The Plumber’s Guide to Finding & Keeping Clients

I live and run my studio in a house that’s 53 years old. Like most houses its age, it has issues. (Translation: It’s an emotionally needy house.)

Earlier this spring, I was repairing the plumbing in the shower. When I went outside to shut off the house water, I noticed that the water line was leaking.

Uh-oh.

However, I knew that this would eventually happen. My water line was rusting out when I bought this place five years ago. And, shortly after I moved in, a neighbor’s water line ruptured and caused quite a flood. Martha the rookie homeowner made a mental note to keep a cash stash handy for the replacement of her water line.

In a previous Freelance Switch article, I wrote about taking construction classes at the local community college. In my plumbing classes, I learned that, in southern Arizona, galvanized pipe only lasts for 25 to 30 years. And when galvanized pipe fails, it seldom sends warning signals like leaks that a homeowner can see. Instead, it ruptures like my neighbor’s line did.

So, in a way, I was fortunate. I was dealing with a very polite water line, but had no idea how long its good manners would last.

I started my search for a plumbing contractor the same way that many of our clients find us, by seeking recommendations. Friends and neighbors supplied the names of seven plumbers, and I interviewed four of them.

The interviewing process was quite an education. One plumber was from the neighborhood, but it quickly became clear that my water line replacement job was way over his head. Scratch that name off the list.

Then there was the Plumber of Doom. When it came to identifying problems with my project, this guy had no peer. What if the ground was too hard to dig through? And what about the route of my water line? It traversed two other properties before it got to my place. What if the two neighboring property owners refused access?

The Plumber of Doom was too much of a downer. At such a stressful time, I needed to hear some confidence.

And, oops, Mr. Doom, your attitude was showing.

Then there were the Homework-Givers. These guys were from a well-established family business. But, sorry guys. You put way too much on my plate, like taking a trip downtown to speak with the city’s development services department about whether my project was feasible. Shouldn’t that be your job? And your estimate? It took too big a chunk out of my cash stash.

Then there was the plumbing company I did hire. They were represented by Michael, the master plumber (and proud of it).

To say that this guy was enthusiastic was an understatement. He quickly pointed out that a lot of competitors would shy away from my project because of Tucson’s summer heat. “I’m a native!” he exclaimed. As for investigating the feasibility of my project and getting the necessary permits, his company would handle that. Ditto for notifying the two neighboring property owners.

So, I signed off on their estimate, which was much lower than the Homework-Givers, and the work commenced. Michael’s crew started by digging out the old line with gusto. Heck, they even called me out to admire the trench. (Nice work, if I may say so myself.)

You probably won’t be surprised to learn that laying the new water line took far less time than digging the trench. And the guys were more than happy to let me watch – and photograph their work. At one point, I was treated to a pipe soldering performance, and let me tell you, if you’ve never seen an expert doing this, keep an eye out for the next opportunity.

Now I have a nice, new water line, and, yes, I kept some sections of the old rotted line. Just as souvenirs.

And what are the lessons to be learned from this experience? Here are five:

Some people are going to come to you with tough jobs. How you respond to their inquiries says a lot about you and your work. Are you going to be like Michael, who relished the challenge and motivated his crew to step up to it? Or are you going to be like the Plumber of Doom and see problems all around you?
Be enthusiastic about what you do, even the unpleasant parts of it. It may not involve digging ditches in 100-degree heat, but you’re going to have to go through some tough stuff to get to the end result.
Don’t give your clients too much homework. Take care of things for them. You’ll become known as the guy (or gal) who gets stuff done.
Don’t be afraid to show off your work. And, yes, you can even show off a ditch if it’s well done.
I’m writing this from the United States, where there is a tendency to look down on people in the trades. Don’t do this. Tradespeople take great pride in their work. Take some time to learn what they do, especially the experts. You’ll be helping to bridge a divide that has existed for too long in our society.

Martha Retallick |
Website |
Other Articles

Martha Retallick is a freelance designer and photographer in Tucson, Arizona.

Whether you want to learn while you work out or to make that commute useful, Freelance Radio is the place to hear all the tips, tricks and news of freelancing.

Freelance Radio