Get Quotes from Top Plumbers in Raleigh City, NC

Are You Licensed to Practice as a Plumber in Raleigh?

The regulation of plumbers in Raleigh is the duty of the North Carolina Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating, and Fire Sprinkler Contractors (BEPHFSC), which issues plumbing licenses to qualified individuals. In addition to obtaining a state license, plumbing contractors handling contracts valued at more than $30,000 must also obtain a license from the North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors. Failure to obtain the appropriate license is a class 2 misdemeanor, and the penalty for such an offense is a minimum sentence of 60 days of community service or a maximum punishment of 60 days in jail accompanied by a $1,000 fine.

The North Carolina BEPHFSC regulates and issues several plumbing licenses, including Class I, Class II, and Restricted Limited Plumbing licenses. Class I Plumbers can perform plumbing works within commercial, residential, or institutional buildings. Class II Plumbers can perform operations similar to Class I plumbers. However, Class II plumbers are restricted to working on only single-family detached residential dwellings, and Restricted License Plumbers can only work on plumbing systems that are two-inch diameter or smaller. As these licenses vary, so do their scope and licensing requirements. For example, before an applicant can be licensed as either a Class I or II plumber, the applicant must:

• Gain approval from the state to write the plumbing qualifying exams,
• Pass a business and law exam to be taken at the same time as the plumbing trade exams,
• Possess at least 4,000 hours or two years of full-time experience. The Board accepts half of the hours of experience in the form of either academic or technical training.

Interested persons can direct plumbing license-related inquiries to the North Carolina BEPHFSC at (919) 875-3612. Generally, it is best to engage a plumber whose license scope is relevant to your plumbing needs. This way, you are more likely to get satisfactory service delivery.

Residents of Raleigh can utilize the online license verification portal maintained by the North Carolina BEPHFSC to verify their intended plumber's license.

How Much Do You Charge Compared to Plumbers in Raleigh?

Several factors often influence the fees charged by plumbers in Raleigh. Some of these factors include the nature of the plumbing work, the costs associated with getting permits, and the prices of materials to complete the plumbing work. Before you finally hire a plumbing contractor and sign a contract, it is a good idea to compare rates from multiple plumbers in order to avoid getting cheated.

A plumber in Raleigh earns an annual average wage of $45,300. Below is a breakdown of the average hourly wages for plumbers in Raleigh compared with plumbers in other parts of North Carolina and other major cities in the country:

Do You Comply with the Raleigh Building Code for Plumbing?

The Raleigh Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) is a document that contains rules and regulations useful in the administration of buildings, plumbing systems, mechanical systems, and electrical systems within Raleigh. This Ordinance serves as the guideline for the location, design, construction, reconstruction, alteration, repair, maintenance, moving, demolition, removal, and use of plumbing systems in Raleigh.

According to the Raleigh UDO, plumbing systems include building sewers, building drains, waste, and vent systems, hot and cold water supply systems, and all fixtures and appurtenances. The UDO also stipulates minimum standards for plumbing projects and materials to be used during any plumbing work. The Raleigh UDO is relatively complex, and there are penalties for violating the code.

Thus, it is best to hire a plumber who understands its technicalities. There are various penalties for violating provisions of the UDO, including up to $100 fines for each day of violation. You can contact the Code Enforcement Division of the Raleigh Housing and Neighborhoods Department with inquiries about the city's UDO either by email or at (919) 996-2444.

Will You Get the Plumbing Permits as Required by the Raleigh Code?

The Raleigh Planning and Development Department (PDD) issues permits for any work that involves a plumbing system within the City. The Department also conducts inspections to check the quality of plumbing works performed within the city. However, per the North Carolina Administrative Code, plumbing works involving the replacement of a water heater in a one or two-family dwelling do not generally require permits.

Advisably, before starting any plumbing project in the city, you should contact the PDD at (919) 996-2500 or by email with inquiries about permit requirements and projects where these permits are not required. Similarly, to apply for a plumbing permit, you can contact the PDD through the aforementioned communication channels for permit application forms, fees, and processes or visit the PDD's physical office at:

What Kind of Plumbing Services Do You Offer?

Plumbers in Raleigh offer different services depending on their area of specialization and license scope. Therefore, when hiring a plumber, it is essential to confirm this plumber's license and find out if the plumber's license scope is relevant to your plumbing needs. You can utilize the license verification tool maintained by the North Carolina BEPHFSC to identify a plumber's license category.

Plumbing contractors typically provide quotes and price estimates for what your plumbing job might cost. These price estimates are affected by the nature of your plumbing project, the cost of materials to be used, the cost of permits, and inspection fees. Nonetheless, below are some cost estimates for some plumbing works in Raleigh:

Do You Offer Emergency Plumbing Services in Raleigh?

It is estimated that more than 10 percent of homes in the country have water leaks that waste more than 90 gallons of water daily. Similarly, it is estimated that the average household wastes more than 10,000 gallons of water each year. This amount of water can wash 270 loads of laundry. Since water leakages and plumbing problems generally can significantly increase your water bills and degrade your home, you should treat them as emergencies. As such, it is crucial that you quickly get a plumber to fix these plumbing problems.

However, before a plumber arrives at the site of the emergency, you should attempt to administer a short-term solution. Some short-term solutions include plugging leaks or barricading the area to prevent further damage.

When searching for a plumber near you, you can utilize third-party websites like Better Business Bureau or Yelp. However, before you finally hire a plumber, remember to verify this plumber's license using the online license verification portal maintained by the North Carolina Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating, and Fire Sprinkler Contractors.

Do You Carry the Necessary Insurance Policy for Plumbers in Raleigh?

The North Carolina Industrial Commission requires all employers with three or more workers to have worker compensation insurance. More importantly, ensure to hire plumbers with general liability insurance, as this protects you from the financial costs that would arise if anyone sustains an injury during your plumbing project. The need for insurance cannot be overemphasized, as the Bureau of Labor and Statistics estimates that there were 5,333 fatal occupational injuries nationwide, and a worker died every 99 minutes in 2019.

To confirm if your intended plumber has general liability insurance, you can ask this plumber to furnish you with proof of coverage. For more information on the importance of insurance and related requirements, you can contact the Raleigh Housing and Neighborhoods Department at (919) 996-4330.