related services rendered meet and even surpass our customers’ expectations.

We will work hard to ensure that Lumber Jack® Plumbing Services is not just accepted in the community we operate in Dallas, but also throughout Texas and in other cities in the United States of America. Our service offerings are listed below;

• Plumbing repair and installations services (Our core service)
• Mechanical services
• Building sprinkler system installation
• Steam fitting and piping services
• Lawn sprinkler installation
• Drain construction, cleaning or repairing
• Gas plumbing
• Gas appliance repair
• Hot water systems installation
• Repairing installed plumbing
• Septic tank installation
• Solar hot water systems installation
• Steamfitting and piping contracting services
• Interior and exterior sprinkler system installation

4. Our Mission and Vision Statement

• Our vision goes beyond establishing a plumbing services company to establishing a standard and all – round handyman services company whose services and brand will not only be accepted in Dallas – Texas but also in other cities in the United States of America.
• Our mission is to provide professional plumbing, installation, maintenance and repair services and other related services that will assist businesses, individuals, households and non-profit organizations in ensuring that their facility and equipment are always in good shape.
• We want to build a plumbing cum handyman Service Company that can favorably compete with other leading brands in the plumbing cum handyman services industry.

Our Business Structure

Lumber Jack® Plumbing Services is a business that intend starting small in Dallas – Texas, but hope to grow big in order to compete favorably with leading plumbing cum handyman businesses in the industry in the United States. We are aware of the importance of building a solid business structure that can support the picture of the kind of world class business we want to own.

This is why we are committed to only hire the best hands within our area of operations. At Lumber Jack® Plumbing Services we will ensure that we hire people that are qualified, hardworking, creative, customer centric and are ready to work to help us build a prosperous business that will benefit all the stakeholders (the owners, workforce, and customers).

As a matter of fact, profit-sharing arrangement will be made available to all our senior management staff and it will be based on their performance for a period of five years or more. In view of the above, we have decided to hire qualified and competent hands to occupy the following positions;

• Chief Executive Officer
• Head, Technical Services

Human Resources and Admin Manager

• Sales and Marketing Executive
• Plumbers and Handymen (With Various Trade Skills as it relates to our Business)

Client Service Executive

5. Job Roles and Responsibilities

Chief Executive Officer – CEO:

• Increases management’s effectiveness by recruiting, selecting, orienting, training, coaching, counseling, and disciplining managers; communicating values, strategies, and objectives; assigning accountabilities; planning, monitoring, and appraising job results; developing incentives; developing a climate for offering information and opinions; providing educational opportunities.
• Responsible for providing direction for the business
• Creates, communicates, and implements the organization’s vision, mission, and overall direction – i.e. leading the development and implementation of the overall organization’s strategy.
• Responsible for signing checks and documents on behalf of the company
• Evaluates the success of the organization

Head, Technical Services:

• Serves as project manager of the organization; works directly with employees
• Develops strategic plan by studying technological and financial opportunities; presenting assumptions; recommending objectives.
• Accomplishes subsidiary objectives by establishing plans, budgets, and results measurements; allocating resources; reviewing progress; making mid-course corrections.
• Coordinates efforts by establishing procurement, production, marketing, field, and technical services policies and practices; coordinating actions with corporate staff.
• Builds company image by collaborating with customers, government, community organizations, and employees; enforcing ethical business practices.
• Maintains quality service by establishing and enforcing organization standards.
• Maintains professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops; reviewing professional publications; establishing personal networks; benchmarking state-of-the-art practices; participating in professional societies.
• Makes certain that the technical department perform efficiently, coordinate employee efforts, and facilitate communications between management and plumbers / handymen
• Ensures that the organization work in line with international best practices.
• Responsible for overseeing the smooth running of HR and administrative tasks for the organization
• Defines job positions for recruitment and managing interviewing process
• Carries out staff induction for new team members
• Responsible for training, evaluation and assessment of employees
• Responsible for arranging travel, meetings and appointments
• Oversees the smooth running of the daily office and factory activities.

Sales and Marketing Manager

• Manages external research and coordinate all the internal sources of information to retain the organizations’ best customers and attract new ones
• Models demographic information and analyze the volumes of transactional data generated by customer
• Identifies development opportunities; follows up on development leads and contacts; participates in the structuring and financing of projects; assures the completion of plumbing repair and installation projects.
• Writes winning proposal documents, negotiate fees and rates in line with organizations’ policy
• Responsible for handling business research, market surveys and feasibility studies for clients
• Responsible for supervising implementation, advocate for the customer’s needs, and communicate with clients
• Develops, executes and evaluates new plans for expanding increase sales
• Creates new markets cum businesses for the organization
• Empowers and motivates the sales team to meet and surpass agreed targets

Accountant / Cashier:

• Responsible for preparing financial reports, budgets, and financial statements for the organization
• Provides managements with financial analyses, development budgets, and accounting reports; analyzes financial feasibility for the most complex proposed projects; conducts market research to forecast trends and business conditions.
• Responsible for financial forecasting and risks analysis.
• Performs cash management, general ledger accounting, and financial reporting for one or more properties.
• Responsible for developing and managing financial systems and policies
• Responsible for administering payrolls
• Ensures compliance with taxation legislation
• Handles all financial transactions for Lumber Jack® Plumbing Services
• Serves as internal auditor for Lumber Jack® Plumbing Services.

Plumbers and Handymen (With Various Trade Skills)

• Provides general maintenance and repair services to residential and commercial customers, including plumbing and electrical repairs, appliance installation and repair, painting and carpentry services et al.
• Handles Carpentry services, Appliance installation and repair (TV wall mount installation), Flooring installation and repair, Roofing repairs, Gutter cleaning, Kitchen makeover, Bathroom remodel and Shower remodel, Attic insulation, Deck repair, Door installations, Fence repairs, Interior and exterior painting services, Yard and power tool repair and maintenance
• Welcomes clients and potential clients by greeting them in person or on the telephone; answering or directing inquiries.
• Ensures that all contacts with clients (e-mail, walk-In center, SMS or phone) provides the client with a personalized customer service experience of the highest level
• Through interaction with clients on the phone, uses every opportunity to build client’s interest in the company’s products and services
• Manages administrative duties assigned by the creative director in an effective and timely manner
• Consistently stays abreast of any new information on the organizations’ services, promotional campaigns etc. to ensure accurate and helpful information is supplied to clients when they make enquiries

6. SWOT Analysis

Lumber Jack® Plumbing Services engaged the services of a core professional in the area of business structuring to assist our organization in building a well – structured plumbing cum handyman business that can favorably compete in the highly competitive plumbing cum handyman services industry in the United States and the world at large.

Part of what the team of business consultant did was to work with the management of our organization in conducting a comprehensive SWOT analysis for Lumber Jack® Plumbing Services. Here is a summary from the result of the SWOT analysis that was conducted on behalf of Lumber Jack® Plumbing Services;

Our core strength lies in the power of our team; our workforce. We have a team of certified and highly trained and experienced technicians, plumbers, and carpenters et al, a team with excellent qualifications and experience in various niche areas in the plumbing and handyman services industry.

