The numbers
What a plumbing shop actually runs on. Published figures retain their citations and confidence badges. Research-pass counts describe repeated review runs, not independent evidence.
What could one customer property be worth to your trade?
Estimate one property, then compare the same scoped method with Level's measured building stock across all 50 states, DC, and 100 metros. Commercial and residential evidence stay separate, and every planning assumption is editable.
Download the canonical 2,265-row CSV. TradeIndex links to Level's source rather than copying the matrix.
The two axes
AI-Resilience
79.9AI-Leverage
73.1Sub-score weights and definitions: methodology.
What does a plumbing business sell for?
Plumbing businesses sell for 2.4x to 7x EBITDA. The multiple is set mostly by scale: small owner-operator shops ($300K-$1M) trade at 2.4x to 4.5x, while scaled platforms ($7M+) reach 6.5x to 8x. Based on 2026 transactions. Large scaled platforms are a separate tier and have printed as high as 19x, documented below. That places plumbing 12 of 13 trades on the index by top-of-range multiple.
Source: CT Acquisitions, Commercial & Residential Plumbing Valuation Benchmark Report (2026) ↗ · 3 research passes
The tier breakdown below runs 2.4x to 8x, extending above the top of the 2.4x to 7x headline range. The headline range is a median reconciled across cited research inputs; the tier breakdown is a single named source's ladder. Both are reported as published rather than averaged together.
EBITDA multiples scale directly with company size: small operations ($300K-$1M EBITDA) trade at 2.4x-4.5x; mid-tier businesses ($1M-$3M EBITDA) trade at 4.5x-5.5x; larger businesses ($3M-$7M EBITDA) trade at 5.5x-6.5x; and platform-quality candidates ($7M+ EBITDA) command 6.5x-8.0x+ EBITDA.
Above the range: documented platform transactions to 19x. The range above describes privately held plumbing contractors, and its sources sample the lower middle market. Large scaled platforms and institutional recapitalizations have printed materially higher. These are reported separately rather than folded into the range, because a business that is not a national platform should not price itself off one.
PE firms are executing buy-and-build strategies across multi-trade platforms (combining plumbing, HVAC, and electrical) to capture multiple arbitrage between low-multiple tuck-in add-ons (3x-8x EBITDA) and high-multiple platform-level recapitalizations (16x-19x EBITDA).
Notable PE platforms and recapitalization deals in the plumbing and home services trade include: (1) Apex Service Partners (backed by Alpine Investors and Apollo Global Management), the largest U.S. residential HVAC, plumbing, and electrical services platform operating 75 local brands across 46 states with over $3B in annual revenue, which announced a $2B minority investment from Apollo Funds in May 2026 valuing the platform at $10B; (2) Champions Group, a residential HVAC, plumbing, and electrical platform acquired by Blackstone (BXPE) in early 2026 for approximately $2.5B (~18.5x EBITDA); (3) Redwood Services (backed by Altas Partners), a residential HVAC and plumbing platform generating over $500M in annual revenue, which received a majority investment from Altas Partners in May 2025 valuing it at $1.1B; and (4) Sila Services, a home services platform acquired by Goldman Sachs Alternatives from Morgan Stanley Capital Partners in late 2024 at a reported valuation of ~$1.7B.
EBITDA multiples scale directly with company size: small operations ($300K-$1M EBITDA) trade at 2.4x-4.5x; mid-tier businesses ($1M-$3M EBITDA) trade at 4.5x-5.5x; larger businesses ($3M-$7M EBITDA) trade at 5.5x-6.5x; and platform-quality candidates ($7M+ EBITDA) command 6.5x-8.0x+ EBITDA.
Why buyers are active. The four largest firms hold 4.1% of this market, which is the fragmentation that makes a roll-up cheaper to assemble than to build. Source: U.S. Small Business Administration, 'Small Business Size Standards: Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting; Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction; Utilities; Construction', Proposed Rule, 85 FR 62239 (October 2, 2020), Table 4 'Size Standards Supported by Each Factor for Each Industry (Receipts)' at 85 FR 62248, column (6) headed 'Four-firm ratio (%)', row NAICS 238220 Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors. Derived by SBA from the U.S. Census Bureau special tabulation of the 2012 Economic Census. ↗ · 1 research pass
Who is buying, and what they pay for
Current buyer demand for US plumbing businesses is exceptionally strong, driven by private equity platforms (such as Apex Service Partners and Wrench Group), strategic multi-trade acquirers, and SBA-financed independent buyers (Breakwater M&A, 2026). M&A advisory firm SF&P Advisors notes that buyer demand among PE-backed platforms remains healthy and active, maintaining stable EBITDA valuation multiples year-over-year (SF&P Advisors / Homepros News, 2025). BizBuySell transaction data reflects this high demand, showing the median sale price of transacted plumbing businesses increased 46% from $572,500 in 2022 to $837,500 in 2025 (BizBuySell, 2025). In evaluating acquisitions, buyers value five key attributes most: (1) technician stability and licensing (retaining skilled staff and apprentices), (2) recurring service agreements (maintenance plans targeting 30%+ of revenue), (3) low owner dependency (a clear management layer operational without founder involvement), (4) reliable financial reporting (transparent earnings with defensible add-backs), and (5) customer base diversification (League Park Advisors, 2025, Breakwater M&A, 2026).
Source: Breakwater M&A (2026); SF&P Advisors / Homepros News (2025); BizBuySell (2025); League Park Advisors (2025)
Named acquirers. Notable PE platforms and recapitalization deals in the plumbing and home services trade include: (1) Apex Service Partners (backed by Alpine Investors and Apollo Global Management), the largest U.S. residential HVAC, plumbing, and electrical services platform operating 75 local brands across 46 states with over $3B in annual revenue, which announced a $2B minority investment from Apollo Funds in May 2026 valuing the platform at $10B; (2) Champions Group, a residential HVAC, plumbing, and electrical platform acquired by Blackstone (BXPE) in early 2026 for approximately $2.5B (~18.5x EBITDA); (3) Redwood Services (backed by Altas Partners), a residential HVAC and plumbing platform generating over $500M in annual revenue, which received a majority investment from Altas Partners in May 2025 valuing it at $1.1B; and (4) Sila Services, a home services platform acquired by Goldman Sachs Alternatives from Morgan Stanley Capital Partners in late 2024 at a reported valuation of ~$1.7B.
Source: Apollo Global Management Press Release ('Apex Service Partners and Alpine Investors Announce Strategic Minority Investment from Apollo Funds in Apex', 2026), PE Hub ('Apollo to acquire minority stake in residential HVAC firm Apex Service Partners', 2026), and HomePros News ('Apex Service Partners to receive minority investment at $10 billion valuation', 2026)
A multiple is applied to adjusted EBITDA, and for most contractors that earnings figure is the contested part: job costing that misallocates labor, untracked work in progress, and un-normalized owner compensation all move it before any multiple applies, and a buyer recomputes it in diligence. Level CFO publishes the operating side of that, contractor margin and cash benchmarks by trade. Compare every trade’s multiple side by side on what trade businesses sell for.
The research
Published numbers retain citations from public sources such as BLS/OEWS, licensing boards, permit records, and public filings. Badges show confidence and repeated research-pass counts. Pass counts are workflow metadata, not counts of independent evidence sources.
Labor & workforce
Wages & compensation
| Median Hourly Wage6 research passes · official source | $30.27 |
| Median Annual Wage6 research passes · official source | $63K |
| Pct25 Hourly Wage6 research passes · official source | $23.49 |
| Pct75 Hourly Wage6 research passes · official source | $39.37 |
| Pct90 Hourly Wage6 research passes · official source | $50.55 |
| Pct10 Hourly Wage6 research passes · official source | $19.55 |
Sources (1)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 ↗
Employment
| Us Employment6 research passes · official source | 504,500 |
| Projected 10yr Growth6 research passes · official source | 4.25% |
| Annual Openings6 research passes · official source | 44,000 |
| Projected 10yr Net Change6 research passes · official source | 22,700 |
Labor shortage
| Unfilled Openings6 research passes · official source | 44,000 |
| Vacancy Rate4 research passes · verified | 3.5% |
| Vacancy Rate Pct Shared Across | 7% |
Shortage Note. The United States is projected to face a shortage of 550,000 plumbers by 2027, costing the U.S. economy approximately $33 billion annually in lost economic output.
Vacancy Rate Pct Note. This figure is an industry-wide benchmark, not a per-trade measurement: the same value is published for 7 trade or segment records in this dataset. Read it as the specialty-trade baseline, not as a finding that distinguishes this trade from another.
