How to choose a plumber in Houston
Verify the company's Responsible Master Plumber license at TSBPE, confirm the number on the truck matches, and get the scope and warranty in writing before anyone starts.
License and permits
Every plumbing company in Texas must operate under a Responsible Master Plumber (RMP) licensed by the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners, and the person doing the work must be a licensed journeyman, tradesman or master, or a registered apprentice under one. The RMP license number must appear on the company's vehicles, invoices and advertising.
Look up a plumber license at TSBPE
In the City of Houston, water heater replacement, repiping, sewer line replacement, gas work and most work that changes the plumbing system requires a plumbing permit and inspection through the Houston Permitting Center. Fixture swaps and drain cleaning generally do not.
Walk away if
- There is no license number on the truck, the website or the invoice. Texas requires it on all three.
- They ask you to pull the permit as the homeowner. Licensed companies pull their own.
- The bid is a single dollar figure with no description of the work, materials or warranty.
- They quote a slab leak, repipe or sewer replacement over the phone without a camera inspection or leak test.
- They want most of the money before materials are on site.
- The company has operated under more than one name in the last few years.
Ask before you hire
- What is your Responsible Master Plumber's license number, and who will be on site?
- Will you pull the City of Houston permit, and is the inspection included in the price?
- Is this flat-rate or hourly, and is there a trip or diagnostic fee if I decline the work?
- What brand and model are you installing, and what is the labor warranty in years?
- Can you send a certificate of insurance directly from your agent?
What makes Houston plumbing different
Houston homes sit on expansive clay soil over slab foundations. The soil swells when it rains and shrinks in drought, and the pipes under the slab move with it. That is why slab leaks and under-slab sewer breaks are a Houston specialty, and why a plumber who does not own a sewer camera and a leak-detection kit is not equipped for the city.
Three materials matter when you talk to a plumber about an older house:
- Cast iron drains in homes built before the mid-1970s rust from the inside and eventually collapse. A camera inspection tells you how much life is left.
- Galvanized steel supply lines in the same era clog with rust and cut water pressure.
- Polybutylene supply lines, installed roughly 1978 to 1995 and often grey, fail without warning and are a repipe conversation, not a repair conversation.
After the February 2021 freeze, thousands of Houston homes needed emergency repairs, and a wave of unlicensed operators followed. The license lookup is the fastest way to tell the difference.
Reading a plumbing bid
A good bid names the fixture or pipe, the material (PEX, copper, PVC, cast iron), the brand and model of any equipment, whether the permit and inspection are included, what happens to drywall and concrete that gets opened, and the warranty on labor and on parts separately. If the bid is a number and a handshake, ask for the rest in writing before you say yes.
Frequently asked
Does a plumber in Houston need a license?
Yes. Texas licenses plumbers statewide through the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners. A company must have a Responsible Master Plumber on record, and field work must be done by a licensed plumber or a registered apprentice working under one.
Do I need a permit to replace a water heater in Houston?
Yes. The City of Houston requires a plumbing permit and inspection for water heater replacement. A licensed company pulls it in its own name.
What is a fair price for a plumber in Houston?
Most reputable Houston companies price flat-rate from a book, so two bids for the same scope should land close together. Compare scope first and price second. A bid far below the others usually leaves something out.