What a plumbing service agreement is for
A plumbing plan gives homeowners a reason to let you in once a year, when you can catch the weeping valve, the sediment-filled heater and the slow drain before they become a Saturday emergency. For you it means steady visits and first call when something breaks. The agreement needs a clear checklist and a clear line between inspection and repair.
What to put on a plumbing service agreement
- Visits per year and what each inspects.
- Water heater flush, drain treatment and fixture checks.
- Priority scheduling and any repair discount.
- What is not covered: repairs, parts, sewer line replacement.
- Price and billing method.
- Term, renewal and how to cancel.
A worked example
A homeowner in an older house with a tank heater wants one yearly check and to be first on the list if a pipe bursts. Price the visit from your own costs; our maintenance plan pricing calculator shows the steps.
| Line | Qty | Unit | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yearly whole-house plumbing inspection | 1 | visit | Your price |
| Water heater flush and anode check | 1 | each | Your price |
| Main drain maintenance treatment | 1 | each | Your price |
| Test main shutoff and fixture stops | 1 | each | Your price |
Put the repair discount and priority scheduling in the terms. This is a template, not legal advice; states regulate automatic renewals and some repair plans, so check your state's rules before you use it.
Line items plumbers use
| Line item | Unit | How to write it |
|---|---|---|
| Service call and diagnosis | each | The trip and the first part of the visit, before any repair is agreed. |
| Water heater, tank, installed | each | Gallons, fuel type and the brand, plus whether the venting changes. |
| Expansion tank | each | Often required with a new heater on a closed system; check local code. |
| Drain cleaning, main line | each | Say where you cleaned from: a cleanout, a pulled toilet or the roof vent. |
| Camera inspection of sewer line | each | Say whether the customer gets the video. |
| Replace toilet fill valve and flapper | each | The common running-toilet fix, priced as one repair. |
| Replace faucet, customer supplied | each | Say who supplied the faucet; it changes who stands behind it. |
| Replace shutoff valve | each | Angle stops under sinks and toilets, or the main shutoff. |
| Repipe with PEX | ft | By the foot, or by fixture if that is how you price it. |
| Garbage disposal, installed | each | Horsepower and whether the old one is hauled away. |
| Sump pump, replaced | each | Include the check valve if you replace it too. |
| Wall or ceiling opening and patch | each | Say whether you patch, or leave it open for a drywall finisher. |
| Permit | each | Water heaters and repipes often need one; pass it through at cost or include it. |
| Plumbing labor | hour | Hourly labor for work you cannot price flat. |
Terms and deposit language for plumbing
- Deposit. Most repair calls take no deposit; the customer pays when the leak is fixed. On repipes, remodel rough-ins and sewer work, a deposit at signing covers the material order and the schedule slot. Check your state's rules on deposits.
- Payment. Repairs are due on completion. Larger jobs split into a deposit, a payment at rough-in or inspection, and the balance at final.
- Warranty. Say how long you stand behind your labor, and that parts carry the manufacturer's warranty. If the customer supplied a fixture, say your warranty covers the install only.
- Old pipe can break when you touch it; say what happens if a valve or fitting fails when you open the system.
- Openings in walls or ceilings are cut where needed and patched rough unless the estimate says finished drywall.
- Drain clearing does not fix a broken pipe; if the camera shows one, the repair is quoted separately.
How to fill it in
- Fill in the customer and the start and end dates.
- List what each visit includes and how many visits a year.
- Add your price per line; the plan shows a yearly total, and a monthly figure if billed monthly.
- Fill in what is not covered and the renewal and cancellation terms.
- Check your state's rules, then print it for signatures.
Free tools for plumbing
- Plumbing cost estimator
- Water heater replacement cost calculator
- Plumbing labor rate calculator
- Pipe volume calculator
The same service agreement for other trades: appliance repair, auto detailing, carpet cleaning, chimney, house cleaning, commercial cleaning, concrete, drywall, electrical, fence, flooring, garage door, general contractor, gutter, handyman, hvac, irrigation, junk removal, landscaping, lawn care, locksmith, moving, painting, pest control, pool service, pressure washing, remodeling, roofing, septic, snow removal, solar, tree service, waterproofing, window cleaning.
More for plumbers: how plumbers run on Koira.