Aside from the synergy that exists in our carefully selected workforce, our services will be guided by best practices in the industry.

As a new plumbing cum handyman Services Company in Dallas – Texas, it might take some time for our organization to break into the market and gain acceptance especially from top profile clients in the already saturated and highly competitive plumbing cum handyman services industry; that is perhaps our major weakness.

Another weakness is that we may not have the required cash to pump into promoting our business the way we would want to.

• Opportunities:

No doubt, the opportunities in the plumbing and handyman services industry is massive considering the number of households and corporate organizations who would always need their faulty plumbing jobs to be fixed or other things to fix in their facilities.

As a plumbing cum handyman Services Company, we are ready to take advantage of any opportunity that is available in the industry.

Just like any other business, one of the major threats that we are likely going to face is economic downturn. It is a fact that economic downturn affects purchasing / spending power. As a matter of fact, some people tend to fix their faulty plumbing jobs themselves as against hiring plumbers and handymen.

Another threat that may likely confront us is the arrival of a new plumbing and handyman services company in same location where our target market exist and who may want to adopt same Business model like us.

7. MARKET ANALYSIS

• Market Trends

Although it is somewhat difficult to get plumbers to help you fix your faulty plumbing jobs; it is obvious that the number of plumbers in a given community seems to be less than the required numbers of plumbers needed to effectively service the community.

The plumbing cum handyman industry is one that was affected adversely by the fall of the housing market. This resulted to a low demand for the services in this industry. When the demand for minor household repairs and maintenance rose, the revenue decline was moderated.

The industry has now benefited from the acceleration house market and the increase in household income. These days, it is trendy to find plumbers offering far more than plumbing services; they would prefer to start a handyman services business.

A business that will offer a wide range of relevant services. It gives them the opportunity to maximize profits in the industry and create multiple streams of income as against relying on only plumbing services. On the average, starting and running a plumbing / handyman business can be cost effective.

This is especially so when you have highly trained, well qualified and experienced staff as members of your team. With the quality of work carried out by them for your customers, you will be able to retain your customers and the good work your company does will be well spread by word of mouth as customers will tend to recommend your services to their families and friends once you are able to do a good job in their homes and on their properties.

A company’s ability in providing its customers with quality service at affordable prices will also be a factor that will count in the industry.

This way the company will be able to retain existing clients and get more business from new customers. The competition in the plumbing and handyman industry shows that there is a viable market for the services of plumbers cum handymen.

As long as you are prepared to deliver quality plumbing and handyman services, you will have your own share of the market as some plumbers and handymen business that exist take their customers for granted and offer them mediocre services.

This gives you room as a new entrant into the business to come in and dominate if you are prepared to give quality service to your client.

8. Our Target Market

Before starting our plumbing cum handyman business in Dallas – Texas, we conducted a market survey and feasibility studies and we are certain that there is a wide range of both corporate and individual clients who would need the services of plumbers and handymen on a regular basis.

In view of that, we have created strategies that will enable us reach out to various corporate organizations and households who we know can’t afford to do without our services. Below is a list of the people and organizations that we have specifically market our services to;

• Individuals and households
• Banks, Insurance Companies and other related Financial Institutions
• Blue Chips Companies
• Corporate Organizations
• Real Estate Owners, Developers, and Contractors
• The Government (Public works department)
• Schools (High Schools, Colleges and Universities)
• Sport Facilities
• Religious Organizations

Our Competitive Advantage

Surviving in the business world as a plumber or handyman requires more than, your expertise, knowing how to deliver standard plumbing cum repairs and maintenance jobs but also how to network with key people that matters; decision makers that can decide who will get an plumbing installation, repair and maintenance contract.

There are favorable conditions for growth in the plumbing and handyman services industry and as a result of this, survival in the industry will require that you build on existing knowledge of the services you offer to your customers and broaden your skill base in order to be able to compete favorably.

More plumbing and handymen businesses are coming up and they are using the services of existing franchise in the business to boost their competitive edge and exposure in the industry.

We are quite aware that to be highly competitive in the plumbing and handyman services industry means that you are not only expected to be able to deliver consistent and highly reliable plumbing installation, repair and maintenance jobs, but you must be able to meet set targets.

No one would want to continue to hire your services if don’t always meet up with the target date of completion of projects. Our competitive advantage lies in the power of our team; our workforce.

We have a team of certified and highly trained and experienced technicians, plumbers, and carpenters et al, a team with excellent qualifications and experience in various niche areas in the handyman services cum installation, maintenance and repair service industry.

Lastly, all our employees will be well taken care of, and their welfare package will be amongst the best within our category (startups plumbing and handyman services businesses in the United States) in the industry. It will enable them to be more than willing to build the business with us and help deliver our set goals and achieve all our business aims and objectives.

9. SALES AND MARKETING STRATEGY

• Sources of Income

Lumber Jack® Plumbing Services is established with the aim of maximizing profits in the  plumbing and handyman (repair) services industry and we are going to go all the way to ensure that we do all it takes to meet and surpass the expectations of all our clients. Lumber Jack® Plumbing Services will generate income by offering the following services;

• Steamfitting and piping services

10. Sales Forecast

One thing is certain, there would always be corporate organization, government agencies, households and individual who would need the services of plumbers and handymen from time to time.

We are well positioned to take on the available market in the plumbing and handyman services industry and we are quite optimistic that we will meet our set target of generating enough income / profits from the first six month of operations and grow our company to enviable heights.

We have been able to critically examine the plumbing and handyman services market and we have analyzed our chances in the industry and we have been able to come up with the following sales forecast. The sales projection is based on information gathered on the field and some assumptions that are peculiar to similar startups in plumbing and handyman services industry.

Below is the sales projection for Lumber Jack® Plumbing Services, it is based on the location of our business and of course the wide range of our services and target market;

• First Fiscal Year-: $100,000
• Second Fiscal Year-: $250,000
• Third Fiscal Year-: $500,000

N.B : This projection is done based on what is obtainable in the industry and with the assumption that there won’t be any major economic meltdown and there won’t be any major competitor offering same plumbing installation, maintenance and repair services as we do within same location. Please note that the above projection might be lower and at the same time it might be higher.

• Marketing Strategy and Sales Strategy

We are mindful of the fact that there are stiffer competition in the plumbing and handyman services industry; hence we have been able to hire some of the best marketing experts to handle our sales and marketing.

Our sales and marketing team will be recruited based on their vast experience in the plumbing and handyman services industry and they will be trained on a regular basis so as to be well equipped to meet their targets and the overall business goal of Lumber Jack® Plumbing Services

Our corporate goal is to grow Lumber Jack® Plumbing Services to become one of the top 10 plumbing and handyman services brands in the United States of America which is why we have mapped out strategy that will help us take advantage of the available market and grow to become a major force to reckon with not only in Dallas – Texas but also in other cities in the United States of America.

