57 Plumbing Interview Questions to Find Top Plumbers

General plumbing interview questions

Ask these general questions first to get a better understanding of the candidate, their experience, and why they’re looking for a new job.

• Tell me about yourself.
• Describe your past experience as a plumber or in the plumbing trade.
• What skills or experience set you apart from other plumbing professionals?
• What do you enjoy most about being a plumber?
• What plumbing license do you have?

JUMP TO: Role-specific interview questions

• What do you know about our plumbing company?
• Why do you think you’re the right person for this job?
• Do you have a valid driver’s license and a clean driving record?
• Do you have experience using plumbing estimating software?
• Can you provide two to three references?
• Do you have any questions for me?

READ MORE: How to start a plumbing business: everything you need to know

Technical plumbing skills interview questions

Technical or operational interview questions help you ensure the candidate has the specific skills and knowledge they need to fix common plumbing issues.

• What plumbing tools do you always bring with you to the job site for plumbing repairs or installations?
• What chemical drain cleaners would you recommend to clear a clogged drain?
• How would you find a hidden pipe blockage?
• Should you install steel plumbing under a sink? Why or why not?
• How do you snake clogged pipes?
• Do you prefer PVC or copper pipes? Why?
• What is the first thing you look at before designing a plumbing system?
• What causes a sump pump to fail?
• Have you ever installed an air conditioning unit? Walk me through the steps you took.

Commercial plumbing technical questions

If you primarily work on commercial plumbing and larger plumbing jobs, ask these questions:

• Have you ever plumbed an office building?
• Have you ever had to install a plumbing system for an entire floor of a building? How did you start?
• What was the hardest project you ever completed? How did you get the job done?
• Tell me about a time when you had to review blueprints or building codes to complete a job. What did you look for?

Hospital plumber interview questions

To find a candidate capable of performing plumbing repairs, maintenance, and installations in a hospital setting, ask these questions:

• What technical experience do you have with plumbing hospitals?
• Have you ever installed medical gas or oxygen in hospitals? Walk me through how you did it.
• Describe how you would install or repair medical gas and waste disposal systems.

Residential plumbing technical questions

If your plumbing business targets homeowners and other residential customers, you’ll want to ask the following questions:

• What’s the first step you should take to fix a clogged pipe?
• How do you keep water pressure strong when installing multiple shower heads?
• Have you ever designed a plumbing system for a new home? Tell me about it.
• What would you do if you removed an old toilet for a new toilet installation and found the floor around the toilet is rotted?
• Tell me about your experience installing water-based heating systems.
• What would you recommend as an alternative to a conventional water heater?
• What expert advice would you give a homeowner dealing with a leaking pipe or fixture?

Behavioral interview questions for plumbers

Asking behavioral questions will help you better understand how your plumbing candidate will act in certain situations. Make sure the questions are relevant to the types of scenarios they’ll face if they get the job.

Here are a few behavioral questions you should ask:

• Tell me about a time when you offered excellent customer service as a plumber.
• What safety precautions do you take on the job? What safety equipment do you use?
• What was the hardest plumbing job you’ve ever had to tackle? How did you overcome it?
• Tell me about a time you had to work for a difficult customer. How did you make a good impression?
• Have you ever had to work in a team? What was your role?
• Have you ever had to work with a difficult team member? How did you get along?
• Tell me about a time you were given incomplete instructions for a job. What did you do?
• How do you organize your day when you have multiple plumbing service calls?

READ MORE: 18 of the best plumber apps to make your life easier

Role-specific plumber interview questions

Depending on the type of plumber you’re looking to hire, you’ll want to ask questions specific to their skill level and experience. 

Plumbing apprenticeship interview questions

• Why do you want to work in the plumbing industry?
• What experience do you have in plumbing?
• What skills do you have that’ll make you a good plumber?
• When will you be eligible to take your journeyperson plumbing exam? (If required by your state)

Interview questions for journeyperson plumbers

• How long have you been a journeyperson plumber?
• What training, education, and/or experience do you have in plumbing?
• What’s the hardest problem you’ve had to solve as a journeyperson plumber?
• Where do you see yourself in five years as a journeyperson plumber?

Questions to ask master plumbers

• How long have you been a master plumber?
• How do you stay up to date with changes and trends in the plumbing industry?
• What is the most challenging job you’ve had to do as a plumber?
• Have you ever trained an apprentice? Tell me about the experience.
• How do you handle team conflict?
• What are your plumbing career goals?

Compensation-based questions for hiring plumbers

Hiring the perfect candidate for your growing plumbing company means finding the right experience at the right price. To make sure you’ll meet their wage expectations, ask one of the following questions:

• What are your salary expectations for this position?
• What salary range are you looking for?
• How much are you hoping to earn in this position?

Pro Tip: Have an ideal salary range in mind before you start your interview process so you’re ready to answer any pay-related questions your candidates may have.