ClearFlow Plumbing & Heating
“Service plans pay the office staff. Emergencies pay for growth.”
LOLuis Ortega · ClearFlow Plumbing & Heating · Since 2015
12-mo revenue$1,153,140+13% vs last yearStripe + QuickBooks
Based on 21 real plumbing & heating businesses in Canada, including 5 that closed.
✓Your budget should cover this.
Bills run about $1,080 a month (fuel, insurance, rent, phone). Most owners make a profit after about 2 months. Keep this much aside to pay bills until then.
State plumbing contractor licence and exam.
Covered by your licence in most provinces.
Some provinces ask for a bond. You pay about 1 to 3% of it.
Register with your province (about $60 to $360). Get a free business number from the CRA.
Free to about $15 a month. Keeps business money apart from yours.
Sets up your books and files your first tax return.
Before costs. Winter peak for heating.
| Slow | Typical | Strong | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $6.1k | $12k | $23.5k |
| Year 3 | $16.1k | $28.5k | $50.6k |
| Year 5 | $20.2k | $37k | $68k |
Slow: 1 in 4 make less than this. Typical: half make more, half make less. Strong: 1 in 4 make more than this.
“Service plans pay the office staff. Emergencies pay for growth.”
$15.3k
about $268k
Starting costs about $253k less. Buying costs more, but you earn from the first month and skip the risky early years.