What is a plumbing services agreement?
Most plumbing disputes come down to the price creeping up once a wall is opened, or the customer not realising the water would be off all afternoon. A short written agreement fixes both: what's included, how it's priced, and what happens if the plumber finds a corroded pipe behind the tiles.
This template covers repairs, installations and re-pipes. It sets the work included and excluded, a fixed price or time and materials with a call-out fee, hourly rate and a do-not-exceed cap, optional out-of-hours rates, and who supplies parts and fixtures, with an optional markup. It includes a stop-and-approve rule for hidden problems, with emergency steps allowed to stop water damage, the booked date and time on site, access, the water shut-off, permits and inspections, testing and handover, clean-up, and a labour warranty alongside the manufacturer's warranty on parts.
- Best for
- Plumbers and plumbing businesses working for homeowners, landlords and businesses
- Signed by
- The plumber and the customer
- Pricing
- Fixed price, or time and materials with a cap
- Length
- About 3 pages, initialled on every page
When to use a plumbing services agreement
- Replacing a gas or electric water heater
- Installing a new bathroom suite the customer bought themselves
- Tracing and repairing a leak on time and materials with a cap
- Re-piping an older house
- Planned maintenance for a small office or shop
What you fill in
26 blanks, then the name and email of each person who signs: plumber, customer.
1 The parties
- Date of agreement*
- Plumber (your business)*
- Licence or registration number (optional)
- Your phone or email*
- Customer*
- Customer phone or email*
- Address of the work*
2 The work
- Type of job* a repair · an installation · a repair and installation · a renovation or re-pipe
- Work included*
- Not included (optional)
3 Price
- Pricing* a fixed price · time and materials
- Currency*
- Fixed price (labour and parts)
- Call-out or diagnostic fee
- Hourly labour rate
- Do not exceed without approval
- Out-of-hours rate (optional)
- Parts and fixtures* supplied by the Plumber · supplied by the Customer, and fitted by the Plumber · fixtures supplied by the Customer, and pipes and fittings by the Plumber
- Parts charged at (optional)
- Deposit (optional)
4 Schedule and access
- Booked date*
- Expected time on site*
- Permit and inspection* the Plumber obtains any permit and books the inspection, included in the price · the Plumber obtains any permit; the permit fee is charged at cost · no permit is expected for this work
- Water shut-off*
5 Warranty
- Labour warranty (months)*
- Governing law*
6 Who signs
- Plumber signature and date, job title, initials on every page · The plumber or plumbing business doing the work.
- Customer signature and date, initials on every page · The homeowner, tenant with the owner's consent, or business.
What the plumbing services agreement covers
- The work
- Price
- Schedule, access and water shut-off
- Permits, inspections and codes
- Testing and clean-up
- Warranty
- General
Using the plumbing services agreement, step by step
1 Describe the job
Choose the type of job, describe the work included and list what's excluded. Add your licence or registration number if your area requires one.
2 Price it
Choose fixed price or time and materials. For time and materials, enter the call-out fee, hourly rate and a do-not-exceed amount. Choose who supplies parts and any markup.
3 Book it and plan the shut-off
Enter the booked date and expected time on site, choose who handles the permit, and edit the water shut-off wording.
4 Set the warranty and send
Enter the labour warranty in months, add the governing law and send to the customer.
Tips before you send it
- Use a do-not-exceed amount on every time-and-materials job. It turns a surprise bill into a quick phone call.
- Photograph what you find behind walls or under floors before fixing it. It helps explain extra work.
- If the customer supplies fixtures, check they're complete and suitable before the booked day to avoid a wasted visit.
- In apartments, ask the customer to clear any building-wide shut-off with the manager well in advance.
Sign it online in minutes
- Fill in the blanks. Names, dates and amounts go straight into the agreement — the preview shows exactly where.
- Name who signs. Tick “This is me” for your own part. FileIt builds the PDF with every signature, date and initials box on the right line, and you can check or move anything before sending.
- Send it. Each signer gets a secure link and signs from any device — no account needed. The signed PDF, with an audit trail and a Certificate of Completion, is filed in your vault and emailed to everyone.
Plumbing services agreement: frequently asked questions
What if the plumber finds more work once the job starts?
The plumber stops, explains what they found and the options, and gives a price. Extra work goes ahead only with the customer's approval, which can be by text or email, except emergency steps to stop water damage.
Who gets the permit?
You choose: the plumber obtains it and books the inspection as part of the price, the plumber obtains it and charges the fee at cost, or no permit is expected. If the inspector requires changes to the plumber's work, the plumber makes them free.
What does the warranty cover?
The plumber's workmanship for the months you set: any leak or fault caused by their work is fixed free. Parts carry the manufacturer's warranty. Customer-supplied parts, misuse, freezing and existing pipework aren't covered.
Does the customer need a FileIt account to sign?
No. They sign from the email link on a phone or computer, and both of you get the signed PDF.