2.7.11Segment

Plumbing (Residential)

Licensed plumbing contractors performing residential plumbing repairs, replacements, and new construction work.

4
Verticals

Overview

Plumbing (Residential) contractors perform residential plumbing repairs, replacements, water-heater and fixture work, and new-construction plumbing, with septic services a distinct adjacent niche. Alongside HVAC and electrical, plumbing is a flagship of the home-services roll-up wave — recurring, emergency-driven, and recession-resilient.

Recurring service, emergency demand, and high-ticket replacement jobs make plumbing economics attractive to consolidators. In federal data, the residential plumbing trade sits under construction specialty-trade codes (tracked in Industrials); only septic services are captured under this heading.

Market snapshot

Market size
~$6.3B
Growth
~10.0%CAGR (2017–22, nominal)
Companies
~4,000
FragmentationFragmented

U.S. Census Bureau 2022 CBP/Economic Census, NAICS 562991 (Septic Tank & Related Services) only. The broader residential plumbing trade falls under NAICS 238220, tracked in Industrials (Construction & Engineering).

Business model & economics

Revenue model
Service and repair calls plus replacement and new-construction jobs
Recurring revenue
Moderate — recurring service and emergency demand
EBITDA margin
12–22%
Capex intensity
Low
  • A flagship home-services roll-up trade alongside HVAC and electrical.
  • Recurring service, emergency, and high-ticket replacement demand.
  • Federal data captures only septic here; the trade sits in construction codes.
  • Recession-resilient — homeowners must fix plumbing failures.

M&A deal context

High deal activity

Who’s acquiring

PE-backed plumbing platformsMulti-trade home-services consolidatorsRegional roll-ups

What’s driving deals

  • Aggressive roll-up of local plumbing contractors.
  • Recurring service and emergency-driven demand.
  • Multi-trade platform cross-sell with HVAC and electrical.

Verticals in this segment

  • 2.7.11.1Drain Cleaning & Sewer Services

    Plumbers specializing in drain clearing and sewer line maintenance.

  • 2.7.11.2Residential Plumbing Contractors

    Licensed plumbers serving homeowners with repairs and replacements.

  • 2.7.11.3Water Heater Installation & Service

    Plumbing contractors specializing in water heater installation.

  • 2.7.11.4Whole-Home Repiping Services

    Plumbing contractors replacing deteriorated pipe systems in homes.

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