Get Quotes from Top Plumbers in Las Vegas, NV

Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Plumber in Las Vegas

The average resident in Las Vegas pays $70.39 for water monthly. If you found yourself paying several dollars in excess of this, it will be a smart choice to hire a qualified plumber in the city to check your plumbing systems. Undetected leakages from a faulty faucet, shower, or toilet waste up to 90 gallons of water per day. When you are in search of a plumber in Las Vegas, ensure to ask the following questions to determine the professional is capable of completing your job satisfactorily:

Are You Licensed to Practice as a Plumber in Las Vegas?

The Nevada State Contractors Board is charged with licensing plumbers in Las Vegas. According to chapter‚624.190 of the Nevada Administrative Code, plumbers are categorized as Class C-specialty contractors in Las Vegas, and any of them that wish to operate in the city must ensure they obtain professional licenses from the Nevada State Contractors Board before taking on any plumbing jobs. It is unlawful for a plumber to engage in any plumbing work or bid on plumbing work without an active plumbing license.

Per NRS 624.700 of the Nevada Revised Statutes, plumbers offering services without licenses can be found guilty of committing a misdemeanor for first-time offenders, a gross misdemeanor for second-time offenders, and a Class E felony for third-time offenders. All offenses are subject to the payment of fines and/or jail terms.

To legally carry on work as a plumber, you must obtain licenses according to your qualifications, either as a master plumber or a journeyman plumber. The plumber apprenticeship is usually the first step to becoming a plumber in Las Vegas, and applicants are required to apply for a four-year apprenticeship program recognized by the state or 8,000 hours of substantiated experience under the supervision of a licensed master plumber or journeyman plumber. After the successful completion of the apprenticeship program, journeymen and master plumbers must pass a Nevada Board of Plumbing Examiners (NBOPE) exam to qualify for a plumbing license in Las Vegas. To be eligible for the exam:

  • Journeyman plumber applicants must have four years in an accredited state apprenticeship program or 8,000 hours of experience in the plumbing trade.
  • Master plumber applicants must hold a journeyman certificate issued by the NBOPE for a period of not less than one year with 2,000 hours of experience.

Journeyman plumber and master plumber applicants must send an affidavit of experience, an application for NBOPE journeyman and master plumber, a legal photo ID, and payment of applicable exam fees to the National Inspection Testing Certification (NITC) via email. In addition to this, the master plumber applicants must also include proof of their NBOPE journeyman certificate, while journeyman plumber applicants are required to complete a Construction Management Exam (CMS) administered by PSI Exams. After NITC verifies the applicants, they can take the relevant certification exams.

It is important to note that the state does not have an active plumbing reciprocity program. This means if you are a resident outside the state, you must obtain a plumbing license from the State Board of Contractors to operate within Las Vegas. To ensure you are not hiring an unlicensed plumber for your intended project in Las Vegas, you can use the license search tool or the contractor listing search platform provided and maintained by the Nevada State Contractors Board to confirm their licensing status.

How Much Do You Charge Compared to Plumbers in Las Vegas?

How much plumbers charge in Las Vegas varies. Typically, these charges depend on factors like the type of task, the cost of obtaining plumbing permits, the cost of materials to be used, how complex the job is, and the expertise of the plumbers. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, plumbers in Las Vegas earn about $29 as their mean hourly wage. It is advisable for you to get multiple estimates like flat rates and per-hour quotes from several plumbers near you before hiring plumbers. Comparing prices can save you money and ensure you hire a skilled and qualified plumber suitable for your finances.

A plumber in Las Vegas earns an annual average wage of $61,320. Below is a breakdown of the average hourly wages for plumbers in Las Vegas compared with plumbers in other parts of Nevada and other major cities in the country:

Las Vegas Plumber Hourly Average Wage
$29.48
Nevada Plumber Hourly Average Wage
$30.26
New York City Plumber Hourly Average Wage
$35.78
Atlanta Plumber Hourly Average Wage
$26.53
Detroit Plumber Hourly Average Wage
$33.24
Miami Plumber Hourly Average Wage
$22.66
St. Louis Plumber Hourly Average Wage
$36.53
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Do You Comply with the Las Vegas Building Code for Plumbing?