Sources (3)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (2025) ↗
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) - Construction Sector Job Openings Rate (2026) ↗
- John Dunham & Associates / Lixil Plumbing Labor Shortage Analysis (2024) ↗
Workforce aging
| Median Worker Age6 research passes · official source | 40.2 |
| Pct Over 556 research passes · official source | 18.4 |
Retirement Note. An estimated 44,000 job openings for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters are projected each year on average through 2034, with most openings driven by replacement demand from workers exiting the labor force to retire or transferring to other occupations.
Training pipeline
| Apprenticeship Enrollment3 research passes · medium | 28,829 |
Pipeline Gap Note. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects approximately 44,000 annual job openings for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters on average from 2024 to 2034, primarily driven by worker retirements and occupational transfers, creating a substantial workforce deficit relative to the annual supply of new trade entrants and apprenticeship completers.
Immigration reliance
| Pct Foreign Born6 research passes · official source | 18 |
Visa Dependence Note. Technical construction trades like plumbers, electricians, and HVAC technicians require longer formal training and professional licensing, leading to lower foreign-born worker representation compared to unlicensed trades like roofing or drywall. Construction employers primarily rely on the H-2B non-agricultural temporary worker visa for foreign guest workers, though Census ACS data measures country of birth rather than legal visa status.
Sources (2)
- National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) analysis of U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) PUMS data
- National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Eye on Housing, 2024 ↗
Unionization
| Union Membership3 research passes · high confidence | 24.8% |
Prevailing Wage Note. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters on federal and federally assisted public works projects are covered by Davis-Bacon and Related Acts requirements, which mandate locally prevailing wage and fringe benefit payments. The United Association of Union Plumbers and Pipefitters (UA) actively advocates for prevailing wage rules, including the U.S. Department of Labor's 2023 Davis-Bacon modernization rule that restored the 30-percent threshold for setting local prevailing rates.
Licensing & credentials
| States Requiring License3 research passes · high confidence | 44 |
Bonding Note. Bonding and insurance requirements for plumbing contractors vary by state and local jurisdiction. Typical surety bond amounts range from $2,000 to $25,000 (e.g., $25,000 in California and Minnesota, $20,000 in Illinois, $10,000 in Colorado, and $6,000 in Washington). General liability insurance coverage mandates commonly range from $100,000 to $500,000+ per occurrence, and state law universally requires workers' compensation insurance for employers.
Reciprocity Note. Plumbing trade license reciprocity across US states is relatively limited compared to general contracting. Most state boards do not grant broad automatic reciprocity and require applicants to pass state-specific trade or business and law examinations. However, specific bilateral agreements exist between select states (such as Washington-Idaho for journeymen, Arkansas-Texas, and South Carolina with NC, OH, and TN), and NASCLA offers standardized trade exams accepted by multiple participating state contractor boards.
Sources (3)
- 1. FieldPulse ('Plumbing License Requirements by State Guide', 2025, ); 2. Expertise.com ('Plumbing Licensing Requirements by State', 2024, https://www.expertise.com); 3. GetTradeLicense.com ('Plumber License Requirements by State', 2026, https://www.gettradelicense.com ↗
- GetTradeLicense, Plumber License Requirements Across All 50 States, 2026 ↗
- FieldPulse, Plumbing License Reciprocity: A State-by-State Guide, 2025 ↗
Market structure & size
Market size
| Market Size5 research passes · limited support | $191.4B |
| Cagr5 research passes · limited support | 3.1% |
| Cagr Forecast Window | 2021-2026 |
Sources (1)
- IBISWorld, Plumbers in the US (2026) ↗
Firm counts
| Num Establishments6 research passes · official source | 109,601 |
| Num Firms6 research passes · official source | 107,004 |
| Avg Employees Per Firm6 research passes · official source | 10.997 |
Sources (1)
- U.S. Census Bureau, Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB) ↗
Fragmentation
| Top4 Firm Share1 research pass · official source | 4.1% |
Mom And Pop Share Note. The market is heavily dominated by small local and regional operators and independent mom-and-pop contractors. National franchise brands command less than 5% total U.S. market share, while local independent operators and small trade contractors with fewer than 20 employees represent over 90% of active enterprises.
Sources (2)
- U.S. Small Business Administration, 'Small Business Size Standards: Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting; Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction; Utilities; Construction', Proposed Rule, 85 FR 62239 (October 2, 2020), Table 4 'Size Standards Supported by Each Factor for Each Industry (Receipts)' at 85 FR 62248, column (6) headed 'Four-firm ratio (%)', row NAICS 238220 Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors. Derived by SBA from the U.S. Census Bureau special tabulation of the 2012 Economic Census. ↗
- Cross-checked across two independent public sources: (1) Better Business Bureau / IBISWorld Plumbing Industry Market Analysis, 2022, URL: (notes that national plumbing brands command less than 5% of total U.S. market share, with tens of thousands of licensed plumbing operators serving communities under local and regional brand names); (2) U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB) / CT Acquisitions Trade Analysis, 2026, URL: https://www.census.gov / https://ctacquisitions.com (confirms that over 90% of specialty trade contractor firms in NAICS 238220 operate with fewer than 20 employees). ↗
Franchise penetration
| Franchise Penetration5 research passes · medium | 5% |
Franchise Trend Note. The US plumbing industry remains highly fragmented, with independent operators holding 70% of market share in plumbing repairs (and 51% true independent share across critical/frequent home services). However, the franchise-vs-independent mix is trending toward increased franchise and platform penetration, driven by aggressive private equity consolidation, multi-brand franchisor rollups, and technology/operational advantages that allow scaled brands to outcompete local independent operators.
Sources (2)
- IBISWorld, 'Industry at a Glance: Plumbing Service Franchises OD5584' (2021)
- McKinsey & Company, 'Understanding the US home services market', 2026 ↗
Business formation rate
| Annual New Firm Formation5 research passes · official source | 19,076 |
| Annual Closure Rate6 research passes · medium | 9.25% |
| Survival 5yr6 research passes · official source | 51.099999999999994% |
Sources (3)
- U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics (BDS), 2023 ↗
- Trade Economy Index research synthesis: median of 2 cited research inputs: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics (BDS) - NAICS 2382 Building Equipment Contractors (includes Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors), 2023, | U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy, Frequently Asked Questions About Small Business 2024 ↗
- Trade Economy Index research synthesis: median of 1 cited research input: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Business Employment Dynamics (BED) - Sector 23 Construction, 2024 ↗
Unit economics
Margins
| Gross Margin6 research passes · medium | 22.1% |
| Operating Margin6 research passes · medium | 7.1% |
| Operating Margin Pct Shared Across | 14% |
Operating Margin Pct Note. This figure is an industry-wide benchmark, not a per-trade measurement: the same value is published for 14 trade or segment records in this dataset. Read it as the specialty-trade baseline, not as a finding that distinguishes this trade from another.
Sources (2)
- Trade Economy Index research synthesis: median of 5 cited research inputs: CFMA 2024 Construction Financial Benchmarker, Construction Financial Management Association, | Comfort Systems USA, Inc. Form 10-K (2024), https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/0001035983/000103598325000008/fix-20241231.htm (Gross Margin: 21.01%). Cross-checked against EMCOR Group, Inc. Form 10-K (2024), https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/0001056087/000105608725000008/eme-20241231.htm (18.98%) and Limbach Holdings, Inc. Form 10-K (2024), https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/0001606163/000160616325000011/lmb-20241231.htm (27.81%). | CFMA Construction Financial Benchmarker (Specialty Trade Contractors - NAICS 238220 Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors), https://www.cfma.org | EMCOR Group, Inc. 2024 Form 10-K (SEC Edgar, https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/105608/000010560825000009/eme-20241231.htm) | CFMA 2025 Construction Financial Benchmarker Executive Summary (Specialty Trade Contractors - NAICS 238220), 2024, https://cfma.org; cross-checked with EMCOR Group, Inc. Form 10-K (FY 2024, 17.1% gross margin), https://www.sec.gov ↗
- CFMA 2024 Construction Financial Benchmarker, Construction Financial Management Association ↗
Cost structure
| Labor Pct Of Revenue5 research passes · verified | 11.9 |
| Materials Pct Of Revenue5 research passes · medium | 42.9 |
| Sga Overhead5 research passes · medium | 23.3% |
Sources (3)
Productivity
| Revenue Per Employee5 research passes · medium | $253K |
| Billable Utilization1 research pass · limited support | 75% |
| Billable Utilization Pct Shared Across | 5 |
Billable Utilization Pct Note. This figure is an industry-wide benchmark, not a per-trade measurement: the same value is published for 5 trade or segment records in this dataset. Read it as the specialty-trade baseline, not as a finding that distinguishes this trade from another.
