Before you start

• •Dispatch ticket with customer info, complaint, access notes
• •Truck stocked: common parts (cartridges, supply lines, wax rings, P-traps)
• •Tablet for invoice + photos
• •Boot covers and a clean drop cloth

The procedure

Step-by-step, in order. Each step has the action and the reason it matters.

1. 1

   Pre-arrival call

   Call the customer 15 minutes before arrival. 'I'm 15 out, need anything else from me before I get there?' Document the call.

2. 2

   Park clean, walk to the door

   Park on the street if tight. Walk to the front door, ring once, step back. Boot covers ON before you enter the home.

   Why: Boot covers are the single biggest trust signal in residential plumbing. Customers notice instantly.

3. 3

   Greet by name and ask them to walk you to the issue

   Introduce yourself, ask them to show you. Don't dive into the problem — let them lead. They'll tell you details you'd never get from the dispatch ticket.

4. 4

   Lay the drop cloth before any work

   Drop cloth on the floor under and around the work area. Towels on counters and surfaces.

   Why: Splashes happen. Customer's bathroom mat soaked is a callback. Drop cloth prevents it.

5. 5

   Diagnose visually first, then test

   Look at the fixture. Look at the supply lines. Look at the drain. Then test the symptom. Half of plumbing diagnoses are visual — leak, corrosion, age — before any tool comes out.

6. 6

   Walk the customer through the diagnosis with the failed part

   When you've identified the issue, show the customer. Hold up the failed cartridge, the corroded shutoff, the cracked supply line. Explain in plain language.

   Why: Customers approve repairs they can see. Verbal-only diagnoses get pushback.

7. 7

   Present the estimate with line items

   Open the invoice on the tablet. Part, labor, total. If multiple repair options, list both. Get verbal approval before starting.

8. 8

   Complete the repair

   Repair the issue. Test 3 times — turn water on, run for 30 seconds, watch for leaks under the sink AND at the supply lines AND at the fixture connection.

9. 9

   Run the system and observe

   Let the system run a full cycle (toilet flush, faucet on for 60s, drain test). Verify the original symptom is resolved.

10. 10

    Clean up — better than you found it

    Pick up the drop cloth. Wipe any splashes. Take old parts and packaging with you. The work area should look unused.

11. 11

    Walk the customer through what you did

    Show them the new part. Explain what was wrong. Mention any related items you noticed. No pressure.

12. 12

    Invoice, payment, review request

    Photo of the new install on the invoice. Email it. Collect payment. Ask for the review.

Verify when done

• ☐Boot covers on before entering
• ☐Drop cloth down before work
• ☐3 leak tests after repair
• ☐Photos on the invoice
• ☐Payment collected before leaving

Common mistakes

• ✕Skipping the boot covers because the customer 'said it was fine'
• ✕One leak test instead of three
• ✕Verbal estimate without showing the failed part
• ✕Leaving without asking for the review

Trainer notes

Boot covers and drop cloths are the difference between a plumbing tech and 'the guy who tracked mud through my house.' Drill it on day 1.

Common questions