Toronto's housing stock ranges from century-old semis in Riverdale and the Annex to high-rise condos along the waterfront, and the plumbing behind those walls varies just as much. A "plumber" job might mean fixing a running toilet, replacing old galvanized or lead pipe, installing a tankless water heater, dealing with a backed-up sewer line after heavy rain, or rough-in work for a basement renovation. We've listed 122 plumbing businesses serving the city, covering everything from one-person emergency outfits to larger firms that handle full re-pipes and commercial jobs.
What plumbing work usually involves
Most calls fall into a few buckets: emergency repairs (burst pipes, leaks, no hot water), fixture installs (faucets, toilets, sinks, water heaters), drain and sewer clearing, and larger projects like repiping a house or connecting new construction. Toronto's older neighborhoods add extra wrinkles: cast iron stacks, knob-and-tube adjacent wiring near water heaters, and city backwater valve requirements that some insurance policies now demand.
What to check before you hire
- A valid Ontario plumbing license (TSSA-certified for gas work) and proof of insurance.
- A written quote before work starts, not just a verbal estimate over the phone.
- Whether they pull permits when the job requires one (sewer, gas line, or major rough-in work usually does).
- Clear warranty terms on both labor and parts.
- How they handle after-hours emergencies, since burst pipes rarely happen at 9am.
How we score them
Our ranking weighs review volume and rating trends, how consistently a business responds to jobs, and signals like licensing and years operating, not just star averages. The full breakdown of factors is on our methodology page, and the ranked guide to Toronto's best plumbers applies it to this list directly.
