Look, I'm not gonna sugarcoat this. Service calls in Indianapolis run $175-$300 just to show up at your door. That's BEFORE we touch a wrench. Water heater replacement? You're looking at $1,800-$4,000 depending on whether you want tankless (which I actually recommend despite the upfront cost). Drain cleaning with hydro-jetting - the REAL solution, not that cable nonsense - runs $350-$600 for main line work. I've seen homeowners drop $8,000-$15,000 on sewer line replacements when tree roots tear through that old clay pipe under their yard. Here's the cold hard truth: Indianapolis has some of the oldest housing stock in the Midwest, and those 1920s-era pipes don't care about your budget. Emergency calls after 5pm or weekends? Tack on another $100-$200. That's just how it is when your basement's flooding at 2am on a Saturday.

Twenty-five years in this city taught me one thing - our weather is BRUTAL on plumbing. We get those temperature swings that'll go from 15 degrees to 45 degrees in two days (thanks, Midwest). That freeze-thaw cycle? It's murdering your pipes. I've crawled through more frozen crawl spaces than I can count, usually in January or February when we hit those polar vortex weeks. Your exterior hose bibs WILL freeze and crack if you don't disconnect hoses and shut off the interior valve. Seen it a thousand times. Sump pumps get absolutely hammered here too because of our clay-heavy soil and high water tables in areas near Fall Creek or the White River. Spring thaw means I'm pulling 16-hour days dealing with burst pipes in attics where insulation got compromised. And don't even get me started on what road salt does to your main water line coming in from the street.

Your pipe just burst. Water's spraying everywhere. Here's what you do RIGHT NOW - find your main shutoff valve (usually near the water meter in the basement or that concrete box in your yard). Turn it clockwise until it stops. I don't care if you're in your underwear, DO IT FIRST. Then call someone like me. A real emergency plumber, not some 1-800 franchise outfit that's gonna send a kid with three months experience. I've seen burst pipe disasters cause $20,000-$50,000 in damage when people panic and call their neighbor's cousin who "knows plumbing." Most burst pipes in Indianapolis homes happen in exterior walls (poor insulation), crawl spaces (no heat), or where previous COWBOYS did hack repairs with SharkBite fittings that failed. The repair itself? Maybe $300-$800 depending on location and whether we're cutting drywall. The water damage and mold remediation if you wait? That's where you're gonna cry. I carry a thermal camera now to find hidden leaks before they become catastrophes - technology that didn't exist when I started, but it's a game-changer.

We've got a serious problem in this city. Labor shortage means every guy with a pickup truck and a pipe wrench thinks he's a plumber. Here's how you spot the COWBOYS: they don't pull permits (required for water heater replacements, sewer work, and major repairs), they give you a "cash discount" (translation: they're not insured and not paying taxes), they can't explain CODE requirements, and they use compression fittings for everything because they never learned how to sweat copper properly. I've been called to fix SO MANY botched jobs. Last month I tore out a main line repair where some genius used flexible PVC (not rated for pressure) on the supply side. DANGEROUS. A licensed plumber in Indiana should have their license number on their truck, website, and paperwork. We're regulated by the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency. If they hem and haw about showing credentials? Walk away. The cheapest bid is gonna cost you triple when it fails at 11pm on Christmas Eve (yes, I've gotten that exact call). Real pros cost more because we carry $2 million in liability insurance, we warranty our work, and we don't disappear when something goes wrong six months later.

Let me break down what matters. Hydro-jetting your main sewer line every 3-5 years if you've got older pipes or trees in your yard - that's preventive maintenance that WORKS. Those $99 drain cleaning specials with a cable? Temporary band-aid. Camera inspections before you buy a house in Indianapolis (especially in Broad Ripple, Irvington, or Fountain Square where homes are 80-100 years old) - absolutely worth the $300-$400. Saved my clients from buying money pits more times than I can count. Sump pump replacement before it fails, not after your basement's underwater - you're looking at $800-$1,500 for a quality setup with battery backup (which you NEED here because storms knock out power). Tankless water heater conversions make sense if you're staying in the house 7+ years, gas models run $3,200-$4,000 installed but your energy savings are real. What you DON'T need: those whole-house water treatment systems the big companies push for $6,000-$8,000. Indianapolis water is hard but not THAT hard. A $400 softener handles it fine. And those "pipe coating" services where they spray epoxy inside your old pipes? I'm skeptical. Sometimes it works, sometimes you're just delaying the inevitable repipe.

The city's plumbing code (we follow the Indiana Plumbing Code based on IPC) is actually pretty strict, but enforcement is inconsistent depending on which township you're in. Center Township inspectors are thorough. I've had them red-tag jobs for minor issues. Out in the unincorporated areas? Less oversight (which means more cowboy work goes unnoticed until it fails). Here's stuff that'll surprise homeowners: you CANNOT use flexible supply lines longer than 24 inches in most applications (but I see it all the time in DIY jobs), your water heater needs a drain pan with a drain line if it's in an attic or anywhere that could cause damage (most old installs don't have this), and backflow preventers are now required on irrigation systems and anywhere there's cross-connection potential. I've seen the city make homeowners rip out entire bathroom renovations because they didn't pull permits and the work wasn't up to code. That $75 permit fee starts looking pretty smart when you're facing a $15,000 do-over. Also, if you're in a historic district (like Lockerbie or Old Northside), there are ADDITIONAL hoops to jump through. Work with someone who knows this stuff.

I'm gonna level with you - finding a solid plumber in Indianapolis right now is harder than it should be. The trade schools aren't pumping out enough apprentices, experienced guys are retiring, and the demand is through the roof because of all the home renovations and new construction in Fishers, Carmel, and the near-eastside neighborhoods. When you call around (and you SHOULD call at least three companies), ask these questions: How long have you been licensed in Indiana? (You want minimum 5-10 years of actual experience, not some outfit that just opened last year.) Do you carry liability insurance and workers comp? (If they hesitate, hang up.) What's your warranty policy? (Should be minimum one year on labor, manufacturer warranty on parts.) Can you provide references from jobs in my neighborhood? (We know the housing stock differs wildly across the city.) Avoid the big national franchises that spend millions on advertising but pay their plumbers $18/hour - you're subsidizing those TV commercials, not getting better service. Look for established local companies that've survived multiple recessions. Check the Better Business Bureau, sure, but also look at Google reviews going back YEARS (recent reviews can be manipulated). And here's something most people don't think about: a good plumber will tell you what you DON'T need to fix right now. I've talked customers OUT of $3,000 jobs because their system had another 5 years left. That's how you build trust over 25 years in this business.