The best plumbing apps are just as important for a toolbox as pliers and wrenches. These essential tools help a professional plumber with everything from pipe dimensions to payroll reports and invoices. Below, we’ve compiled a list of plumbing apps specifically designed to streamline your business operations. These apps will not only save you time but also assist in efficiently managing your projects.
If you’re new to the plumbing industry, the first question you may ask yourself is: How much money do plumbers make? The income of plumbers can vary significantly depending on factors such as location, level of experience, specialization, and whether they are self-employed or work for a plumbing company.
How Much Money Do Plumbers Make?
According to a U.S. News & World Report article on plumbing careers, plumbers earned a median annual income of $59,880 in 2021, with the top 25% of earners making $77,890 and the bottom 25% earning $46,590 during that year. However, experienced plumbers in high-demand areas or those with specialized skills can earn considerably more, often surpassing six figures.
It’s important to note that plumbing can be a lucrative career, but earnings can vary widely, and success often depends on factors like reputation, reliability, and the ability to secure consistent work.
Also, here are some tips from @NSBuilders to make your projects go smoother:
What is a Plumbing App?
A Plumbing App is a specialized software tool designed to assist plumbing businesses, both small and large, in efficiently managing various aspects of their operations. These applications are tailored to the unique needs of plumbers, helping them streamline their workflow and improve overall productivity. Some of the primary goals of plumbing apps are as follows:
- Task Management: Plumbing apps aim to simplify task management for small business owners. They help with critical functions such as dispatching, scheduling appointments, and assigning tasks to field technicians. This ensures that jobs are allocated effectively and completed in a timely manner.
- Utility and Reference: Many plumbing apps include utility features that provide access to essential plumbing formulas, piping calculations, and water flow calculations. These tools assist plumbers in making accurate measurements and calculations during their work, ensuring compliance with industry standards.
- Customer Communication: Effective communication with customers is crucial for any plumbing business. Plumbing apps often offer features that facilitate communication, such as sending notifications, updates, and reminders to clients. This helps in building trust and maintaining good customer relationships.
- Employee Time Tracking: To monitor and manage the working hours of field technicians, plumbing apps offer employee time tracking functionalities. This feature enables businesses to ensure accurate payroll processing and efficient resource allocation.
- Comprehensive Features: The best plumbing apps provide a wide range of features that cater to the diverse needs of plumbing professionals. These features may include invoicing, payment processing, reporting, inventory management, and more, allowing businesses to handle various aspects of their operations within a single application.
Plumbing App Benefits
A plumbing company can get many benefits from an all-in-one app. Here are five notable benefits.
1. Calculate Bids Quickly
Plumbing apps simplify the bidding process by providing easy access to historical data on labor and equipment costs, enabling faster and more accurate job cost estimation.
2. Get Paid Faster
Getting paid faster is always a plus, right? Plumbing apps enhance cash flow management with the ability to accept credit card payments directly through the app. This advantage ensures prompt payment from clients.
3. Efficient Job Scheduling
Streamline job scheduling using color-coded calendars and task assignments to field technicians, reducing scheduling conflicts and improving organization.
4. Optimize Routes
Minimize operational costs by optimizing travel routes, reducing travel time and fuel expenses. Ensure compatibility with your mobile device for efficient navigation.
5. Enhanced Customer Engagement
Quality plumbing apps facilitate effective customer engagement by sending pre-visit emails, providing text message notifications when technicians are en route, and automating follow-up and rebooking messages. This enhances customer satisfaction and strengthens client relationships.
How We Selected the Best Plumbing Apps: Essential Criteria for Small Business Owners
In our pursuit to provide small business owners and entrepreneurs with the best recommendations, we rigorously evaluated numerous plumbing apps based on the following criteria. Each criterion is assigned a scale from 1 to 5, indicating its importance in our selection process, where 1 is less critical and 5 is most critical:
- User Interface and Usability (Rating: 5)
- We prioritized apps with an intuitive and easy-to-navigate interface, ensuring efficient task completion.
- Feature Set (Rating: 4)
- Our focus was on apps offering comprehensive features like scheduling, invoicing, customer management, and real-time updates.
- Cost-Effectiveness (Rating: 4)
- We looked for apps that provide excellent value, be it through a one-time purchase or a subscription model.
- Customer Support and Training (Rating: 3)
- We considered the availability of reliable customer support and training resources as vital for troubleshooting and user education.
- Integration Capabilities (Rating: 4)
- We favored apps with the ability to integrate seamlessly with other tools and software, enhancing overall business efficiency.
- Security and Data Privacy (Rating: 5)
- Security of customer and business data was non-negotiable in our assessment.
- Customizability (Rating: 3)
- We valued apps offering customization options to suit varied business needs.
