Plumbing maintenance agreement template (free Google Docs, Word and PDF)

Published September 5, 2026 · Template and benchmarks checked September 2026

Free. No signup and no email asked; the links below go straight to the file.
Deepsel is our product. It runs the agreements this template creates, and the last section says so.
Not legal advice. Have a local attorney read the template before you use it, especially Appendix B.

This is a free plumbing maintenance agreement template for a per-home membership: one annual whole-home inspection with a water heater flush, a repair discount, priority service that's defined, and monthly card-on-file billing. It has the three clauses a plumbing plan needs that an HVAC plan doesn't: a water heater schedule with install years and anode dates, a backflow-test clause that says who files the report, and a fair rule for old drain valves. Thirteen pages, plain English, written for shops with one to four trucks.

Get it three ways: make your own copy in Google Docs (one click, opens in your Drive), download the Word version (.docx), or download the PDF. You can also read it in Google Docs first without copying anything. It's the plumbing version of my HVAC maintenance agreement template, with the same payment, renewal and visit-expiry sections. To see how those compare with the other free templates, the roundup reviews eight of them.

Search "plumbing service agreement template" and the first page is eForms, LegalTemplates and the other legal-form sites, and every one is a job contract for a single repair. A maintenance agreement is the other document, the one that says what a member gets every year for $19 a month, and none of the form sites host one. Matt Michel opened his Plumbing & Mechanical column on the subject with a line that still fits: "Few contractors are successful with plumbing service agreements, but they should be."¹

First page of the free plumbing maintenance agreement template: parties table with plan tier, plan year, price per home and billing choice, then the water heater schedule with serial, install year and anode date — Page 1 as you'll copy it: the parties block, plan tier and billing choice, then the water heater schedule with serial, install year and anode date.

What should a plumbing maintenance agreement include?

A plumbing maintenance agreement should list the water heaters by serial and install year, name the other covered equipment (softener, sump pump, backflow preventer), spell out the annual inspection checklist, say who books the visit and when a paid visit expires, define the discount, dispatch fee and priority service, set card-on-file payment and renewal terms, and put backflow testing and old drain valves in writing.

Water heaters and the rest of the equipment, by serial

Section 1 is three tables. First the water heaters: type and gallons, make, model, serial, install year, the date the anode rod was last checked, and where the unit sits. The year is the age, and age is the replacement conversation; Rheem puts a tank heater's life at 8 to 12 years.² The anode date is there because A. O. Smith says to inspect the rod once a year, and nobody does unless a form says it's due.³ Second, everything else a plan can cover: softener, sump pump with the battery install date (backup batteries last three to five years⁴), backflow preventer with the utility's test due month, pressure reducing valve and its setting. Third, the home: main shutoff location, whether the sewer cleanout is reachable for a camera, static pressure at the first visit, and a fixture count.

Scope: per home, with a price per extra water heater

Plumbing plans price per home, and the water heater is the unit that moves the price. Section 2 limits the benefits to the service address and the listed equipment; page 1 carries a price per additional heater and a tankless surcharge, the way the live plans do it (Reliant adds $50 per extra heater; Penguin charges $228 a year for a tank home and $429 for tankless).^{5, 6}

The annual inspection checklist

Section 3.3 is the visit, item by item, built the way Michel suggests: ask your plumbers what they'd do with unlimited time. "Would you flush the water heater? Would you check the anode rod? Would you dye test each toilet?"¹ So the water heater gets a flush, a relief-valve test, a check of the drain valve, thermostat, gas and venting or elements, and the anode on its schedule. The home gets a static pressure reading (a pressure reducing valve is recommended over 80 psi, where the 2024 residential code requires one⁷), every shutoff exercised, every toilet dye-tested, aerators cleaned, appliance hoses checked, the sump pour-tested, and gas connections inspected where the license allows. It ends with a written report, photos and member prices. The live plans run 14-point to 64-point versions of the same list.^{8, 6}

The report matters more in plumbing than in HVAC because the upsell reputation is worse. A homeowner on r/homeowners this May described a plan where both visits ended with "the several thousand dollars worth of repair and maintenance needed or your system will break," and a second opinion found nothing wrong.⁹ A photo of the actual corroded stop, with the actual price, is how a shop avoids being that story.

