§1What this business is
A plumber with two helpers takes jobs for new water connections, bathroom and toilet fittings, and repair of old lines. The KVIC profile is a one-person business with a 250 sq ft shed for tools and stock.
Capacity: Service income of ₹1.00 L a year at full work (cost of service ₹80,700).
§2Is it right for you?
Who it is for
A trained plumber (ITI or experienced helper) who wants to work for himself.
Who it is not for
Someone without hands-on plumbing skill who plans only to supervise.
Advantages
- Very low investment
- Steady need from new houses, toilets and water connections
- Can start with a tool kit and a small shed
- Repair calls bring repeat customers
Drawbacks
- The profile's income is small — ₹14,000 net a year at full work
- Work is irregular and follows local building activity
- Physical, on-site work
- Customers bargain hard on labour charges
Skills you need
- Cutting, threading and joining pipes (GI, PVC, CPVC)
- Fitting taps, cisterns and sanitary ware
- Reading simple plumbing layouts
- Pricing jobs and dealing with customers
Why difficulty 1/5: Tiny investment; success depends on the plumber's own skill.
§3Market
Who buys
- Households building or repairing houses
- Builders and contractors
- Shops, schools and offices
How it sells
- Word of mouth and local hardware shops
- Jobs from builders and contractors
Good to know
- The profile says villages and semi-urban areas still need many new water and sanitation connections besides repairs.
§4Raw material & machinery
| Item | Qty | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Spanner sets, pipe threading set, chain pulley, drill machine, levelling block | 1 lot | ₹30,000 |
From: KVIC Project Profile — Plumbing (PMEGP)
- Pipes, fittings and jointing material₹5,000 a year in the profile
§5Licences & registration
- Udyam registration
- GST if turnover crosses the threshold
- Trade licence from the local body where required
- Plumber licence where the municipal body or water board asks for one
§6Schemes & subsidies
- PMEGPCentralActive15–35% subsidy
- MudraCentralActiveLoan up to ₹20 lakh, no collateral
- CM YUVAUPActiveUp to ₹5 lakh, interest-free
A ₹93,000 service project: PMEGP (service limit ₹20 L), MUDRA Shishu, or CM-YUVA in UP for first-time entrepreneurs aged 21–40.
§7Money
How the investment is worked out: Shed 250 sq ft ₹50,000 + equipment ₹30,000 (spanner sets, pipe threading, chain pulley, drill machine, levelling block) = ₹80,000 capital + working capital ₹13,000 = ₹93,000. Land own.
Working capital: ₹13,000 — mostly for small fittings (raw material ₹5,000 a year).
Year not printed on the KVIC profile — check current machinery prices.
§8Export potential
A local service business; it has no goods to export.
§9Risks — where people fail
- Leaks after a job hurting reputation
- Late payment from contractors
- Tool theft or damage
- Low rates from competitors
§1030 / 60 / 90-day plan
A general plan that applies to any business. A plan for this business will be added after research.
- Days 1–30: Visit a working plumbing and sanitary work unit, ask 10 buyers about price and quantity, and get quotations from 3 suppliers.
- Days 31–60: Udyam and the licences you need (Udyam registration, GST if turnover crosses the threshold), a project report (DPR), and the scheme or loan file.
- Days 61–90: Space and machines, trial production, and first deliveries to 10 customers.
§11Who to connect with
Associations, clusters and training institutes — the directory is being built. Connect
§12Watch
There is no episode on this business yet. Shows are coming soon on the Podcast page.
Want to start Plumbing and Sanitary Work?
DPR, loan file or registration — ask us on WhatsApp.
¶Sources
Data review: 6 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Report it. For information only — not legal or financial advice.