How to Choose a Plumber in Houston

How do you verify a Texas plumbing license?

Verify the license with the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners, the agency that regulates plumbing in the state. The board's consumer guidance and its public license search let you check a company in minutes:

1. Ask for the name and license number of the Responsible Master Plumber, or RMP, behind the company.
2. Open the public license search on the board's website.
3. Choose "Plumbing – Licensed or Registered" from the dropdown.
4. Enter the RMP's license number, digits only. The board's guide says to leave out the rank letter, so "99999" works and "M99999" does not.
5. Confirm that the Master Plumber license is valid.
6. Confirm that a certificate of insurance is on file for that Master Plumber.
7. Check that the name matches the one on the estimate and invoice.

The board's consumer page says written estimates and invoices should show the RMP's license number, and Master Plumber numbers begin with "M." If the number on paper differs from the one you were given, ask why before you go further.

Read the rest of the record while you are there. The board's guide says the search also shows the license status and expiration date, the insurance certificate's status, and any disciplinary actions, with documents you can download.

Which license should the person in your home hold?

The license depends on the role, and you will meet more than one type on a job. Here is what the board's categories mean in plain terms:

Credential	What it means
Responsible Master Plumber	Master Plumber tied to a company and answerable for its work
Master Plumber	Highest license level
Journeyman Plumber	Licensed to do the work, supervised by a master
Tradesman Plumber-Limited	Licensed for a narrower range of work
Apprentice	Registered, and must work under supervision

An apprentice on your job is normal and is how the trade trains people. The question is who is supervising and who answers for the result. Texas Occupations Code Section 1301.351 says that anyone other than an RMP must work under the supervision and control of a licensed person, and that license holders must carry their credential while working.

What should a written estimate include?

A written estimate should let a stranger understand the job. Look for these items:

• Company name, RMP name and license number
• What is wrong, in plain language
• Exactly what will be done, and what will not
• Materials, with type and size
• Permit and inspection, if the job needs them
• Patching or restoration, or a note that it is excluded
• Total price, or how the price will be worked out
• Payment terms and any warranty terms in writing

ENERGY STAR gives similar advice for water heater jobs: get written cost estimates, ask for references, check the company with the Better Business Bureau, and confirm that the installer can obtain permits and knows local codes. That list works for most plumbing work.

The board adds two details. The estimate should show the board's own name, address and phone number, and it should make clear whether you are paying a flat price or an hourly rate. A flat price puts the overrun risk on the company. An hourly job puts it on you, so ask for the rate, any minimum, and what the clock does while parts are fetched.

Who handles the permit?

Ask before you sign, and get the answer in the estimate. The Houston Permitting Center enforces the 2021 Uniform Plumbing Code with city amendments under Ordinance 2023-907, in effect since January 1, 2024. Many jobs need a permit and an inspection, and the rules vary by city.

A few points help:

• Confirm with your city's permit office whether your job needs a permit.
• Ask who will apply for it and who will meet the inspector.
• Ask for the closed permit number when the job is done.
• Note that outside Houston, cities like Bellaire and West University Place have their own offices.

Doing it yourself is a separate path. Texas law exempts owners working on their own homestead from licensing, and Houston has a homeowner plumbing permit, form CE-1284, for owners doing their own work. A contractor asking you to pull a homeowner permit for their work is a warning sign.

How do you check a plumber's complaint history?

Call the board, then call the city. The board's consumer page says its Enforcement Department can tell you whether a plumber has had valid complaints filed, at (512) 936-5200, extension 65249. Your local plumbing inspection office is the second stop. It may hold complaints that never reached the state, and it can tell you whether the company meets the city's requirements to do business there.

Then call a past customer or two, as the board suggests. Reviews show what people chose to post. A short phone call shows how the job ended, so ask what went wrong and how it got fixed.

What if a job goes wrong after you pay?

Put the problem in writing with photos and the invoice, and ask for a return visit. If that goes nowhere, the board's website has a General Complaint Form, and your city's inspection office can look at code problems. Keep in mind that the board does not regulate prices, so a dispute over cost alone is a poor fit for it.

How to choose a plumber in Houston when quotes differ?

Compare scope first, then price. The board does not set prices, so its advice is to get several estimates before you commit. Two quotes can differ because one includes the permit, patching or a longer-lasting material. Run this comparison:

• Line up the same items across each quote.
• Ask each company why its scope is wider or narrower than the others.
• Check how each one found the problem. A guess costs less to quote than a diagnosis.
• Read recent reviews for how the company handled a mistake, since anyone can look good on a smooth job.

Some jobs are worth a second opinion, including slab work, repiping and sewer replacement. A burst pipe is different. Shut the main valve first, and do the shopping after the water is off.

Walk away from these:

• Pressure to sign today or lose a price
• A large upfront cash payment
• No written estimate
• A license number that fails the lookup
• Claims that a permit "isn't needed" without any explanation

Hiring after a storm or a hard freeze

Slow down when demand is high. After a hurricane or a citywide freeze, phones jam and strangers knock on doors. The Texas Department of Insurance warns homeowners never to sign a contract with blank spaces and never to assign an insurance claim to a repair contractor. Stop the water first, take photos, and run the same license check you would on a calm Tuesday.

What does our team suggest asking?

Our team suggests asking every plumber the same three questions, ours included. Fair answers sound similar from anyone who knows the work:

1. What caused this, and how do you know?
2. What is the cheapest sensible fix, and what does it leave at risk?
3. What would you do if this were your house?

Listen for reasons. A good plumber can explain the trade-off without jargon and without alarm. Also note who answers. A company that explains things well on the phone tends to write clearer estimates.

What should you do before you call anyone?

Write down what happened, when it started and what you have tried. Find your main shut-off valve. Then pick two or three names from neighbors, reviews or your own search, and run the license check on each. Do this before anything breaks, and note the hours each company keeps, so you are not choosing in a hurry with water on the floor.

Run the same checks on every name, and go with the results. Our plumbing services page lists the work we do, and our plumbing repair page explains how a repair is scoped. We serve Houston neighborhoods and nearby cities, including Bellaire and West University Place. If another company's answers suit you better, this guide has done its job.