As a plumber who owns their own business, there comes a time when you might feel overwhelmed with all the work. You’re busy fixing pipes, unclogging drains, and installing new plumbing systems, but you’re also trying to manage the business side of things.
This is when you might start thinking about hiring your first employee. But how do you know when it’s the right time?
For many plumbers, the transition from being a solo operator to managing a team is one of the most significant milestones in their career.
But with hard work and smart planning, you can grow it into a successful company with multiple employees.
This article will guide you through the process of scaling your plumbing business from a one-person operation to hiring your first plumber then to a team of five plumbers, including the important step of hiring a customer service representative (CSR) to handle office duties.
Let’s explore how to scale a plumbing company from an owner-operated business to a small team of employees, focusing on the roles and responsibilities at each stage.
Starting as an Owner-Operator
When you first start your plumbing business, you’ll likely wear many hats. As the sole operator, you’re responsible for everything:
Plumbing Services: Handling all service calls and repairs yourself.
Marketing: Promoting your business through online platforms, local advertising, and word-of-mouth referrals.
Customer Service: Answering phones, scheduling appointments, and addressing customer concerns.
Sales and Estimates: Visiting potential clients to provide quotes for jobs.
Administrative Tasks: Managing invoices, bookkeeping, and ordering supplies.
At this stage, your primary focus is building a reputation for quality service and reliability. Establishing trust with customers is critical for generating repeat business and referrals.
Hiring Your First Plumber and Employee
As your workload grows, you may find yourself overwhelmed. This is a sign that it’s time to hire your first employee. Adding another plumber allows you to take on more jobs while freeing up some of your time for other responsibilities.
Once you hire your first plumber, your role will start to change. You’ll still be doing a lot of hands-on work, but you’ll also need to take on more managerial duties.
This shift allows you to focus more on growing the business while still being available to help with plumbing work when needed. Here’s how the roles might look:
Owner’s New Role:
Continue marketing the business
Answer most phone calls and handle customer service
Provide estimates for larger jobs
Handle all paperwork and finances
Perform plumbing work as needed
Train and supervise the new employee
New Plumber Employee’s Role:
Handle most service calls
Assist the owner on larger jobs
Provide estimates for smaller jobs
Report back to the owner on completed work
Key Considerations Before Your Hire
Budgeting: Ensure you can afford to pay wages, purchase tools, and maintain a reliable vehicle for your new hire. Start with part-time hours if full-time employment isn’t feasible initially.
Training: Provide thorough onboarding to familiarize the employee with your company’s standards and processes.
Delegation: Clearly define roles to avoid confusion. Let your employee focus on plumbing work while you manage the business side.
Expanding to a Small Team of 2-5 Plumbers
Once you’ve successfully integrated your first employee and demand continues to grow, it’s time to scale further. Adding more plumbers allows you to serve more clients while gradually stepping back from fieldwork.
Hire Additional Plumbers:
Repeat the process of recruiting skilled plumbers who align with your company’s values.
Use structured interviews to assess technical skills and cultural fit.
Invest in Equipment:
Purchase additional vehicles, tools, and supplies as needed.
Maintain a budget for ongoing maintenance of equipment.
Streamline Operations:
Implement software for scheduling, invoicing, and customer management to improve efficiency.
Roles at This Stage
Owner:
Focus primarily on marketing strategies to attract new customers.
Build relationships with commercial clients or contractors for larger projects.
Oversee operations and ensure quality control across all jobs.
Plumbers:
Handle service calls independently or in teams for larger projects.
Provide estimates for smaller jobs when trained.
Growing to 2 – 3 Plumbers
As your business continues to grow, you’ll reach a point where you and your first employee are consistently busy. This is a good sign that it’s time to hire a second plumber.
Before hiring your second employee, you should:
Make sure you have a steady stream of work to keep three people busy
Save up for another van and set of tools
Develop a system for scheduling and dispatching jobs efficiently
Reaching Five Plumbers and Introducing Office Support/Customer Service Representative (CSR)
As your business continues to thrive, you’ll eventually be ready to expand to a team of five plumbers. This is a significant milestone that will require careful planning and management.
