Paperwork
Plumbing contract template: a free service agreement for residential jobs
Print this plumbing service agreement or save it as a PDF, then read what each clause is for. It covers the scope, the money, the surprises behind the wall and what happens if something goes wrong.
· 9 min read
On this page
A quote tells the customer what the job costs. A contract, or service agreement, adds the rest: when they pay, what happens if you find rot behind the wall, who pulls the permit, and what you'll fix for free next year. On a faucet swap, a signed quote is usually enough. On a repipe, a water heater move or a sewer line, put it all in an agreement before you start.
Below is a free plumbing service agreement you can print or save as a PDF, followed by what each clause does and the rules that may apply where you work.
This template and guide are general information, not legal advice. Contract rules for home improvement work differ by state, and some states require specific wording, notices or formats that this template doesn't include. Have an attorney in your state review your agreement before you use it.
Address · Phone · Email
License #:
SERVICE AGREEMENT
| Payment | When due | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit | On signing | |
| Progress payment | ||
| Final payment | On completion |
Price (from quote #)
Tax
Total contract price
3. Payment. Payments are due as shown above. We accept: Cash · Check · Card · Zelle · Venmo (circle). Late payment terms: . If a payment is more than days late, we may pause work after written notice and leave the site safe.
4. Changes. Any change to the scope or price is written as a change order, with the added or reduced price, and signed by both of us before the changed work starts.
5. Permits and inspections. Permits are obtained by: ☐ Contractor ☐ Customer. Permit fees are: ☐ Included ☐ Extra, at cost. The customer gives access for required inspections.
6. Hidden conditions. The price covers what could be seen at the time of the quote. If we find conditions that couldn't reasonably be seen (behind walls, under floors, below ground, or existing work that isn't to code), we stop, explain, and quote the extra work. It is done only after a signed change order.
7. Warranty. Workmanship: from completion. Equipment and fixtures carry the manufacturer's warranty. The workmanship warranty doesn't cover damage from misuse, freezing, other trades' work, or parts the customer supplied.
8. Site, water shutoff and cleanup. The customer provides access and clear work areas. We'll tell the customer before shutting off water or gas. We remove our debris and old equipment: ☐ Yes ☐ No. Drywall, tile, paint and finish repairs: ☐ Included ☐ Not included.
9. Cancellation. Any cancellation right required by law is set out in the attached notice. Otherwise, if the customer cancels after signing, the customer pays for work done and special-order materials that can't be returned: .
10. Disputes. If we disagree, we'll first try to resolve it by talking, then in writing. Further steps: .
Notices required by federal or state law (right to cancel, lien notices, others): ☐ Attached ☐ Not applicable
This template is general information, not legal advice. Have it reviewed for your state before use.
Quote, contract or service agreement?
Plumbers use the words loosely. A quote sets the price for a defined scope; our plumbing estimate template is built for that. A service agreement wraps the quote in the terms that protect both sides. You can staple your quote to this agreement and write "see quote #" in the scope, or copy the scope over. Either way, the customer signs one document that covers everything.
What each clause does
Parties
Your business name, address and license number, and the customer's details. Add the property owner if someone else is signing: a tenant can't always approve work on a landlord's house, and you want the right person on the hook for payment.
1. Scope of work
The most important clause. Write it so the customer could read it aloud and understand it: "Replace 50-gallon gas water heater in garage with [model]. Install thermal expansion tank. New gas flex connector and shutoff. Haul away old unit." Vague scopes ("plumbing repairs") are where disputes start.
2. Not included
Say what you're not doing. Drywall patching, flooring, electrical, work past a certain point on the sewer line. Most arguments at the end of a job are about something the customer assumed was included.
3. Price and payment schedule
Tie payments to dates or stages the customer can see, not to "progress". Check your state's limits on deposits before you fill in the first line; some states cap them for home improvement work. Fill in the late payment line only with terms that are allowed where you work. Our guide on how to collect payment from customers covers deposits, fees and reminders.
4. Change orders
Every change gets its price and a signature before you do the work. "While you're here, can you also..." is how a $2,000 job becomes a $3,100 invoice the customer says they never agreed to.
5. Permits and inspections
Say who pulls the permit and whether the fee is in the price. Customers often don't know a water heater or repipe may need one. Writing it down also shows the work is being done properly.
6. Hidden conditions
You can't see inside a wall. This clause says that what you find there is priced and approved before you fix it, so you're not choosing between working for free and walking off the job.
