2 Mar

How a Residential Plumber Is Different from a Commercial Plumber

residential plumber works on homes

When looking for a plumber you may be wondering what the difference between a residential plumber and a commercial plumber is. The simple answer is that a residential plumber works on homes, while a commercial plumber works on commercial buildings. Here are a few key differences between the two that go a bit deeper.

  • Training and Codes: Both kinds of plumbers need to be trained and have licenses, but that training will include different codes, techniques, and tools between the two jobs. While both plumbers are very skilled in their trades, they should not switch jobs without getting new licenses.
  • Hours: While a residential plumber will work a typical 9 to 5 job with occasional weekend or nighttime shifts on-call, a commercial plumber may not. A commercial plumber may end up working at night because the buildings they work on will be full of people during the day. While commercial plumbers will still work during the day, they are more likely to spend time working outside of the typical 9 to 5 shift.
  • Complexity: As mentioned before, the two plumbers will have different types of training. This is because a residential plumber will work and think within the small system of a home. A commercial plumber will have to take into account the large size of the commercial building, the numerous large bathrooms on a floor, and the multiples floors.

While a commercial plumber and a residential plumber both work on the plumbing of buildings, the buildings they work on make their job very different.