Lumber Jack® Plumbing Services is set to make use of the following marketing and sales strategies to attract clients;

• Introduce our business by sending introductory letters alongside our brochure to individuals, households, construction companies, facility managers, corporate organizations, religious organizations and key stake holders.
• Promptness in bidding for plumbing installation, repair, and maintenance contract from the government and other cooperate organizations
• Advertise our business in relevant business magazines, newspapers, TV stations, and radio station.
• List our business on yellow pages ads (local directories)
• Attend relevant international and local expos, seminars, and business fairs et al
• Create different packages for different category of clients in order to work with their budgets and still deliver excellent services
• Leverage on the internet to promote our business
• Engage direct marketing approach
• Encourage word of mouth marketing from loyal and satisfied clients

11. Publicity and Advertising Strategy

We know the power of publicity hence we have been able to work with our brand and publicity consultants to help us map out publicity and advertising strategies that will help us walk our way into the heart of our target market.

We are set to become the number one choice for both corporate clients and households in the whole of Dallas – Texas and beyond which is why we have made provisions for effective publicity and advertisement of our plumbing cum handyman Services Company. Below are the platforms we intend to leverage on to promote and advertise Lumber Jack® Plumbing Services;

• Place adverts on both print (newspapers and magazines) and electronic media platforms
• Sponsor relevant community based events / programs
• Leverage on the internet and social media platforms like; Instagram, Facebook , twitter, YouTube, Google + et al to promote our services
• Install our BillBoards on strategic locations all around Dallas – Texas
• Engage in road show from time to time in targeted neighborhoods
• Distribute our fliers and handbills in target areas
• Contact corporate organizations and households by calling them up and informing them of Lumber Jack® Plumbing Services and the services we offer
• List our company in local directories / yellow pages
• Advertise our company in our official website and employ strategies that will help us pull traffic to the site.
• Ensure that all our staff members wear our branded shirts and all our vehicles are well branded with our company logo et al.

12. Our Pricing Strategy

At Lumber Jack® Plumbing Services we will keep the prices of our plumbing and handyman services below the average market rate for all of our customers by keeping our overhead low and by collecting payment in advance from corporate organizations who would hire our services.

In addition, we will also offer special discounted rates to all our customers at regular intervals. We are aware that there are some one – off jobs or government contracts which are always lucrative, we will ensure that we abide by the pricing model that is expected from contractors or organizations that bid for such contracts.

• Payment Options

At Lumber Jack® Plumbing Services our payment policy will be all inclusive because we are quite aware that different people prefer different payment options as it suits them. Here are the payment options that we will make available to our clients;

• Payment by via bank transfer
• Payment via online bank transfer
• Payment via check
• Payment via bank draft
• Payment via mobile money
• Payment with cash

In view of the above, we have chosen banking platforms that will help us achieve our plans with little or no itches.

13. Startup Expenditure (Budget)

When it comes to setting up any business, the amount or cost will depend on the approach and scale you want to undertake.

If you intend to go big by renting a place, then you would need a good amount of capital as you would need to ensure that your employees are well taken care of, and that your facility is conducive enough for workers to be creative and productive.

In essence, it means that the start-up can either be low or high depending on your goals, vision and aspirations for your business. Basically, the tools and equipment that will be used is nearly the same cost everywhere, and any difference in prices would be minimal and can be overlooked.

As for the detailed cost analysis for starting a standard plumbing and handyman company; it might differ in other countries due to the value of their money. However, this is what it would cost us to set Lumber Jack® Plumbing Services in the United of America;

• Business incorporating fees in the United States of America will cost – $750.
• The budget for Liability insurance, permits and license will cost – $3,500
• Acquiring an office space that will accommodate the number of employees for at least 6 months (Re – Construction of the facility inclusive) will cost – $100,000.
• The amount required to purchase the needed tool box and repair equipment – $10,000
• Equipping the office (computers, printers, projectors, markers, servers / internet facility, furniture, telephones, filing cabinets, and electronics) will cost – $10,000
• Amount required to purchase the needed software applications to run our business – $3,500
• Launching an official Website will cost – $500
• Amount need to pay bills and staff members for at least 2 to 3 months – $70,000
• Additional Expenditure such as Business cards, Signage, Adverts and Promotions will cost – $1,000

Going by the report from the market research and feasibility studies conducted, we will need about two hundred thousand ( 200,000 ) U.S. dollars to successfully set – up a standard plumbing and handyman company in the United States of America.

Generating Funding / Startup Capital for Lumber Jack® Plumbing Services

Lumber Jack® Plumbing Services is a business that will be owned and managed by Mr. Charles Coleman and his immediate family. They are the sole financial of the business which is why they decided to restrict the sourcing of the start – up capital for the business to just three major sources.

These are the areas we intend generating our start – up capital;

• Generate part of the start – up capital from personal savings and sale of his stocks
• Generate part of the start – up capital from friends and other extended family members
• Generate a larger chunk of the startup capital from the bank (loan facility).

N.B: We have been able to generate about $100,000 (Personal savings $70,000 and soft loan from family members $30,000 ) and we are at the final stages of obtaining a loan facility of $100,000 from our bank. All the papers and document has been duly signed and submitted, the loan has been approved and any moment from now our account will be credited.

14. Sustainability and Expansion Strategy

It is a known fact that the future of a business lies in the numbers of loyal customers that they have, the capacity and competence of the employees, their investment strategy and the business structure. If all of these factors are missing from a business (company), then it won’t be too long before the business close shop.

One of our major goals of starting Lumber Jack® Plumbing Services is to build a business that will survive off its own cash flow without the need for injecting finance from external sources once the business is officially running.

We know that one of the ways of gaining approval and winning customers over is to offer our plumbing installation, maintenance and repair services a little bit cheaper than what is obtainable in the market and we are well prepared to survive on lower profit margin for a while.

Lumber Jack® Plumbing Services will make sure that the right foundation, structures and processes are put in place to ensure that our staff welfare are well taken of. Our company’s corporate culture is designed to drive our business to greater heights and training and retraining of our workforce is at the top burner.

As a matter of fact, profit-sharing arrangement will be made available to all our management staff and it will be based on their performance for a period of three years or more. We know that if that is put in place, we will be able to successfully hire and retain the best hands we can get in the industry; they will be more committed to help us build the business of our dreams.

