Are you looking for an informative way on how to make money as a plumber? If so, this blog post is the perfect one for you.
Ever thought about how to make money as a plumber? In these difficult economic times, people are always looking for creative ways to make more money. We’ve all been there before.
As a plumber, you can easily find many opportunities to make money from your work. In the blog post, I will show you how to make money as a plumber and ways to also increase your earnings. However, you need to be aware that it takes hard work and dedication to become a successful one.
Here are 10 helpful tips on how to make money as a plumber, things you need to excel as a plumber, and how to properly market your services:
1. Specialize in Commercial Plumbing
Commercial plumbers are responsible for maintaining all systems that process or transport water in commercial buildings like apartment complexes, high-rise buildings, businesses, and public spaces, which is no small feat.
Commercial plumbers make good money and enjoy a career full of personal and professional growth opportunities. Providing water supply services and wastewater drainage for these commercial properties make commercial plumbing one of the most in-demand professions today.
You can choose to specialize in commercial plumbing if you aim to make good money as a plumber.
2. Create a Google My Business Account to Get Customers near You
Every plumber wants business, so here is an idea on how to get as much as you can. Business owners can manage their online presence across the search and map products of Google through Google My Business. It’s a free service that helps local businesses with things like store hours, contact information, and directions.
Begin by creating a Google My Business account. After that, you can add services you offer, information about your business’s address, hours of operation, contact information, and pictures of some of the work you’ve done in the past. Be sure to include the type of service you provide, what areas you serve, and your phone number on your listing.
3. Make Money as a Plumber by Pricing Your Services Reasonably
One of the most effective ways for a plumber to make money is to offer services at prices that are fair and reasonable. Consider your local market when pricing your services, and always make sure your rental equipment stays in good working order.
As a plumber, you should also consider different factors when pricing your services. The cost of materials and transportation and the time and skill required are some things to think about. Be sure to also look at the market rate for a particular job and ensure that your final price is a fair one.
4. Become Part of the Local Community
Become part of the local community by providing plumbing needs for their homes.
Everyone needs a plumber on speed dial, and it’s easier to become a plumber if you’re already part of the neighborhood. If you live in a neighborhood near your ideal customers, you can walk around with your business cards or flyers and talk to them about plumbing issues they may be experiencing and the services you offer.
Offer services such as general plumbing repair, leaks, ventilation installation, gas lines for grills, water filtration systems, etc, at a fair or discounted price to get them accustomed to you.
5. Offer Discounts or Promotional Offers
As a plumber, it is essential to have any customer you come across come back for another visit. If you are just starting, offer customers a discount on their next installation or service in hopes that they will return in the future.
Given that plumbers are always in demand, you can let clients know that you’ll be offering them a deal or a promotion. Maybe you’ll offer to do a small project for way less than usual. Maybe you plan to offer all new customers 10% off for life. There are many ways to offer an incentive to people who are looking to use your services.
By doing this, you retain more loyal customers and continue to earn and stay profitable as a plumber.
6. Find Clients through Referrals and Networking
The most successful plumbers hear about new plumbing opportunities from existing clients. Setting up a successful plumbing business is all about making the right connections. Find new clients through referrals and networking with other happy customers to maximize your chances of success.
You can also start with friends, family, and acquaintances to give you an edge over other plumbers. Don’t forget to contact local businesses, realtors, home builders, mayors’ offices, and churches to see if they have any openings.
7. Build a Website and Social Media Accounts
To make money as a plumber, the first thing you need to do is build a website and social media accounts. With a blog, Facebook, and Instagram presence, you can expand your reach and create new income streams beyond plumbing jobs.
Plant information online, such as the types of skills and services you provide, so that people who are looking for a plumber can find you.
8. Offer Value-Added Services
Building owners know they will have occasional problems with their plumbing, and most of the time a plumber is their only option.
However, they don’t need a plumber every day, which means there is a lot of downtime for a plumber. You can offer value-added services that apply directly to plumbing to create additional income streams that occur either during or after the service is complete.
