A journeyman plumber runs residential service calls and install jobs without someone checking each step: clearing drains, replacing water heaters, fixing leaks and repiping homes. They find the problem, explain the fix and the price to the homeowner, and do the work to code.
By the HireBus team · Updated · Pay data: BLS, May 2025
Median pay, plumbing and HVAC contractors · BLS, May 2025
Serve as a skilled Journeyman Plumber responsible for installing and repairing plumbing systems with minimal supervision, ensuring safe, efficient, and quality workmanship that contributes to the overall success and reputation of our company.
2. Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Install new plumbing systems and fixtures in residential and commercial properties with precision and adherence to industry standards.
Repair and maintain existing plumbing systems, diagnosing issues and implementing effective solutions.
Ensure all work complies with local, state, and federal plumbing codes and safety regulations.
Collaborate with team members and supervisors to optimize service delivery and complete projects on schedule.
3. Key Tasks / Daily Activities
Read and interpret blueprints, technical drawings, and specifications to accurately execute installations and repairs.
Conduct routine inspections and preventive maintenance to identify potential issues before they escalate.
Interact with customers to assess their plumbing needs and provide expert recommendations and solutions.
Maintain clear documentation of work performed, including materials used and time spent on each project.
4. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Customer Satisfaction Rating: >4.8 stars.
Callback Percentage: <5%.
Service Completion Rate: >95%.
Compliance with Safety and Code Standards: 100%.
5. Required Qualifications and Skills
High school diploma or equivalent along with a valid Journeyman Plumber license/certification.
Minimum of 3 years of hands-on plumbing experience in installation, repair, and maintenance.
Strong understanding of plumbing systems, industry codes, and safety procedures.
Excellent problem-solving abilities, communication skills, and attention to detail.
6. Preferred Experience
Experience working with both residential and commercial plumbing projects.
Familiarity with modern plumbing technologies and smart home plumbing systems.
Previous experience working in a fast-paced, customer-focused service environment.
Demonstrated ability to work independently while managing multiple projects simultaneously.
7. Physical Requirements
Ability to lift and maneuver up to 50 lbs.
Capability to work in confined spaces and various weather conditions including extreme cold and heat.
Frequent bending, kneeling, and climbing as required by job tasks.
Stamina to perform physically demanding tasks for extended periods.
8. Work Environment and Schedule
Typical work schedule of 40 hours per week with potential for overtime as needed.
May require occasional travel within the local service area.
On-call duties may be expected during peak periods or emergency situations.
Work primarily in customer sites, ranging from residential homes to commercial properties.
9. Compensation and Benefits
Hourly rate ranging from $25 to $35 per hour, commensurate with experience.
Eligible for performance-based bonuses and incentive programs.
Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plans.
401(k) plan with company match and other fringe benefits.
10. Company Culture and Overview
We are a growth-oriented organization dedicated to excellence in service delivery and customer satisfaction.
Our team values continuous learning, innovation, and collaboration in a supportive and inclusive work environment.
We encourage professional development and offer opportunities for career advancement.
Join us and be part of a forward-thinking company that prioritizes both employee success and customer delight.
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
Any plumber installs and repairs pipe. In residential service, drinking water law, gas appliances, state licensing and a customer with water on the floor shape the day.
Lead-free rules for drinking water lines
Since June 1986, the Safe Drinking Water Act has banned pipe, fittings, fixtures, solder and flux that aren't lead free in drinking water lines. That covers new installs and repairs. A short list of products is exempt, including toilets, tub fillers and shower valves. Plumbers should buy from suppliers who stock compliant parts and keep old stock off the truck. Source: U.S. EPA: How the Safe Drinking Water Act limits lead in pipes, fittings, fixtures, solder and flux.
Gas water heaters and carbon monoxide
A gas water heater swap means a gas line, a vent and air for combustion. CPSC lists malfunctioning water heaters among the home appliances that can produce carbon monoxide. It says to install appliances by the maker's instructions and local building codes. A journeyman should check the venting on every gas unit they touch, not just the ones they install. Source: U.S. CPSC: Carbon monoxide questions and answers.
Licensing is set by your state or city
BLS notes that most states, and some cities and counties, require plumbers to be licensed, often after two to five years of work and an exam. Texas lets a plumber sit for the journeyman exam after 8,000 hours of plumbing work, plus a board-approved 48-hour class or a federally approved apprenticeship. A licensed journeyman there works under the company's responsible master plumber. They may directly supervise an apprentice on any job site, so they can take one on the truck. Source: Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners: Journeyman Plumber.
Emergencies start with stopping the water
A burst supply line or a backed-up sewer does damage by the minute. The plumber's first job is finding the main shutoff or the curb valve, then protecting floors and belongings. Only then do they diagnose and price the repair. Homeowners remember who stayed calm and explained their options, so hire for that as much as for skill.
Cameras decide the big sewer jobs
Recurring clogs often lead to a sewer camera inspection. The plumber runs the camera and marks the problem spot from the surface with a locator. Then they show the homeowner the video before suggesting a cleaning, a spot repair or a new line. That video is the proof behind a large quote, so train plumbers to talk through it clearly and save it to the job.