Check List / Milestone

• Business Name Availability Check: Completed
• Business Incorporation: Completed
• Opening of Corporate Bank Accounts various banks in the United States: Completed
• Opening Online Payment Platforms: Completed
• Application and Obtaining Tax Payer’s ID: In Progress
• Securing a standard office facility: Completed
• Application for business license and permit: Completed
• Purchase of All form of Insurance for the Business: Completed
• Conducting Feasibility Studies: Completed
• Generating part of the start – up capital from the founders: Completed
• Writing of Business Plan: Completed
• Drafting of Employee’s Handbook: Completed
• Drafting of Contract Documents: In Progress
• Design of Logo for the business: Completed
• Purchase of plumbing repair and installation tools and equipment: Completed
• Graphic Designs and Printing of Packaging Marketing / Promotional Materials: Completed
• Recruitment of employees: In Progress
• Purchase of the Needed furniture, office equipment, software applications, electronic appliances and facility facelift: In progress
• Creating Official Website for the business: In Progress
• Creating Awareness for the business: In Progress
• Health and Safety and Fire Safety Arrangement: In Progress
• Establishing business relationship with vendors and key players in various industries: In Progress

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Plumbing Business Plan: How To Plan For Success

• February 7, 2020

While there are many plumbing businesses out there, it’s helpful to realize that there are many sectors you can specialize in, and the need for essential services plumbers provide to business and homeowners is likely to stick around for a long time to come. Creating a plumbing business plan will alleviate many headaches down the road.

How Do I Create A Useful Plumbing Business Plan?

1. Calculate the true cost of doing business

First and foremost, you need to understand the true cost of doing business. Once you know this, you can figure out the number you need to b reak even in your business. From there, you can begin to realize your desired margins and begin to budget. 

The cost of doing business covers the basics such as tools to perform the job, but there are many other expenses to consider, especially in the startup phase when you need to remember upfront costs such as licenses & legal fees. Ongoing expenses include marketing, insurance, equipment maintenance, transportation costs, phone and internet, and possibly rent. 

Once you have an indication of those numbers, use an average hourly market rate to determine how many hours you would have to work to break even on those costs. At this point, you can begin to figure out how much you will charge and how much you can budget for your day-today business costs. Use our free breakeven calculator here.

2. Put Together a Budget

Once you’ve determined the cost of doing business, find your break even number, and desired margins, it’s time to make a budget. After setting aside costs for insurance, equipment, etc, it’s important to budget for all of the expenses that help make your business run like a well-oiled machine. This includes marketing, training, and team member recruiting and retention. All of these are key to success in the long run. 

3. Create A Specific Marketing Budget & Plan

Your business cannot succeed if no one knows about it. This may seem obvious, but you might be surprised at how many small business owners fail to invest in the marketing their business deserves. Remember that paying money upfront to gain a new client may result in a lifetime business relationship, along with valuable word of mouth connections. 

Taking the time to come up with a catchy logo may seem like a waste of time and money, but with the plethora of plumbing businesses out there, you NEED to stand out. You need potential clients to know right away why you’re different and why you’re the person they want to hire. But it goes far beyond a logo.

It’s key to understand marketing options, how much each costs, and which work best for you. Running a website, taking out ads, digitally or otherwise, business cards, are all expenses that will factor into your marketing budget. Additionally, budget to attend networking and community events to get your business out in the open. Find plumbing advertising ideas here .

Once you start marketing, you need to track it. Understand where your clients are coming from, and pay attention to advertising techniques your competitors are using. Which techniques are successful? If you’re finding areas that are lacking, tweak and modify as necessary. It’s not worth paying for a weekly newspaper ad if no one is seeing it. 

Remember how important word of mouth is in the service industry. You may find that as your client base and reputation grow, you may be able to cut down on advertising costs. 

4. Budget For Training

Training is one of the MOST important parts of running a business . Unfortunately, when money and time are tight, it’s often one of the first things that gets overlooked. Setting up a budget and plan for training will help you keep on track. 

Well-trained employees are a pillar of your business. When employees are well trained, they are happier and more engaged in their job, they are more engaging with their clients and more likely to provide top notch customer service. Well-trained employees will do the job right the first time, saving you time and money from costly mistakes.

Try our done-for you team training here.

When creating your training budget, try to determine areas your employees can most benefit from. In plumbing, that may be best safety practices, new techniques and tools, or a new service you might offer. It’s also important to train your employees on sales and customer service skills, as they are often the face of your company. 

Consider where you will get your training from. It may often be worth it to shell out for an outside agency to train on a specific area, but there may also be some areas senior members of your company can offer training. There are also valuable classes available online. Determining where your training comes from will be in direct correlation to how much you have budgeted for training.

It’s important to keep in mind that training your employees is not a one-time thing. Employees need to be trained and retrained and trained in different areas. This will keep your employees engaged and ready to perform their best work.

5. Make A Plan To Attract And Retain Top Techs

You can never underestimate the value of investing in your team. Your team members are your business’s greatest assets. You probably know how important it is to hire the right people, but it’s equally, if not more important to retain your valuable employees.

Employee engagement programs and processes may not seem like a big deal, but having employees engaged in the company leads to better employees, better service, and happy customers. Time and money spent letting your employees know you care about them will help you grow your business by developing relationships with your clients, saving money on recruitment, and having happy, well-trained employees that do their best work the first time.

Team member recruiting and retention is an area you don’t want to skimp on. Make sure to keep room in your budget to hire recruiters as necessary, as well as outside agencies that can help you run successful engagement programs.

The keys to a successful plumbing business are getting your name out to the right people, having properly trained employees, and making time and effort to hire and retain the right team. Before you can do all of this, you need to have a plumbing business plan so you can understand your costs and margins, and then you’ll know how to budget for success in these areas. 

Click here to learn more about successful plumbing company tactics .

The Blue Collar Success Group trains plumbing business owners and their employees how to implement processes and systems for a successful business. From sales training, tech training, office training, management training, and more, the Blue Collar Success Group helps plumbing companies build and achieve goals from start to finish.

Download our breakeven calculator here.

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Customer segments of a plumbing services (with examples).

Get a watermark-free, fully customizable customer segmentation in our business plan for a plumbing services

Knowing your clients is essential for any thriving plumbing service business.

Let us walk you through the steps of recognizing and understanding your main customer groups to fine-tune your services and marketing strategies.

By identifying who your clients are and what they need, you can guarantee that your plumbing services not only draw in but also fully meet the expectations of various homeowners and businesses.

And, if you're looking for a ready-made customer segmentation that's fully customizable, please check out our business plan template designed for plumbing services .

What is exactly a "customer segmentation"? Should you make one for your plumbing services?

Customer segmentation is the practice of dividing your plumbing service's potential and existing customers into distinct groups that share common characteristics.

Think of it as drawing a blueprint of your customer base, identifying various segments based on factors such as household type, income level, or the frequency of plumbing needs. The aim is to pinpoint the different requirements and behaviors of your customers so you can customize your services, communication, and promotional efforts to match each group's unique needs.

Why should plumbers and service managers invest time in customer segmentation? Simply put, not every customer has the same plumbing needs.

Distinct segments may have varying priorities, such as emergency repairs, routine maintenance, or eco-friendly upgrades. By recognizing these segments, you can tailor your services and marketing strategies to resonate with each group's specific concerns and preferences.

For instance, homeowners might prioritize reliability and preventative services, while property managers may value quick response times and cost-effective solutions for multiple units.