7. Warranty
Say how long you stand behind your work, and what isn't covered. Keep it separate from the manufacturer's warranty on the equipment, which you pass along but don't control.
8. Site, shutoffs and cleanup
Who moves the furniture, when the water goes off, whether you haul away the old unit, and whether you patch the hole you cut. Small things, but they're what customers remember.
9. Cancellation
Two parts: any cancellation right the law gives the customer (see below), and what happens if they cancel otherwise, such as paying for special-order parts. Don't write a cancellation fee that conflicts with a legal right to cancel.
10. Disputes
A simple first step (talk, then write) settles most disagreements. Whether to add mediation, arbitration or a choice of court is a question for your attorney, because the rules on these clauses in consumer contracts vary.
Plumbo, now on the App Store and Google Play, builds the quote from a voice note and your own price book, checks it for forgotten items like an expansion tank or a permit, and gets it signed on your phone before you start. Try the 60-second demo →
Sample plumbing contract (filled in)
This is the agreement above filled in for a repipe job, so you can see how specific the scope, exclusions and payment schedule should be. The names, dates and prices are made up for the example.
100 Example Ave · (555) 555-0142 · office@example.com
License #: M-00000
SERVICE AGREEMENT
| Payment | When due | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit | On signing | $1,200.00 |
| Progress payment | After pressure test | $2,400.00 |
| Final payment | On completion | $2,400.00 |
Price (from quote #1052)$6,000.00
Taxper local rules
Total contract price$6,000.00 + tax
5. Permits and inspections. Permits are obtained by: ☑ Contractor ☐ Customer. Permit fees are: ☐ Included ☑ Extra, at cost.
7. Warranty. Workmanship: 2 years from completion. Equipment and fixtures carry the manufacturer's warranty.
Rules that may apply to your contract
The FTC Cooling-Off Rule
The Federal Trade Commission's Cooling-Off Rule covers many sales made at the buyer's home, including sales of $25 or more made there ($130 or more at temporary locations). When it applies:
- The buyer can cancel for a full refund until midnight of the third business day after the sale.
- The seller must tell the buyer about the right to cancel at the time of the sale.
- The seller must give the buyer a dated copy of the contract or receipt, with the seller's name and address and an explanation of the right to cancel, plus two copies of a cancellation form.
- The contract or receipt must be in the same language used in the sales presentation. If you sell in Spanish, the paperwork is in Spanish.
The FTC lists exceptions, including sales made because the buyer asked the seller to come to the home to repair or perform maintenance on their personal property (anything bought beyond that request is covered), and sales needed to meet an emergency. Whether a given plumbing job falls under an exception is a question for an attorney; when in doubt, include the notice.
State home improvement contract rules: California as an example
Many states have their own rules for home improvement contracts, and they can be stricter than the federal rule. California's Contractors State License Board (CSLB) explains the state's requirements:
- Home improvement projects over $500 in combined labor and materials need a written contract.
- A down payment can't be more than 10 percent of the contract price or $1,000, whichever is less, unless the contractor has a blanket performance and payment bond on file with CSLB.
- The buyer has three business days to cancel, or five business days if 65 or older. One major exception is a "service and repair" contract for emergency repairs or services the consumer requests on short notice.
- The contract should include the work and materials, the price and payment schedule, the contractor's name, address and license number, start and completion dates, who obtains permits, cleanup, and notices about the right to cancel, mechanics liens and allowable delays.
- Changes are made with a written change order.
California requires specific notices and wording, so a California plumber should use a contract that meets the state's rules, not just this template. Other states have their own versions: search for your state's contractor licensing board or attorney general and "home improvement contract".
Tips for using the agreement
- Fill in every blank, or write "N/A". A blank is an argument waiting to happen.
- Sign before you start, and give the customer a copy on the spot.
- Keep it with the quote, change orders and invoice. If you ever need small claims or a lien, this is your file.
- Review it once a year, and whenever your state changes its rules.
Sources
- Federal Trade Commission, Buyer's Remorse: The FTC's Cooling-Off Rule May Help ($25 and $130 thresholds, three business days, seller obligations, exceptions), checked October 7, 2026.
- Contractors State License Board, What should I look for in a contract and binding agreements? ($500 threshold, down payment, contract contents, change orders), checked October 7, 2026.
- Contractors State License Board, Terms of Agreement: A Consumer Guide to Home Improvement Contracts (PDF: right to cancel, service and repair exception), checked October 7, 2026.