Make sure you put in a few service calls a month where you offer another service, perhaps a cleaning service, an inspection, a duct cleaning, etc. Most of all, offer pieces of advice on potential problems and find out what the homeowner would like to have done that they don’t want to do themselves.
Once you come back and perform that extra service, they will most likely hire you again for anything related to the plumbing in their home.
9. Run Marketing Campaigns
To have a profitable plumbing business, you must have the right marketing plan. Anyone who owns a plumber business knows that if your website or marketing material does not get your prospects to call you, then the rest of your hard work will be for nothing. Here, we look at some useful marketing strategies for running a successful plumbing company.
Some marketing campaigns you can consider running include:
- Investing in an advertisement space to reach more people out there.
- Displaying your services and contact details on your vehicle through a graphical design.
- Running ads on social media targeting regions close to you.
Things to Do When Starting Out as a Plumber
When you first begin a career as a plumber, there are many things you must do to ensure your success. Begin with the following ideas, and use them as an outline for establishing your plumbing business.
1. Consider a Trade Apprenticeship
One of the first steps to becoming a plumber is considering a trade apprenticeship. With a trade apprenticeship, you will learn everything from how to use hand and power tools to perform plumbing tasks, to how to run your own business as a plumber at the end of your training. In addition, you might even get paid as you go with some apprenticeships.
Many times apprentices are paid by their employer for their time spent in training at the expense of the business owner, depending on the employer. Apprentices are often required to attend school or training courses that will help them pass their state or city’s licensing test.
2. Earn Your Certifications
To make money as a plumber, you need to take your education seriously and get the necessary certifications. There are many different types of plumbing certifications that you can acquire. Search for the certifications required in your district and work out ways to achieve them. Acquiring certifications offer many benefits when looking for plumbing jobs.
3. Acquire a Business License
Most towns require you to have a business license and plumbers need to get licensed and bonded to offer plumbing services. Check with your local plumber licensing agency for more details about getting these credentials and what you need to do for your specific town.
4. Join Relevant Associations
One of the first things you should do after deciding to work as a plumber is to join a plumbing association. These associations organize regular meetings for plumbers and occasionally have seminars where relevant topics are presented by the members.
This is a good place to meet other plumbers and share experiences, which also help you improve your skills.
5. Train Yourself to Give a Good Impression
If you want to know how to make money as a plumber, it’s not enough to have skills alone. People are more likely to ask for your help if they enjoy being with you. This includes looking neat and nice, speaking politely, respecting them, and treating them the way you want to be treated. Even though this sounds like common sense, it is worth taking the time to do things right because people judge others very quickly.
6. Take Classes about the Latest Technology in the Industry
Be one step ahead of the competition by investing in what matters.
As a plumber, it’s important to stay up-to-date on the latest technology in the industry. Learn about state-of-the-art plumbing technologies and equipment.
After all, plumbing is all about connecting things efficiently.
FAQs
Are plumbers able to earn good money?
Plumbers surprisingly earn good money. According to data from Statista, as of May 2020, plumbers were recorded to earn an average salary of $61,000 yearly.
Is it worth it to become a plumber?
Being a plumber is a worthy career. A career in plumbing offers the immediate benefit of being able to begin earning money right away. In addition to this, plumbers can earn while they learn.
Is being a plumber stressful?
It can be quite stressful to work as a plumber. After all, you are often called to fix nerve-wracking emergencies like gas leaks, pipe bursts in weird locations, and chemical or raw sewage leakages.
Conclusion
One of the most lucrative businesses you can start with relatively less money is plumbing. While it may be hard to believe, you just need to have the passion and knowledge about this seemingly complex job.
If you love doing pipe works and always wanted to do this for a living, then the tips I’ve listed above on how to make money as a plumber will surely help.
First, you must decide whether to focus on residential service or commercial service. Having plumbing experience will be key, so you might want to incorporate training into your plan.
In addition, another option is to offer plumbing services for contractors who are working on new home construction. You’ll need several things to get started, including tools, transportation, insurance, and a website for advertising your services.
Finally, here are other profitable business ideas you can venture into to broaden your services and earn more.
I hope this post was informative and helpful to you. Thanks for reading.