The advantages of effective customer segmentation, similar to what you would find in our business plan template tailored for plumbing services , are numerous and significant. It leads to more focused marketing, potentially increasing customer acquisition and optimizing your advertising spend.

Customizing your service offerings to align with the needs of different customer segments can boost satisfaction and foster loyalty. Plus, understanding your customer segments can inform your service options, scheduling flexibility, and customer service improvements, positioning your plumbing business as the go-to provider for a variety of clients.

Should you engage in customer segmentation if you're launching a new plumbing service? Definitely.

Grasping who your customers are and what they require from the start can provide a substantial advantage. It allows you to shape your business model, service offerings, and marketing plans with a clear focus on fulfilling the needs of your target segments. This strategic approach can help you swiftly build a dedicated client base and stand out in a competitive industry.

Is customer segmentation beneficial for you? Undoubtedly. Whether you're mapping out a new venture or aiming to expand an established plumbing business, understanding the different segments within your customer base is crucial for making strategic decisions. It affects everything from the types of services you offer to the training you provide to your team.

Moreover, customer segmentation is not a set-it-and-forget-it activity; it's a dynamic process. As the market shifts and your business grows, regularly reviewing and adjusting your customer segments can ensure that your plumbing services continue to address the evolving needs and expectations of your clients.

How to segment customers for your plumbing services?

To create customer segments for your plumbing service business, begin by examining your customer records and service history to uncover patterns and shared characteristics, such as the type of service required, frequency of calls, and budget levels.

Next, categorize your customers into segments based on these commonalities to customize your service offerings and marketing strategies to meet the specific needs and preferences of each group.

To streamline the process for you, here's a 10-step action plan to develop a meaningful customer segmentation for your plumbing services.

What are some examples of audiences and customer segments for a plumbing services?

Below is a table with 10 examples of customer segments for plumbing services.

Examples of customer segmentation for a plumbing services

Below are three different (very concise) examples of customer segmentations tailored for a plumbing services company, addressing the needs of homeowners, property managers, and commercial businesses.

Residential Plumbing Services Customer Segmentation

Property Management Plumbing Services Customer Segmentation

Commercial Plumbing Services Customer Segmentation

You can also read our articles about: - how to fill a Business Model Canvas for your plumbing services - how to study the competitors of your plumbing services - how to elaborate a marketing strategy for your plumbing services - how to become a plumber (guide)

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25+ Plumbing Marketing Ideas to Scale Your Business

No matter how great your plumbing services are, you’ll struggle to grow if few people know about them. That’s when plumbing marketing comes into play.

With the right strategies and knowing how to apply them, you can attract all potential customers. They can find you whether they urgently need a plumber to fix their clogged drain or look for the right plumbing services to install a dishwasher.

Here are a few of the most effective plumbing marketing ideas we have found to work. These are based on our over a decade years of experience in the HVAC industry, and specially as a leading plumbing marketing agency.

Table of Contents

Create a Strong and Consistent Plumbing Brand

One of the simplest ways you can attract new customers for your plumbing business is to create a brand that instantly makes an impact in the mind of your target customers. Whether having a catchy slogan or clever brand name, a “sticky” brand boosts lead generation and brand awareness for your small business.

This landing page from Roto-Rooter is an excellent branding example. It has a well-defined color scheme, clear copy, and cohesive design.

Your brand should be able to communicate your services, why customers should choose you, and how to get in touch.

To build a strong brand, you need to create a logo . But even before that, begin with defining what you want to stand for and choose your brand’s colors.

Request Referrals from Existing Customers

Referral or word-of-mouth is one of the best sources of new leads because referred customers are likelier to stay loyal to your plumbing business than any other means. One of its reasons is that they’re referred by existing customers who already know and trust you.

The key to getting more referrals is to provide exceptional customer service—for instance, responding quickly to emergencies, providing maintenance services, or giving customers tips to prevent future issues.

These small things help your clients remember you and refer you to others in need. However, actively asking your plumbing customers for referrals is always a good idea. You can do it either in person or by sending them a professional email after providing a great service.

Another way to do it is to begin a referral program—for instance, offering a discount on maintenance services if customers send a lead your way. Ensure it’s presented in an easy-to-understand format on your plumbing website and easily accessible to customers.

Furthermore, why limit yourself to only customers? Ask for referrals from other plumbers, your local community, friends, and family.

Infuse Your Brand in Local Communities

Local community involvement is another way of getting more new clients. You support your community, and they help you in return by giving you more plumbing business indirectly. You can begin by donating to charities or volunteering for low-income community members.

It can help you get local press coverage and more plumber marketing and PR opportunities.

Meetup is a great place to find such communities, or you can explore the volunteering work on Habitat.org . This is an organization that helps you find construction projects to volunteer services.

Connect with Local Homeowners Associations (HOAs)

Look for homeowners associations in your area and ask if they are already partnered with a plumbing company. If not, offer to partner with them in exchange for exclusive discounts for residents or referral fees for each client acquired through the HOA.

You can also host a DIY plumbing demo for the residents where you can share your expertise, promote your business, and get more leads.

Share Your Plumbing Business Card

It might sound like advice you’ve heard a thousand times, but it’s still worth mentioning.

Sharing your plumbing business card is a great way of expanding your connections. You never know when you might meet someone who needs your services or knows someone who does.

Plus, it’s a cheap yet effective form of marketing your plumbing business.

Partner With Builders in Your Geographical Location

Another way to get more plumbing business for your plumbing company is by collaborating with local builders. Just search for such local businesses in your area and determine if they have any upcoming construction projects where they might need plumbing services.

However, get ready to negotiate the prices as they would probably be getting many offers from your competitors too.

The bidding process may be tedious, but it can ensure a steady cash flow. You can consider investing in an automated system to track all your bids and invitations, calculate the cost and margins for each project, and cut the manual time. It’ll make it more manageable and help you bid to more builders.

A toolkit that offers smooth integration for all these activities with a minimum learning curve will be your ideal choice.

Create a Cohesive Plumbing Digital Marketing Plan

If you haven’t created an online marketing plan yet, then it’s time that you do. It’s as simple as writing down your marketing goals and listing your action plans to reach them.

Your plumbing digital marketing plan should be able to answer these questions:

• What is my plumbing business’ overall digital marketing strategy?
• What is my goal for this marketing campaign?
• Which tactics or channels will I use to reach my goal?
• When do I want to achieve this goal?
• How much is my marketing budget?
• How do I want to implement my campaigns?
• How will I know if my strategy is working?
• How can I improve my campaigns for better results?

You are planning for each stage of your digital marketing journey, from creating your first campaign to tracking and analyzing their performance. When you have a clear answer to every question, you won’t lose sight of what to do next.

Claim Google Business Profile for Your Plumbing Company

Another way to get in front of your target customers is by claiming your Google My Business profile so your business appears in Google Maps. It’s a free tool that helps you promote your business listing and website on Google.

