Service Plumber Pre-Hire Assessment

The short answer: First Move Assessment reads what a service plumber reaches for first: the camera, the gauge and the history before the wall comes open, or the fix that usually works, and whether they stay with the homeowner when the price is more than a drain call. It takes the candidate 10 to 20 minutes and starts at $149.

What the Service Plumber seat carries in a plumbing company

A service plumber makes calls that cannot be taken back. Opening a wall, cutting a slab or breaking into a tiled shower is a decision about somebody's house, and the strong ones find the real problem first: the camera down the line, the pressure gauge on the hose bib, the water heater's age and the last ticket on the account.

Then comes the conversation. The drain call turns out to be a collapsed line, the dripping water heater is fifteen years old, and the homeowner expected a drain call. A strong service plumber lays out the options and the price without flinching, and offers the membership as part of the call.

Weekends and nights add the emergency calls, a flooded basement or a burst line, where the water on the floor pushes the plumber to act before checking.

Every seat in the trade is listed on the plumbing page.

What the standard for this seat measures

Every situation the candidate reads is written from inside this seat, in the trade's own words, and each one asks for the move they would make first. The report gives a seat match from 0 to 100 against the written standard for the Service Plumber seat, with its margin of error printed beside it. It shows where the candidate's instincts line up with the seat and where they pull away, with the interview questions to ask about the gaps and what to listen for in the answers. It does not tell you whom to hire. You make the decision.

For this seat the standard leans hardest on checking before acting and on staying with the customer through the price.

Where the wrong instinct shows up

• The wall opened in the wrong place. The plumber cuts at the stain without tracing the leak with a moisture meter or thermal camera first, and the company pays for a second drywall patch.
• The booster pump. The homeowner read about one online, the plumber sells it without putting a gauge on anything, and the real problem was a failing pressure reducing valve.
• The jetting that was a collapse. The line gets jetted, it drains for a week, and the callback finds the broken pipe the camera would have shown.
• The replacement nobody priced. The fifteen-year-old water heater gets a new element and no conversation, and it fails in January on somebody else's truck.

See our guide to hiring a service plumber.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Service Plumber assessment cost?

One assessment is $149. A 5 Pack is $595, a 10 Pack is $995 ($99.50 a candidate) and a 25 Pack is $1,995 ($79.80 a candidate). The Practice License is $4,950 a year and includes 100 assessments ($49.50 each). Every seat costs the same, and assessments never expire. Your first report is covered by a 30-day refund. Full details are on the pricing page.

How long does it take the candidate?

About 10 to 20 minutes on a phone or a computer, with no app and no account. The candidate link expires 30 days after you send it.

How do I get the report?

You pick the seat and enter the candidate's name and email, and the link goes out. The report lands in your inbox the moment the candidate finishes, and it stays in your account for four years, unless you delete it or close the account.

Does it check plumbing code or licensing knowledge?

No. Your state license and a supervised call cover knowledge and skill. The assessment reads the instinct on the call that a license does not show.

Can I use it for a drain technician?

Yes, if the person runs service calls. Service Plumber is the seat for the plumber running service; for new construction and remodel work, use the Install Plumber seat.