Seasonality
Peak Period Note. Demand for mechanical and plumbing contracting services is generally higher during the second and third calendar quarters due to increased construction activity and warmer weather, while demand and revenue are generally lower during the first calendar quarter due to reduced construction activity during inclement weather and lower air conditioning usage.
Cyclicality Note. The industry is subject to business cycle fluctuations, where business volume, particularly for new construction and renovation projects, may be adversely affected by overall economic weakness and cyclical declines in new installation and replacement project spending.
Sources (1)
- Comfort Systems USA, Inc. Form 10-K (2025) ↗
Cash & working capital
Cash cycle
| Dso Days5 research passes · medium | 55.2 days |
| Dpo Days5 research passes · medium | 33 days |
| Cash Conversion Cycle Days4 research passes · verified | 27.1 days |
| Dpo Days Shared Across | 8 |
Dpo Days Note. This figure is an industry-wide benchmark, not a per-trade measurement: the same value is published for 8 trade or segment records in this dataset. Read it as the specialty-trade baseline, not as a finding that distinguishes this trade from another.
Retainage & liens
| Typical Retainage1 research pass · medium | 10% |
| Payment Dispute1 research pass · medium | 47% |
| Typical Retainage Pct Shared Across | 11 |
Typical Retainage Pct Note. This figure is an industry-wide benchmark, not a per-trade measurement: the same value is published for 11 trade or segment records in this dataset. Read it as the specialty-trade baseline, not as a finding that distinguishes this trade from another.
Bad debt
| Bad Debt Write Off5 research passes · verified | 0.0097% |
| Collection Rate3 research passes · high confidence | 85.1% |
| Collection Rate Pct Shared Across | 23% |
Collection Rate Pct Note. This figure is an industry-wide benchmark, not a per-trade measurement: the same value is published for 23 trade or segment records in this dataset. Read it as the specialty-trade baseline, not as a finding that distinguishes this trade from another.
AI exposure & technology
AI task exposure
| Pct Physical Onsite Work5 research passes · limited support | 65 |
| Pct Cognitive Backoffice Work5 research passes · verified | 35 |
Task Breakdown Note. According to O*NET activity data for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (SOC 47-2152.00), work time is divided between physical on-site labor (assembling, cutting, threading, soldering, and installing pipe systems, as well as inspecting structures and repairing mechanical parts) and cognitive/back-office coordination tasks (reviewing blueprints, planning system layouts, estimating project labor and material costs, ordering supplies, and recording operational data).
Ai Resistant Work. Physical, on-site tasks in plumbing remain highly resistant to AI and robotics due to the unstructured, unpredictable nature of real-world job sites. Hands-on work, such as crawling under foundations, cutting and soldering copper pipes, threading gas lines, installing fixtures, performing manual leak repairs, and troubleshooting legacy piping systems, requires physical dexterity, tactile feedback, and spatial reasoning. Research by the McKinsey Global Institute highlights that unpredictable physical environments make skilled trades like plumbing among the least vulnerable to automation. Additionally, AI pioneer Geoffrey Hinton publicly noted in 2024/2025 that plumbing is one of the safest careers from AI disruption because algorithms cannot replicate physical presence and situational adaptability on-site. Housecall Pro's Spring 2025 Industry Trends Report corroborated this, finding that 73% of trade contractors reported AI has not reduced field hiring, as hands-on installations, diagnostics, and building customer trust remain strictly human.limited support
Automatable Work. Back-office administration, customer coordination, dispatching, and estimating represent the most automatable operations in the plumbing trade. Key automatable tasks include: (1) 24/7 Call Answering & Triage, AI voice agents handle inbound calls on the first ring, triage emergency water leaks, collect job details, and book appointments without human intervention; (2) Intelligent Dispatch & Scheduling, machine learning algorithms optimize technician routing by analyzing real-time traffic, technician location, skill requirements, and job profitability; (3) Automated Field Estimating, software generates multi-option 'Good-Better-Best' quotes using site photos, standard rate books, and historical cost data; and (4) Workflow Follow-ups & Accounting Sync, automated systems send 'on-my-way' SMS alerts, follow up on unclosed proposals, request post-service reviews, and sync job data directly with accounting platforms like QuickBooks.limited support
Sources (4)
- Brookings Institution, 'Automation and Artificial Intelligence: How Machines Are Affecting People and Places' (2019)
- McKinsey Global Institute, 'A Future That Works: Automation, Employment, and Productivity' (2017) ↗
- O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor, 2026 ↗
- McKinsey Global Institute (2018) - 'Skill shift: Automation and the future of the workforce' - | PHCPPros / PHCC Educational Foundation (2025) - 'Why the Godfather of AI Thinks You Should Become a Plumber' - https://www.phcppros.com ↗
Field-service software
| Fsm Adoption1 research pass · verified | 46% |
Sources (1)
- PHCC (Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association) Technology Survey, cited in SchedulingKit (2026)
Accounting technology
Integration Gap Note. A significant field-to-accounting integration gap exists across trade and construction firms: more than 50% of survey respondents must manually transfer data for applications that lack direct integration, while 15.3% do not transfer data between apps at all. Further JBKnowledge workflow benchmark data reveals that only 5.5% of contractors have full integration across all software applications, 30% have no software integration whatsoever, and nearly half (48%) rely on manual data re-entry or spreadsheets (43%) to bridge field operational data into accounting systems.
Sources (1)
- JBKnowledge 2021 Construction Technology Report, reported by Building Design+Construction (BD+C Network, 2022), ; JBKnowledge Construction Technology Report Workflow Analysis, WeBuild CS (2025) ↗
AI adoption
| Ai Adoption Rate1 research pass · limited support | 19% |
Adoption Examples. Industry studies and software platform reports document rapid software-driven AI adoption across US plumbing contractors. According to Housecall Pro's Spring 2025 Industry Survey (400+ trade business owners), over 70% of respondents had adopted AI tools, with active users recovering an average of 3.2 hours per week (~160 hours annually) in reduced administrative burden. Industry data from 2024-2026 shows 68% of plumbing contractors with 10+ technicians have implemented AI-powered automation, with adoption concentrated in emergency dispatch (73%), automated customer messaging (61%), and dynamic scheduling optimization (58%). Leading platforms driving adoption include ServiceTitan (incorporating Atlas AI for dispatch and reporting), Housecall Pro (offering AI teams and trade-specific packages), and purpose-built tools like QuoteIQ and Fixlify AI (providing photo-based estimating and 24/7 AI call answering).limited support
Sources (2)
- Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association (PHCC) / Kynex Pro (2026) ↗
- McKinsey Global Institute (2018) - 'Skill shift: Automation and the future of the workforce' - | PHCPPros / PHCC Educational Foundation (2025) - 'Why the Godfather of AI Thinks You Should Become a Plumber' - https://www.phcppros.com ↗
Channel & disintermediation
Lead-gen platforms
| Marketplace Penetration5 research passes · medium | 1.5% |
| Platform Take Rate5 research passes · medium | 10% |
| Marketplace Penetration Pct Shared Across | 11 |
| Platform Take Rate Pct Shared Across | 13% |
Platforms Note. In the US plumbing and home services trade, marketplace lead generation platforms like Angi and Thumbtack operate primarily on pay-per-lead models, charging $30 to $80 per plumbing lead. Because leads are routinely shared across 3 to 8 competing contractors, average lead conversion rates sit between 10% and 20%, translating to an effective customer acquisition cost of $150 to $400+ per booked plumbing job.
Marketplace Penetration Pct Note. This figure is an industry-wide benchmark, not a per-trade measurement: the same value is published for 11 trade or segment records in this dataset. Read it as the specialty-trade baseline, not as a finding that distinguishes this trade from another.
Platform Take Rate Pct Note. This figure is an industry-wide benchmark, not a per-trade measurement: the same value is published for 13 trade or segment records in this dataset. Read it as the specialty-trade baseline, not as a finding that distinguishes this trade from another.
Customer-acquisition mix
| Pct Referral2 research passes · limited support | 30 |
| Pct Digital2 research passes · limited support | 45 |
| Pct Marketplace2 research passes · medium | 15 |
| Pct Repeat1 research pass · limited support | 10 |
Sources (1)
- Lightning Path Partners, 2026
Insurance & warranty
| Home Warranty Penetration5 research passes · limited support | 6% |
| Home Warranty Penetration Pct Shared Across | 6 |
Intermediation Note. Home warranty companies intermediate the plumbing contractor-customer relationship by acting as the initial service intake portal, managing customer dispatch, and controlling claim approvals and coverage limits. They route work through contracted network providers (e.g., Frontdoor utilizes roughly 17,000 independent contractor firms, with preferred contractors fulfilling ~84% of service requests), while dictating trade service fees, fixed repair schedules, and diagnostics authorization.