Residential vs. commercial journeyman plumber
Both jobs install and repair pipe to code. The customer, the work and the shape of the day change.
Topic
Residential
Commercial
Who the customer is
Homeowners, usually at home during the visit
General contractors, property managers and facility staff
How the day runs
Several service calls, or one install, often alone or with an apprentice
One building for weeks or months, on a crew under a foreman
Typical work
Drains, water heaters, fixtures, leaks, repipes and sewer lines
New-building rough-in and trim, larger water and drain lines, grease interceptors and backflow assemblies
Plans and drawings
Rare; most work is repair in existing homes
Daily; work follows the building's plans and specs
How work gets priced
From a price book, given to the homeowner before work starts
Bids and change orders, agreed before or during the job
How much journeyman plumbers make
The closest BLS group for journeyman plumbers is plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters who work for plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors earned a median of $30.30 an hour ($63,010 a year) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s about the same as the $63,800 median for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters in all industries. About 330,570 of the 465,840 plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters in that survey work for plumbing and HVAC contractors.
Pay in the template is hourly, with overtime when the week runs long. Many residential service shops also pay commission or a bonus on sold work, such as water heater replacements, repipes and maintenance memberships.
Plumbing and HVAC contractors
$63,010$63,010 median Middle half $49,650–$83,730 10th–90th $43,720–$107,780
All industries
$63,800$63,800 median Middle half $50,190–$85,110 10th–90th $44,150–$108,420
$25k$50k$75k$100k$125k
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
$43,720
$49,650
$63,010
$83,730
$107,780
All industries
$44,150
$50,190
$63,800
$85,110
$108,420
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
Finds the cause of leaks, clogs and no-hot-water calls without guessing
Knows the local plumbing code well enough to pass inspections the first time
Makes soldered, pressed and crimped joints that hold
Talks homeowners through options and prices without jargon
Handles a full board of calls solo, with notes and photos done
Protects floors and cleans up before leaving
Teach these on the job
Your price book and how options are presented
Your job management software
The water heater and fixture brands you stock
Your sewer camera, locator and report format
Your callback and warranty steps
Journeymen carry press and crimp tools, a torch kit, drain machines, a sewer camera with a locator, and gauges for pressure testing gas and water lines, plus a tablet for job software. When you write the ad, mention whether the truck goes home, which tools you provide and whether the job includes jetting and sewer replacements.
Journeyman plumber interview questions
They have their own page: 6 questions that test this job, what strong and weak answers sound like, and a work exercise to run with your finalists.
Base targets on your own past jobs, and compare plumbers on similar work. A drain call and a whole-house repipe aren't the same job.
Customer Satisfaction Rating
Ratings from post-job surveys and any reviews naming the plumber, checked monthly. Remarks about mess, timing and how prices were explained say more than the star count.
Callback Percentage
Calls back to fix the plumber's own earlier work, inside your warranty period, measured against their finished jobs each month. Tag each callback with its cause, such as a weeping joint or a clog that came back.
Service Completion Rate
Jobs wrapped up in one visit, compared with all jobs started, from your job records. Track jobs waiting on parts or on the homeowner apart from the rest, since those delays aren't the plumber's doing.
Compliance with Safety and Code Standards
First-try inspection passes, permits pulled where the city requires them, and safety steps seen on ride-alongs, such as gas line tests and shutoffs. Log every failed inspection with its reason.
Career path
Apprentice plumberLearns under a licensed plumber for four or five years.
Journeyman plumberRuns service calls and installs without direct supervision.
Master plumberPasses a higher exam and may hold the company's license.
Field supervisorChecks crews' work, safety and inspections across many jobs.
What if my state doesn't license journeyman plumbers?
Then the template's license line needs changing. First check whether your city or county issues plumbing licenses, since some local governments do. If no one licenses journeymen where you work, ask for proof of training instead, such as a finished apprenticeship certificate. Then test skills in the interview with a real problem from your board.
How much does a journeyman plumber make?
Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters who work for plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors earned a median of $30.30 an hour ($63,010 a year) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $49,650 and $83,730 a year. Pay also depends on your local market, experience and overtime.
How many years should a journeyman plumber have?
The template's floor is three years of installation, repair and maintenance. A state license with its own hours rule may already ask for more. In the interview, ask them to walk through a gas water heater swap or a main line backup step by step, and listen for the safety checks.
What is the difference between a service plumber and an install plumber?
A service plumber runs repair calls, often several a day, diagnosing and pricing work in front of the homeowner. An install plumber works on a crew doing repipes, water heater changeouts and sewer replacements, often one job for a day or more. The template covers both. If the job is only one of these, say which, since the daily rhythm and the skills differ.
What should a journeyman plumber job ad include?
Start with the pay range and how commission works. Then cover the on-call schedule, the take-home truck, the tools you supply and the license you need. Close with how the week divides between service calls and installs, and whether you do jetting, camera work and sewer replacements.
