Hiring a plumber in Akron, Ohio

What to check and what to ask before a plumber starts work at your home in Akron, Cuyahoga Falls, Stow, Kent, or anywhere nearby.

The short checklist

  1. Check the license. Ohio licenses plumbing contractors. Ask for the number and look it up: how to check an Ohio contractor license.
  2. Check the insurance. Ask for a certificate of liability insurance and call the insurer to confirm it.
  3. Ask about the permit. Water heater replacements and most plumbing changes need one. The plumber should pull it.
  4. Get it in writing. The quote should list the parts, labor, permit, and haul-away separately.

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Permits for plumbing work

Summit County Building Standards handles residential permits for 22 communities in the county. A few cities run their own building departments, and Kent is in Portage County, which the Summit County office doesn't cover. Ask your city if you're not sure which office handles your address.

On the county's 2024 plumbing permit form, a residential permit is a $60 application fee plus $40 for each repair or replacement (a water heater, a toilet) or $2 per 100 sq ft for interior alterations like a repipe, plus a 1% state fee. A water heater permit comes to about $101. Since March 2024, contractors show their liability insurance, state license (if one applies), and tax ID when they apply. You can look up permits at your address on the Summit County permit search.

Summit County Building Standards: 1030 East Tallmadge Ave., Akron, OH 44310. (330) 630-7280, Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

What common plumbing jobs cost

A standard 50-gallon tank in Akron runs about $1,400 to $2,100 installed (water heater replacement cost). Each of these calculators shows every line of the price with its source: drain cleaning, toilet replacement, sump pump, sewer line, and a whole-house repipe.

Questions to ask before anyone starts

Water heater trouble?

If it's leaking now, start here: what to do when a water heater leaks.

Why we don't list plumbers yet

We're an independent guide, not a plumbing company. We don't list or recommend plumbers yet. When we add one, we'll say plainly how they were checked (license, insurance, permits pulled) and that the listing is paid.

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Sources

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