Home Warranty Penetration Pct Note. This figure is an industry-wide benchmark, not a per-trade measurement: the same value is published for 6 trade or segment records in this dataset. Read it as the specialty-trade baseline, not as a finding that distinguishes this trade from another.
Sources (1)
- Frontdoor, Inc. Annual Report on Form 10-K for Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2024 (2025) ↗
Lock-in & expansion
Recurring-revenue mix
| Recurring Revenue5 research passes · verified | 7.3% |
| Service Agreement Attach3 research passes · limited support | 20% |
Recurring Note. Plumbing maintenance agreements generate 70%+ gross margins due to minimal material costs, and contractors with 30%+ recurring revenue outperform emergency-dependent operations by 4-6 net margin percentage points.
Contract terms
| Typical Contract Length Months4 research passes · high confidence | 12 |
| Renewal Rate4 research passes · medium | 78.5% |
| Typical Contract Length Months Shared Across | 8 |
Stickiness Note. Mechanical, HVAC, and plumbing service agreements display strong contractual lock-in and stickiness driven by automatic annual renewal terms, mandatory 30- to 60-day cancellation notice windows, recurring payment schedules, and the non-discretionary requirement to maintain operational integrity in mission-critical building infrastructure.
Typical Contract Length Months Note. This figure is an industry-wide benchmark, not a per-trade measurement: the same value is published for 8 trade or segment records in this dataset. Read it as the specialty-trade baseline, not as a finding that distinguishes this trade from another.
Cross-sell & expansion
| Avg Services Per Customer2 research passes · medium | 2 |
| Upsell Attach1 research pass · limited support | 20% |
Cross Sell Note. Homeowners are more likely to consider HVAC services from their plumber than plumbing services from their HVAC provider, making plumbing a viable starting point for expanding into adjacent residential trades.
Entry barriers & data
Capital intensity
| Startup Cost5 research passes · medium | $226K |
| Capex Pct Of Revenue5 research passes · medium | 1.5 |
Equipment Note. Plumbing trades require minimal physical facility infrastructure at launch, with initial operations often home-based or mobile. Primary capital outlays are driven by service fleet vans ($50,000 to $65,000 outfitted per technician) and specialized trade tools ($5,000 to $15,000 per van, including drain inspection cameras, jetters, and press tools). Warehouses or shops are typically acquired as fleet size expands to handle inventory storage and vehicle staging.
Sources (3)
- Mr. Rooter Plumbing SPV LLC, 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document (Item 7 Initial Investment Range: $152,900 to $298,675; Midpoint: $225,787.50)
- Comfort Systems USA, Inc., 2024 Form 10-K Annual Report (filed February 20, 2025; reporting $105.1 million in capital expenditures on $7.03 billion in total revenue = ~1.5%) ↗
- Clarify Capital, 2026, 'How to Finance or Start a Plumbing Business' ↗
Regulatory burden
Permit Burden Note. Plumbing operators face a decentralized compliance burden driven by local Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs) enforcing model codes, primarily the International Code Council's International Plumbing Code (IPC) and IAPMO's Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC), both updated on 3-year cycles. Contractors must secure city/county permits and undergo mandatory field inspections prior to enclosing or placing systems into service for non-minor work (e.g., water heater replacements, drainage, gas line routing, and backflow preventer installations). States also mandate individual trade licensing (Apprentice, Journeyman, Master Plumber) alongside contractor firm registration, requiring background checks, trade exams, and verified bonding/liability coverage.
Compliance Cost Note. Compliance costs span multi-jurisdictional registration, licensing, and insurance overhead. Operating across multiple local jurisdictions requires separate municipal registrations, costing $3,000 to $3,500 annually for regional contractors in states without a unified license (as cited by PA-PHCC). State license/exam fees typically run $200-$500 initially with $35-$100 annual renewals, plus mandatory continuing education ($50-$300 annually). Standard job permit fees range from $25-$75 for residential water heater replacements to $100-$400+ for single-family residential construction. Annual business overhead includes $1,000-$4,300+ for general liability insurance and required surety bond premiums.
Regulatory Tailwind Note. Major federal regulatory actions are generating substantial demand tailwinds for plumbing contractors. In October 2024, the EPA finalized the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI), mandating the 100% replacement of all legacy lead service lines across the U.S. within 10 years. In May 2024, the DOE issued updated Energy Conservation Standards for Consumer Water Heaters (89 FR 37778), raising minimum efficiency standards that drive nationwide adoption of electric heat pump water heaters (HPWH) and gas-condensing units by 2029. Additionally, the EPA AIM Act Technology Transitions Rule caps refrigerant GWP at 700 starting in 2025/2026, accelerating retrofits and specialized technician training for heat pump water systems.
Sources (3)
- International Code Council (ICC) / International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) (2024), 'International Plumbing Code (IPC) & Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) Scope and Permit Guidelines', / https://www.iapmo.org ↗
- Pennsylvania Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association (PA-PHCC) / California Contractors State License Board (CSLB) (2023-2026), Legislative Testimony & License Fee Schedules, / https://www.cslb.ca.gov ↗
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) & U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) (2024), 'Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI)' & 'Energy Conservation Standards for Consumer Water Heaters', / https://www.energy.gov ↗
Data assets
| Iot Telemetry Penetration4 research passes · medium | 24.6% |
Sources (1)
- Trade Economy Index research synthesis: median of 3 cited research inputs: Watts Water Technologies 2023 Sustainability Report (2024), | Parks Associates & Johnson Controls, 'Flooding the Market: Scaling Up Smart Water Management' White Paper, 2025, https://www.parksassociates.com; cross-checked with Parks Associates Industry Report, 2024, https://www.dmp.com/news/smart-home-tech-insurance-market | Opinion Dynamics, 2024, https://www.opiniondynamics.com ↗
M&A, PE & valuation
Consolidation
Consolidation Activity. The U.S. residential plumbing and home services trade is experiencing highly intense private equity roll-up and consolidation activity. The consolidation is driven by structural market fragmentation (over 132,000 U.S. plumbing businesses with no single operator holding over 5% market share), non-discretionary emergency demand, and recurring service-contract revenues. PE firms are executing buy-and-build strategies across multi-trade platforms (combining plumbing, HVAC, and electrical) to capture multiple arbitrage between low-multiple tuck-in add-ons (3x-8x EBITDA) and high-multiple platform-level recapitalizations (16x-19x EBITDA). Financial buyers and PE-backed platforms currently account for over half of all residential mechanical/trade M&A transactions in the United States.
Notable Platforms. Notable PE platforms and recapitalization deals in the plumbing and home services trade include: (1) Apex Service Partners (backed by Alpine Investors and Apollo Global Management), the largest U.S. residential HVAC, plumbing, and electrical services platform operating 75 local brands across 46 states with over $3B in annual revenue, which announced a $2B minority investment from Apollo Funds in May 2026 valuing the platform at $10B; (2) Champions Group, a residential HVAC, plumbing, and electrical platform acquired by Blackstone (BXPE) in early 2026 for approximately $2.5B (~18.5x EBITDA); (3) Redwood Services (backed by Altas Partners), a residential HVAC and plumbing platform generating over $500M in annual revenue, which received a majority investment from Altas Partners in May 2025 valuing it at $1.1B; and (4) Sila Services, a home services platform acquired by Goldman Sachs Alternatives from Morgan Stanley Capital Partners in late 2024 at a reported valuation of ~$1.7B.
Sources (6)
- PitchBook ('PE hopes garage door roll-ups will be the new HVAC', 2026, ) and PE Hub ('Apollo to acquire minority stake in residential HVAC firm Apex Service Partners', 2026 ↗
- Apollo Global Management Press Release ('Apex Service Partners and Alpine Investors Announce Strategic Minority Investment from Apollo Funds in Apex', 2026), PE Hub ('Apollo to acquire minority stake in residential HVAC firm Apex Service Partners', 2026), and HomePros News ('Apex Service Partners to receive minority investment at $10 billion valuation', 2026)
- PE Hub, 'Apollo to acquire minority stake in residential HVAC firm Apex Service Partners', 2026
- Apollo Global Management Press Release, 'Apex Service Partners and Alpine Investors Announce Strategic Minority Investment from Apollo Funds in Apex', 2026
- PitchBook, 'PE hopes garage door roll-ups will be the new HVAC', 2026 ↗
- HomePros News, 'Apex Service Partners to receive minority investment at $10 billion valuation', 2026
Valuation multiples
| Typical Ebitda Multiple Low2 research passes · medium | 2.4x |
| Typical Ebitda Multiple High3 research passes · medium | 7x |
Multiple By Size Note. EBITDA multiples scale directly with company size: small operations ($300K-$1M EBITDA) trade at 2.4x-4.5x; mid-tier businesses ($1M-$3M EBITDA) trade at 4.5x-5.5x; larger businesses ($3M-$7M EBITDA) trade at 5.5x-6.5x; and platform-quality candidates ($7M+ EBITDA) command 6.5x-8.0x+ EBITDA.
