Fractional CFO for Plumbing Contractors
Service calls, drain cleaning, new construction, remodels — each has different margins, different cash cycles, and different pricing dynamics. We make sure you see all of it.
The Plumbing Problem
Plumbing companies grow fast. Profit doesn't always keep up.
Emergency calls feel profitable but after truck rolls, callbacks, and warranty work, many plumbing shops lose money on their fastest-growing service line. Each callback costs $150-350 in labor with $0 revenue. At 20 callbacks a month, that's $5,000+ in pure loss buried in your dispatch log.
New construction projects tie up cash for months while you wait on draws, retainage, and punch-list approvals. The industry DSO is 45-60 days, but every 10-day reduction on $100K in receivables frees ~$2,740 in working capital. Meanwhile, 93% of your invoices are on NET 30 — you're financing your customers' projects for free.
Plumbing technicians vary wildly in productivity. Your top tech might complete 738 visits in a year while your average tech does 400. The target is 75-85% billable hours — but 16.5% of timesheet hours are non-billable (admin, drive time, training). That's 1 in 6 hours generating zero revenue.
Plumbing Industry Benchmarks
How do the best plumbing contractors perform? Data from our analysis of 2,200+ contractors.
Median Bill Rate
$90/hr
Top quartile: $116/hr. Top 10%: $147/hr.
Service vs. Project Margin
43.8%
Service margins should exceed project margins by 15-25 points.
Collection Rate
85.1%
Top quartile: 92.7%. Commercial plumbing collections lag residential.
Billing Speed
1 day
Top quartile invoices before job completion using progress billing.
Billable Hour Ratio
96.7%
Top quartile: 99.6%. Drive time and unbilled callbacks kill this number.
Quote Conversion
73%
Top quartile: 81.3%. Are you following up within 48 hours?
What Level Does for Plumbing Contractors
Service vs. Project Margin Analysis
Plumbing companies often subsidize low-margin project work with high-margin service calls without realizing it. We separate the two so you can price and staff each line independently.
Cash Flow Forecasting for Mixed Revenue
Service revenue is daily. Project revenue comes in draws. Retainage holds can freeze $50K+ for months. We build forecasts that account for all three cash cycles so you know exactly when money arrives.
Technician Productivity Tracking
Revenue per tech, callbacks per tech, average ticket size, drive time ratio. We track the metrics that separate your top performers from your overhead burners — so you can coach, train, or restructure routes.
Flat Rate vs. Time & Material Analysis
Should you move to flat rate pricing? For which services? We model the revenue impact of pricing changes before you make them, using your actual job data and cost structure.
Collections & Retainage Management
Commercial plumbing jobs have retainage, slow-paying GCs, and change order disputes. We set up AR aging dashboards, automated follow-ups, and retainage release tracking so nothing sits uncollected.
Growth & Exit Readiness
Plumbing companies with clean books and recurring revenue sell at premium multiples. We prepare your financials for PE buyers, lenders, or your eventual exit — even if that's 5 years away.
Bookkeeper vs CPA vs Level
| Capability | Bookkeeper | CPA | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Record transactions | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| File taxes | — | ✓ | — |
| Job-level profitability | — | — | ✓ |
| Cash flow forecasting | — | — | ✓ |
| Benchmark against industry | — | — | ✓ |
| Monthly strategy calls | — | — | ✓ |
| AR aging & collections tracking | — | — | ✓ |
| Crew utilization analysis | — | — | ✓ |
| Exit readiness preparation | — | — | ✓ |
| Understands plumbing operations | Rarely | Rarely | ✓ |
Your bookkeeper and CPA handle critical functions. Level fills the strategic gap between recording transactions and filing taxes.
We connect to the tools you already use
15-minute setup. Read-only access. Your data stays secure.
Ready to see your real plumbing numbers?
15-minute call. We connect to your books, analyze your operations, and deliver a full profitability audit. Free.
No contracts. No obligations. Cancel anytime.