If you’re a plumber or plumbing business owner, you’ve probably had at least one dispute over the job scope and price. A plumbing contract may have saved the day. Plumbing contracts protect you, your business, and your customers.
Or, perhaps, you’d like to build your repeat business, forming a solid customer base to keep a steady stream of income. Plumbing maintenance contracts can be big business for you and convenient for your customers.
We believe in simplicity—streamlining your plumbing business so you can operate more efficiently and devote more time to your customers. Aside from Housecall Pro’s home-based service software platform that helps you easily create electronic contracts, we also provide a free plumbing contract template that can be customized for your business or the scope of the project.
Intrigued about incorporating plumbing contracts into your business operation? Our guide covers everything you need to know—and when you’re ready to see how Housecall Pro can grow your business, sign up for a free 14-day trial.
What Are Plumbing Service Contracts?
Plumbing service contracts are legally binding agreements detailing the scope of work the plumber provides and the price paid by the customer. Plumbing repairs can be complex; a written agreement that specifies the work to be done and price paid protects both you and your customer. It also provides a frame of reference if a dispute arises or if you discover that the structure needs additional work beyond the scope of the initial contract.
Plumbing maintenance contracts are another type of plumbing contract. A maintenance contract can cover regular plumbing inspections and the repair of small problems so they don’t become large, expensive (and messy!) emergencies. It benefits your customer, giving them peace of mind knowing their home is protected. You may also consider offering perks like priority scheduling or discount rates when they need a repair or installation. Your customers love it – and you know they’ll call you first when they need service that’s outside the contract’s parameters.
Why Should You Use a Plumbing Contract?
If you provide a written estimate before beginning a job, you may think you don’t need a contract, too. While this model may work fine for smaller tasks or residential work, it also puts you at risk.
An estimate may not be entirely enforceable should a dispute arise. A legally binding contract, on the other hand, increases accountability. It minimizes the risk of not getting paid or an unexpected termination of the project.
Overall, contracts, whether preventative maintenance contracts that work similarly to a warranty or contracts that cover the specifics of one job, benefit you and your customers. Let’s look at some of the major benefits of plumbing contracts.
Benefits of Plumbing Service Contracts
Whether you’re the owner of the plumbing business or the customer requesting the work, you can benefit from a plumbing contract. The primary benefit of a contract is that both parties agree to the type of service, extent of the work, and price before work begins.
Other reasons plumbing service contracts make sense include:
- Transparency on the scope of the job
- Both parties save time and money
- Provides a method of handling disputes
- Breaks down the cost of the project
- States the type of materials to be used, including brands of parts
- Assignees responsibility for debris removal and clean-up
- Includes a description of warranties and the limits of guarantees
If the contract is for ongoing maintenance, it spells out specifically what is covered (and how to access the service) and what is considered outside the scope of annual plumbing maintenance.
What Should You Include in a Plumbing Contract?
A contract with too much information can be overwhelming for your customers. However, don’t leave out the valuable information needed to protect yourself!
There are several essential elements to include in your plumbing contract:
Names and Contact Information
The first section of the contract lists the parties involved. Be sure to include:
Full business name of the service provider (you may wish to list both your brand name or DBA and your legal business entity name, if they’re different)
- Full name of the customer
- Full name of any subcontractors or subcontracting business to be used for the job
- Each party’s address
- Contact information like phone number and email address
- The type(s) of licensing any contractor or service professional has
Type of Plan and Period of Coverage
This section states the length of the agreement. For plumbing maintenance contracts, the service period may be one year, two years, etc. For contracts covering one job, the contract should state the estimated duration.
If you plan to provide a warranty for your work or if the parts you use have warranties, that information should also be in this section. You may even stipulate how long your pricing estimate is valid.
Description of Services
This should provide a full description of the services to be provided for the client. Be sure to include:
- The start and end time of service each day
- The type of materials and parts to be used, including fittings, fixtures, etc.
- An overview of services to be included, such as the removal of fixtures, fittings, or furniture, waste and debris removal, and clean-up
- Additional services that may be necessary, such as excavation, ventilation, HVAC pipework, etc.