Who books the visit, and when it expires

Section 3.5 states booking responsibility both ways: the company sends at least three logged booking requests during the visit window, and the member can book any time without waiting. Section 4 is the expiry rule: a paid visit expires at year end only if those three documented offers were made and the customer still didn't book; fewer than three, and it carries over 60 days. Backflow tests are the exception (4.3): the utility's deadline doesn't move, so a missed test isn't owed next year, but if the shop never offered dates, it tests free and pays the late fee.

Discount, dispatch fee and the clawback rule

Section 5: 10 percent off repairs and drain cleaning in the example, 15 on the higher tiers, with replacements, repipes and sewer lines excluded unless the tier prices them. Discounts already given stay given, with one exception: cancel within 90 days of a discounted repair and the shop may add that one discount back, up to a cap. One live plan charges back the full discount on any service over $1,500 if you cancel within 90 days, on top of a 12-month minimum with a fee for leaving early.⁶ The template has no minimum term and no cancellation fee. Renewal comes from the card on file, not from locking people in.

Priority service, defined honestly

"Let's be real, 'priority service' is BS as everyone is priority" was the top comment, at 42 points, on that r/homeowners thread.⁹ Section 6 answers it by defining the word: a place in line ahead of non-members, not a guaranteed response time, and during a hard freeze the shop may still be booked out for days. Section 6.3 adds the plumbing-specific truth: a burst pipe goes to the front of the line for everyone, member or not. The member's benefit on that call is the waived dispatch fee and the discount.

Payment, renewal and failed payments

Section 7 defaults to monthly card-on-file billing with an annual option, includes the consent sentence auto-renewal laws expect, and writes the failed-payment path into the contract: two retries over 14 days, a text or email each time, benefits pause after 30 days, never a silent cancellation. Section 8 gives a 30-day renewal notice, cancellation by email or text with no fee, and a refund rule built for a one-visit plan: cancel before the visit and a stated amount comes back; after it, the year is used up. Monthly billing is the whole renewal game: Pipeline's 2026 figures put monthly auto-billed plans at 90 to 95 percent renewal against 75 to 85 for annual invoices.¹⁰

Old water heaters: the drain valve clause

Section 10.3 is the clause every plumber knows and no template writes down. A drain valve or shutoff that hasn't been opened in years may not reseal once it's used. So before the flush on an older unit, the plumber explains the risk and gets a go-ahead. Skip it, and the report says so and the flush isn't owed. Go ahead, and if the valve fails, the shop replaces it at the member discount for parts and no labor on that visit. One paragraph, and the "your plumber broke my water heater" call never happens.

How much should a plumbing maintenance plan cost?

Most residential plumbing memberships cost $110 to $270 a year, or $19 to $30 a month, for one annual inspection with a tank water heater flush, a 10 to 15 percent repair discount, priority scheduling and a waived or reduced dispatch fee. Tankless homes pay $100 to $200 more. Sewer cameras and backflow tests sit in the top tier or sell as add-ons. Six live plans, checked September 5, 2026:

Plan	Price	What's included
Coopers Water, Basic¹¹	$110 a year ($220 tankless)	Annual inspection and maintenance checklist, water heater flush, 10% off repairs and equipment. Advanced tier $269 adds reverse osmosis service.
Mackin & Sons Plumbing, Akron¹²	$239 a year	Annual inspection ($189 value), water heater flush ($215 value), 10% off repairs, $49 service fee instead of $79 to $89, front-of-line scheduling, 5-year labor warranty instead of 1.
Reliant Plumbing, Texas⁵	$19 a month or $219 a year	Annual water heater flush, priority service, one main sewer camera inspection a year (cleanout required), 10% off. Extra heater $50, tankless flush $100. 12-month initial term.
Penguin Home Services⁶	$19 a month or $228 a year; tankless $35 a month or $429	25-point inspection plus full flush, $85 dispatch fee waived, 15% off repairs, 10% off installs, 2-year warranty. 12-month minimum, auto-renews.
Scott English Plumbing¹³	$19, $29 or $49 a month ($228, $348, $588 a year)	Silver: flush plus home inspection. Gold adds an annual main-line camera. Platinum adds a kitchen-line jetting.
Knight Plumbing, Milwaukee¹⁴	$20, $30 or $45 a month	One visit a year, waived service fees, 2-year warranty. Gold adds the tank flush. Platinum adds an hour of sewer cleaning with camera after 12 months.

