Pipe repair: a guide for pros

What customers ask, how to win the job, and what to put on your profile.

Offering pipe repair

Supply pipe repair is a joint-by-joint job, and many callbacks come from a bad joint or a skipped pressure test. Clean cuts, the right fittings and a test before the wall closes prevent many of them.

What customers ask

  • Can you just patch it, or does the whole pipe need replacing?
  • Is my pipe galvanized or copper, and does it matter?
  • How long will the water be off?
  • How much of the wall will you need to open?
  • Why is my water pressure lower after the repair?

How to win the job

  • On the first call, ask the pipe material, where the leak is felt, whether it is inside a wall, and whether the meter moves with the fixtures off.
  • Bring copper, PEX and galvanized transition fittings to the first visit so you can finish the joint without a second trip.
  • Show the customer the failed section and the wall thickness at the cut, and explain why a patch is or is not enough.
  • Quote the repair in lengths and fittings, and list the pressure test as its own line item.
  • Pressure test and flow test before you close the wall, and record the reading on the job sheet.
  • Use a dielectric union or a proper transition wherever galvanized meets copper, and name it in the quote.

What to put on your profile

  • Photos of a clean copper or PEX repair with the joints visible
  • List the pipe materials you repair, including galvanized and CPVC if you handle them
  • Photo of a pressure test gauge in use on a repair
  • Before and after photos of repairs made in finished walls, showing the access and the restore

Follow-up that helps the customer

  • Offer a check of the water heater connections and supply pressure if the failure was at a fitting near the heater
  • Recommend a whole-house pressure check when the leak was on an older run
  • Suggest a return look at the repaired joint in a few weeks, when the line has been under normal use

Licenses and permits

Pipe repair on supply lines is commonly done only by licensed plumbers, and some repairs need a permit. Confirm the requirements with your state or local licensing agency before taking the work.

Questions

How do I handle a customer who wants a patch instead of a replacement?

Show the pipe or the footage. If the pipe is sound apart from one spot, a short section replacement is right. If it is failing across the run, say so, and do not sell a patch that will fail inside the same wall.

Do pipe repairs need a permit?

It depends on the scope and local rules, especially if the work changes the route or the pipe size. Check with the local building department and your licensing agency.

What should I do when galvanized pipe breaks while I am working on it?

Stop, make sure the line is shut off, and explain the condition to the customer. Galvanized pipe is brittle at the threads, so plan the transition and the access before you try to remove it.

About this guide

This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.

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