Sources (1)
- CT Acquisitions, Commercial & Residential Plumbing Valuation Benchmark Report (2026) ↗
Exit environment
Buyer Demand. Current buyer demand for US plumbing businesses is exceptionally strong, driven by private equity platforms (such as Apex Service Partners and Wrench Group), strategic multi-trade acquirers, and SBA-financed independent buyers (Breakwater M&A, 2026). M&A advisory firm SF&P Advisors notes that buyer demand among PE-backed platforms remains healthy and active, maintaining stable EBITDA valuation multiples year-over-year (SF&P Advisors / Homepros News, 2025). BizBuySell transaction data reflects this high demand, showing the median sale price of transacted plumbing businesses increased 46% from $572,500 in 2022 to $837,500 in 2025 (BizBuySell, 2025). In evaluating acquisitions, buyers value five key attributes most: (1) technician stability and licensing (retaining skilled staff and apprentices), (2) recurring service agreements (maintenance plans targeting 30%+ of revenue), (3) low owner dependency (a clear management layer operational without founder involvement), (4) reliable financial reporting (transparent earnings with defensible add-backs), and (5) customer base diversification (League Park Advisors, 2025, Breakwater M&A, 2026).
Exit Trend. The exit environment for US plumbing business owners is heating up, driven by a historic generational transition and sustained institutional roll-up momentum (League Park Advisors, 2026, https://leaguepark.com/why-plumbing-companies-are-attracting-private-equity-buyers-right-now/). Thousands of baby-boomer founders who established plumbing companies in the 1980s and 1990s are reaching retirement age, colliding with record institutional capital seeking non-cyclical residential service providers (League Park Advisors, 2025). Market conditions remain a strong seller's market as acquirers actively bundle plumbing into multi-trade platforms alongside HVAC and electrical services (Breakwater M&A, 2026). Market studies from BizBuySell show accelerated business-for-sale deal activity, with 55% of surveyed owners confident they can achieve their desired price today and 60% choosing to exit now rather than risk market changes by waiting (BizBuySell, 2025, https://www.bizbuysell.com/insight-report/).
Sources (8)
- Breakwater M&A (2026); SF&P Advisors / Homepros News (2025); BizBuySell (2025); League Park Advisors (2025)
- League Park Advisors (2026, ); League Park Advisors (2025); Breakwater M&A (2026); BizBuySell (2025, https://www.bizbuysell.com/insight-report/ ↗
- League Park Advisors (2026). 'Why Plumbing Companies Are Attracting Private Equity Buyers Right Now.' URL: ↗
- League Park Advisors (2025). 'The Generational Shift Driving Owners to Sell their Plumbing Businesses.' URL:
- Breakwater M&A (2026). 'How to Sell a Plumbing Business: 2026 Owner's Guide.' URL:
- BizBuySell (2025). 'Plumbing Business Valuation Multiples & Financial Benchmarks.' URL:
- BizBuySell (2025). 'Small Business Acquisitions Grow, Sale Prices Decline: Buyer-Seller Confidence Wavers.' BizBuySell Insight Report Q3 2025. URL: ↗
- SF&P Advisors / Homepros News (2025). 'A candid conversation about the state of the M&A market.' URL:
Demand & growth
Demand drivers
| Installed Base Units5 research passes · medium | 145,333,462 |
Replacement Vs New Note. General plumbing repair, maintenance, and replacement services account for approximately 49.7% of industry revenue, while new construction projects and specialized installations (including mechanical and sprinkler systems) drive the remaining demand across residential and commercial sectors.
Demand Drivers Note. Primary demand drivers for the U.S. plumbing trade include aging infrastructure in existing housing and commercial building stock requiring maintenance and replacement, non-discretionary emergency repair calls, home remodeling and fixture upgrades, new residential and nonresidential construction activity, and adoption of water-efficiency standards.
Macro correlation
Housing Correlation Note. Plumbing fixture and installation demand is strongly correlated with new residential construction, where housing starts and completions drive initial rough-in and fixture installations, while ongoing residential remodeling and repair activities provide steady baseline demand that helps cushion underlying new construction cyclicality.
Commercial Correlation Note. Commercial plumbing demand correlates directly with total private nonresidential construction spending across retail, lodging, office, and institutional buildings, complemented by commercial facility retrofits and renovations focused on restroom expansion, hygiene, and water efficiency.
Climate Sensitivity Note. Plumbing repair demand exhibits high sensitivity to extreme cold weather and winter freeze events. When ambient outdoor temperatures drop to 20°F or below, water trapped in uninsulated pipes freezes and expands, causing severe pressure buildup that leads to pipe bursts and sudden spikes in emergency plumbing service demand.
Sources (3)
- The Freedonia Group (2025), 'US Plumbing Fixtures & Fittings' ↗
- U.S. Census Bureau and Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis FRED (2026), 'Total Private Construction Spending: Nonresidential' ↗
- U.S. Department of Energy / Building Research Council at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2014), 'An Investigation into Freezing and Bursting Water Pipes in Residential Construction' ↗
Search interest
| Yoy Search Changemedium | 18% |
Reputation & customer
Customer acquisition
| Typical Cac4 research passes · high confidence | $333 |
| Avg Review Volume5 research passes · medium | 39 |
| Complaint Categories | Service or Repair Issues, Billing Issues, Sales and Advertising Issues, Product Issues, Customer Service Issues |
| Avg Review Volume Shared Across | 6 |
Avg Review Volume Note. This figure is an industry-wide benchmark, not a per-trade measurement: the same value is published for 6 trade or segment records in this dataset. Read it as the specialty-trade baseline, not as a finding that distinguishes this trade from another.
Sources (3)
- SearchLight Digital (2026), Plumbing Google Ads Benchmark Study (); cross-checked with First Page Sage (2025), Average CAC by Industry Report (https://firstpagesage.com) reporting B2C Home Services Paid CAC of $116 and Organic CAC of $90, and JB Warranties / Decision Analyst (2024), Residential Contractor CAC Study (https://www.jbwarranties.com) reporting $350. ↗
- BrightLocal, 2024 ↗
- Better Business Bureau (BBB) Plumbing Industry Business Profiles (2026) ↗
Segment economics
How the unit economics differ by end market. Commercial and industrial work typically carries different margin, cash-cycle, and utilization profiles than residential. Published figures retain their citations.
Unit economics by revenue band
The same trade runs very different numbers at $500K than at $30M. Here are the operating benchmarks by annual-revenue band. Every cell shown carries an external, citable source (CFMA revenue-tier benchmarks, IBISWorld). Blank cells are metrics no public source splits by band.
Market structure
National permit and contractor-density aggregates from public county tax-assessor and building-permit records. Aggregate-only; no individual property or business identified.
Building permits (national)
| Year | Permits | Contractors | Median job value | P90 job value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 1,381,080 | 69,703 | $10K | $410K |
| 2023 | 1,544,703 | 68,480 | $11K | $452K |
| 2024 | 978,458 | 61,922 | $11K | $453K |
Contractor size tiers
| Size tier | Contractors | Avg total permit value |
|---|---|---|
| Micro (5-19) | 43,929 | $2.87M |
| Small (20-99) | 21,130 | $12.42M |
| Mid (100-499) | 5,340 | $52.13M |
| Large (500+) | 1,024 | $268.98M |
Top states by permit volume
| State | Permits | Contractors | Median job value |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA | 486,876 | 24,799 | $8K |
| FL | 476,250 | 20,506 | $3K |
| TX | 468,350 | 15,229 | $3K |
| OR | 188,123 | 4,489 | $1K |
| NC | 187,751 | 10,392 | $62K |
| CO | 186,499 | 4,221 | $8K |
| WI | 146,521 | 1,854 | $4K |
| GA | 133,253 | 3,013 | $50K |
| AZ | 118,942 | 3,576 | $130K |
| MA | 108,485 | 6,436 | $11K |
Geography
Wage differentials and licensing/bonding regimes vary widely by state, and contractor density and permit trends by metro. Every figure carries its state or metro source (BLS/OEWS, licensing boards, permit records). Aggregate-only.