Appendix A of the template ships with example tiers inside that band, $149, $219 and $329 a year ($14, $19 and $29 a month), with $50 per extra tank heater, the sewer camera and backflow test in the top tier, and tankless descaling as a $100 add-on below it. Replace them with your own.

The math is different from HVAC. An HVAC plan spreads its price over two visits; a plumbing plan is one visit, so the whole $219 rides on a single truck roll. A flush plus a full inspection is an hour and a half to two hours of a plumber's time, plus the drive and the truck. If that lands at $160, the visit clears about $60 and the plan is a marketing cost that pays through the repairs the inspection finds, delivered in the weeks the phones are quiet. Michel says as much: you perform the agreements "during slow periods when you would not be busy otherwise," and the member rate is your real rate; non-members pay the standard rate above it.¹ Pipeline's year-one contribution on a $239 member is $80 to $120. The program makes its money in year two.¹⁰

Backflow tests and water heater flushes: the two visits that justify the plan

A plumbing membership sells on two pieces of work a homeowner won't do alone and a utility may force them to do. The flush is due once a year for most households and every six months where the water is hard, per Rheem, with tankless units descaled instead.² A. O. Smith adds the anode inspection once a year and the relief-valve test yearly, with a professional check every five years.³ Homeowners already value it. The r/homeowners reply that defended a $240 plan did it in one line: "It could be worth it just for the twice a year AC unit cleaning and the water heater flush."⁹

Backflow is the one with a deadline attached. A home with an irrigation system, a fire line or a boiler usually has a backflow assembly, and the water utility requires it tested on a schedule by a certified tester. New York City requires a test every 12 months and can fine the owner or disconnect water for a missed one; the tester fills in the form and a licensed master plumber signs it.¹⁵ Anne Arundel County, Maryland, wants the certified tester's report within 30 days of a pass and 72 hours of a fail.¹⁶ San Antonio requires it annually under city code and sends irrigation reminders quarterly.¹⁷ Same pattern everywhere: the tester usually files, the owner is always responsible.

Section 3.4 writes that split down: the shop tests inside the utility's due month with a certified tester, files where the utility accepts tester filings, and hands over the report within five business days where the owner must file. The member stays responsible to the utility, and the due month lives in Section 1.2 next to the assembly's serial. That's the part of a plumbing plan that renews itself. The deadline never moves, and the shop with the due month on file gets the call.

After it's signed: running the program

The template starts a program. It doesn't run one. Past 40 or 50 signed agreements, three jobs repeat forever: charge the renewals and chase the failed cards, get every visit booked inside its window (and every backflow test inside its due month), and keep a ledger of visits owed versus delivered so no prepaid inspection expires in silence. Sections 4 and 7 promise exactly that, and both promises need a system behind them.

Start with the free maintenance agreement tracking spreadsheet: one row per agreement, equipment columns, two visit slots, and formulas for visits remaining and days to renewal. Use the first slot for the inspection and the second for the backflow test or the camera. The reasoning behind every column is in how to track maintenance agreements; it's written around HVAC tune-ups and works the same with one inspection. Run with discipline, the sheet holds to about 80 to 100 agreements.

Above that, the renewal number decides it. Card on file versus annual invoices is the 90 to 95 versus 75 to 85 percent swing from earlier, and at 200 members on a $219 plan ten points is worth more than $4,000 a year before a single discounted repair. That's the job Deepsel does for plumbing shops as well as HVAC ones: the ledger from Sections 1 and 4, the card charged on the Section 7 schedule with retries and a text on failure, the booking links Section 3.5 promises when each window opens, and a warning before a paid visit expires. It works beside Jobber or Housecall Pro rather than replacing them: import your customer list on Starter, or sync jobs both ways with Jobber on Pro. Pricing is flat and public on the pricing page.

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Frequently asked questions

Are plumbing maintenance plans worth it for a shop?