Another advantage of listing your business in Google My Business is having a platform for publishing customer reviews. Your review rating appears under your business name, so it’s important to focus on having an overall review rating of four stars and up.

Design a Plumbing Business Website

After creating your plumbing marketing plan, you need a place to direct your target audience where they can find out more about you and your services. Hence, you need a high-performance plumbing website. It can help your clients get your contact information or book your services directly. Eventually, convert more plumbing leads into paying customers .

Some basic elements you’ll need on your plumbing website are these:

• Business name
• High-quality logo
• Contact information
• An outline of all the services you offer
• An easy-to-understand way to contact you or book your services
• A page for testimonials

Once you’ve executed the layout and design of your plumber website, you’ll need to focus on optimizing it for search engines. This means that having a search engine optimization (SEO) strategy for your website is essential to its success. We’ll touch more on SEO later in this article.

Use Compelling Copy to Persuade Prospective Customers

You only have a few seconds to convince prospective clients to hire you, so make every word count. Write straightforward headlines that target your customer’s pain point, offering the best solution.

This Google ad from Rooterhero highlights the terms “plumber near me” and “24 hours” to target prospects with plumbing emergencies. They also highlighted using “certified plumbers” and “$50 off” on plumbing services to seal the deal.

What’s the best thing about your plumbing service? Make sure that’s clear when you write advertising or website copy.

Kick Off Plumbing SEO

Merely having a website isn’t enough for your business. To generate traffic, you’ll also need it to appear in the Google search results when people query plumbing services-related keywords.

SEO stands for search engine optimization, and it usually helps your website rank higher in three ways:

On-Page SEO: It means optimizing your web content for search engines. Its features include header, keyword placement, meta description, title tags, and URL structure.

Off-site SEO: Technical SEO is how you technically optimize the rest of your site for search engines. The features include brand mentions, link-building, HTML/CSS coding, responsive website design , site speed, and more.

Local SEO: This is all about optimizing your website for local search results—for instance, ranking for “near me” or “plumber services in ‘city’” keywords. It calls for understanding your service area properly and the kind of customers that you’re likely to serve.

Local SEO is a more involved process and differs greatly from creating a Google Business Profile (GBP). A GBP is essential for the success of a local SEO campaign, but it’s not the entirety of the campaign. With local SEO, you’ll need to implement a comprehensive keyword strategy focused on geography-based queries.

If you want to ensure the success of your SEO strategy or are simply short of time, you can hire our plumbing SEO services to dominate the search results in your locality.

Create Separate Service Pages to Target Different Audiences

To boost your SEO efforts, create separate web pages for each plumbing service. With this strategy, you can target specific plumbing services for prospective clients looking for them online. For instance, you can create pages for drain cleaning, water leaks, and toilet repair.

A prospective client who has a clogged toilet might not use “plumbers near me” to search for a plumbing company. Instead, he might use “toilet repair.”

Below is an example of Rocket Plubming’s dedicated service pages on their website:

When you click on the page for “Drain Cleaning,” you get the page below:

In addition to improving SEO, service pages can help tell potential clients more about a service, which helps them decide whether or not it is truly what they need.

Get Instant Traction With Plumbing Pay Per Click Advertising

Online advertisements help you get instant exposure. Pay Per Click (PPC) is a form of online advertising where you only pay for the number of clicks you get. You can also limit your daily spending, which puts you in control of your marketing budget.

Different types of PPC ads you can use are:

• Search engine ads: As the name suggests, these ads are displayed on search engines like Google, Bing, or Duck Duck Go every time someone searches for your target keyword (for instance, plumbing services).

• Display ads: These ads are shown on different websites.
• Social media ads: Some social media ads work on the PPC model. In this case, your ads will be displayed on social media sites.

PPC ads are a good way of advertising your business as they’re cost-effective and provide fast results. Plus, they allow real-time tracking of your ads performance and target the right audience—for instance, potential customers searching for the term plumber services will need a plumber.

Try Local Services Ads

Besides PPC, you can also target local services ads. These ads help you to connect with the people making a local search on Google. These ads only display to the customers in your geographical location, and, as per Google, you’re only charged if people directly contact you through it.

Local Services Ads differ from Google’s text or image ads, as they have a “Call” button to contact the business directly from the search result page.

Focus on Improving Your Customer Experience

Learning what your customers want (and what they don’t want) is important for the success of your business.

Here are some ways to learn how customers feel about your service:

• Customer surveys – You can use marketing tools like SurveyMonkey or ZenDesk to create and send surveys to past clients and collect their responses.
• Read customer reviews – Online reviews for your business can tell you specific issues to improve, so it’s a valuable source of customer feedback.
• Ask – You can always ask clients if they’re happy with your work right after the job.
• Competitor research – Know what the competition is doing and do it better.

Improving your service is a great way to get more positive reviews and word-of-mouth referrals, and its benefits can last a long time as long as you keep learning what your customers think and want.

Get More Reviews for Your Plumbing Services

People leave reviews for your business under two circumstances. First, if they’re extremely happy with your services, and second, if they had a bad business experience. For the rest of the customers, you’ll need to ask them to give you a review.

You can ask them in person or via email. Make the process as simple as possible, with as few steps as possible.

Besides Google My Business, you can ask customers to leave reviews on sites like Facebook, Yellow Pages, Yelp, and BBB.

Get into Online Directories

In addition to creating a Google Business Profile, you can list your plumbing business in directories like Angie’s List, Home Advisor, and Yelp.

These directories work similarly to Google My Business. You’ll need to enter your plumbing business information, such as name, address, and phone number (NAP), consistently across all listings to ensure the best online visibility.

Potential customers who don’t necessarily use Google search might be going to these directories instead, so it’s best to maximize your online presence by creating listings on these sites.

Incorporate Direct Mail Marketing

Despite what you may think, direct mail is as effective as email marketing in terms of the response rate and return on investment (ROI).

Mailing flyers, postcards, and other creative marketing materials to prospective clients can help you connect on a tangible level that is said to elicit a positive emotional response in people.

Explore how you can add direct mail to your offline marketing strategy to reach potential customers who might not be into the habit of going online and are more likely to respond to physical, written advertisements from a plumbing company.

Experiment with Email Marketing

Email marketing is a way to market your business directly to customers by sending them regular emails. It can help you increase your brand awareness and keep your services in mind for your customers.

Start with identifying your email marketing goals. For instance, are you looking to generate new leads, nurture your existing customer relationships, or educate your prospects?

If you already have a list of prospects’ email addresses, ensure it’s scrubbed (the unengaged subscribers or bad emails are removed from the list). A high bounce rate may cause the email clients like Gmail or Outlook to mark you as spam.

Alternatively, if you don’t have an email list, you can set up an email marketing service like Mailchimp to get started or hire a digital marketing agency to do it for you.

Answer Questions of Potential Customers in Blog Posts

Great content is essential for your plumbing business, as content marketing helps you increase your brand awareness and let your target audience discover your business. So that when they finally need your services, they think of you instead of your competitors.

