The 4 automations plumbing businesses build first
1. Estimate follow-up sequence
Most plumbers send an estimate and then wait. The problem is that homeowners are comparing two or three bids at once, and the first contractor to follow up with a clear, personal message usually wins -- not the lowest price. An automated follow-up sequence makes this happen without anyone touching a keyboard.
The trigger is simple: an estimate is sent in ServiceTitan, Jobber, or Housecall Pro, and no response is recorded after 24 hours. At that point, an automated SMS goes out: "Hey [Name], just checking in on the estimate I sent for [job type]. Happy to answer any questions." If there is still no response at day 3, a second message goes out -- this one includes a mention of financing options for jobs over $500. A final message on day 7 closes the loop. The entire sequence stops the moment the prospect replies or books.
2. Post-job review request
Google reviews are the single most important trust signal for a plumbing company. A homeowner searching "plumber near me" is choosing between contractors based almost entirely on review count and average rating. The problem is that happy customers almost never leave a review on their own -- they mean to, then forget. Unhappy customers are far more motivated. That asymmetry destroys ratings unless you build a system to correct it.
The automation is straightforward: a job is marked complete in the field management software, a 3-hour delay passes (enough time for the customer to get settled), and then an SMS goes out: "Hi [Name], thanks for choosing us for your [job]. If we did great work today, a quick Google review means the world to us: [link]. If anything fell short, reply here and I'll make it right personally. -- [Owner name]"
The key detail is the negative filter. Customers who reply with a complaint or low satisfaction signal are routed to a private feedback form -- not to your public Google profile. This keeps your public rating clean while still capturing actionable feedback.
3. Emergency and after-hours inquiry response
A burst pipe at 10pm is an emergency. The homeowner is not going to wait until morning -- they're calling three plumbers at once, and whoever calls back first gets the job. Most plumbing companies miss these leads entirely, or a dispatcher calls back 8 hours later to find the customer already booked someone else.
After-hours automation closes this gap. When a lead comes in through a web form or a missed call is logged outside business hours, an immediate SMS goes out within seconds: "Hi, this is [Company]. We got your message and will call you first thing at [time]. For true emergencies, call [number] directly." Simultaneously, the lead is created in the CRM with full contact details and any notes from the inquiry, and the on-call technician receives a text alert.
4. Recurring maintenance reminders
Water heater flushes, annual plumbing inspections, seasonal winterization -- these are recurring revenue jobs that most plumbers never capture because they rely on customers to remember. Automation changes the dynamic.
When a job is completed, the next service date is recorded in the CRM. Thirty days before that date, an SMS and email reminder goes out. Seven days before, a follow-up with a direct booking link is sent. The customer books, the job is scheduled, and no one had to make an outbound call.
What tools plumbing businesses use
Plumbing automation typically connects field management software to communication tools and an automation layer. The exact stack depends on your current software, but most builds use some combination of the following:
ServiceTitan is the dominant platform for multi-crew plumbing operations — it has deep API access that supports complex automation builds. Jobber and Housecall Pro are a better fit for owner-operators and smaller teams. The automation layer (n8n, Make, or Zapier) connects your field software to communication tools like Twilio and handles all the conditional logic.
What the numbers look like
Estimate close rate: Average without follow-up automation: 22%. With automated follow-up: 34-38%. On 100 estimates per month, that's 12-16 additional closed jobs.
Google reviews: Businesses that ask for reviews get 40x more reviews than those that don't ask. With automation, the ask happens 100% of the time -- no jobs slip through.
After-hours leads: Leads that receive an instant response convert at 3x the rate of leads contacted the following morning. For a plumber receiving 10 after-hours leads per month, that's the difference between 2 jobs and 6.
How long does it take to build?
Most plumbing automation projects take 1-2 weeks from kickoff to go-live. The work is priced at $150/hr as a flat project -- you know the total before work begins. There are no monthly fees, no SaaS subscriptions, and no ongoing retainers. You own the automation after delivery.
Typical project scopes:
Estimate follow-up sequence: 20-30 hours ($3,000-$4,500). Review request automation: 20-25 hours ($3,000-$3,750). After-hours response automation: 15-20 hours ($2,250-$3,000). Recurring maintenance reminders: 15-20 hours ($2,250-$3,000).
Deep Dive
Explore our full automation guide and service page for plumbing companies
Frequently asked questions
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What software do plumbing companies use for automation?
ServiceTitan is the most common for larger plumbing companies; Jobber and Housecall Pro for owner-operators. Automation connects to these via API or webhook to trigger follow-ups, review requests, and reminders without requiring manual action from the office.
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How much does plumbing business automation cost?
Plumbing automation at Aplos AI is $150/hr as a flat project. Estimate follow-up sequences run 20-30 hours ($3,000-$4,500). Review request automation is 20-25 hours ($3,000-$3,750). After-hours response automation is 15-20 hours ($2,250-$3,000). All one-time cost, no monthly fees.
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How do you automate plumbing estimate follow-up?
When an estimate is sent in ServiceTitan or Jobber, automation detects no response after 24 hours and sends a personalized SMS. If there's still no response at day 3, a follow-up with a financing option goes out for larger jobs. A final follow-up on day 7 closes the sequence. The automation stops the moment the prospect responds or books.
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How do you get more Google reviews for a plumbing business?
A post-job review request triggers via SMS 2-3 hours after a job is marked complete. Happy customers get a direct Google review link. Customers who express dissatisfaction are routed to a private feedback form. This filter protects your rating while maximizing review volume.
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Can you automate after-hours lead response for a plumbing company?
Yes. When a lead comes in via web form or a missed call is logged outside business hours, an immediate SMS goes out acknowledging receipt and setting expectations for callback. The lead is simultaneously created in the CRM with full contact info and job details. Most plumbing businesses see 2-5 additional jobs per month from this alone.