Plumbing services in Houston: what each job involves and costs

Each page below explains how the job works, what drives the price, what the City of Houston requires in permits, and which questions to ask before you sign. Every cost figure is labeled with its source and year. We are a guide, not a contractor, and we do not perform any of these jobs.

• Drain cleaning: snaking versus hydro jetting, when a clog is really a main line problem, and the items Houston Public Works asks residents never to flush.
• Water heater repair and replacement: tank, tankless and heat pump options, repair versus replace, and the City of Houston water heater permit that a registered master plumber must pull.
• Leak detection and slab leaks: how to test your meter for a hidden leak, what detection and slab leak repair cost, and the choice between breaking the slab and rerouting the line.
• Sewer line repair: where your private line ends and the city's begins, camera inspections, trenchless lining and pipe bursting, and the sewer connection permit.
• Emergency plumbing costs: what after-hours, weekend and holiday rates look like, trip fees, typical emergency repair prices and how to hire quickly without overpaying.
• Emergency plumber checklist: the first steps for a burst pipe, a gas smell, a sewer backup or a frozen line, with the official numbers to call.

The ranges below are national figures from established cost guides. Quotes in the Houston metro may be higher or lower depending on access, materials, slab foundations and permit fees.

Texas law sets the baseline. Section 1301.551 of the Texas Occupations Code requires cities with more than 5,000 inhabitants to regulate plumbing by ordinance and to require a permit, except for repairing leaks and replacing lavatory or kitchen faucets, ballcocks or water control valves, garbage disposals and water closets.

The Houston Permitting Center lists separate permits for each type of work. A few that homeowners meet most often:

• Water heater: required for replacement and installation. The permit page lists $34.24 for the first three heaters plus a $33.56 admin fee, with a minimum permit fee of $97.56, and says plan review is not needed for a single-family residence.
• Plumbing fixtures: required, but the fixture permit page says toilets, lavatory and kitchen faucets and garbage disposals are exempt.
• Sewer connection and gas connections: separate permits, both obtained by a registered master plumber.

Each of these permits must be obtained by a master plumber registered with the City of Houston, and an inspection is required. The fee pages also list a $91.05 minimum in one place and $97.56 in another, so confirm the current figure with the city. Suburbs such as Katy, Sugar Land and Pearland run their own permit offices, so check with your city if you live outside Houston city limits.

Sometimes. Section 1301.051 says a property owner does not need a plumbing license to do plumbing in their own homestead. The City of Houston offers a Homeowner's Plumbing Permit for owners who own, occupy and have the property registered as their homestead and who do the work themselves. The city lists a minimum fee of $86.39 plus the admin fee, $116.11 in total, and all work must be inspected and meet the current plumbing code. Most people still hire a licensed plumber for gas, sewer and water heater work.

To reach a plumber, call one of the licensed contractors listed on this page or see all listed contractors. Questions about this guide or a correction: email hello@plumberhoustonpros.com. We do not take service requests and do not pass messages on to contractors. Any contract, price and warranty is strictly between you and the contractor you choose. Email replies are guidance only. If water is actively leaking or you smell gas, do not wait for an email: follow the emergency checklist and call the utility or 911.