Yes, if the visit gets delivered and the plan bills monthly. Pipeline's 2026 playbook puts the first-year contribution on a $239 member at $80 to $120, with the money arriving in year two, and renewal at 90 to 95 percent on monthly card-on-file billing against 75 to 85 on annual invoices. Matt Michel's advice still holds: the shops that succeed build the agreement with their plumbers, so the plumbers sell it.

What's the difference between a plumbing maintenance plan and a home warranty?

A home warranty is sold by a third party and pays part of a repair after something breaks, minus a service fee. A maintenance plan is sold by the plumber who does the work, and its job is the inspection and flush that stop the break from happening, plus a discount on the shop's own repairs. Expect the objection anyway: on r/askaplumber a top reply called plumbing subscriptions no different from the home warranty companies. The written checklist and photo report in Section 3.3 are the answer.

How often should a water heater be flushed?

Once a year for most households, and every six months where the water is hard, according to Rheem. Tankless units get descaled instead of flushed. A. O. Smith recommends inspecting the anode rod once a year and testing the temperature and pressure relief valve yearly, with a professional check every five years. The template puts the flush and the relief-valve test in the annual visit and records the anode date in the equipment table.

Can I write my own plumbing service agreement?

Yes. It's an ordinary service contract and no law requires a lawyer to draft it. Three things need a local check: automatic renewal rules if you bill a card on file (California, New York, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Virginia and Colorado have updated theirs), Florida's service warranty statute, which regulates plans of a year or longer or with a discount over 20 percent, and your water utility's backflow testing rules if you take on the testing. Appendix B of the template lists all three.