Wages by state (median hourly)
Ranked high to low. Differential vs the national median. Source: state BLS/OEWS.
| State | Median hourly | vs national |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $43.93 | +45.13% |
| Illinois | $42.51 | +40.44% |
| Oregon | $39.83 | +31.58% |
| Washington | $39.61 | +30.86% |
| Alaska | $39.26 | +29.7% |
| Minnesota | $38.43 | +26.96% |
| New Jersey | $37.72 | +24.61% |
| New York | $37.60 | +24.22% |
| Wisconsin | $36.86 | +21.77% |
| Rhode Island | $36.34 | +20.05% |
| Hawaii | $35.62 | +17.67% |
| Montana | $35.45 | +17.11% |
| Michigan | $34.95 | +15.46% |
| Ohio | $31.27 | +3.3% |
| Indiana | $31.20 | +3.07% |
| Connecticut | $31.04 | +2.54% |
| Missouri | $30.49 | +0.73% |
| Pennsylvania | $30.37 | +0.33% |
| Delaware | $30.29 | +0.07% |
| California | $30.28 | +0.03% |
| Louisiana | $30.07 | -0.66% |
| North Dakota | $29.94 | -1.09% |
| Iowa | $29.85 | -1.39% |
| Maryland | $29.82 | -1.49% |
| Colorado | $29.75 | -1.72% |
| New Hampshire | $29.64 | -2.08% |
| Maine | $29.61 | -2.18% |
| Idaho | $29.42 | -2.81% |
| Nebraska | $29.24 | -3.4% |
| Nevada | $29.13 | -3.77% |
| Kentucky | $29.11 | -3.83% |
| Kansas | $28.59 | -5.55% |
| Vermont | $28.59 | -5.55% |
| Utah | $28.56 | -5.65% |
| Virginia | $27.75 | -8.33% |
| Texas | $27.52 | -9.08% |
| Wyoming | $27.44 | -9.35% |
| Arizona | $27.35 | -9.65% |
| Georgia | $26.58 | -12.19% |
| Oklahoma | $26.28 | -13.18% |
| Mississippi | $25.61 | -15.39% |
| South Dakota | $25.00 | -17.41% |
| New Mexico | $24.48 | -19.13% |
| Tennessee | $24.48 | -19.13% |
| Alabama | $24.36 | -19.52% |
| South Carolina | $24.35 | -19.56% |
| Florida | $24.30 | -19.72% |
| North Carolina | $24.24 | -19.92% |
| West Virginia | $24.17 | -20.15% |
| Arkansas | $22.82 | -24.61% |
Metro-level detail (50 metros)
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA MSA employed 4,320 Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (SOC 47-2152) as of May 2023, with an average hourly wage of $29.02 and annual mean wage of $60,370.
New privately-owned housing units authorized by building permits in the Atlanta CBSA declined by 5.0%, moving from 40,687 units in 2023 down to 38,639 units in 2024.
The Austin-Round Rock, TX MSA employed 4,370 plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters (SOC 47-2152) as of May 2023, representing a location quotient of 1.23 compared to the national average employment concentration.
Residential construction permitting in the Austin metro area slowed in Q1 2026, with total residential permits down 19.7% year-over-year to 5,213 permits. The pullback was concentrated in multifamily construction (down nearly 50% year-over-year), while single-family permits declined 4.1% year-over-year to 3,934 permits.
As of May 2023, there were 5,110 plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters employed in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD metropolitan statistical area, representing approximately 1.36 workers per 1,000 total jobs (a location quotient of 1.36 relative to the national average).
New residential building permits in the Baltimore metropolitan area experienced a downward trend over recent years, declining 12% in 2024 to 6,448 units and decreasing another 10.4% in 2025 to 5,775 total residential units permitted across the region.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2023 estimates, the Birmingham-Hoover, AL Metropolitan Statistical Area employed 2,170 Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters, representing a density of 4.264 per 1,000 jobs and a location quotient of 1.48.
U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey data indicates single-family residential authorizations in the Birmingham-Hoover MSA maintained steady baseline volume averaging roughly 250 to 300 single-family units authorized per month, supported by sustained residential building activity across surrounding suburban counties.
The Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metropolitan area employed 11,320 plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters (SOC 47-2152), making it one of the largest metropolitan employment bases for plumbing trades in the United States.
Residential building permits in Greater Boston have trended downward sharply since peaking at roughly 15,000 permitted units in 2021, declining to under 9,000 units permitted regionwide in 2024 (with Boston proper falling to 2,219 permitted units).
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 1,450 Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (SOC 47-2152) employed in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area, representing an employment concentration of 2.76 workers per 1,000 jobs.
Residential building permit activity in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls MSA totaled 3,197 units in 2022 before dropping to 2,101 units in 2023. Permitting activity has since stabilized and trended slightly upwards, with 2,659 total residential units permitted during the 12 months ending July 2024 compared to 2,558 units in the 12 months ending July 2023.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, there were 4,040 Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (SOC 47-2152) employed in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metropolitan statistical area as of May 2024.
Residential construction permitting in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia metro area reached 20,902 units over the trailing 12 months, marking a 3.6% year-over-year expansion. The MSA maintains a high permitting rate of 7.70 permits per 1,000 residents, driven by a strong 75% single-family residential build mix following a slight moderation in multi-family permitting after 2022 peaks.
In the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI Metropolitan Statistical Area, there were 12,540 Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters employed, representing an employment density of 2.78 per 1,000 jobs and a location quotient of 0.97 relative to the national baseline.
Residential building permit activity in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin MSA averaged 1,800 to 1,900 units per month in mid-2025, demonstrating a modest positive trajectory in housing permit volume after years of subdued housing supply growth across Illinois.
According to May 2023 BLS OEWS estimates, there were 2,920 Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters employed in the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN Metropolitan Statistical Area, representing a location quotient of 0.94 and an annual mean wage of $68,540.
In 2024, the Cincinnati region issued 7,089 residential building permits (3.1 permits per 1,000 population), placing 12th among 20 peer metros, with its 5-year housing permit change from 2019 to 2024 ranking 9th best among peer markets.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2023 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), there were 2,030 Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (SOC 47-2152) employed in the Cleveland-Elyria, OH Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Private residential building permits in the Cleveland-Elyria, OH MSA experienced a 12.2% year-over-year decline in single-family housing permits in 2023 (to 2,695 units), followed by a recovery in overall authorized private housing structures, rising 28.6% year-over-year to over 4,100 trailing-12-month permitted units.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2023 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), there were 2,490 Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (SOC 47-2152) employed in the Columbus, OH Metropolitan Statistical Area, representing an employment density of approximately 2.34 per 1,000 total jobs (location quotient of 0.81).
Residential building permit authorization in the Columbus metro area has experienced sustained growth, particularly in multifamily housing, where local permit activity reached 37.9 multifamily permits per 10,000 residents post-pandemic, making Columbus one of the highest-density metros for new residential building permits in the Midwest.
The Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX metropolitan statistical area employed 11,280 plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters (SOC 47-2152) as of May 2023, with a location quotient of 0.99 relative to the national average.
The Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington MSA maintains high-volume residential construction activity, authorizing over 63,000 housing unit permits annually (approx. 8.17 permits per 1,000 residents), ranking among the top metropolitan areas for new residential permit volume in the United States.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO metropolitan statistical area employed approximately 4,500 Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (SOC 47-2152) in May 2023, representing 2.83 plumbing trade jobs per 1,000 total jobs in the metro area (location quotient of 0.99).
Residential construction activity in the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood metro experienced a downturn, with for-sale single-family home permits declining 34% to 1,175 homes permitted during the 12 months ending August 2023 compared to the prior 12-month period.
According to U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns data, there are 1,109 plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractor establishments (NAICS 238220) in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metropolitan statistical area, representing approximately 25.5 contractor establishments per 100,000 residents. Additionally, BLS OEWS reports 5,740 employed plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters in the metro area (SOC 47-2152) with a location quotient of 1.05.
Residential building permit volume in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn MSA experienced a slight cooling trend in recent years, with single-family unit permits declining by 968 units in 2022 and 157 units in 2023, stabilizing at a trailing 12-month authorization total of 8,825 total housing units (a 2.3% decrease year-over-year).
According to U.S. Census Bureau data, there are 367 plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractor establishments (NAICS 238220) serving the Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA, representing approximately 31.9 establishments per 100,000 residents. Additionally, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data indicates 1,290 Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (SOC 47-2152) are employed in the metro area.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey, residential permit activity in the Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA included 1,488 multifamily units authorized in 2024, representing an 89.2% surge compared to its 5-year baseline and accounting for 66.0% of all new housing unit authorizations in the metro area.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX MSA employed 11,540 Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (SOC 47-2152) in May 2023, representing a density of 3.63 jobs per 1,000 total jobs and a location quotient of 1.26 relative to the national baseline.
According to U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey data analyzed by Rice University's Kinder Institute for Urban Research, the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land MSA authorized 68,755 total residential housing units in 2023 (including 50,444 single-family homes). While overall permitting decreased modestly from a record 75,786 units in 2022, 2023 still ranked as the fifth-highest permitting year on record for the Houston metropolitan area.