- Reviews and Community Feedback (Rating: 2)
- User reviews and community feedback were considered to gauge the app’s performance and reliability.
- Offline Functionality (Rating: 2)
- We noted whether apps could function effectively offline, a useful feature in areas with limited internet access.
- Scalability (Rating: 3)
- We looked for apps capable of scaling with a business, accommodating more features or users as required.
These factors are specifically tailored to meet the demands of plumbing businesses, ensuring that the app you choose not only assists in daily operations but also contributes to business growth and customer satisfaction.
Best Reference Apps for a Plumbing Business
The plumbing industry has many good choices when it comes to apps. Some of the better ones have free resources. Even the best free apps can help streamline your business.
1. Plumbing Formulator App
As the name suggests, the Plumbing Formulator has formulas for plumbers. One hundred and twenty of them.
Great for tradespeople looking to stay in line with a uniform plumbing code. And an international plumbing code and national standard plumbing code.
Some of the formulas include water flow, numbers on plastic piping, and water velocity
Dozens of plumbing charts are added. It’s updated to stay on top of major plumbing codes. It’s easy to use and even useful offline. And the constant updates make it useful for plumbing businesses of all sizes.
2. Copper Tube Handbook
The Copper Development Association produced this, making it a reputable app with positive community feedback. It’s great for plumbers using copper piping systems.
Built for the iPad and free for the first 10,000 users.
3. Electrical Wiring Lite
Plumbers need to wear several trades hats. For example, plumbing engineers should know basic electrical wiring to steer clear of issues. This is an easy-to-use app that can help plumbers in this area.
4. Pipe Trades Pro Calculator
Pipe trades pro is one of the better reference plumbing apps, with plenty of useful features and a user-friendly interface. Worth the money from the Google Play store at $24.99. Solves pipe design and layout issues that plumbers face on a daily project-by-project basis. This is a practical product that can help with the day-to-day of working as a plumber.
5. Pipe and Fitting
Full of technical data that helps on job sites. Provides info like pipe size numbers, pipe material specs, and pipe calculations. Important joining methods are included too.
A good way to see any job through to completion is having the right resources. This app includes important information on things like gasket and pipe flange dimensions. You can save money on any plumbing project by having this kind of information at your fingertips. It can even be useful offline and for businesses of any scale.
6. EasyMeasure
This is one of the best plumbing apps on Google Play. Measure objects are seen through the camera of any Android device without a ruler or tape measure thanks to the advanced features of this app.
This product replaces a tape measure in more ways than one. For example, measurements taken can even determine the width and height of an object. Plumbers can take advantage of a 3-D augmented reality grid.
There are some other excellent features plumbers should know about. Like the ability to share different results on Twitter, Facebook, or by email. That’s an excellent add-on for remote work that needs to order parts and types from a central location.
7. Bubble Level
Plumbing contractors take note. Designed for Android devices, this app is simple to use, accurate and handy. Moreover, features such as a tilt indicator will work well for your plumbing business. It’s cheap too, with a price tag of $1.99 to $2.99.
This is an important app for plumbers who are joining pipes together. They need to make sure the water is flowing the right way.
Best Business Plumbing Apps
The best plumbing apps also help people in the trade to run their businesses efficiently. Here are a few that will help with business operations.
8. QuickBooks for Plumbers
Lots of features here that will help you when you have multiple jobs.
Send and track invoices and take pictures of receipts for invoices.
This is a good business app that covers iOS and Android devices.
This is a great product for invoicing because it includes many useful features and an easy interface. You can accept mobile payments and online payments as well as credit cards and cash.
9. FieldEdge
This is a fitting app when you need to do a lot of scheduling. It includes great features like the ability to sync to Quickbooks. Another one of the business apps with a mobile CRM option.
This software offers a number of different features that are unique. One matches up your marketing spend to sales revenue to see how many prospects you’re actually converting.
If you have a small plumbing business, you can get a snapshot of company financials with this software.
10. Connecteam
This app calculates a few different things. The free trial includes an equipment inspection checklist. Never lose another tape measure. Free trial and a basic plan at $39 monthly.
Manage the tasks that you assigned to employees with this software. There is also an HR and people management widget as well as an employee time clock.
11. Jobber
Manage a customer list in one user-friendly interface. New customers to your plumbing contracting business can book through your Facebook page.
Plumbers can take advantage of the one-on-one coaching service this software offers. It’s unlimited and offered through email, phone, and live chat.
12. ServiceTitan
This is one of the best apps with tons of useful business features. Set up flat rates for your plumbing business. Integrated processing so your bank account and payroll line up.
Handy Mobile Apps for Plumbing Contractors
A Handy Plumbing app makes life easier for those running plumbing businesses. And those looking for these skilled experts. This app covers over 30 international cities.
