A plumbing chief financial officer is in charge of budgets, cash forecasts, cost control and monthly reports for a residential plumbing business. The CFO tracks what each service line earns, from drain calls to water heaters and sewer line replacements, and keeps cash steady through slow weeks, sudden freezes and big equipment buys.
By the HireBus team · Updated · Pay data: BLS, May 2025
Median pay, plumbing and HVAC contractors · BLS, May 2025
Serve as the strategic financial leader for our plumbing home services division by managing budgets, forecasting cash flow, and controlling costs to ensure sustainable financial growth. Partner with executive management to drive fiscal strategy and improve overall operational efficiency.
2. Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Develop and oversee annual budgets and financial forecasts specific to plumbing operations.
Monitor and control operational costs while identifying opportunities for cost savings.
Analyze financial data and provide actionable insights to guide decision-making.
Lead the financial reporting process ensuring accuracy and timeliness.
3. Key Tasks / Daily Activities
Review day-to-day financial transactions and reconcile accounts to maintain accuracy.
Monitor cash flow forecasts and adjust financial strategies as needed.
Collaborate with department heads to review budget performance and address variances.
Engage in regular financial planning meetings with the leadership team.
4. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Budget Variance: Less than 2% deviation monthly.
Cash Flow Accuracy: 98% forecast accuracy each quarter.
Cost Reduction: Achieve at least 5% cost reduction year-over-year.
Timeliness of Financial Reporting: Deliver reports within 5 business days after month-end closing.
5. Required Qualifications and Skills
Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, or a related field.
Minimum of 7 years of progressive financial management experience, preferably within a home services or related field.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with proficiency in financial modeling and forecasting.
Excellent communication and leadership abilities to effectively manage cross-functional teams.
6. Preferred Experience
Experience working within the plumbing or home services industry.
Previous role as a CFO or senior financial leader in a technical services environment.
Demonstrated experience in implementing financial systems and process improvements.
Proven track record in managing financial risks and controls.
7. Physical Requirements
Ability to work in an office environment with extended periods of desk work.
Occasional light lifting of financial documents or electronic equipment (under 10 pounds).
No exposure to harsh physical conditions.
8. Work Environment and Schedule
Standard office hours from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM with occasional extended hours during financial close periods.
Minimal travel required for industry conferences and stakeholder meetings.
Availability for occasional on-call duties during critical financial reporting periods.
9. Compensation and Benefits
Salary Range: $150,000 - $200,000 USD per year based on experience and qualifications.
Annual performance-based bonus eligibility.
Comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, and vision insurance.
401(k) with company match and additional fringe benefits.
10. Company Culture and Overview
At [INSERT COMPANY NAME HERE], we foster a collaborative and innovative culture that encourages growth, transparency, and accountability.
We are committed to supporting our employees through continuous learning opportunities, career development, and a strong emphasis on work-life balance.
Join our team and become part of a forward-thinking organization dedicated to delivering exceptional service in the plumbing home services industry.
11. How to Apply
If you meet the above criteria and want to be part of a growth-oriented company focused on customer satisfaction, please send your resume to [INSERT EMAIL HERE] or apply online at [INSERT WEBSITE LINK HERE].
Need help filling this role? HireBus posts the ad, Iris interviews every applicant by phone before you do, and you decide who to hire. Start hiring now
Plumbing money moves in its own rhythm: lots of small tickets paid on the spot, a few large emergency jobs, and costly equipment that has to earn its keep.
Cash comes in at the kitchen table
Service calls are usually settled before the plumber leaves the driveway, by card, check or a lender's financing, so money arrives every day in small amounts. The CFO matches field payments to bank deposits daily, watches card processing fees, and makes sure a check collected on the truck reaches the office that night.
Prices start with the cost of a truck hour
Many shops price service from a flat-rate book, so every price rests on what one billable hour really costs. That means the plumber's wages and benefits, the truck, fuel, insurance, the call center and the back office. The CFO keeps that hourly cost current and tells the GM when parts or wages move enough that the book needs new prices.
A few large jobs can swing the month
A repipe, a slab leak repair or a sewer line replacement is worth far more than a typical service call, and many start as emergencies. Two or three of those can make a month look great or hide a weak one. The CFO forecasts cash from booked install work, not just last year's pattern, and tracks how deposits and financed jobs shift the timing.
Trucks and equipment tie up capital
Every service truck carries stock, and drain and sewer crews need jetters, sewer cameras, locators and sometimes an excavator. The CFO decides when to buy, lease or rent, and sets a replacement plan for the fleet. Truck stock gets counted often enough that missing parts show up well before year-end.
Standing behind the work costs money
Water heater installs and repipes often carry a labor warranty, and drain jobs sometimes come back. The CFO tracks callbacks and warranty labor as a cost by service line and by plumber, and sets money aside for future claims. The general manager then sees which work costs the most to stand behind.
Residential vs. commercial plumbing finance
Both CFOs plan cash and control costs. How the money comes in is what changes.