To get started with this approach, list all the topics you have expert knowledge of and write about them in detail, keeping your prospects in mind.

You can hire a digital marketing agency to create a cohesive content marketing plan so your blog posts are optimized for search engines and your target audience.

Remember to always have a call-to-action (CTA) at the end of your blog posts, whether it’s subscribing to the email list or scheduling an appointment.

Show Your Personality with Video Marketing

Besides writing content on your blog or social media channels, you can also consider video marketing. All you need to do is share your expert knowledge in the form of videos that can help prospects solve their plumbing problems and establish you as a knowledgeable person.

Some videos you can create are recommending the plumbing tools everyone must have, answering FAQs, or showing the installation or repair process to increase viewership.

Getting started with this approach is as simple as creating a YouTube channel and using your smartphone’s camera to record videos.

This video from Smedley Plumbing is a simple but engaging story of a day in the life of a plumber, which helps highlight how plumbers solve problems for customers every day.

A day in the life of a Service Plumber (#1)

Creating videos for your plumbing business can be a technical undertaking, but if you learn the basics and are creative, it can be a great asset for your brand.

Use a Plumbing Lead Generation Service

You can invest in a lead generation service to ensure a steady stream of clients. Getting potential customers for your plumbing company can be tedious. It might take a long time, but lead generation companies can help fast-track results and provide new customers for your business.

Lead generation companies guarantee phone-verified leads and often offer pay-per-lead schemes for plumbers.

With this option, you get more leads without changing your marketing strategy.

Host a “Plumbing 101” Workshop to Teach Homeowners Basic Plumbing Skills

Whether it’s an online or an in-person event, hosting workshops that teach basic plumbing skills can help attract potential customers and build brand awareness for your plumbing company.

Events like these put you in a positive light among your target audience, and they are more likely to remember and contact your business when they need plumbing services.

Don’t forget to have all attendees fill out their information in a registration or attendance form so you can reach out to them should they have queries or concerns.

Offer a Free Plumbing Inspection With Your Other Home Cleaning Service

People who hire a plumber for one service might not know that they also offer other related plumbing services. Take your time to provide a free plumbing inspection for clients while serving them for an existing issue.

Checking your client’s entire home for leaks and other needed repairs can boost the chances of repeat business with the client. It’s also beneficial for your clients, as they can save money by avoiding bigger plumbing issues in the future.

Reach Your Prospects on Social Media

Spending time on social media helps you build your online presence. If you haven’t started your social media marketing campaign yet, then it’s as simple as these two steps:

Create your social media business pages

Pick one or two social media platforms and update them regularly. Develop a content calendar so you always have something to publish. Some content examples include helpful DIY tips, before and after photos of repairs, and other information about your home services.

Here’s an example of Rocket Plumbing’s before and after post on their Facebook business page:

Engage with prospects on social media

People who respond to your content on social media can be your next customer. Be available for them in the chat or direct messaging section of the social media platform so you can answer their questions as soon as possible and get the opportunity to convert them into clients.

Have a dedicated social media manager in your team, or hire a social media management agency to manage your social media pages for you.

Leverage Customer Service Software to Automate the Booking Process

You can use customer service apps and software to automate your booking process, helping you save time and workforce. It also reduces the sales cycle time and makes it faster for you to serve your clients. Many appointment scheduling software are designed for business owners with small, mid, and enterprise companies.

Another advantage of using booking software is connecting it with your other digital platforms and tools, including Google Ads and Google Analytics, making tracking your conversion rates and other important metrics easier.

Track Your Digital Marketing Results, Analyze, and Iterate

Finally, besides marketing your business, another essential step is to track your plumbing marketing efforts. Google Analytics can help you track your website results—for example, where your traffic is coming from, whether it’s from the search engines, social media, or other websites where you’re using PPC ads.

On social media, you can track the performance of your content based on impressions—views, likes, comments, and shares. Depending on the performance results, you can change your approach. For instance, if people engage with your reels more than your long-form videos or images, you know which content to create more.

Ensure direct traffic to your website by providing the right links on your social accounts.

Get Started With Plumbing Marketing

So far, we have discussed many internet marketing tips and offline marketing tactics you can use to advertise your business and get new clients. But you don’t have to use all of them at once. Pick five strategies that you think can be easier for you to begin with and apply them to get more leads.

If you’re short on time or want the best possible results, you can contact us so we can create a custom plumbing marketing strategy that works for your brand.

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Talk to a certified professional today, and we will design a strategy specific to your case.

The shipbuilding empire fueling China's naval rise is a juggernaut, but tough questions remain

• China's massive shipbuilding industry is key to its military's naval modernization.
• Dual commercial and military shipyards and China's national ambitions are major strengths.
• But military corruption and future maintenance issues raise questions about long-term sustainability.

China's shipbuilding industry is at the core of its efforts to modernize its navy, producing new warships at astonishing speeds.

But despite its shipbuilding strengths, which include a robust commercial sector and a variety of yards across the country, China's vast shipbuilding empire is not without its challenges, such as corruption and many still unanswered questions about future needs and the capability and capacity of Chinese yards to meet them.

China's huge shipbuilding empire is no hidden secret. It is a monstrous industry with over 230 times the capacity of the US per recent estimates from the Office of Naval Intelligence . China also represents about 50% of the total global shipbuilding capacity.

A huge shipbuilding giant

The Department of Defense has long identified shipbuilding as key to Beijing's naval buildup, which has occurred at a rapid pace and directly fueled the modernization of China's naval force in concert with efforts to build a better military overall. That effort is likely best demonstrated by the types of vessels being made and the speed at which they're being built.

China's new aircraft carrier , the Fujian, for example, features a major capability jump over its predecessors, featuring an electromagnetic catapult launch system for efficiently launching heavier, more capable aircraft. Though the carrier resembles the older conventional Kitty Hawk-class vessels of the US Navy, the catapult system is technologically similar to the Navy's first-in-class USS Gerald R. Ford carrier.

Other Chinese surface combatants, like the Type 055 destroyer, Type 054 frigates, and newer amphibious assault ships are also noteworthy. The first Yulan-class assault ship, known as the Type 076 , also stands out. Once it's completed, it'll be the largest amphibious assault ship in the world. It may also serve a very unique purpose as well, possibly as a drone carrier.

By 2030, the Pentagon expects the People's Liberation Army Navy, already the largest naval force in the world, to possess a battle force of 435 ships with a notable increase in "major surface combatants."

China's shipbuilding strengths are also demonstrated in its flexibility. The crown jewel of its industry is Changxing Island , where China is overhauling its recently expanded Jiangnan Shipyard and combining it with the Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard. While moving Hudong-Zhonghua, China has still been turning out ships.

Brian Hart, a fellow with the China Power Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told BI it's a massive and impressive undertaking. "I don't really think any other country has the scale and resources to just pick up and essentially move such a massive industrial base," he said.

