Plumbing Van Organization: Tips to Improve Plumber Efficiency

The basics of plumbing van organization

The more time your plumbers need to get their hands on the right tools or materials, the longer it takes to finish the job. Not only that, but chaotic clutter in the back of the van may cause customers to question the quality of your plumbing tech's work.

If not addressed as part of your plumbing company's philosophy, a lack of plumbing van organization poses a serious threat. Georg Efird from Blue Planet Plumbing goes so far as to say: “A dirty truck is like a disease. The longer you let it go, the longer it will stay dirty.” 

Best practices for plumbing van organization include:

• Set a schedule for plumbing van interior and exterior cleaning, organizing, and general vehicle maintenance

• Maintain an inventory list on each work van

• Conduct weekly box truck inspections

• Perform thorough inventories quarterly

Every plumbing business operates differently, so customize your van upkeep policies to meet your company's needs and goals.

Plumbing van upfit ideas

Keeping a plumbing van clean and organized isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. Find modifications that work for your team and make it something you can easily incorporate into your routine. Here are some efficient organizing and storage solutions:

• Create a numbered van rack and storage-bin system

• Use color-coded shelving with dividers

• Think outside the box (truck) and use cargo nets attached on top, hooks, magnetic strips, or customized tool holders to increase vertical storage

• Install a roof ladder rack for transporting ladders and large PVC pipes

• Use a ceiling storage system for ladders, or install brackets for other long items

• Incorporate the bulkhead or interior of van doors for additional tool storage

• Keep small parts for specific jobs in individual boxes for easy access

• Install LED light strips for increased visibility

• Leave enough floor space for water heaters and other heavy items or pieces of equipment

• Keep cleaning supplies, such as sanitizer and dusters, on the truck for quick clean-ups

• Designate a spot for a trash can to minimize mess

Pro advice: Plumbing van organization

At the end of the day, you need to make your team of techs accountable for plumbing van organization and inventory procedures. We interviewed plumbing businesses for advice about organizing commercial vans.

Organize for safety

Not even the newest truck or tools make a difference if techs lack organization. Take the time to keep your work vans clean and organized, so you don’t end up like this:

“Before I was the manager, we had one guy who just threw everything onto the floor of his cargo space. One time, he tripped over stuff while trying to find a part in his truck and fell out of the back. He ended up in the ICU for a concussion.

“As a manager, I perform weekly inspections both inside and outside each truck (before it gets) on the road. If it’s dirty or messy, the tech has to wash and organize it before it can leave the parking lot.”

— Kevin Pearl, Dauenhauer Plumbing, Heating & Air

Keep techs accountable 

“We hold our technicians 100% accountable for the organization and maintenance of the vehicle. They are graded on every single thing, from the first aid kit being complete to the fire extinguisher’s location—we even grade down to the tire tread. 

“Every 90 days, the employee with the lowest truck grade is now in charge of truck inspections for the next 90 days. We repeat this until everyone in the company understands the importance and relevance of an organized truck.”

— Georg Efird, Blue Planet Plumbing

Reward proper setup

"The most impactful thing we’ve implemented so far is a rewards program. Techs earn points for truck cleanliness. (Is it properly stocked? Is it clean?) They can exchange their points for gift cards, cash, a day off work, or even a vacation. 

“Our techs can accumulate these points month-over-month and can get even more points for stuff such as: being on time, improved efficiency, higher sales, positive reviews, and more. This rewards program even incentivizes techs who do installs…and those types of trucks get very dirty!

"We also use Fleetio to maintain our trucks’ oil changes, tire rotations, maintenance, tags/renewals, and inspections. You even get alerts when it’s done!"

— Mike Hudson and Fredy Trinidad, Nice Home Services

Best plumbing van inventory

From standard safety equipment to specialized power tools, we’ve compiled a list of must-have tools for inside a plumber’s van:

Safety:

• Gloves

• Safety glasses

• First aid kit

• Knee pads

Basics:

• Pen, pencil, Sharpie

• Sandpaper

• Tape measure

• Pocket level

• Solder flux

• Voltmeter

• Voltage tester

• Drain machine

• Shop vac

Power Tools:

• Impact drill

• Cordless Sawzall

• Right-angle drill with various bits

• Heavy-duty hammer drill

• RIDGID® ProPress gun

• Uponor ProPEX® gun

• Viega MegaPress® gun

Hand Tools:

• Tubing cutters

• Mini tubing cutters

• Cable saw

• Hacksaw

• Torch

• Fitting brush

• Files

• Crimpers

• Wrench sets

• Hammer

• Pliers

Top-rated plumber work vans

Plumbing truck organization is impossible if you don’t have the right vehicle, racks, or shelving. Even more importantly, work van components, such as the bulkhead, must keep your techs and equipment safe. Our customers recommend these cargo vans depending on a plumbing company's needs:

Maximum Storage Capacity: Ford® Transit-250 Cargo Van

“We're exclusively moving toward the Ford Transit-250s, because we can store water heaters and furnaces with the taller roofs…[and it’s] the most economical way we can grow our fleet.”

