Plumbing is a service that many people cannot do on their own, and that is a strong factor for a good business. However, running a business is more than performing the work, it’s also about leading a team, being efficient with accounts payable and receivables, and being diligent with government remittances.

As an emerging franchise, the Accurate Leak and Line team has met many people who are aspiring to have their own businesses. Prospective entrepreneurs have questions about everything required to launch a business. Established entrepreneurs are interested in scaling, something they haven’t been able to do themselves.

What follows are elements of those conversations so you can consider them as you think about starting or scaling a plumbing business.

What Is Your Niche as a Plumbing Business

​​​​​Before you get into the details of how to start a plumbing company, your first decision is what type of plumbing service you will provide. You can focus on typical residential needs, become a sub-contracting business for new construction, or establish a niche element of the industry, such as a leak detection business, or sewer and water line repair and replacement. The broader your scope, the more competition you will have. The narrower your niche, the more opportunity you have to become the go-to expert. There are half a million plumbers in the United States, so differentiating is important.

At Accurate Leak and Line, we offer a conversion franchise — for those who already run a plumbing business and decide to convert to our franchise. One of the key reasons we offer this opportunity is that most plumbing businesses try to be everything to everyone, which makes it harder to compete in the marketplace. When they convert to a niche element of the industry, the competition path clears out substantially, presenting new opportunities.

Creating Your Plumbing Business Plan

​​​​​Whether you plan to run your business individually or with a team, you will need a business plan. Performing the work in the business is only part of the job as an entrepreneur, you also have the responsibilities of managing finances, administrating the business, and attracting customers. You need a plan on how to do those things – and this is where joining a franchise can help.

The Business Financials

The most vital task in how to start a plumbing business is preparing the financial section of your business plan.

Your startup costs include everything you need to get open: business registration, location, signage, vehicle, supplies, business cards, website, licenses, employees, insurance, uniforms, and anything else necessary to be open for business.

Your cash flow statement includes ongoing expenses and the income you need to pay for those expenses, plus make a profit. Ongoing expenses include utilities, fuel, vehicle repairs, supplies, employee pay, bookkeeping, memberships, tax remittances, office supplies, accounting subscriptions — any cost of doing business.

Once you have all your expenses, plus a contingency fund, you will know the income you need to generate to pay the bills (your break-even statement) and make a profit.

Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) are a great resource for business plan creation.

Building the Customer Base

Now that you know the money you need to make, how are you going to make it? This involves knowing how much to charge for your services, where your customers are, and how you will reach them.

If possible, have more than one type of customer so your business is diversified. For example, residential and commercial customers, a sub-contractor rate, etc. The more ways you generate income, the more stable your business can be. Local market research will help you find out what your customer base is currently paying for plumbing services.

Next, you need some ideas on how to let customers know you’re open for business. Each customer segment will respond differently to your marketing messages, so this may require working with a professional agency to help you with a solid marketing plan.

Services, Suppliers, and Staffing

Finally, you need to think about the services you will provide, where you will purchase supplies, and how many staff you will need to run your business (the plumbing work, and the administrative work.)

Each service you offer will likely result in a list of supplies; some you will require as inventory, and others can be ordered from a supplier as needed. The services will also dictate whether you will need to add staff to your business. Employees are one of your highest expenses, but they also are the people who generate the income, so plan accordingly. For services such as bookkeeping, you may choose to work with a subcontractor to get started.

An Important Note About Business Plans

Writing a business plan is not everyone’s strength or favorite activity, but there are too many elements needed to run a business to just guess at them — you need some advanced decision-making. If you get behind in collecting accounts or purchasing supplies, you put your hard work in jeopardy. Structures and processes are essential for a smooth operation.

However, there is a time-saving alternative.

Alternatives To Starting a Plumbing Business Alone

​​​​​Accurate Leak and Line offers a plumbing franchise with a niche market: underground plumbing diagnosis and repair. This is a specialized area of plumbing with both residential and commercial applications. It includes both trenchless pipe rehabilitation and traditional excavation for both water and sewer lines.

The additional benefit of becoming a franchise owner with us is we provide you with the complete startup and operations assistance necessary to launch and maintain a business. You have a support team for marketing, professional development, and growth, and also to provide resources for hiring and problem-solving, so you are not on your own for those critical business activities.

The typical time between signing the franchise agreement with us and opening your plumbing business is approximately three months.

More About the Accurate Leak and Line Franchise

The franchise ownership opportunity with Accurate Leak and Line includes additional benefits:

​​​Defined Territory: We offer territories that have been vetted to support this niche market industry business.

Full Training: You are fully trained on the physical elements of the business, plus the operational procedures, and our head office team is always available for further assistance.

Marketing Partner: We provide marketing strategies proven to deliver results, and we handle all website work.

Proven Programs: Your onboarding includes ServiceTitan operational software, operations manual processes, and administrative procedures.

You can be a business owner and enjoy the freedom and financial opportunities that come with it without being overwhelmed by administrative work. We understand your passion for the industry, and we developed the Accurate Leak and Line franchise with that at the forefront of our business model. You can be in business faster and with more support while still being an independent owner and operator.

Contact Us for More Information

Reach out to us for more on the Accurate Leak and Line franchise. We look forward to talking about how we can be part of your entrepreneurial goals.