This structure allows for much more efficient operations. The plumbers can focus on their work without being interrupted by calls, and you can focus on growing the business without getting bogged down in day-to-day operations.
At this stage, you’ll be spending most of your time working on the business rather than in it. This allows you to focus on growth strategies and ensuring the overall success of the company.
Before expanding to five plumbers, you should:
Ensure you have a consistent flow of work to keep five people busy
Invest in a robust scheduling and job management system
Develop clear policies and procedures for all aspects of the business
Consider moving to a larger office or workshop space
Office Support/Customer Service Representative (CSR)
When your team grows to five plumbers or more, managing operations becomes more complex. At this point, hiring office support staff such as a Customer Service Representative (CSR) can significantly improve efficiency.
Why Hire a CSR?
A CSR can take over administrative duties like answering phones, scheduling appointments, managing customer inquiries, and handling basic bookkeeping tasks.
This allows the owner to focus on higher-level responsibilities like strategic planning and marketing.
A good CSR can significantly improve your business by:
Providing excellent customer service
Efficiently scheduling and dispatching plumbers
Handling paperwork and basic bookkeeping
Freeing up your time to focus on business growth
Company Roles at This Stage With 5 Plumbers and CSR
With five plumbers and a CSR, your role as the owner will change significantly:
Owner’s Role:
Focus entirely on business strategy and growth
Create a company culture and team building daily
Oversee marketing efforts and consider hiring a marketing agency
Handle major client relationships
Manage overall business finances
Handle complex financial decisions
CSR Responsibilities:
Your CSR will take on many of the office duties you’ve been handling, including:
Answer all incoming calls and emails
Act as the primary point of contact for customers.
Handle scheduling and dispatching plumbers to jobs
Handle bookkeeping tasks, billing, follow-ups, and other administrative tasks.
Following up with customers after service
Managing customer records
Senior Plumbers’ Roles (2-3 experienced plumbers):
Handle complex jobs and emergency calls
Provide estimates for large projects
Train and supervise junior plumbers
Assist with scheduling and quality control
Junior Plumbers’ Roles (2-3 newer hires):
Handle routine service calls
Assist senior plumbers on larger jobs
Provide estimates for small to medium jobs
Concentrate on growing the business through marketing campaigns and partnerships.
Develop long-term strategies for expansion into new markets or services.
Manage employee performance and foster company culture.
Building a Strong Company Culture
As your team grows, fostering a positive work environment becomes increasingly important. A strong company culture promotes teamwork, accountability, and job satisfaction.
Define Core Values: Establish principles like integrity, respect, and teamwork that guide employee behavior.
Offer Training Opportunities: Invest in ongoing education to help employees improve their skills.
Recognize Achievements: Celebrate milestones and reward outstanding performance with bonuses or incentives.
Planning for Long-Term Growth
Scaling a plumbing business doesn’t stop at hiring employees; it’s an ongoing process that requires adaptability and vision. Here are some strategies for sustained growth:
Recruit and hire carefully: Look for employees who share your work ethic and values. A good team is crucial for growth.
Invest in training: Continuously train your employees to improve their skills and keep up with new technologies.
Develop systems: Create efficient systems for scheduling, dispatching, estimating, and other key business processes.
Focus on customer service: Happy customers lead to repeat business and referrals, which are crucial for growth.
Manage your finances carefully: Keep a close eye on your cash flow and make sure you’re pricing your services correctly.
Embrace technology: Use field service management software to improve efficiency and customer service.
Don’t neglect marketing: Even as you get busier, continue to invest in marketing to ensure a steady stream of new customers.
Conclusion
Growing a plumbing business from an owner-operated venture into a thriving team takes time, effort, and strategic planning. By starting small—hiring one employee at a time—and gradually expanding your team while delegating responsibilities effectively, you can build a scalable business model.
Along the way, investing in technology, training employees, and maintaining excellent customer service will set you apart from competitors.
With dedication and clear goals, transitioning from “working in the business” to “working on the business” becomes achievable—and ultimately leads to long-term success in the competitive plumbing industry
I’m Moe, the founder of Service Mammoth. I’ve been in home services and marketing for over 25 years and use that knowledge to help businesses grow.
