Plumbing Contractor
Skilled TradesYou own the business now. The truck has your name on it, the warranty calls come to your phone, and the overhead keeps you up at night. But you set the prices, pick the jobs, and build something that could outlast your career. The best plumbing contractors clear $200K+ and work less than their employees. The worst ones work twice as hard for half the money. The difference is business sense, not plumbing skill.
Salary Range
Low
$90k
Median
$140k
High
$200k
10-Year Growth
2%
US Workers
500K
Education
Contractor license + master plumber license + business registration
Environment
mixed
Tools & Technical Skills
- ▸Job estimating & bidding
- ▸Business management & accounting
- ▸Contractor licensing & bonding
- ▸Project scheduling & coordination
- ▸Employee management & payroll
- ▸Marketing & client acquisition
People & Mindset Skills
- ▸Business acumen
- ▸Leadership
- ▸Client relationship management
- ▸Negotiation
- ▸Risk management
- ▸Time management
Learn the skills
Courses and certifications to get you job-ready
Business management & accounting
Employee management & payroll
What you'll actually do
- 01Bid on jobs and calculate material costs without pricing yourself out or underwater
- 02Manage plumbers who'd rather work than listen to business updates
- 03Handle the 2 AM emergency call because your name is on the van
- 04Chase invoices from customers who were thrilled with the work but allergic to paying
- 05Deal with insurance, bonding, licensing renewals, and the IRS
- 06Build a reputation one referral at a time — or destroy it with one bad job
Related Shifts
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