HomiCrew
Two wall-mounted tankless water heaters with water, gas and vent piping on a wood-panel wall.

Photo credit

Photo: Behrat, “Rinnai water heaters”, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Resized and converted to WebP; shown cropped.

Every photo credit
Can be urgent

Plumbing

Leaks, water heaters, drains, pipes, fixtures, sump pumps.

Is it urgent?

Smell gas? Get everyone outside, then call your gas utility or 911 from outside.

Emergency: call now

Within a day or two

Can wait: schedule it

Show the full list

Safety first: If you smell gas (a rotten-egg smell), get everyone outside and call your gas utility or 911 from outside. If water is flowing and you cannot stop it, close the main water shut-off. Learn where it is before you need it.

Emergency: call now

  • Water flowing that you cannot shut off, or a burst or leaking pipe flooding a room or coming through a ceiling
  • Sewage backing up into living space, or a complete loss of water
  • A leaking or failing water heater
  • A sump pump that has failed during active flooding
  • Any suspected gas leak (a rotten-egg smell)

Within a day or two

  • A single slow leak you have contained with a bucket or the shut-off valve
  • No hot water but no leak
  • Low water pressure, a running toilet wasting water, or one of several toilets clogged

Can wait: schedule it

  • A dripping faucet, a slow drain, a new faucet or fixture, a garbage disposal
  • Water filtration or softener installs, remodel quotes, inspections and maintenance

This is general guidance, not a diagnosis. If anyone is in danger, call 911 first.

What's on a plumbing quote

  • Fixtures & equipmentAsk: brand, model, tank size, fuel

    The water heater, toilet, faucet, pump or other item, listed by brand and model. For a water heater, the tank size and fuel type.

  • Parts & materialsAsk: what pipe (copper, PEX…)

    Pipe, fittings and valves. The pipe type matters (copper, PEX and so on), so ask what is being used.

  • LaborAsk: flat price or hourly?

    Billed by the hour or as a flat price for the task. Ask which, and what the trip or diagnostic fee covers.

  • Access & repairAsk: who patches the wall?

    Cutting into drywall or a floor to reach pipes. Ask whether patching and painting are included or left to you.

  • Permit & inspectionAsk: who pulls it, who pays?

    Water heaters, gas lines and repiping are commonly inspected, so it is often a separate line.

  • Haul-away & warrantyAsk: old unit out? Parts vs labor?

    Removal of the old unit, and the split between the manufacturer's parts warranty and the contractor's labor warranty.

  • What a good estimate spells out9 things to look for
    • The contractor's legal name, license number if one applies, and contact details, plus your name and address.
    • What work is included, and what is not.
    • The brand, model and size of major equipment and materials, not just standard or builder grade.
    • Who pulls the permit and who pays for it and for inspections.
    • Cleanup, and what happens to the old materials.
    • A start date and a realistic finish date, and what happens if the schedule slips.
    • Warranty terms: what is covered, for how long and who honors it.
    • When and how you pay, tied to finished stages of work rather than just dates.
    • How changes are handled: a written price for any change before the work happens.

Red flags

4 of 11

  • Pressure to sign today

    A fair quote is still fair tomorrow.

  • One total, no detail

    Ask what is and isn't included.

  • A large payment up front

    Some states limit deposits.

  • Gas or water heater work, no permit

    These jobs are commonly inspected.

7 more red flags

  • A trip or diagnostic fee that is not mentioned until the technician arrives.

    Ask what it covers and whether it comes off the repair.

  • A full repipe or a new water heater recommended without testing pressure, showing corrosion or leaks, or offering a repair option.

  • A drain-cleaning price that is not tied to what was done.

    For repeated clogs, ask for a camera inspection and to see the video.

  • A license number that does not check out.

    Where your state licenses this trade, look the number up yourself on the state licensing board's site.

  • No proof of insurance.

    Ask for a certificate sent to you directly by the insurer or the agent.

  • A price far below every other quote, followed by extras once the work has started.

  • Someone who knocks on your door uninvited, or who will not give recent local references.

Where homeowners say it goes wrong

  • No clear arrival window — they have to take off work and wait all day
  • Surprise pricing — afraid of being upsold or hit with a huge bill they didn't agree to
  • Had a bad prior experience with a no-show or a plumber who left a mess / didn't fix it right

Questions to ask

  1. Will you give me the repair price and the replacement price, and explain what each one fixes?

  2. Is the price flat or hourly, and what does the trip or diagnostic fee cover?

  3. If you open a wall or floor, who repairs and repaints it, and is that in the quote?

2 more questions

  1. Are you licensed where this work requires it, and insured? Can I see the license number and a certificate of insurance sent to me by your insurer?

  2. What exactly does the warranty cover, for how long, and who honors it (you, the manufacturer, or both)? Will you put it in writing?

More about plumbing

Water heaters: 3 typesA drawing, one part at a time

Keeps a tank of hot water stored and ready, so you can run out if you use the whole tank.

  • Heats with gas, propane, oil or electric.
  • The relief valve needs a safe drain pipe. Tanks wear out, so check the age.

Drawing made for this site · simplified, not to scale

Know what you're looking at3 photos
Permit or not?Who pulls it, and what to check first

Commonly permitted

  • Water heaters
  • Gas lines
  • Repiping
  • Adding fixtures

Usually not

  • Faucet, same spot
  • Toilet, same spot

Your building department decides. If a contractor asks you to pull the permit in your own name, ask why.