Topic
Residential
Commercial
How you get paid
Before the plumber leaves, by card, check or customer financing
Monthly progress bills to the general contractor or building owner
Money held back
Rare, beyond deposits on large jobs
Retainage held back from each bill until the job is finished
What drives the forecast
Call volume, booked installs and the weather
Bid backlog and project schedules
Key reports
Revenue and margin by service line and by plumber
Work-in-progress schedule and cost to complete each job
Paperwork to manage
Invoices, financing approvals and warranty records
Lien waivers, change orders and bonds
How much plumbing chief financial officers make
The closest BLS group for plumbing chief financial officers is chief executives. Chief executives who work for plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors earned a median of $174,130 a year ($83.72 an hour) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s below the $213,990 median for chief executives in all industries. About 760 of the 204,350 chief executives in that survey work for plumbing and HVAC contractors.
Salaried, with a yearly bonus that usually rides on hitting the budget and the cash plan.
Plumbing and HVAC contractors
$174,130$174,130 median Middle half $93,740–$271,790 10th–90th $70,780–$421,320
All industries
$213,990$213,990 median Middle half $129,540–$356,200 10th–90th $75,700–$507,730
10th–90th percentileMiddle halfMedianAnnual pay, May 2025. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Annual pay by percentile
Group
10th
25th
Median
75th
90th
Plumbing and HVAC contractors
$70,780
$93,740
$174,130
$271,790
$421,320
All industries
$75,700
$129,540
$213,990
$356,200
$507,730
BLS reports plumbing and HVAC contractors together. Post a real range for your market in the ad.
The pay line in the template above is an example from our Role Blueprint. Set yours from these figures and what local companies pay.
Skills to hire for, and what you can teach
Hire for these
Forecasts cash a quarter out from booked installs, collections and payroll
Runs the monthly close on a set calendar and explains it to the GM in plain words
Builds job costing that shows what drains, sewer jobs, repipes and water heaters each earn
Has negotiated a credit line or financing for trucks and equipment
Sets controls so checks and card payments taken in homes reach the bank intact
Teach these on the job
How job data flows from the field into accounting
Flat-rate pricing and how your price book is built
Membership plan billing, renewals and open visits
Sales tax rules for your work in each state
How your plumbers earn commission or bonuses
The CFO works in the general ledger, often NetSuite, Sage Intacct or QuickBooks Online, and in the field service system where invoices, payments and job costs start. A card processor and a financing partner's portal feed in too. Ask candidates how they have kept systems like these in sync.
The template's targets show the kind of goal to set, not the number to copy. Base yours on the last year of closes and forecasts, and go over all four with the CEO monthly.
Budget Variance
Actual revenue and costs against the budget each month, by service line and by shop. For any line that misses, write one sentence on why, so next year's budget improves.
Cash Flow Accuracy
At the end of each quarter, compare the cash balances you forecast with the balances you actually had, week by week. Note which misses came from late installs, slow collections or surprise repairs.
Cost Reduction
Year-over-year change in the costs you control, such as fuel, card fees, truck repairs, software and supply house prices. Read them against revenue, so cuts don't starve the work that brings money in.
Timeliness of Financial Reporting
Business days from month-end to the day the CEO gets the full report package. Track it every month, and write down which step held up the close.
Career path
Senior accountantBuilds close and reconciliation skills, often in construction or field service.
ControllerKeeps the books right and manages the bookkeeper.
Chief financial officerOwns the forecast, the budget and the bank for every shop.
Finance lead for a larger home service groupRuns finance across several trades or brands, often after a buyout.
It needs the work done, but often not a full-time person. A common setup at this size is a controller for the books, an outside CPA firm for taxes, and a fractional CFO a few days a month for budgets and the bank. The full-time seat starts to pay off when sewer crews need financed equipment, a second shop is opening, or a buyer comes calling.
How much does a plumbing chief financial officer make?
Chief executives who work for plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors earned a median of $174,130 a year ($83.72 an hour) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $93,740 and $271,790 a year. Pay also depends on your local market, experience and bonus terms.
Who reports to a plumbing CFO?
At this size, usually a controller or senior accountant plus one or two bookkeepers who post field payments, supply house bills and payroll. The CFO also works closely with the office manager, whose team sends invoices and chases unpaid ones. The CFO reviews the work at month-end and leaves the daily posting to the team.
What should a plumbing CFO know about membership plans?
Many plumbing companies sell yearly plans with an inspection, a water heater flush and priority service. The CFO treats unused visits as work still to be done, prices each inspection and flush at its real labor cost, and compares what members spend on repairs and replacements with what other customers spend. If members don't spend more or stay longer, the plan needs a new price or new perks.
What background should a plumbing CFO have?
Look for someone who has run finance at a field service, construction or multi-location business with daily card payments and job costing. The template lists plumbing or home services background as preferred, not required. Ask to see a cash forecast they built and a close calendar they ran. A CPA license helps when a lender or buyer asks for reviewed or audited statements, but the forecast tells you more.
When should a plumbing CFO push back on the owner?
When a plan would spend cash the forecast doesn't have, such as a second shop, an excavator or a big truck order. A good CFO shows what the move does to cash month by month and what has to go right for it to work. Owners should want that pushback before a big purchase, not after.
