L.D. Smith Plumbing & Drains

What L.D. Smith Plumbing & Drains does

L.D. Smith Plumbing & Drains is a privately held, founder-owned plumbing and drain service company headquartered at 2400 Southeastern Ave in Indianapolis, Indiana. Founded in 2011 by Lance Smith after a decade in the plumbing trade, the company began as a garage-based operation and has grown to a fully staffed shop serving nine Central Indiana submarkets: Indianapolis, Carmel, Fishers, Zionsville, Westfield, Brownsburg, Broad Ripple, Speedway, and Greenwood. The team of approximately 20 employees includes owner, service manager, office manager, sales, plumbers, drain specialists, excavation staff, and support roles, with the owner remaining active in the field.

The company's core offering is comprehensive residential and light commercial plumbing, organized into three service lines: plumbing (water softeners, fixtures and toilets, water heaters, supply lines and repipes, sump and grinder pumps), natural gas line work, and drain and sewer services. Drain and sewer is the technical centerpiece, featuring high-pressure hydro jetting equipment branded 'The Shetter,' video camera inspection systems, and trenchless pipe bursting technology for sewer replacement that minimizes property disruption. Adjacent offerings include a Plumbing Protection Plan subscription at $89 per year providing annual inspection, priority scheduling, waived emergency fees, and a 15% repair discount, plus customer financing through a GreenSky partnership. Distribution is field-service-based, with intake handled via phone (24 hours Monday-Friday, 8am-4pm Saturday) and online scheduling through the ServiceWhale platform.

The revenue model is primarily transactional one-time service fees on a quote basis, supplemented by the recurring Plumbing Protection Plan subscription, financed ticket sizes through GreenSky, and promotional offers such as $250 off water heater installation and $300 off cleanout or sewer repair. Marketing relies on content (blog, YouTube, email newsletter), organic social (Facebook, X, Instagram), promotional coupons, and community programs such as Big Dog of the Week in partnership with Indy Humane and pro-bono work for NeighborLink. The company positions itself as a locally owned alternative to private equity-owned plumbing competitors in the Indianapolis market.

Name

L.D. Smith Plumbing & Drains

Legal name

L.D. Smith Plumbing & Drains

Website

https://ldsmithplumbing.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

L.D. Smith Plumbing & Drains is a privately held, founder-owned plumbing and drain service company in Central Indiana. Founded in 2011, it serves residential and light commercial customers across nine Indianapolis-area submarkets with plumbing, gas line, and trenchless drain and sewer services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Residential Plumbing and Drain Services

NAICS

Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors (23822), Water and Sewer Line and Related Structures Construction (237110)

SIC

Water, Sewer, Pipeline, Comm & Power Line Construction (1623), Sanitary Services (4950)

akta.pro primary industry

Minor Plumbing Repairs (Leaks, Faucets, Toilets, Drains) (HSAGAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Plumbing & Pipefitting Contracting (IMAFALAC), Drain Cleaning (Residential) (HSAOABAA), Sump Pump & Sewage Ejector Pump Service (HSAOABAM), Burst Pipe Repair & Water Shutoff (HSAOAMAA)

Keywords

• Residential plumbing services
• Drain cleaning services
• Sewer line repair
• Water heater installation
• Plumbing maintenance

Headquarters

HQ city

Indianapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Plumbing Service Calls: One-time service fees for plumbing repairs, installations, and maintenance performed at customer locations. Includes water softeners, fixtures, water heaters, sump pumps, supply lines, and general plumbing work.
2. Plumbing Protection Plan (PPP): Annual subscription membership at $89/year providing priority scheduling, no emergency service fees, and 15% off all repairs. Includes annual inspection.
3. Drain and Sewer Services: Drain clearing, hydro jetting, sewer line repair and replacement services. Can include both one-time repairs and larger excavation/replacement projects.
4. Financing Revenue: Partnership with GreenSky Financing allows customers to finance larger repairs, generating revenue through financed projects.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

L.D. Smith Plumbing & Drains is a locally owned plumbing and drain service company that delivers residential and light commercial plumbing repairs, installations, and maintenance across Central Indiana. Core offerings include plumbing services (water heaters, fixtures, supply lines, sump and grinder pumps, water softeners), drain clearing and hydro jetting, trenchless sewer line repair and replacement via pipe bursting, and natural gas line services. The business is supported by an annual subscription Plumbing Protection Plan and GreenSky financing options for larger projects.

Product overview

L.D. Smith Plumbing & Drains is a locally-owned plumbing and drain service company offering a comprehensive suite of residential and light commercial plumbing services in Central Indiana. The core offering includes Plumbing Services (covering water softeners, fixtures, water heaters, supply lines, and sump/grinder pumps), Natural Gas Lines, and Drain & Sewer Services (including hydro jetting with 'The Shetter' and sewer line repair using pipe bursting technology). The company also offers a subscription-based Plumbing Protection Plan (PPP) as an add-on membership providing annual inspections and discounts. Financing services are provided through a GreenSky partnership. The product portfolio is organized as a single-service business with distinct service categories rather than a software platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Plumbing Services Comprehensive residential and light commercial plumbing repair, installation, and maintenance services covering water softeners, fixtures, toilets, water heaters, supply lines, and sump/grinder pumps for homeowners and small businesses in Central Indiana.
• Water Softeners and Drinking Systems Water testing, installation, and service of water softeners, scale prevention systems, iron filters, and reverse osmosis units for residential and light commercial customers in Central Indiana.
• Fixtures and Toilets Repair, replacement, and installation of toilets, faucets, tub and shower fixtures, pressure reducing valves, garbage disposals, and leak detection equipment for residential and light commercial customers.
• Water Heaters Installation and repair of tanked and tankless water heaters for residential and light commercial customers, including expansion tanks and pressure relief valves.
• Supply Lines and RePipes Main water supply line services including shut-offs, pressure regulation valves, floor drains, leak detection, backflow prevention, and water service connections for residential and light commercial customers.
• Sump and Grinder Pumps Specification, installation, repair, and replacement of sump pumps with or without battery backup systems, grinder pumps, sewage pumps, and well pumps, plus discharge line services for residential and light commercial customers.
• Natural Gas Lines Professional natural gas line repair and installation services including leak detection, emergency response, shut-off valve installation, pressure regulators, and appliance hookups for residential and commercial customers.
• Drain and Sewer Services Drain clearing, hydro jetting, sewer line repair and replacement using trenchless and pipe bursting technology, and cleanout installation for residential and light commercial customers.
• Plumbing Protection Plan (PPP) Annual subscription membership at $89 per year providing an annual plumbing inspection, priority scheduling for emergencies, no emergency service fee, and 15% off all plumbing repairs.
• Financing Services Payment options and consumer financing delivered through a GreenSky Financing partnership, enabling customers to finance larger or unexpected plumbing, drain, or sewer repairs.

Quantifiable outcome

• Water softeners typically last about 10 years before needing replacement

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ServiceWhalecoreTechnology or IntegrationServiceWhale is the online scheduling and quote request platform used by L.D. Smith Plumbing. Customers can book service calls and request quotes through the ServiceWhale platform linked on the company website.
• NeighborLinkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerL.D. Smith Plumbing donates plumbing services to NeighborLink, a local organization. This community partnership involves volunteering professional plumbing services for those in need.
• Indy HumaneminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Indy Humane for the Big Dog of the Week program. Indy Humane provides assistance and insight for occasionally spotlighting adoptable dogs from L.D. Smith Plumbing's own kennel alongside featured customer dogs.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Roto-Rooter: Largest U.S. residential and commercial plumbing and drain cleaning service company. Directly comparable to L.D. Smith on core drain cleaning, sewer line, and plumbing repair offerings, though operating at vastly greater scale nationally.
• ARS / Rescue Rooter: Large multi-state residential plumbing, drain, and HVAC service provider (ARS/Rescue Rooter brands). Comparable service portfolio including drain cleaning, water heaters, sewer line replacement, and plumbing repairs for homeowners.
• Benjamin Franklin Plumbing: National residential plumbing franchise under Authority Brands with on-time guarantee positioning. Directly competes with L.D. Smith on plumbing repairs, water heaters, drain services, and emergency response in same metros.
• Mr. Rooter Plumbing: National residential and commercial plumbing franchise operating under Authority Brands. Offers the same plumbing repair, drain cleaning, and sewer line services as L.D. Smith, typically through local franchisee-owned territories.

Broad incumbents

• Authority Brands: Private equity-backed parent of Mr. Rooter, Benjamin Franklin Plumbing, and other home services franchises. Represents the consolidation thesis L.D. Smith is implicitly positioning against — a broad incumbent across multiple home service verticals.

Others

• ServiceWhale: Online home services marketplace and scheduling platform used by L.D. Smith for customer bookings. An ecosystem participant and lead-generation partner rather than a service competitor.
• HomeServe USA: Home repair service plan and warranty provider that partners with local contractors (including L.D. Smith, as evidenced by HomeServe/UtilityShield customer claims). Not a direct competitor but a key channel and ecosystem participant in residential plumbing services.

Regional players

• Len The Plumber: Mid-Atlantic regional residential plumbing service company operating multiple service locations. Comparable service mix (drain cleaning, water heaters, sewer, sump pumps) and similar mid-size independent operating model, though operating in different geographies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/LDSmithPlumbers
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ldsmithplumbingdrains
• Facebookfacebook.com/LDSmithPlumbing
• Instagraminstagram.com/ldsmithplumbers
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ldsmithplumbing

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about L.D. Smith Plumbing & Drains