Las Vegas uses the Uniform Plumbing Code, adopted by the State of Nevada per chapter‚341.045‚of the Nevada Administrative Code, as the minimum standard of plumbing projects in the state. The purpose of the code is to provide minimum requirements and standards that ensure compliance with the adopted codes, public health, safety, welfare, and quality of workmanship. Las Vegas also adopted and amended some relevant parts of the Uniform Plumbing Code to ensure compliance with the construction, installation, and repair of plumbing fixtures or appliances in the city. You must obtain permits for structures requiring plumbing work within the city, and failure to do so will violate the Las Vegas Code Enforcement.

To ensure you do not violate relevant sections of the plumbing code, you can contact the city's Code Enforcement Division at (702) 229-6615 to get information on the necessary steps you must take when planning a plumbing project. If you are unfamiliar with the relevant provisions of the plumbing code and the city's amendment plumbing code provisions applicable to your project, you can rely on your intended plumber's knowledge. As such, it is essential to hire plumbing professionals who are well-versed with the relevant provisions of the plumbing code and the city's amendment to the code before commencing work on your project in the city.

 

Will You Get the Plumbing Permits as Required by the Las Vegas Code?

Per Chapter 341.045 of the Nevada Administrative Code, permits are required for plumbing projects that involve the construction, alteration, and installation of plumbing systems in Las Vegas. However, certain plumbing works do not require permits, and they include:

  • Stopping leaks in drains, soil, waste, or vent pipes
  • Clearing of stoppages, which includes removal and reinstallation of toilets
  • Repairing of leaks in pipes, valves, or fixtures

It is important to note that these plumbing works exempted from permits do not authorize plumbers to carry on work that may violate the plumbing code. Also, if any of the exempted plumbing work becomes defective and requires a replacement with a new plumbing material, then plumbing permits must be obtained before this is done.

 

For every other plumbing work in the city, save for the plumbing work exempted, you must obtain a plumbing permit before commencing work from the Permit and Licenses Office of the city's Building & Safety Department. Before starting your plumbing project application, you should ensure your intended projects are located within the city's jurisdiction. Once this has been done, residential owners or hired plumbers can then apply online either for plumbing permits without plans or plumbing permits requiring plans.

To ensure you do not submit the wrong permit application, you can use the resources provided by the city's Building & Safety Department to view the list of plumbing permit applications that do not require a plan for submission. At the completion of the plumbing permit application, the applicants will be required to pay the permit fees and schedule an inspection with the city's Building & Safety Department. At stages specified in the plumbing permit, the project must be inspected by building officials to ensure that it is being carried out according to plans approved for the projects. However, for express and overtime inspections, you can contact the city's Department of Building & Safety at (702) 229-6251.

It is important to note that only a licensed plumber can complete a plumbing permit application for an intended commercial project. The city's plumbing permit applications are completed online, and applicants can utilize the online instruction guides provided by the Department to get assistance in carrying out the application process. Once you submit your plumbing permit application, you can check the permit status or reprint your permit card online. Applicants who need assistance when using the online platform or who encounter problems while using the platform can contact the city's Building & Safety Department at (702) 229-6251 or via email.

What Kind of Plumbing Services Do You Offer?

Plumbers in Las Vegas offer several types of services to residents of the city. These include fitting water heaters, toilet leaks, faucet replacements, substitutions and repair of water drainage pipelines and sewers, and other plumbing services. However, before hiring plumbers, you must ensure that they have the experience and skill set to handle the intended plumbing work. The cost of service for plumbers in the city varies and is usually influenced by the locality, plumbing materials, and the type of plumbing work. Below are cost estimates for services offered by plumbers in Las Vegas:

Toilet installation or replacement
$144 - $155
Drain clog or blockage
$117 - $143
Drain line video inspection
$243 - $278
Gas line installation (per linear foot)
$28 - $41
Septic system installation
$6,913 - $8,213
Septic tank cleaning or pumping
$256 - $301
Sewer line cleaning
$163 - $249
Sewer line installation and repair (per linear foot)
$57 - $73
Sump pump installation
$800- $1,150
Water main installation or repair
$30 - $50
Water softener installation
$970 - $1,301
Well pump installation
$715- $849

Do You Offer Emergency Plumbing Services in Las Vegas?

