Plumbers and heating and cooling contractors in California

28,029 plumbers and heating and cooling contractors are listed in California. 2,383 hold an active USDOT registration. The 53 counties listed below have at least 15 each and account for 27,994 of them.

California's Contractors State License Board issues the C-36 license plumbing businesses hold.1, 2, 3 Heating and cooling businesses in California hold the board's C-20 license.4 Your local building department in California can tell you whether replacing a water heater, furnace or AC needs a permit.

Counties

Other counties in California

35 contractors in 5 counties with fewer than 15 listings.

Plumbing and HVAC rules in California

Plumbing license

State license.1, 2, 3

Heating and cooling license

State license.4

Replacement permits

Ask your local building department whether replacing a water heater, furnace or AC needs a permit where you live.

Plumbing and HVAC rules in California

What plumbing and HVAC work costs in California

These are published national ranges, not quotes. Local quotes vary.

A plumber's hourly rate
$45 to $200 an hour; most charge $70 to $150 (HomeAdvisor, Fixr, HomeGuide)
A plumber's service call
$50 to $300 a visit, which often covers the first hour (HomeAdvisor, Fixr, HomeGuide)
After-hours or emergency call
about $100 to $300 added to the call, or about $150 to $350 an hour (HomeAdvisor, Fixr, HomeGuide)
Burst or leaking pipe repair
$200 to $3,000; the guides' averages run $500 to $1,200 (HomeAdvisor, Fixr, HomeGuide)
Clearing a sink, tub or toilet drain
$100 to $275 (HomeAdvisor, Fixr, HomeGuide)
Clearing the main line
$175 to $800; typically $350 to $650 (HomeAdvisor, Fixr, HomeGuide)
Hydro jetting
$350 to $1,400, depending on the line and the blockage (HomeAdvisor, Fixr, HomeGuide)
Gas tank water heater
$700 to $2,700 installed; about $1,900 on average (HomeAdvisor, Fixr, HomeGuide)
Tankless water heater
$1,600 to $5,600 installed for gas, depending on gas line and venting work (HomeAdvisor, Fixr, HomeGuide)$850 to $3,000 installed for electric, before any panel upgrade ($850 to $1,700) (Fixr, HomeGuide)
Heat pump water heater
$2,000 to $4,600 installed in place of an electric tank; more when it replaces gas (HomeAdvisor, Fixr, HomeGuide)
Sewer camera inspection
$125 to $500 (HomeAdvisor, Fixr, HomeGuide)
Sewer line replacement
about $1,400 to $5,300 for a typical line (HomeAdvisor, HomeGuide)$50 to $250 a linear foot (HomeAdvisor, HomeGuide)
Replacing central AC on existing ducts
$3,900 to $8,000; about $6,000 on average (HomeAdvisor, Fixr, Forbes Home)
Swapping a heat pump on existing ducts
$4,000 to $8,000; a 3-ton system about $3,900 to $6,200 (HomeAdvisor, Forbes Home, HomeGuide)
A whole-home heat pump system
commonly $14,000 or more (NYSERDA, Massachusetts EEAC, Fixr, HomeGuide)
Replacing a gas furnace
$3,800 to $6,200 at standard efficiency (HomeGuide, HomeAdvisor, Fixr, Forbes Home)$5,200 to $12,000 at high efficiency (90% AFUE and up) (HomeGuide, HomeAdvisor, Fixr, Forbes Home)
Replacing an electric furnace
$1,600 to $8,000, with a like-for-like swap at the low end (Fixr, HomeAdvisor)
A single-zone mini-split
$2,000 to $5,000 (HomeGuide, Fixr, Forbes Home)
A multi-zone mini-split
$3,000 to $14,000 for 2 to 4 zones (HomeGuide, Fixr, Forbes Home)
An HVAC tune-up
$70 to $350 a visit; a basic tune-up is often about $100 to $200 (HomeGuide, HomeAdvisor, Fixr)
An HVAC maintenance plan
$120 to $500 a year (HomeGuide, Fixr)

Ranges from HomeAdvisor, HomeGuide, Fixr, Forbes Home, NYSERDA and the Massachusetts EEAC, checked September 2026.

What plumbing and HVAC work costs in California

Sources

  1. California Contractors State License Board ↑
  2. California Contractors State License Board ↑
  3. California Contractors State License Board ↑
  4. California Contractors State License Board ↑