Four things. I do them right.
I do four kinds of work: repairs, drain cleaning, water heaters, and fixture install. If your job isn't on this list, call me anyway — I'll either do it or send you to someone who will. (Honest referrals are part of the gig.)
Prices below are real. They're what I'll quote you for the typical version of each job. If I find something unusual on-site, I write the new number down on a clipboard before I touch a wrench. No surprise tickets at the end.
Repairs
This is most of what I do. Drips under sinks, hose bibs that won't shut off, pressure regulators failing, supply lines that started weeping last Tuesday and got worse this morning. I show up with a diagnostic for $59. If I do the work, that $59 comes off the repair.
For small repairs I usually have the part on the truck — PEX, copper, brass compression fittings, Sharkbites, Moen and Delta cartridges, basic valve rebuild kits. If I need something obscure, I'll either drive to my supplier in Black Mountain or order it overnight and come back.
For bigger jobs — full repipe of a galvanized supply line, a slab leak (I refer those out — see the note below), a major drain repair — I quote on-site after I see the actual run. Numbers go on a clipboard before I cut.
- Diagnostic
- $59 (applied to repair if I do the work)
- Small leak repair
- $89 – $180
- Pressure regulator replace
- $240 – $320
- Hose bib / supply stop
- $140 – $185
- Major leak / partial repipe
- $240 – $1,800 (on-site quote)
- Toilet rebuild
- $175 + parts
What's the diagnostic actually for?
So I can stand in front of the leak, look at it, and tell you the right price. Phone quotes guess. Eyes-on quotes don't.
Will you come out the same day?
Sometimes. If you call before 10am Mon–Sat, usually yes. Otherwise it's first thing the next morning.
Do you do slab leaks?
I don't. They need acoustic leak detection equipment I don't carry. I refer those to Henderson Plumbing or a slab-leak specialist.
Drain Cleaning
Slow kitchen sinks. Tub stoppers that don't drain. Mainline backups in older Asheville crawlspaces with original cast-iron. I run a manual K-50 drum auger first — sink or tub, that's usually all it takes. Mainlines and main stacks get a bigger machine.
Sewer camera is a separate quoted line. I don't push it unless the snake doesn't clear the line or you've had recurring backups. If I do run it, you keep the footage on a thumb drive.
I don't use hydro-jetting from a Transit — the equipment doesn't fit the truck and the residential cases I see don't usually need it. If yours actually needs jetting, I'll send you to the right guy.
- Drain snake (sink / tub)
- $145
- Drain snake (main / cleanout)
- $325
- Sewer camera (separate)
- $295
- Toilet auger
- $125
- Reset toilet seal (after backup)
- $165
Will the snake damage my pipes?
Not on a properly-installed system. On a 1920s cast-iron line with cracks, anything you do has risk — the camera tells us what we're working with before we push hard.
Do you do Bio-Clean or enzyme products?
I'll recommend them if your line clogs are grease-and-buildup recurring. It's $26 a jar and a routine I'll walk you through.
What about tree roots?
Snake gets through the first round. Camera tells us if it's chronic. If it's chronic, you're looking at a sectional repair, which I can do or refer out depending on access.
Water Heaters
Tank swaps are a morning job. Tankless is a day. I install Rheem and Bradford White because my supplier in Black Mountain stocks parts and warranty for both, and because I've serviced enough of each to know what fails and when.
I'll quote tank vs. tankless honestly: for most West Asheville bungalows and Montford craftsman houses, a 50-gallon standard tank is the right answer. For a four-person household with two simultaneous showers, tankless makes sense. For a one-person bungalow, anyone who tells you to spend $5,400 on tankless is selling you something.
Install price includes haul-away of the old unit, the new T&P relief line, expansion tank if your system needs one, and code-required dielectric unions. Permits are separate at the Asheville permit office's actual cost — no markup.
- 40-gallon tank install
- $1,180
- 50-gallon tank install
- $1,340
- Tankless install (Rheem / Navien)
- $3,800 – $5,400
- T&P valve replace
- $165
- Thermocouple / element repair
- $185 – $245
How long will the install take?
Tank: morning. Tankless: full day. I'll text you a window the day before.
Do you handle the permit?
I pull it. You pay the city's fee at cost ($35–$70 typical). No surprise markup.
Will my old heater fit in your truck?
Yes. Haul-away and recycling are included in the install price.
Fixture Install
Faucets, toilets, garbage disposals, hose bibs, supply stops, fill valves, shower trim. If you bought a real fixture from Build.com or Ferguson or your kitchen designer and the box is still sealed, I'll install it. Base rate $180 plus the parts the job actually needs (supply stops, supply lines, putty, gasket).
If you bought a $32 Amazon faucet from a brand none of us recognize, I'll tell you on the phone before I drive out and let you decide. They usually leak within six months and the warranty is a chat-bot. I'd rather you bought once.
If anything I install leaks within thirty days because of the install (not the fixture), I come back at no charge. Same applies to toilet seats that come loose, supply stops that drip at the joint, and disposal flanges that don't seal.
- Faucet swap (kitchen / bath)
- $180 base + parts
- Toilet install
- $240 + parts
- Garbage disposal install
- $220 + parts
- Hose bib replace
- $140 + parts
- Shower trim kit
- $285 + parts
Will you install something I bought?
If it's a real plumbing-rated fixture, yes. I'll tell you on the phone if I see a brand I don't trust.
How long does a faucet swap take?
Forty-five minutes if the supply stops cooperate. Two hours if the supply stops don't.
Do you carry parts on the truck?
Standard supply lines, stops, putty, gaskets, P-traps, basic Moen/Delta cartridges — yes. Brand-specific cartridges (Kohler, Grohe, anything boutique) usually have to be ordered.
Jobs not listed: gas lines (I refer out to my friend Marcus at Apex Gas in Weaverville), new construction rough-ins (call Henderson Plumbing — they taught me), big commercial / restaurant / apartment-complex work (PHCC of NC keeps a list at phccnc.org).
FAQ
How much does a leak repair cost?
Most run $89–$240. The $59 diagnostic is applied to the repair if I do the work. If it's something bigger — repipe, slab leak — I'll quote on-site before I cut.
Do you do sewer cameras?
Yes. $295 separate from the snake. I only suggest it if the mainline isn't clearing or you've had recurring backups.
Tank or tankless water heater?
Most West Asheville bungalows are fine with a 50-gallon tank ($1,340 installed). Four-person households with simultaneous showers benefit from tankless ($3,800–$5,400). I'll walk you through it on-site.
Will you install a fixture I bought online?
If it's a real plumbing-rated fixture, yes. $180 base + parts. 30-day callback at no charge if my install leaks.
Do you do gas lines?
No. Marcus at Apex Gas in Weaverville is licensed for it. I'm not, and gas isn't something to guess at.
Are you licensed and insured?
NC P-1 #24809, issued April 2018. $1M liability through Erie. Both documents are on the truck.