How to Choose a Plumbing Company in Des Moines
To choose a plumbing company in Des Moines, confirm it holds an Iowa plumbing contractor license and DIAL contractor registration, ask for proof of liability insurance, and get a written estimate before any work starts. For sewer problems, ask for a camera inspection before you accept a repair quote. Then compare warranties, emergency availability and reviews across more than one platform.
This guide is published by Clog Busters, a Des Moines drain, sewer and plumbing company. We have written it to be useful whoever you hire.
A plumbing problem rarely waits for a good time. A backed up floor drain or a water heater that quits on a January night pushes you to call the first number you find. The checks below take a few minutes, and most of them can be done while you are still on the phone.
Is the plumber licensed in Iowa?
Iowa requires every plumbing and mechanical contractor to be licensed by the Plumbing and Mechanical Systems Board and registered with the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL). Those are two separate credentials, so check both.
According to DIAL’s plumbing contractor license requirements, a contractor applicant must show:
- Public liability insurance with at least $500,000 in coverage
- A surety bond of at least $5,000
- A DIAL contractor registration number, under Iowa Code chapter 91C
- A permanent place of business
Individual plumbers are licensed separately at apprentice, journeyperson and master levels. You can look up a company or a plumber in the state’s public license search portal before anyone arrives.
Ask for the insurance certificate
A licensed contractor should be able to send you a current certificate of liability insurance the same day. If a company hesitates, treat that as your answer.
What should a written estimate include?
A written estimate should describe the work, the materials, the completion date and the price. That is the standard the Federal Trade Commission sets out in its guide on how to avoid a home improvement scam (updated July 2022).
For plumbing work, also ask the estimate to state:
- Whether the price is flat or billed by the hour
- Who pulls the permit, if one is required
- What happens if the crew finds a second problem once the line is open
- The warranty on parts and on labor
The FTC also advises against picking the lowest bid by default and against paying the full price up front.
Should a plumber camera the sewer line before quoting a repair?
Yes. A sewer camera inspection is a diagnostic in which a technician feeds a waterproof camera through the drain line to see roots, cracks, sags or offset joints, and to measure where the problem sits.
Without that footage, a sewer quote is a guess. Two companies can quote very different jobs, from a cleaning to a full replacement, because neither has seen inside the pipe.
What to ask for
- A copy of the video, or the chance to watch it live
- The approximate depth and distance of the problem from the cleanout
- Whether cleaning, a spot repair or a full replacement is the right fix, and why
A camera inspection should explain a repair, not sell one. If the recommendation does not match what the footage shows, ask the technician to walk you through it. Who owns the sewer lateral, the pipe between your house and the public main, varies from city to city, so ask the City of Des Moines where your responsibility ends before you agree to excavation.
Does the company answer at night and on weekends?
Ask how after hours calls are handled before you need one. “24/7” can mean a technician on call, or it can mean an answering service that books you for the next morning.
Useful questions:
- Does a person answer, or a voicemail?
- Is the after hours technician licensed, or a helper?
- Is there an after hours rate, and what is it?
What warranty should a plumber offer?
A warranty should be in writing and should name what it covers: parts, labor, or both, and for how long. Manufacturer warranties on fixtures and water heaters are separate from the installer’s labor warranty, so ask about each one.
How should you read online reviews?
Read reviews on more than one platform and look at the pattern rather than the score. Recent reviews that name the service you need, such as a sewer repair or a water heater replacement, tell you more than a large total count.
Pay attention to how the company replies to complaints. A calm, specific reply that explains what was done is a better sign than silence.
Who handles permits in Des Moines?
The City of Des Moines enforces the Iowa State Plumbing Code, which its construction codes page lists as based on the 2024 Uniform Plumbing Code. Permits are handled by the City’s Permit and Development Center.
A competent contractor knows which jobs need a permit and pulls it before starting. Put that responsibility in the written estimate.
Red flags and what to do about them
| Red flag | What to do |
|---|---|
| Asks for full payment up front, or cash only | Pay a deposit only, and the balance when the work is done |
| Will not give a written estimate | Ask for one in writing or call another company |
| Cannot give a license number | Check the state license portal before work starts |
| Quotes a sewer replacement without a camera inspection | Ask for the inspection and the footage first |
| Pushes you to sign today | Take time to compare. The FTC notes you may have three business days to cancel a contract signed at your home |
| Says no permit is needed for a large job | Ask the City’s Permit and Development Center |
How Clog Busters fits these criteria
Clog Busters was founded in 2020 and is owned by Jarod Smith. Our Des Moines branch is at 3950 Vandalia Rd, Des Moines, IA 50317, and we are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Our Des Moines work covers drain cleaning, hydro jetting, sewer camera inspections and sewer repair and replacement, water heaters and plumbing repair. We camera the line before we quote a sewer repair, so you can see what we see.
Use the checklist above with us the same way you would with anyone else. If you would like a second look at a quote you already have, contact our Des Moines team.
For the other side of the job, see our guide to choosing a drain cleaning company in Des Moines.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many estimates should I get for a plumbing job?
For a planned plumbing job, get three written estimates, which is the number the Federal Trade Commission recommends in its home repair scams guidance. Compare the scope of work, not only the price, because a low bid can leave out parts, permits or cleanup. For a sewer job, make sure each company has seen camera footage of the line. In a true emergency, one company may be all you have time for, so use the license and insurance checks above before work starts.
Should I pay a plumber up front?
You should not pay the full price of a plumbing job up front. The Federal Trade Commission lists demands for full payment in advance, or for cash only, as warning signs of a home improvement scam. A reasonable deposit for parts on a larger job is normal. Make the final payment only when the work is done and you are satisfied.
Key Takeaways
- Iowa requires plumbing and mechanical contractors to be licensed by the Plumbing and Mechanical Systems Board and registered with DIAL.
- An Iowa plumbing contractor license requires at least $500,000 in public liability insurance and a $5,000 surety bond, according to DIAL.
- The FTC says a written estimate should include the work, materials, completion date and price.
- The FTC recommends getting three written estimates before home repairs.
- The FTC lists full payment up front and cash only demands as warning signs of a home improvement scam.
- Des Moines enforces the Iowa State Plumbing Code, based on the 2024 Uniform Plumbing Code, according to the City’s construction codes page.
- A sewer camera inspection shows the cause and location of a sewer problem before a repair is priced.
Citations and References
- Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing, Plumbing contractor license
- Iowa public license search, Plumbing and mechanical license lookup
- Federal Trade Commission, How To Avoid a Home Improvement Scam (July 2022)
- Federal Trade Commission, Home Repair Scams
- City of Des Moines, Construction codes
- City of Des Moines, Permit and Development Center