Sources

Matt Michel, "Create a plumbing service agreement in six steps," Plumbing & Mechanical - "Few contractors are successful with plumbing service agreements, but they should be"; the plumber-built checklist questions; "you will perform the service agreements during slow periods when you would not be busy otherwise." pmmag.com, March 11, 2020, read September 5, 2026.
Rheem, "How Often To Flush Your Water Heater (And How To Do It)" - "it is recommended to flush your water heater once a year"; "If you have hard water, it's recommended to flush your system every 6 months"; tankless units "require periodic descaling instead of flushing." Tank lifespan of 8 to 12 years as cited in source 18. rheem.com, read September 5, 2026.
A. O. Smith, "Water Heater Maintenance Guide" - "we recommend inspecting the anode rod once a year"; "The T&P valve should be inspected once a year by the consumer and every 5 years by a professional." hotwater.com, read September 5, 2026.
Tennessee Standard Plumbing, "Sump Pump Battery Life, Types, & Maintenance" - "the battery itself usually needs to be replaced every 3-5 years." tnstandard.com, read September 5, 2026.
Reliant Plumbing, "Annual Reliant Plumbing Membership" - "$19 a month or $219 per year"; annual water heater flush, priority service calls, one main sewer camera inspection per year, 10% off; "Add coverage for each additional standard water heater for $50"; tankless flush add-on $100; "Memberships may be cancelled after the initial 12 month period." reliantplumbing.com, read September 5, 2026.
Penguin Home Services, "Protection Plan" - "$19/month or $228/year"; tankless "$35/mo or $429/yr"; 25-point inspection plus full flush, $85 dispatch fee waived, 15% off repairs, 10% off installs, 2-year warranty; "minimum 12-month commitment"; "cancellation within 90 days of that service results in the full discount amount being charged back" on services of $1,500 or more. penguinphc.com, read September 5, 2026.
Jaspector, "IRC 2024 Pressure Reducing Valve: Required Above 80 PSI" - IRC 2024 Section P2903.3.1 requires a PRV "whenever the water supply pressure at the building exceeds 80 pounds per square inch," set to deliver 80 psi or less downstream. jaspector.com, read September 5, 2026.
Bob Larson Plumbing, "What's Included in a Plumbing Membership Plan?" - "a thorough 64-point plumbing inspection"; flush and inspect the water heater, "checking the pressure relief valve, heating elements, and any signs of leaks"; 10% off, doubled warranty, priority scheduling. boblarsonplumbing.com, read September 5, 2026.
r/homeowners, "Local HVAC, electrical and plumbing maintenance membership $19.47/month, worth it or not?" - top comment (42 points): "let's be real, 'priority service' is BS as everyone is priority"; "It could be worth it just for the twice a year AC unit cleaning and the water heater flush"; and the second-opinion story quoted above. reddit.com, May 29, 2026, read September 5, 2026.
Pipeline, "Contractor Membership Program: The 2026 Multi-Trade Playbook" - "Industry benchmark renewal on monthly-billed memberships runs 90-95% vs 75-85% for annual-billed"; "Net first-year contribution on a $239 annual member is typically $80-$120. The program only makes money in year two and beyond"; "2026 floor is $14.95/month single-trade." pipelineon.com, read September 5, 2026.
Coopers Water, "Plumbing & Water Treatment Membership Plans" - "Basic Membership Plan - $110 Per Year ($220 Per year for tankless Water Heater)"; "Advanced Membership Plan - $269 per year"; "10% Discount on any Plumbing or Water Conditioning Repair"; "Monthly Billing Available." cooperswater.com, read September 5, 2026.
Mackin & Sons Plumbing, "Is a Plumbing Maintenance Plan Worth It?" - "For $239 a year, members get: Annual plumbing inspection $189, Water heater flush $215, $49 service fee (vs $79 to $89) per visit, front-of-line scheduling priority, 5-year labor warranty (vs 1 year)"; "That is $404 in services for a $239 membership"; "Why the flush is the quiet MVP." mackinandsonsplumbing.com, read September 5, 2026.
Scott English Plumbing, "Plumbing Membership Plans" - Silver "$19 a month (or $228 for the year)" with annual water heater flush and home inspection; Gold "$29 a month (or $348 for the year)" adds a main sewer line camera inspection; Platinum "$49 a month (or $588 for the year)" adds a kitchen-line mini jet. scottenglishplumbing.net, read September 5, 2026.
Knight Plumbing & Drain Cleaning, "Plumbing Membership Plans in Milwaukee, WI" - Silver $20/month, Gold $30/month (adds the annual tank flush), Platinum $45/month (adds up to 1 hour of sewer cleaning and camera inspection after 12 consecutive months); "Each plan includes one visit per year." knightplumbinginc.com, read September 5, 2026.
New York City Department of Environmental Protection, "Backflow Prevention Frequently Asked Questions" - "you are required to have your backflow prevention device tested every 12 months by a certified tester"; "Failure to perform this annual test could result in fines or the disconnection of your water service"; "the test form needs to be filled out by the certified tester and signed by an LMP." nyc.gov, read September 5, 2026.
Anne Arundel County Department of Public Works, "Backflow Prevention & Cross Connection" - "Have the backflow assembly tested after installation, then annually"; "A State-certified backflow tester must perform the test and return copies of the test report to Anne Arundel county DPW within 30 days of a passing test. Failed tests should be sent within 72 hours." aacounty.org, read September 5, 2026.
San Antonio Water System, "Annual Testing of Backflow Prevention Assemblies" - annual testing required by the city plumbing code and ordinances; "The tester will complete a Test & Maintenance Report (T & M) for each backflow assembly"; "Residential reminders for annual backflow assembly testing for lawn irrigation systems are sent quarterly." saws.org, read September 5, 2026.
Warranty Reinsurance, "Benefits of a Plumbing Maintenance Club Membership" - "Rheem's guidance puts traditional tank water heater lifespan at 8-12 years"; published membership examples "roughly $8-$18/month." warranty-re.com, read September 5, 2026.
r/askaplumber, "Are the subscriptions that plumbing companies are offering these days worth the money?" - "This is no different than the home warranty companies scam"; a plumber's reply: "If the company that's doing is honest it's a win win for both the customer and the company." reddit.com, May 15, 2024, read September 5, 2026.
Atlas Butler, "Home Maintenance Plan vs Home Warranty Plan: What's the Difference?" - "Unlike a maintenance plan, which aims to prevent issues, a warranty plan steps in after a problem has already presented itself." atlasbutler.com, read September 5, 2026.
SmartAC with Eric Proos, Next Era Legal, "Auto-Renewal in HVAC Maintenance Contracts" - states that updated their auto-renewal laws: California, New York, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Virginia. smartac.com, June 30, 2026. Florida Statutes 634.401 (service warranty definitions and the under-one-year, 20-percent exemption): flsenate.gov, read September 5, 2026.