Plumbing Inspection Checklist
A free inspection checklist and report for plumbers. Check the water heater, supply, drains and fixtures, rate each Good, Fair or Poor, and recommend what to fix.
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View full pageWhat's on this checklist
- Your business name, logo and license number, the date, job number and who inspected
- The customer, and the home: type and age, city water or well, pipe types and the water heater
- Which tests you did: pressure gauge (with the psi), meter leak test, gas leak check, sewer camera, crawl space or attic
- 21 checks in four groups: water heater, water supply, drains and sewer, fixtures
- Good, Fair or Poor for each check, with a one-line key at the top
- The overall condition
- What you found and recommend: priority, item, estimated price and what the customer said
- Who inspected it and the date
How to fill it in
- Add your business details, logo and license number, then save it as your master copy.
- Fill in the customer, the home and the date.
- Tick the tests you did, and write the water pressure if you measured it.
- Go group by group and tick Good, Fair or Poor. Leave a line blank if the home doesn't have it, like a sump pump.
- Tick the overall condition.
- List what you recommend, most urgent first, with a price where you can give one.
- Sign it and give the customer a copy.
From the checklist to the estimate
The checklist is where the job starts. In the sample, the plumber checks the house on a service call: the water heater tank is leaking, the pressure is 92 psi and there's no expansion tank, all Poor.
The first recommendation (replace the heater, add a pressure reducing valve and an expansion tank) is priced on the plumbing estimate at $2,480.50. The small things, a running toilet and a dripping faucet, go on the list for later.
Questions
- Is this a code inspection checklist?
- No. Rough-in, top-out and final inspections are done by your city or county's building inspector, on their own forms. This checklist records the condition of a home's plumbing on the day you looked. The note on it says it is not a home inspection or a code inspection.
- Does it cover the water heater?
- Yes, it's the first group: the tank or unit, the relief valve and its drain line, the vent or flue, the gas valve or electric hookup, and the expansion tank. Write the heater's type, size and year in the Home box.
- What water pressure is too high?
- Most plumbing codes call for a pressure reducing valve when house pressure is over 80 psi, and many plumbers set it around 50 to 60. Write the reading in the psi box so the customer sees the number.
- Can a homeowner use this checklist?
- Yes, for most of it: look for leaks and rust, run each faucet and drain, and check the toilets. Leave the gas checks and the sewer camera to a plumber.
- Should I charge for an inspection?
- Many plumbers include a quick check with the service call, as in the sample, and price the repairs. Some charge for a full written inspection, for example for a home sale. It's up to you.