What's a good average ticket for a plumbing service call?

A good average ticket for a plumbing service call runs between $892 and $1,805. The middle of the pack sits at $1,213. That range only holds up if you count the number the same way we do: sold revenue divided by number opportunities ran, tracked by tech.

Why the online numbers don't agree

Search for this question and you'll find a wide range of answers. Some pages quote a low number for a basic service call. Others quote a high number for a full job or install. Neither one is wrong. They're just measuring different things and calling it the same name.

A shop that only counts drain calls and service repairs will typically report a low average. A shop that lumps in water heater installs, repipes, and remodel work will report a high one. Without a clear definition of what counts in the ticket, the number is not usable for comparison. That's the gap most cost guides never close.

What we mean by average ticket

At Team SPG, average ticket means sold revenue divided by total opportunties, per tech. A sold call is one where the customer said yes, work was done, and paid for. Normally no-charge visits, warranty work, or callbacks are factored into the opportunities ran denominator.

Revenue per truck matters too, but that number gets muddied by how many calls dispatch sent that tech. Average ticket strips that out.

The numbers to use as your benchmark

Our data covers the plumbing companies that are part of Team SPG and the hundreds of plumbers part of those companies. This data is based on the last trailing 12 months. Here's the spread:

• The bottom 25% of techs average $892 per sold call.
• The typical tech averages $1,213 per sold call.
• The top 25% of techs average $1,805 per sold call.

This is not one magic number to hit. It's a range that tells you where your shop stands and how much room you have to grow.

What we recommend

Use $1,213 as your working target, not a ceiling. If your shop is below that, don't assume your prices are too low. Most of the time, the gap is in how techs engage with customers, conduct assessments, and present options. Not in the price on in the pricebook.

If your shop is already above $1,213, look at the top 25% mark of $1,805. That's where your best techs should be able to land with the right training and follow-up habits. Track this number by tech every week, not just as a shop-wide average. A shop average can hide a tech who is closing plenty of calls at a low price.

How to move your average ticket up

1. Pull average ticket by tech, not just by shop, so you can see who is dragging the number down.
2. Ride along with your lowest performers and watch how they talk to the customer and conduct their assessment. Not just what they say about price.
3. Check maintenance plan attach rate on every sold call. A plan sold alongside a repair raises the ticket without raising resistance to the price.
4. Review your flat rate book twice a year. If techs are quoting from memory instead of the book, tickets drift low without anyone noticing. It may also be time to revisit your billable hour rate.