7 Considerations To Make When Scaling Your Commercial Plumbing Business

As a commercial plumbing business, you should continually seek new ways to scale your operations.

As the demand for plumbing services in the US increases, so do the challenges faced by commercial plumbers. From managing a growing team to maintaining a competitive edge in an expanding market, sustainable scaling is essential if you want your business to thrive.

However, evaluating your readiness to scale your plumbing business must come first. Without the right strategy, rapid growth can lead to operational headaches, unhappy clients, and strained cash flow.

With this in mind, we’ve put together a guide on seven key considerations that can help you scale smartly in 2025.

Map Your Market Possibilities

Before embarking on a growth journey, take a look at your local market first. While there are currently 132,000 plumbing businesses in the US, industry growth in your local area may look a little different.

Is the demand for commercial plumbing services rising in your catchment area? If you were to expand your workforce, is there enough labor available to make a return on the initial investment?

Another area to consider is niche sub-markets within your industry. Consider introducing specialized solutions that target emerging trends, such as smart commercial technology or sustainable plumbing.

These solutions appeal to growing markets and can provide your business with a competitive edge in its local area.

Consider Investing in Sustainable Tools and Equipment

Over the next five years, 88% of commercial properties are expected to invest in energy efficiency. This suggests that key projects likely to see heightened demand include the fitting of smart toilets, touchless faucets, and greywater systems.

When scaling, consider investing in specialized tools that enable you to respond to these types of commercial service requests. Advanced tools such as electromagnetic pipe locators, specialized wrenches, new fittings, and robust sensors have high upfront costs, but the long-term value is well worth the initial investment.

Going beyond tools, improving the company’s reputation for sustainability also ensures scalable success. For example, consider swapping classic company cars for EV vans. They not only require significantly less maintenance, but for commercial businesses, many EVs also come with significant tax benefits.

Review Your Financial Position

Your financial position will determine your level of growth as a commercial plumbing company. Successful scaling only begins once a business is in control of its finances and budgets according to what it can afford.

Overextending your budget is a recipe for failure, leading to increased financial strain, inability to properly pay workers, and meet customer expectations.

To avoid this, start your growth journey with financial planning. Create a detailed budget that aligns with your scaling goals, and seek advice from a financial advisor to ensure that your business is stable enough to expand.

Appeal to a Younger Talent Pool

In order to offer additional services as a commercial plumbing business, you must first grow your labor force.

However, with a rapidly ageing industry population, it is becoming harder than ever before to attract and retain skilled workers. If you’re hoping to answer new demands from commercial businesses, your team must be strong, able, and willing to retrain on trending fittings.

A recent survey found that 74% of Gen Z respondents perceived a stigma associated with choosing vocational school over a traditional four-year college, according to a McKinsey & Company report.

To combat this, you must ensure that your business appeals to a limited hiring pool and attracts younger, more malleable talent.

To accelerate growth, consider offering younger trainees performance-related pay, new opportunities for growth, and other incentives that drive Gen Z workers to choose a vocation as opposed to a college experience.

When appealing to younger talent, really show off your company culture. Think about how you can connect directly with this labor group on social media and offer them incentives that get them on board.

Evaluate Your Inventory Management

When scaling a business, you need as much movable money as possible to fund profitable growth strategies.

Did you know that the average commercial plumbing business loses 11% of its annual revenue to poor inventory management?

If you’re looking to squeeze some extra cash out of the budget, your inventory is the first place to look. Consider conducting a comprehensive review of inventory operations to ensure that supplies are effectively managed, avoiding both shortages and excess inventory.

There is a wide range of software for plumbing contractors that can track and automate inventory management. Before scaling, we recommend leveraging this technology to improve inventory efficiency and reduce your overheads.

Research Your Suppliers and Contractors

Connecting with new suppliers and contractors is crucial for commercial plumbers looking to expand their business.

However, if you’re hoping to build long-lasting relationships with potential suppliers, it’s essential to conduct thorough research first. Not all business partnerships pay off financially, so making a bad choice could cost you down the line.

Here are just a few factors to consider before partnering with a new supplier or contractor:

• Do they have industry certifications?
• Are they financially stable?
• What are their lead times, average delivery rates, and satisfaction scores?
• Are they flexible regarding big and small orders?
• What are their former clients saying about them?

Always gather as much information as possible about a company before negotiating a partnership. Our advice here would be to read reviews thoroughly and carefully review the fine print before signing a contract.

Don’t Forget To Grow Your Business Online

Successful scaling encompasses two key components: physical and online growth. Remember that your plumbing business operates in a digital era, where your online presence is crucial.

If you want to appeal to large-scale commercial clients, ensure that your website is easily searchable online. Utilize powerful local keywords and don’t forget to set up a Google My Business page so clients can access your contact details with ease.

Consider also expanding your presence on social media platforms, especially if you aim to establish yourself as a trustworthy player across the board.

Ready to Start Scaling?

The plumbing industry is constantly evolving. If your business doesn’t grow with it, you’re likely to be left behind.

As commercial clients become more demanding, scaling sustainably is the key to success.

Those who prioritize building a skilled workforce and take on new specialities that set them apart from their competitors are most likely to secure the best contracts moving forward.