Approximately one trillion gallons of water are wasted through household leaks, which equals the annual household water use in more than 11 million homes in the country. This makes it important to plug the leaks from your faucet, showerheads, and valves within a reasonable time to prevent water wastage and further damage to the plumbing system. Damage caused by faulty plumbing systems also poses health hazards to the occupants of a home. For instance, stagnant water from leaks can cause mold and humidity, putting the occupants at risk of developing respiratory problems like asthma, throat infections, and eye irritation.

When hiring plumbers in Las Vegas for urgent or emergency services like fixing toilet leaks, clogged drains, faucet leaks, or valve leaks, you must ensure that you confirm the Nevada State Contractors Board has duly licensed these plumbers. You can also utilize third-party websites like Better Business Bureau, Yelp, and Google Review to find licensed and emergency plumbers near you, as well as professional reviews that you can rely on when hiring these plumbers.

Do You Carry the Necessary Insurance Policy for Plumbers in Las Vegas?

Plumbers typically work in wet environments, which invariably increases the risks of hazards like slips, trips, and falls. Therefore, even though the city does not mandate plumbers to have liability insurance policies, it is best for these plumbers to have an active insurance policy that covers any work-related accidents. Hiring a plumber with an active insurance policy relieves you of the financial burden of spending out-of-pocket on medical bills.

Note that per NRS 616B.612 of the Nevada Revised Statutes, any plumber with at least one employee is required to maintain an active worker's compensation insurance policy. Before hiring your intended plumbers, ensure you ask for a copy of their insurance certificate and validate it through the relevant issuing insurance provider.

How to File a Complaint Against a Bad Plumber in Las Vegas

Not all plumbers who take on plumbing work in Las Vegas are credible, and some of them rip off Las Vegas homeowners through their deceptive practices and scams. For instance, in September 2021, Bolmer Restoration and Rooter-Man Plumbing were the subjects of 13 investigations in Las Vegas. Several homeowners in the city claimed the company charged excessive fees and then filed liens against their properties, and the company's license has since been suspended following investigations. The Nevada State Contractors Board encourages residents of Las Vegas to be careful and also watch out for some of these red flags when hiring plumbers in the city:

  • Soliciting door-to-door.
  • Use of high-pressure or scare tactics to get plumbing jobs.
  • Reluctant about entering into a formal contract or giving upfront prices to enable them to increase their prices before the project is completed.
  • Demand payments in cash.
  • The target is the vulnerable, like the elderly or recent immigrants.
  • Offering complimentary inspections and offering to fix problems.

You can use some of the following tips to avoid falling victim to the unscrupulous practices of plumbers within the city:

  • Never employ the services of plumbers who tell you they have leftover material from another plumbing job at a low price.
  • Watching out for plumbers doing door-to-door solicitations, especially those who are insistent on starting work immediately.
  • Getting multiple bids from several plumbers and using reviews from past plumbing jobs carried out by the plumbers.
  • Verifying the licensing status of your intended plumbers via the license search tool provided by the Nevada State Contractors Board. Note that if your plumber is unlicensed, you may not be eligible for a residential recovery fund because the contract with an unlicensed plumber is null and void.
  • Confirm that there are no ongoing disciplinary actions or concluded disciplinary actions against your intended plumbers via the online platform provided by the Nevada State Contractors Board.
  • Having a contract that specifies the payment plan, the duties of each party involved in the project, plumbing materials to be used, and any other clause that may be important for the work.
  • Never sign any contract or any other document presented by the plumber without fully understanding the content.

If you have a complaint against a licensed plumber in Las Vegas, you can file it with the Nevada State Contractors Board by downloading and completing a licensed contractor complaint form. If your complaint is against an unlicensed plumber in the city, you can download and complete an unlicensed contractor (criminal) complaint form. You can send the completed complaint forms to the address indicated in the complaint form.

Ensure you include all necessary information that will help prove your case against the deceptive plumber when filling out the form. If you need additional information regarding how to file a complaint, you can make use of the information in the online guide provided by the state's contractors board, or you can contact the board at (702) 486-1100.

You can also file a complaint with the state's Attorney General Office through its Consumer Protection Bureau by completing an online complaint form, or you can request a paper complaint form via email. Note that the Attorney General's Office cannot guarantee you restitution after your complaint has been resolved.

However, if you want to seek restitution from the erring plumbers, you can file a private lawsuit against these individuals. It is advisable to retain the services of a lawyer to advise you on the available legal options if you decide to do this, and you can use the lawyer referral services of the State Bar Nevada to find active lawyers in Las Vegas.