Some of this work needs a permit and some does not. It depends on the scope of the job and where you live.

Water heater replacements, new or moved gas lines, repiping, and adding or moving fixtures are commonly permitted. Replacing a faucet or a toilet in the same spot usually is not.

  • Your building department decides what applies at your address. Rules differ by city and county, and HOA, condo or historic-district rules can add more.
  • Ask who pulls the permit. Normally the licensed contractor does and the price includes it. If a contractor asks you to pull it in your own name, ask why: it can shift responsibility for the work to you.
  • If you are unsure, call your local building department before you sign. Unpermitted work can cause problems with insurance and when you sell.
Words you'll seePEX · P-trap · T&P valve

T&P valve (temperature & pressure relief)

A safety valve on a water heater that opens if temperature or pressure gets too high. It should never be capped or plugged.

What this trade covers14 kinds of jobs
  • Burst and leaking pipe repair (copper, PEX, PVC, cast iron)
  • Drain cleaning and clog removal (snaking, augering, hydro jetting)
  • Sewer line camera inspection, repair, and trenchless replacement
  • Water heater repair, replacement, and tankless/heat-pump conversion
  • Toilet repair and replacement (flange reset, fill/flush valve, wax ring)
  • Faucet, fixture, and garbage disposal install and repair
  • Water leak detection and slab leak repair
  • Sump pump and ejector pump install and repair
  • Repiping (whole-home repipe, lead service line replacement)
  • Gas line install, repair, and leak repair
  • Water filtration, softener, and PFAS treatment system install
  • Backflow preventer testing, repair, and certification
  • Bathroom and kitchen remodel rough-in plumbing
  • Frozen pipe thawing and freeze-prevention

How people describe it when it can't wait

  • “There's water gushing out of a pipe and I can't shut it off”
  • “My basement is flooding and the water keeps rising”
  • “Sewage is backing up into my bathtub and toilets”
  • “I smell rotten eggs / gas near my water heater”
  • “My water heater is leaking all over the floor and it's hot”
  • “A pipe burst and water is pouring through my ceiling”
  • “I have no water at all in the whole house”
  • “The toilet overflowed and won't stop and it's the only one we have”
  • “My sump pump died and water is coming into the basement during the storm”
  • “There's a hissing gas smell coming from where the gas line connects”

When it can be planned

  • “I'd like a quote to replace my old water heater with a tankless one”
  • “My kitchen faucet drips and I want it fixed when convenient”
  • “The bathroom sink is draining slowly”
  • “I want a price on a whole-house water softener / filtration system”
  • “My toilet runs for a bit after flushing”
  • “I'm remodeling a bathroom and need rough-in plumbing”
  • “Can someone come look at low water pressure at my shower?”
  • “I need my backflow preventer tested for the annual certification”
Rebates and creditsPrograms for your ZIP, and where to look
Find rebates for your ZIP

Rebates and credits change often and differ by state, utility and sometimes county.

  • Start with your state energy office and the ENERGY STAR rebate finder.ENERGY STAR rebate finder (opens in a new tab)
  • The federal 25C and 25D credits ended for property placed in service after 2025-12-31 (IRS: 25C, 25D). Do not count on them for new work, and ask a tax professional about your situation.25C (opens in a new tab)25D (opens in a new tab)
  • Heat pump water heaters and water-saving fixtures are the plumbing items that most often have utility or state rebates, and some water utilities rebate efficient toilets or leak detection.
  • Programs often have conditions: a specific equipment rating, an approved installer, or approval before you buy. Confirm the rules before you sign, not after.
Paying for itBefore you finance anything

Most home projects can be paid in cash or financed. A few basics before you sign anything:

  • Ask for the cash price and the financed price in writing, for the same scope of work. They can differ, because a financing fee (sometimes called a dealer fee) may be built into the financed price.
  • Compare the total you will pay over the whole loan, not just the monthly payment.
  • Read the fine print on same-as-cash and zero-interest offers, especially what happens if the balance is not paid in full by the end of the promotional period.
  • PACE financing is repaid through your property tax bill and can place a lien on your home. Read the terms closely, and consider asking your mortgage servicer how it is treated, before you agree.
  • Utility and state programs sometimes offer low-rate loans for efficiency work. Check yours before accepting the contractor's offer.
  • Take loan paperwork home and read it. A sign-it-today loan is a reason to slow down.

There is more in the financing guide.financing guide

We are not a lender and do not arrange loans. Financing information here is general education; lenders decide terms.

What an expert knows9 topics, each note linked

Notes from public sources, each linked.

Types, pros, cons and lifespanStorage tank water heater · Tankless (on-demand)
Sizing and choosingUse first-hour rating, not tank size · Bigger costs more to run
Maintenance by seasonEvery 3 months · Every 6 months
Code and permit basicsMeet plumbing, mechanical and electrical code · Venting and backdrafting
What moves the priceFuel and availability · Lowest price is not lowest cost
Common scamsPay-up-front demands · Leftover materials and door-knocking
Ask for this in writingModel and rating · Permit and code compliance
Repair or replaceMaintenance first · Small leaks are worth fixing now
Questions to ask an expertHow did you size this? · Where will it vent, and is backdrafting a risk?

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General information, not legal, tax, engineering or insurance advice. Updated October 3, 2026. Photo credits

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