— Dominic Durbin, Tiger Plumbing, Heating, Air Conditioning, & Electrical Services

Durbin has gone through many kinds of trucks over the years, but he ultimately found the Ford Transit-250 Medium Roof w/ 148" WB to have the best and most practical storage capacity for his 45-truck crew—especially for jobs that require bulky equipment.

This cargo van model won the 2019 Edmunds Best Retained Value Awards, which means it achieved the highest projected residual value five years after its introduction. 

Cost-Effective & Practical: Nissan NV® CARGO

“They are the most cost-effective van on the market today…they’re 25% less than name-brand competitors and they come with a five-year, bumper-to-bumper, 100,000-mile warranty. They help us maintain our investments and have a better bottom line by not paying for fancy vehicles like Ford, Chevy, or Mercedes.”

— Georg Efird, Blue Planet Plumbing

One of the unexpected benefits of this vehicle is its multi-tasking lockable center console for your mobile office. Its fold-down passenger seat creates a convenient work desk.

Efird says one downside to the Nissan NV® is that you can only fit a 9-foot-by-6-inch piece of pipe in it when the van contains a pipe cage inside to protect the driver, and most of their team's pipes come in 10-foot lengths. 

Fuel-Efficient City Slicker: Nissan NV200® COMPACT CARGO

“Nissan NV200s are very efficient on gas and ideal for the city because they’re smaller.”

— Mike Hudson and Fredy Trinidad, Nice Home Services

This van is perfect for shops that service customers in busy cities. It comes with rear suspension specially designed to minimize any intrusion into the cargo space. It also includes wide-swinging rear doors and dual-sliding side doors, which makes it easy to access every inch of the cargo area. It does fall short in regions where snow is an issue, since it lacks the power and size of other cargo vans.

Other options:

Mercedes-Benz Sprinter® Cargo Van: The Mercedes Sprinter® features standard and high-roof heights, three wheelbases, three lengths, and several safety features for optimal work function.

Ram ProMaster® Cargo Van: The Ram ProMaster® features two heights, three wheelbases, four lengths, and safety and security features to meet a variety of plumbing work demands.

Organize plumbing paperwork

Whether in the plumbing van or on the job site, plumbing paperwork needs to stay organized, too. 

With ServiceTitan Plumbing Software, your tech's work van no longer functions as a messy desk, littered with work orders, estimates, and receipts. ServiceTitan's Field Service App enables your plumbing company to streamline the paperwork process, so techs possess the proper forms at their fingertips. Managers can even set up the software so certain job types trigger specific digital forms, giving forgetful techs helpful prompts to eliminate missing or incorrect paperwork.

When it comes to collecting customer payments, ServiceTitan handles that, too. With point-of-sale payment and signature capture, everything from invoices to a customer’s check or credit card information gets processed digitally and securely—and sensitive data doesn't get crumpled up under the seat of a company van.

“We've had ServiceTitan for about a year and a half, and it’s already increased efficiency and tightened up our processes," says Stephanie Hornyack, Accounting Supervisor for Earl’s Performance Plumbing. "Everything's better with ServiceTitan. We just love it.”

Plumbing van setup checklist

Here’s a handy plumbing van organization checklist:

• Maximize interior space. From installing a plumbing van shelving system to strategic use of every square inch of space, utilize the back of your work truck to its maximum capability while keeping accessibility and safety in mind.

• Keep techs accountable. If you manage a fleet, there are a lot of techs and trucks. Whether it's competition or penalties (or both), determine the most effective method for accountability.

• Never lose a tool. You can’t do your job without the right plumbing tools. Always check your inventory and dedicate specific locations for tools, materials, and other pieces of equipment.

• Find the right van. If you don’t have enough space for needed equipment, you might need a better-equipped cargo van. Consider whether your company needs a van with a high roof for more storage space, or more payload capacity, so you can decide on the best work van for your team.

• Whip your mobile office into shape. Your company vans shouldn’t be a fleet of unkempt filing cabinets on wheels. The most efficient and organized home service businesses use ServiceTitan to stay digitally organized and effectively manage their on-site paperwork.