- Any permits required for the job and other applicable legal documents
- Termination clauses and liability disclaimers
If there are unusual needs for the job, be sure to include those, too.
Price and Payment Information
Pricing and payment are vital to your contract. Include the price for the job, but be sure to also:
- Break down the cost of parts and labor
- Include the cost of any subcontractor work
- List the total project cost
- Note any deposits or down payments made by the customer
- Set a due date for the final payment
- List any waivers or exclusions
Using a system like Housecall Pro, you can create your own invoice template and an itemized quote with your plumbing service business software.
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Signature Lines
Include space for each party to sign. Once signed, the contract is legally binding, and all its provisions are legally enforceable. If you have an electronic contract, you can simply email it, the quote, and a link for online payment to your customer. Many platforms include an option for a secure online signature.
A solid plumbing contract will save you a lot of headaches and hassles and make it easier to collect customer payments. Now that you know what to include in your plumbing contract, let’s learn how to create a good one.
How to Quickly Create a Plumbing Contract
You don’t necessarily need a lawyer to draw up a contract for you. In fact, creating a custom plumbing contract for your customers is easy with a comprehensive plumbing service business software system like Housecall Pro.
There are a few different ways to draft your plumbing contracts:
Use a Customizable Plumbing Contract Template
A free, customizable plumbing service contract template is the easiest way to draft a contract. Using a template can ensure you don’t leave out a vital section and have the correct language for legal protection.
Housecall Pro’s plumbing contract template is expertly designed for business owners who don’t use contracts and want to but don’t know how to get started. Even if you already use contracts, this easy-to-use template can save you valuable time and money.
Download our FREE Template
Housecall Pro’s plumbing service agreement template includes editable fields for:
- Names and contact information
- Plan options and time frame
- Scope of plumbing work
- Payment deadline and information
You can use our plumbing maintenance contract simply as-is for customers who want to participate in your annual preventative maintenance plans. Or, you can change the fields and details to cover a specific, one-time job. You can email your customers their contract or print one out for them to sign, whichever is most convenient for you.
What Information Does Housecall Pro’s Free Plumbing Contract Template Include?
Creating an accurate, thorough contract doesn’t have to be hard. The simple, straightforward, and customizable plumbing service contract from Housecall Pro covers everything you need for any residential or commercial plumbing job.
Our FREE plumbing maintenance contract template features:
- Step-by-step instructions walking you through the entire template
- Customization so you can include your branding and personalize customer info
- Printable reports to send to your customers and include in your records or to send to customers
- Built-in formulas that save time and improve accuracy when calculating totals
Utilize Plumbing Business Software
Plumbing service business software, like Housecall Pro, has plenty of field service management features to help streamline your business operations, manage your customer information, collect payment, and draft solid contracts for one-time jobs and annual maintenance agreements.
You can create your own custom plumbing maintenance contracts and start offering this service to your customers. Housecall Pro’s customizable maintenance agreement template allows you to customize it so the contract states everything you include in the plan. It’s easy to change if you decide to offer additional services or cease offering a particular service.
You can also create separate residential and commercial maintenance agreements or even tiers of service agreements at different price points.
These templates save you time—simply enter the details of the customer, job, and materials. They also save you money—you don’t have to worry about confusing payment terms, and you have backup in case a dispute escalates.
From the initial quote to online payment capabilities, Housecall Pro handles all your back-office tasks.
How Can Maintenance Agreement Software Help My Business?
With a ready-to-sign plumbing maintenance agreement, you can sell annual service agreements from anywhere. Housecall Pro’s maintenance agreement is accessible from any mobile device, so your field techs can present it to a customer on the spot.
You can sell maintenance agreements online or on your website, include a link for customers to sign up in your post-service follow-up email, or train your team to ask if customers want to sign up for the plan after they conclude the job.
Grow Your Business With Professional Plumbing Contracts
If you aren’t convinced that a plumbing contract is necessary for your business, take our 14-day challenge. Housecall Pro offers a FREE 14-day trial of our plumbing service software, contact us today to learn more, or sign up today.