Here are some other apps for plumbers that make a difference.
13. Code Snap UPC
Good apps for plumbers need to be specific. This one offers many plumbing charts and costs $7.99 for iOS users. This essential reference guide is great for national electrical code standards. And various plumbing systems design tables.
14.simPRO
Good apps for plumbers need to include features that work on the job site. This one has payments and invoicing. Plus streamlined quoting.
15. Knowify
One of the best plumbing apps for commercial plumbers. Get project management and excellent reporting.
16. Commusoft
Put together custom estimates right from the job site. Include pipe layouts and other parts for any given plumbing system. This one syncs in real-time with your mobile device and tablets.
Comparison of Best Reference Apps for a Plumbing Business
What follows is a convenient overview of the best reference apps tailored for plumbing businesses:
| App Name | Description | Key Features | Pricing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plumbing Formulator App | Provides plumbing formulas and charts for uniform plumbing codes | 120+ formulas, charts, code compliance | Free and paid options |
| Copper Tube Handbook | Designed for plumbers using copper piping systems | Free for the first 10,000 users | Free |
| Electrical Wiring Lite | Helps plumbers with basic electrical knowledge | Basic electrical wiring reference | Free |
| Pipe Trades Pro Calculator | Solves pipe design and layout issues | Pipe design and layout calculations | $24.99 |
| Pipe and Fitting | Offers technical data for plumbing job sites | Pipe size, material specs, calculations | Free |
| EasyMeasure | Measure objects using augmented reality | 3-D augmented reality grid, sharing features | Free and paid options |
| Bubble Level | Provides a level and tilt indicator for plumbing projects | Level and tilt indicator, inexpensive | $1.99 to $2.99 |
| QuickBooks for Plumbers | Helps with invoicing, receipt tracking, and payments | Invoicing, receipt tracking, payment options | Subscription-based |
| FieldEdge | Offers scheduling and CRM features for plumbing businesses | Scheduling, CRM, financial tracking | Subscription-based |
| Connecteam | Includes equipment inspection checklist and HR features | Employee task management, HR features | Free trial, $39/month |
| Jobber | Manages customer list and offers coaching services | Customer management, coaching services | Subscription-based |
| ServiceTitan | Set up flat rates and integrate processing for plumbing businesses | Flat rate setup, integrated processing | Pricing on request |
| Handy Plumbing App | Covers over 30 international cities for plumbing services | Service listings for international cities | Free |
| Code Snap UPC | Offers plumbing charts and references for national electrical codes | Plumbing charts, code references | $7.99 (iOS) |
| simPRO | Provides payments, invoicing, and quoting features for plumbing jobs | Payments, invoicing, quoting | Pricing on request |
| Knowify | Offers project management and reporting for commercial plumbers | Project management, reporting | Pricing on request |
| Commusoft | Allows custom estimates and pipe layouts from the job site | Custom estimates, real-time sync | Pricing on request |
How to Choose the Best Plumbing App for Your Business
Each plumbing business might need a different app. There’s more to getting one that works than just a user-friendly interface. Here are some tips to get the one that suits your enterprise.
Look For Automation
A good app needs to automate business processes and workflows. Look for one that can manage and schedule times and locations.
Automation can help your plumbing business in several different ways. It can improve transparency and accountability and make data recording more accurate at the same time.
Look For Upgrades
Like a pro version that can create field estimates. And proposals with options and pictures. The upgrades might cost a little more, but they’re worth it.
For example, one that has a sales component is a good idea. Look for something that can send quotes to new prospects in your area.
Finding an upgrade that asks for online reviews takes care of some of the marketing.
Look For Compatibility
Technical data is important. To get numbers on room dimensions, wall thickness, etc. But the app should be able to sync with others. Like route4me route planner.
There’s also a financial aspect you need to look at. Compatibility should include other apps like Quickbooks.
What is the best plumber app?
Looking for the best app for your plumbing business? Housecall Pro checks all the boxes.
Get this one on Android and iOS. There’s a free trial. What separates this from the competition are the features that you can get.
It accepts credit cards on the go and you can dispatch and schedule jobs. You can also take advantage of other great features like the ability to create and send updated invoices.
Runner up is The Plumbing Formulator if you’re looking for a resource.
What is the best free plumbing app?
Free apps don’t always have all of the same features. But they can help get jobs done for people working in the pipe trades.
The best one is ServiceTitan Mobile. This free app can be found on Android and iOS.
There are lots of features like tiered estimates. This is important when you’re putting together estimates in the field on bigger jobs.
Finally, maybe plumbing isn’t for you. If that’s the case, check out these other service business ideas.
Image: Depositphotos
This article, “16 Best Plumbing Apps Compared, Reviewed, Rated, and Ranked” was first published on Small Business Trends