In the Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN metropolitan area, there are approximately 4,000 employed Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (SOC 47-2152), representing a location quotient of 1.29 relative to national average employment density and an annual mean wage of $70,180.
Single-family building permit filings in Central Indiana reached 10,173 permits in 2025 (a 1.3% increase over 10,004 permits in 2024) and maintained momentum into early 2026, with January permit filings increasing 4% year-over-year to 731 permits.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS (May 2023), there were 2,310 plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters (SOC 47-2152) employed in the Jacksonville, FL metropolitan statistical area, representing an employment density of 3.115 per 1,000 jobs.
Single-family residential building permits in the 4-county Jacksonville metro area (Clay, Duval, Nassau, and St. Johns counties) increased by 6.17% in 2024 to 12,551 permits, up from 11,821 permits in 2023. Duval County led the region with 5,045 permits, representing a 20.3% year-over-year increase.
As of May 2023, the Kansas City, MO-KS metropolitan statistical area employed approximately 3,450 Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (SOC 47-2152), representing a density of 3.195 plumbers per 1,000 jobs in the metro area and a location quotient of 1.11 compared to the national baseline.
Single-family residential construction activity across the 8-county Kansas City metropolitan area showed strong growth, with 2,358 single-family units permitted through May 2026, representing a 32 percent increase compared to the same five-month period in 2025.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), there were 3,760 Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (SOC 47-2152) employed in the Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV metropolitan statistical area, representing an occupational density of 3.47 jobs per 1,000 total jobs and a location quotient of 1.21 relative to the national average.
Residential building permitting in the Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise MSA moderated in recent years following interest rate increases. Census Building Permits Survey data shows total monthly residential permits fell from 1,384 in July 2020 to 847 in July 2025. HUD analysis notes that home sales fell 26% in 2022 and 22% in 2023, while forecasting regional demand for 33,650 new sales units and 10,300 rental units across 2024-2027.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metropolitan statistical area employed 13,700 plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters as of May 2023, representing approximately 2.215 plumbing trade jobs per 1,000 total jobs in the region (location quotient of 0.77).
According to the U.S. Census Bureau's Annual Building Permits Survey, total privately owned new residential housing units authorized by building permits in the city of Los Angeles dropped roughly 20.3% from 13,154 units in 2023 to 10,488 units in 2024.
According to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) data, the Louisville-Jefferson County, KY-IN metropolitan statistical area employed 2,310 Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (SOC 47-2152) as of May 2023, earning a mean hourly wage of $30.79 ($64,030 annual mean wage).
New private housing units authorized by building permits in the Louisville-Jefferson County, KY-IN MSA stabilized in the 200 to 400 unit per month range between 2023 and 2024 (series LOIBPPRIVSA), normalizing from post-2021 pandemic construction highs.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2023 OEWS estimates, the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metropolitan statistical area had 1,700 employed Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (SOC 47-2152), representing an employment density of 2.72 per 1,000 jobs and a location quotient of 0.95 relative to the national average.
In Shelby County, TN (the primary county of the Memphis MSA), new private housing units authorized by building permits declined from 2,059 units in 2021 to 1,870 units in 2022, before rebounding to 1,964 units in 2023 and 2,061 units in 2024.
According to BLS OEWS data, the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL metropolitan statistical area employed approximately 5,990 Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (SOC 47-2152), representing an occupational concentration of 0.77 workers per 1,000 total jobs (Location Quotient of 0.77).
In the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, FL metro area, total new privately-owned housing units authorized by building permits declined 21.7% year-over-year in 2022 to 19,813 units, representing $5.6 billion in total residential permit value (a 16.9% decrease from 2021).
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) data, there were 1,720 plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters (SOC 47-2152) employed in the Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI Metropolitan Statistical Area, representing an employment density of 2.105 per 1,000 total jobs and a location quotient of 0.73.
Analysis of U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey data indicates that residential building permit activity in the Milwaukee metropolitan area has stagnated and remained relatively flat in recent years amid higher mortgage rates and building costs, with single-family permitting outpacing multi-family housing in the metro since 2019.
As of May 2023, the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metropolitan statistical area employed 6,010 Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (SOC 47-2152), representing a trade density of 3.14 workers per 1,000 total jobs in the metro area and a location quotient of 1.09 compared to the national average.
Residential building permit activity in the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI MSA moderated from 2021-2022 peak levels (24,937 total housing units permitted in 2022) to trailing 12-month levels of approximately 13,500 to 17,000 units. In the 12 months ending October 2025, single-family building permits reached 10,500 units (a 14% year-over-year increase) while multifamily permits totaled 6,550 units (up 22% year-over-year from 5,350 units, though below the 2019-2023 annual average of 12,850 units).
According to May 2023 BLS OEWS data, the Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN MSA employed 2,880 Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (SOC 47-2152), representing a concentration of 2.681 plumbers per 1,000 jobs and a location quotient of 0.93.
Residential construction in the Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin MSA grew to 17,930 building permits authorized over a trailing 12-month period, reflecting a 19.0% year-over-year increase (8.77 permits per 1,000 residents) across single-family and multi-family development.
As of May 2023, the New Orleans-Metairie, LA Metropolitan Statistical Area employed approximately 1,520 Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (SOC 47-2152), representing 2.95 trade workers per 1,000 jobs and a location quotient of 1.03 relative to the national average.
Residential construction permitting in the New Orleans-Metairie metro area has slowed in recent years. In 2024, the metro authorized 3.4 new housing units per 1,000 existing homes, placing it among the lower-permitting metropolitan areas nationally compared to a national rate of 10.1 units per 1,000 homes. Multifamily permitting averaged 2.7 authorized units per 10,000 residents between mid-2024 and mid-2025.
As of May 2023, the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA metropolitan statistical area employed 23,600 Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters, representing 2.485 plumbers per 1,000 jobs and a location quotient of 0.87 relative to national averages.
In the New York-Newark-Jersey City metropolitan area, residential construction activity experienced strong growth in late 2024: single-family home permitting rose 19 percent in Q4 2024 (up by 530 homes) compared to Q4 2023, while multifamily unit permitting more than doubled to 12,050 units authorized.
According to May 2023 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, the Oklahoma City, OK MSA employed 6,110 Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (SOC 47-2152), representing a location quotient of 1.28 and an employment density of 3.672 per 1,000 total jobs in the metropolitan area.
In 2024, single-family building permits in Oklahoma increased 7.4% (+805 units) over 2023, while multi-family housing permits fell 22.5% (-520 units). Within the Oklahoma City MSA, residential construction is heavily single-family focused, representing 91.0% of all residential building permits authorized in 2023 (6,129 single-family units out of 6,736 total units).
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) data, the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL metropolitan statistical area employed approximately 3,640 plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters (SOC 47-2152), representing a location quotient of 0.93 relative to the national average.
After a temporary slowdown in 2024, residential permitting in the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford metro area rebounded significantly in 2025 to 4.5 permitted units per 1,000 residents, matching peak 2021 rates. U.S. Census Building Permits Survey data showed 4,094 units permitted in Q1 2025 compared to 1,832 units in Q1 2024.
According to May 2023 BLS OEWS estimates, the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metropolitan area employed 7,020 Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (SOC 47-2152), representing a density of 2.481 workers per 1,000 total jobs in the MSA.
Following a 2021 surge to 26,166 authorized residential units prior to the reduction of Philadelphia's 10-year property tax abatement, building permit activity experienced a sharp drop and normalized to roughly 3,000 to 3,366 authorized units per year through 2024-2025.
In the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA, there were 5,493 Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (SOC 47-2152) employed as of May 2024.
Residential building permits in the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler MSA totaled 45,616 authorized housing units in 2023, reflecting a 3.7% decrease from 47,369 units in 2022 as residential construction activity moderated from peak pandemic-era levels.
According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data, there were 2,880 Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (SOC 47-2152) employed in the Pittsburgh, PA MSA as of May 2023. Based on U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns data, the metro has approximately 35 plumbing and HVAC contractor establishments per 100,000 residents.
Residential building permits in the Pittsburgh MSA averaged approximately 3,325 homes annually during 2022 and 2023, before increasing to 3,425 units permitted during the 12 months ending April 2024, representing a 4% year-over-year increase.
As of May 2023, the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA metropolitan area employed 3,800 plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters (SOC 47-2152), representing a location quotient of 1.10 and a density of 3.15 plumbers per 1,000 jobs.
Residential building permit activity in the Portland metro area declined significantly from 2022 into 2024. In the City of Portland, total authorized housing units dropped 47.4% from 3,089 in 2023 to 1,624 in 2024, with multifamily (5+ unit) permits dropping heavily across core metro counties including Multnomah (-66%) and Washington (-64%).