China is driving its military toward the goal of becoming world-class force, and there is a clear recognition that a strong navy is key to achieving that end. This important national ambition gives tremendous support to China's shipbuilding empire.

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"China is a very, very different type of player" when it comes to military shipbuilding, Matthew Funaoile, a senior fellow with the China Power Project at CSIS, explained to Business Insider.

Another strength is that many of China's shipyards , including its four most significant ones, are dual-purpose, meaning they're used for both commercial and military vessels. Warships and civilian vessels are being built at the facilities, sometimes at the same time and using the same equipment.

Those four yards — Dalian in northeastern China, Huangpu Wenchong near Hong Kong, and the Jiangnan and Hudong-Zhonghua yards near Shanghai — are all operated by subsidiaries of the state-owned China State Shipbuilding Corporation pumping out various military vessels while also raking in record profits in the commercial shipbuilding sector that help to fuel their other operations.

Being a giant has its challenges

A problem, though, is that as China sails full-steam ahead with its military's modernization, it has also faced corruption scandals within its ranks, as well as within the defense industrial base.

"When you kind of pursue your military modernization at full pace, there's going to be a corresponding increase in corruption," Funaoile said.

Within the past year or so, the People's Liberation Army and supporting industry have seen noticeable turmoil. More than a dozen senior generals and military-industrial complex executives have been removed from their positions since last summer, including two defense ministers.

Beijing has remained largely tight-lipped about these dismissals, providing only limited details, but the investigations into corruption have shaken up Chinese leadership and raised questions over how ready the PLA is as a combat-ready, modernized fighting force.

Questions about corruption were brought up by US officials in the wake of reports that a Chinese submarine sank pier-side at a shipyard in Wuhan earlier this year, highlighting the risks of accidents amid China's rapid naval build-up.

"The incident raises deeper questions about the PLA's internal accountability and oversight of China's defense industry — which has long been plagued by corruption ," a senior defense official told BI this week.

Over the years, there have been signs of extensive corruption documented within the shipbuilding industry, as well as other parts of China's defense industry. Top officials have been removed abruptly and even arrested.

Corruption breeds incompetence or, worse, security risks. China's leadership has made countering corruption a prominent agenda item, but resolving these issues will be affected by how deep they run.

That's not the only challenge, though. Rapid growth and modernization in the Chinese navy raise important questions about how it will eventually balance building and maintaining vessels. It's one thing to build a new fleet. It's a completely different thing to sustain it.

There could be tradeoffs for China in the future, especially considering its commercial sector, Funaoile said. "We haven't hit that point yet, but it is something that may come up as vessels are put into sea and start taking wear and tear."

Sustainment and maintenance costs are no small obstacle, and they are something with which the US and other powerful navies grapple.

"Perhaps the PLAN can run its fleet more economically than the US Navy would," Mike Sweeney, a non-resident fellow at Defense Priorities, wrote in April. "But operational budgets can only be reduced so far."

"Fuel and the provision of other essential supplies to an active blue-water fleet are unavoidable expenditures," Sweeney added. "Maintenance is another area where outlays will inevitably climb, the more consistently China deploys its fleet in global waters."

That's an area where a more experienced navy, such as the US, may maintain a leg-up, not just because of experience, but also because of its larger logistical capacity to keep ships fueled, supplied, and maintained. But even for the US Navy and the industries that support it, that process is far from perfect and often proves difficult.

Watch: China shows how it would attack Taiwan as tensions rise

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Michael Andretti hands over control of race team to business partner. Formula 1 plans in limbo

FILE - Team owner Michael Andretti looks on during practice for the IndyCar Detroit Grand Prix auto racing doubleheader on Belle Isle in Detroit, June 11, 2021. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File)

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Michael Andretti has restructured Andretti Global to give co-owner Dan Towriss control of the organization while Andretti will stay on as a strategic advisor of the team he has led since 2002.

Andretti in early 2023 confirmed he’d sold part of the company to Towriss, owner of Gainbridge and holding company Group 1001. Gainbridge is one of the largest sponsors in IndyCar and also sponsors Andretti driver Colton Herta’s car and the Indianapolis 500.

The team has rapidly expanded with Towriss’ influx of cash, and Towriss has been part of Andretti’s push to join Formula 1. Andretti is still listed as CEO and chairman of Andretti Global, which is the name the team changed to when Towriss became part of the ownership group.

Towriss is listed on the team’s official website as a partner who “with a genuine passion for motorsports and deep partnerships in the industry, Dan is changing the way people look at the business of motorsports.”

“Michael’s goal has been to transition to a more strategic role with Andretti Global and focus less on the operational side of the race team,” the team said in a Friday statement. “Michael and Dan Towriss have been working closely on developing this new structure, one which Michael is excited to see take shape under Dan’s guidance.

“Michael remains engaged and will continue to serve as a strategic advisor and key ambassador.”

The transition was first reported by Sportico, a publication owned by Roger Penske’s son. Andretti and Penske have been at odds the entire season with Andretti complaining at the March season-opening race that Penske was not spending enough to properly market the series and if he wasn’t willing to pump in the needed cash, he said Penske should sell IndyCar and Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The comments infuriated Penske, and his leadership group slowly began dealing more directly with Towriss instead of Andretti. The amplification of the resentment between Andretti and Penske grew as the season went on and in late August, Andretti leadership noted there was a clear conflict of interest when Penske driver Josef Newgarden was not penalized for various maneuvers while winning at Gateway outside St. Louis.

Andretti Global said it would share more details of the leadership changes “after Michael and Dan have had an opportunity to speak to the team.”

Andretti Global fielded three IndyCar teams this season — for Herta, Marcus Ericsson and Kyle Kirkwood — and won the season finale with Herta at Nashville Superspeedway.

Herta scored the only two victories of the year for the team, which has not won an IndyCar championship since 2012. With Herta’s win in the season finale, he surged to second in the final IndyCar standings.

Andretti drivers have won the Indianapolis 500 five times. Michael Andretti’s 42 career IndyCar victories ranks fifth on the all-time list.

It was not immediately clear what happens next with Andretti’s ongoing effort to enter F1, which has been heavily blocked by both the owners of F1 and the majority of the 10 existing teams on the F1 grid. Liberty Media, which owns F1, has admitted it is under investigation by the Department of Justice for possible antitrust violations in not allowing Andretti into F1.

Andretti and his father, Mario, in 2021 formed a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) that was separate from Andretti Global and called Andretti Acquisition. The SPAC was designed to raise cash in an IPO to buy and take public another business.

Andretti in March closed a merger with Zapata Computing Holdings, a generative AI company. Andretti Global is Zapata’s largest customer, while Zapata is a sponsor of the motorsports team.

Zapata, per filings, is paying Andretti Global $9 million under the agreements while Andretti Global is paying Zapata $6 million. The agreements expire at the end of 2024, per Sportico.

Michael Andretti holds nearly 13% of the diluted equity of Zapata.

AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing