You didn’t go into business to stay stuck on the tools forever. You had a bigger picture in mind. More money. More freedom. A proper team around you. A business that works without you having to be in every single job. If that sounds familiar, then there’s one thing you need to get serious about – Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

Here’s the thing: most plumbing and heating business owners wait far too long to start writing SOPs. They hold off until they’ve got a team in place or until things start to feel chaotic. But the truth is, the best time to create SOPs is before you feel like you need them. In fact, the moment to start is right now.

Act like your business is already the size you want it to be

Whether you’re still working solo or have a few team members or subcontractors, your systems should be set up for the business you want to build, not just the one you have today. SOPs are the foundation that allow you to scale without chaos. By documenting what you do, step-by-step, you’re giving your future team the tools to hit the ground running.

Think of it this way: imagine someone new joins your business tomorrow. Would they know how to do things your way? Or would you end up stuck explaining everything from scratch, again and again?

If you start writing SOPs now, that problem disappears. You’ll have a growing bank of clear, step-by-step guides that make training new team members quicker and easier. Less time spent repeating yourself. Fewer mistakes. More consistency.

Don’t reinvent the wheel – document what you’re already doing

You don’t need to lock yourself away for days creating perfect processes from scratch. SOPs aren’t about creating something brand new. They’re about capturing what’s already working in your business and making it repeatable.

Could you just write it down as you go? Every time you complete a task, you know you’ll need to hand it over one day, take five minutes to jot down the steps. That’s it. Bit by bit, you’ll build a powerful bank of SOPs.

But here’s the catch: they need to be foolproof. Different people might read these documents hundreds of times. So, if something isn’t clear or a step is missing, it will cause problems.

Put the effort into making each SOP clear, detailed, and easy to follow. Ask yourself:

• Why is this task important?

• Why do we do it this way?

• What’s the end goal or outcome?

• What result are we looking to achieve?

• Is there a helpful website, video, or training link that you would like to include?

It’s not about perfection – it’s about progress. The Japanese call it Kaizen: constant, minor improvements over time. That’s how you build a business that runs smoothly, grows sustainably, and frees you up from being in every little detail.

Ready to build a business that runs without you?

If you want your plumbing and heating business to grow, systemising your processes isn’t optional. It’s essential. And that starts with writing your SOPs.

For help with pricing, quoting, systemising, or simplifying your business, drop us a message at [email protected]. Whether it’s The Quote Handbook, The Systems Handbook, or our all-in-one toolkit Business in a Box, we’ve got the tools to help systemise your operations and move your business forward.