In May 2023, the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA Metropolitan Statistical Area employed an estimated 2,100 Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (SOC 47-2152), representing a location quotient of 1.50 compared to the national labor baseline.
Residential building permitting in the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA MSA experienced an upward trajectory over recent years, with multifamily permitting rates rising from 0.1 permitted units per 1,000 residents in 2020-2022 to 0.7 units per 1,000 residents in 2025.
According to BLS OEWS data, the Raleigh, NC metropolitan area employed approximately 2,830 Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (SOC 47-2152), representing an occupational density of 4.03 per 1,000 jobs and a location quotient of 1.40, indicating a trade concentration 40% higher than the national average.
Residential building permit issuance in the Raleigh-Cary MSA moderated from peak multi-year highs recorded in 2021-2022 into a more normalized pace through 2024-2025 as elevated interest rates dampened single-family construction, though overall permitting volume remains high relative to historic metro baselines.
According to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, the Richmond, VA metropolitan statistical area employed 1,940 Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters, representing a concentration of approximately 3.0 workers per 1,000 jobs and a location quotient of 1.04.
New residential building permit activity in the Richmond, VA MSA trended downward in 2024, with projections falling to approximately 58 permitted units per 10,000 residents from higher levels recorded in 2023.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 3,850 employed Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (SOC 47-2152) in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA MSA as of May 2023, representing a location quotient of 0.81 relative to national employment levels.
According to U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey data, total residential building permit authorizations in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario MSA remained flat at 15,817 units in 2024 and 15,824 units in 2025 (0% year-over-year change), reflecting a stabilization following earlier post-pandemic pullbacks.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) data, the Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area had 3,370 employed Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (SOC 47-2152) with a mean hourly wage of $35.78.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey, the Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA metro area authorized 10,042 residential housing units over a trailing 12-month period, with monthly permit issuance rising 14% year-over-year to 1,094 units authorized (including 672 single-family and 332 multi-family units).
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Salt Lake City, UT Metropolitan Statistical Area employed 3,070 Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (SOC 47-2152) as of May 2024, representing a density of approximately 3.76 plumbers per 1,000 total jobs in the metro area.
Residential building permitting in the Salt Lake City metro area experienced a downturn during 2022-2024 due to high interest rates and construction costs, falling 7% in 2023 in Salt Lake City (and over 20% statewide), before showing signs of recovery and increased multi-family permitting activity in 2025.
As of May 2023, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 2,900 employed plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters (SOC 47-2152) in the San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX Metropolitan Statistical Area, representing a location quotient of 0.93 relative to the national average.
Residential building permit activity in the San Antonio-New Braunfels metro peaked in 2021-2022 at over 24,000 authorized units, followed by a decline to approximately 15,000 units in 2024 as apartment developers scaled back production to absorb excess rental inventory.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2024 OEWS data, the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA MSA employed approximately 3,526 plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters (SOC 47-2152). Additionally, the 2021 U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns database reported 1,001 plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractor establishments (NAICS 238220) in San Diego County.
New residential housing authorizations in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA averaged 5,825 units permitted annually between 2020 and 2022. Total residential permitting and housing starts subsequently moderated through 2023 and 2024 due to elevated interest rates and higher material costs, with HUD reporting approximately 9,300 total rental units and 2,925 sales units under construction as of mid-2024.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 5,430 Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (SOC 47-2152) employed in the San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA metropolitan area, representing a density of 2.24 per 1,000 jobs.
Residential building permit volume in the San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley metro area has trended downward in recent years. Total authorized new private housing units declined 18.8% year-over-year in 2022 to 11,048 units (with total authorized valuation dropping 20.8% to $3.0 billion), and remained subdued through 2023 with 7,284 total units permitted through November 2023.
In the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metropolitan statistical area, there were 2,370 Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters employed as of May 2023, representing a location quotient of 0.72 and a density of 2.08 plumbing jobs per 1,000 total jobs in the metro area.
Residential building permit activity in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara metro area declined 68% between July 2020 and July 2025, falling from 1,949 permitted housing units down to 623 units, driven primarily by a 74% drop in multifamily authorizations (from 1,697 units to 449 units).
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 5,860 Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (SOC 47-2152) employed in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA MSA as of May 2023, representing approximately 2.82 plumbing trade jobs per 1,000 total jobs in the metropolitan area.
According to U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey data, residential construction permitting in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA MSA contracted in 2024, led by a 36.1% year-over-year decline in multifamily housing unit permits (down to 9,880 units) alongside a 0.8% decline in single-family permits (down to 1,957 units).
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 3,810 plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters (SOC 47-2152) employed in the St. Louis, MO-IL metropolitan statistical area, representing a location quotient of 1.00 relative to national employment levels.
Residential construction permitting in the St. Louis MSA has trended downward recently. Preliminary 2025 data shows 4,175 single-family units authorized by permit (down 10% from 4,650 units in 2024) and 1,650 multifamily units authorized (down 19% from 2,050 units in 2024), both remaining below 2015-2020 annual averages.
According to the May 2023 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) data, the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater MSA employed 3,990 Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (SOC 47-2152), representing a density of 2.821 plumbers per 1,000 jobs in the metropolitan workforce, in addition to 860 Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (SOC 47-3015).
After reaching a 15-year peak of over 19,300 single-family housing units authorized (and nearly 30,000 total units) in 2021-2022, residential permit activity in the Tampa MSA moderated through 2023-2024 as higher mortgage interest rates cooled home sales, before stabilizing with renewed growth in 2025 driven largely by multifamily construction (adding 319 monthly units year-over-year in July 2025).
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2023 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), the Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC metropolitan statistical area employed 3,460 Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (SOC 47-2152), representing a location quotient of 1.63 and a concentration of 4.690 per 1,000 jobs.
According to HUD and U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey data, residential permit activity in the Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News MSA has maintained a steady trend of approximately 3,000 to 4,000 authorized housing units annually, driven by steady single-family construction and active multi-family developments.
In the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metropolitan statistical area, there were approximately 7,900 Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (SOC 47-2152) employed, representing a density of 2.55 plumbers per 1,000 jobs in the metro area and a location quotient of 0.89.
New private housing units authorized by building permits in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria metro area reached 21,173 units in 2023, while total residential housing units in planning across the metro area expanded 10% to nearly 126,200 units in Q1 2024.
Building stock (demand base)
Age can inform trade-specific replacement mechanisms, but this cross-sectional file does not measure replacement speed or prove a tailwind across trades. Public state and county tax-assessor and property records (aggregated). Aggregate-only; no individual property or owner identified.
| Construction era | Buildings | Share |
|---|---|---|
| pre-1960 | 1,675,481 | 18.4% |
| 1960-79 | 1,224,848 | 13.5% |
| 1980-99 | 1,367,312 | 15.1% |
| 2000-09 | 756,810 | 8.3% |
| 2010+ | 477,451 | 5.3% |
| unknown | 3,582,985 | 39.4% |
Reputation & professionalization
Public business-review listings (aggregated April 2026). Aggregate only; no individual business identified.
| Businesses analyzed | 11,748 |
| Average rating | 3.92★ |
| Rating (p25 / median / p75) | 3.1 / 4.2 / 4.9 |
| Reviews (median / p90) | 7 / 41 |
| Claimed listings | 68.7% |
| Marked closed | 4.8% |
Level CFO benchmarks & public-company reads
Level · https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (free to cite with attribution to Level, levelcfo.com)
| Metric | Value | Detail | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plumber median wage (SOC 47-2152) | $62,970/yr | Mean $69,940, ~456,000 employed, median hourly ~$30.27; 10th pct $40,670, 90th $105,150. ↗ | A |
| MEP public-company gross margin (plumbing exposure) | 21% to 28% | Comfort Systems 21-24%, Limbach 26-28% (FY2024-2025). Diversified MEP with plumbing/piping. ↗ | A |
| MEP public-company net margin | 6% to 11% | Limbach ~6%, Comfort Systems 7-11% (FY2024-2025). ↗ | A |
| All-contractor net profit before tax | 6.3% (top quartile ~11.9%) | The reality-check on what a healthy contractor nets. ↗ | B |
| US plumbing contractor market size | ~$124-191B, ~129,000 firms | Fragmented; no firm above ~5% share. Range reflects differing report scopes. ↗ | B |
These operating benchmarks come from Level CFO's contractor analysis. For the full finance-side breakdown, see plumbing profit margin benchmarks.
Historical public-company reference
Snapshot dated 2026-07-23. These large scaled operators provide historical context, not live quotes, current valuation comparisons, or a benchmark for a typical private contractor.
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