Plumber Nashville: $75 to $150 an Hour + Metro Rules (2026)

Nashville rows are local figures from ConsumerAffairs; the national row is labeled. Permit fees are extra.

Do this now: a leak, backup or burst pipe in Nashville

1. Shut the main water valve. If the leak is at the meter or in the street, call Metro Water Services at 615-862-4600.
2. Water near outlets or the electrical panel: shut off power at the breaker only if you can reach it from a dry spot.
3. Smell gas: leave the house and call Piedmont Natural Gas or 911 from outside.
4. Sewage coming up a drain: stop running water and flushing until a plumber clears the line.
5. Frozen pipe: keep the faucet open and warm the pipe with a hair dryer or heating pad, never an open flame (American Red Cross).

Is it an emergency? Nashville's freezing nights and ice storms

Nashville International averages 66.3 nights a year at or below 32 F in NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals, and the National Weather Service lists a record low of -17 F, set in 1985. A burst pipe, sewage in the house or no water at all cannot wait. ConsumerAffairs notes that Nashville plumbing prices can rise 20 to 40 percent during ice storms as demand spikes, so ask for the price before anyone is sent. A dripping faucet or a slow drain can wait for business hours, when the rate is lower. After-hours rates and the Metro Water leak credit are on emergency plumber in Nashville.

Plumbing jobs in Nashville and what they cost

• Emergency plumber in Nashville: after-hours work runs 1.5 to 2 times the business-hours rate (ConsumerAffairs).
• Drain cleaning in Nashville: $125 to $350 for a single drain; a sewer camera inspection is $200 to $400.
• Water heater repair in Nashville: moderately hard water, and a $900 TVA EnergyRight rebate for heat pump water heaters.
• Furnace repair in Nashville: furnaces and heat pumps go to the heating line.

Who licenses plumbers in Nashville?

Metro Nashville's Mechanical, Plumbing and Electrical Examiners and Appeals Board examines for the local plumbing certificates: master, journeyman and apprentice plumber, plus gas and appliance. Only licensed contractors with a Metro e-permit account can apply for a plumbing permit online; anyone else applies in person at Metro Codes, 800 President Ronald Reagan Way. The board's page has no public lookup, so call Metro Codes at 615-862-6500 to confirm a certificate. Plumbing and gas inspections: 615-862-6570.

ConsumerAffairs adds that Nashville master plumbers register with Metro Codes to pull permits, and it treats a plumber who asks you to pull the permit yourself as a red flag. For larger projects, the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors licenses limited licensed plumbers and contractors and runs an online license search. Ask for proof of insurance as well; a license record does not show it.

Moderately hard water and older pipes in Nashville

Nashville's tap water is moderately hard: Metro Water Services reported total hardness of 100.5 mg/L in its 2025 water quality report (2023 data), with a range of 88.5 to 128.4. The housing stock is mixed. The Census Bureau puts the median year built at 1987, but 140,542 of 344,794 housing units (40.8%) were built before 1980. ConsumerAffairs says pre-1980 homes in neighborhoods such as East Nashville and Germantown often have cast iron or galvanized pipes, and older clay sewer laterals are prone to root intrusion.

Sewer line repair in Nashville: cost and Metro's help

Sewer line repair or replacement in Nashville costs $3,000 to $8,000, ConsumerAffairs reported in June 2026, and a camera inspection to find the problem runs $200 to $400. Nationally, HomeGuide puts a spot repair at $150 to $3,800 depending on the method. Metro Water Services treats the line from the house as a private sewer line: its Sewer Service Line Assistance program steps in only after a plumber cannot resolve the problem, a 2-foot section of the line has been cut and removed, and the owner signs a release agreement. Ask the plumber to run a camera first and keep the video. It shows whether a spot repair will do, and it is the record you will want if you end up asking Metro for help. Methods and prices: sewer line repair.

Local rules, programs and conditions for Nashville, from official city, county, state, utility, Census and NOAA pages unless marked.

More Nashville repair guides

Water on floors or drywall: water damage restoration in Nashville. Heating and cooling: HVAC repair in Nashville. Wiring: electrician in Nashville. Compare plumbers in Charlotte and plumbers in Atlanta. National prices: plumber cost and home repair costs. Calls go to an independent company that serves your area and takes this kind of job (how calls work).

More home repair help in Nashville: garage door repair and tree removal, with prices, the local rules and the line to call for each.