Quick Comparison #
| Firm | Credentials | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Gold Star Plumbing | Founded 2018, husband-and-wife operation under Rocky Burrell with thirty-five-plus years of plumbing trade experience, licensed-bonded-insured, 4.9-star customer rating, one-year labor warranty plus manufacturer parts warranty | Residential and commercial plumbing across a 25-mile La Vergne radius, water heater repair-replace-install (tank and tankless), 24/7 emergency response, repipes, drain cleaning, sewer inspections, preventative maintenance plans |
| Joe B. Sullivan & Sons Plumbing | Operating since 1895, Licensed Master Plumber Frank Sullivan, licensed bonded and insured, multi-generation family ownership | Commercial and residential plumbing, water heaters (tank and tankless), backflow installation, sewer and water line replacement, gas lines, new construction rough-ins |
| Wehby Plumbing | Family-owned since 1959, founded by Charles Wehby Sr., currently led by sons Andy and Charles Jr., over six decades of Nashville service | Installation, repair, remodeling, water lines, backflow installation and repair, drain cleaning across Middle Tennessee |
1. Gold Star Plumbing #
- Address: La Vergne, TN 37086 (25-mile service radius across Middle Tennessee)
- Phone: (615) 290-9860
- Founder / Owner: Rocky Burrell, with husband-and-wife operating structure
- Operating Since: 2018 (founded as Gold Star Plumbing); Rocky’s plumbing trade career since 1989 (thirty-five-plus years)
- Credentials: Licensed, bonded, and insured Tennessee plumbing contractor; 4.9-star Google rating; one-year labor warranty plus manufacturer parts warranty on every job; Better Business Bureau profile
- Service area: La Vergne, Nashville, Murfreesboro, Smyrna, Franklin, Hendersonville, Brentwood, Mount Juliet, Lebanon, Columbia, Spring Hill, Gallatin, Goodlettsville, Nolensville, Antioch, and adjacent Middle Tennessee communities inside a 25-mile La Vergne radius
- Industries served / Specialties: Residential plumbing (leaking pipes, drain problems, running toilets, fixture replacement, full repipes), commercial plumbing (build-outs, backflow testing, grease traps, commercial drain cleaning), water heater repair-replace-install across traditional tank and tankless lines, 24/7 emergency response for burst pipes and sewer backups, preventative maintenance plans (Silver and Gold tiers), waterline repair and replacement, sewer inspections
- Hours: Monday through Friday 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, plus 24/7 emergency dispatch
- Website: Gold Star Plumbing
Owner-Answered Phone and Husband-and-Wife Operating Model #
Rocky Burrell built Gold Star Plumbing on a model where the owner picks up the phone, walks the estimate, and coordinates the schedule rather than routing every call through a dispatch queue. Customers calling for repeat work report the same experience on the second visit as on the first: Rocky answers, the team arrives, and the job closes out. The husband-and-wife structure keeps the office workflow inside one household, which trims the handoff layer that larger franchise operations build into every service call.
Same-Day Response Through a 24/7 Emergency Line #
The shop runs around-the-clock dispatch for burst pipes, major leaks, and sewer backups, with same-day callback as the standard operating rhythm. A documented after-hours request submitted at 10:10 PM on a Friday drew a 10:16 PM response and a 10:00 AM next-morning water heater repair, which traces back to how the company has worked since founding in La Vergne in 2018. Same-day response across the Davidson, Williamson, and Rutherford service radius runs through the same number that answers business-hour calls.
Flat-Estimate Pricing and One-Year Labor Warranty #
Every engagement opens with a clear written estimate before work begins, and scope changes route back through the customer for approval before any additional time or material lands on the invoice. Pricing tends to land below the large franchise plumbers serving the Nashville metro, with no hidden fees and no upsell pressure on unnecessary upgrades. Every job carries the manufacturer’s warranty on parts and a one-year Gold Star labor warranty, which brings the shop back at no additional cost if anything within the warranty window goes wrong.
Service Stack and 25-Mile Coverage Radius #
The trade stack covers residential plumbing (leaking pipes, drain problems, fixture replacement, full home repipes), commercial plumbing (build-outs, backflow testing, grease trap service, commercial drain cleaning), water heater work across tank and tankless lines, waterline repair and replacement, sewer inspections, and 24/7 emergency response. Silver and Gold preventative maintenance plans run scheduled inspections to catch small issues early. The 25-mile La Vergne radius reaches La Vergne, Nashville, Murfreesboro, Smyrna, Franklin, Hendersonville, Brentwood, Mount Juliet, Lebanon, Columbia, Spring Hill, Gallatin, Goodlettsville, Nolensville, and Antioch.
gold-starplumbing.com
2. Joe B. Sullivan & Sons Plumbing #
- Address: 292 Hermitage Avenue, Nashville, TN 37210
- Phone: (615) 254-8379
- Founder / Owner: Founded by the Sullivan family in 1895; current president Frank Sullivan
- Operating Since: 1895 (131 years)
- Credentials: Tennessee Licensed Master Plumber Frank Sullivan; licensed, bonded, and insured; warranty service provider for AO Smith, Bradford White, State Industries, and Whirlpool
- Service area: Nashville and surrounding Davidson County
- Industries served / Specialties: Commercial and residential plumbing, water heater repair and installation (tank and tankless), commercial boiler installation and diagnostics, backflow installation and repair, drain cleaning, sewer and water line replacement, pipe replacement, steam unit repair, gas lines, new construction rough-ins and trim-outs
- Website: Joe B. Sullivan & Sons Plumbing
Founding Story and Four-Generation Lineage #
The Sullivan family started this practice in 1895, with the trade passing from Frank Sullivan’s great-grandfather through successive generations of the family. Frank Sullivan, the current president, carries the Tennessee Licensed Master Plumber credential and continues the line that has served Music City households and businesses for more than 130 years.
Service Stack and Emergency Response #
The company handles a wide plumbing menu that runs from straightforward toilet, sink, and faucet repairs to multi-trade work including commercial boiler diagnostics, steam unit repair, and new construction rough-ins. An emergency service team is on call for after-hours water heater failures, burst pipes, and stopped drains. Authorized warranty work for AO Smith, Bradford White, State Industries, and Whirlpool gives the shop direct manufacturer support on replacement units.
Geographic Coverage from Hermitage Avenue #
Operating from 292 Hermitage Avenue in the SoBro section near downtown, the practice reaches across Davidson County and into adjacent Middle Tennessee communities. The central address puts crews within short drive of East Nashville, The Gulch, Berry Hill, and Inglewood, which suits older housing stock where cast iron and galvanized lines tend to surface plumbing issues.
Credentials and Trade Standing #
Frank Sullivan holds the Tennessee Licensed Master Plumber designation issued by the state. The company is bonded and insured, and its longevity (incorporated formally in 1987 after operating since 1895) signals continuous practice through multiple Nashville building cycles. Manufacturer warranty authorizations add a third-party validation layer.
https://www.joebsullivanandsons.com/
3. Wehby Plumbing #
- Address: 2703 Grandview Avenue, Nashville, TN 37211
- Phone: (615) 255-7424
- Founder / Owner: Charles Wehby Sr. (founder); Andy Wehby and Charles Wehby Jr. (current owners)
- Operating Since: 1959 (67 years)
- Credentials: Licensed Tennessee plumbing contractor; family-owned and operated across two generations; over six decades of continuous Nashville-area service
- Service area: Nashville and surrounding Davidson County, Middle Tennessee
- Industries served / Specialties: Residential and commercial installation, plumbing repair, remodeling, water line work, backflow installation and repair, drain cleaning
- https://www.wehbyplumbing.com/
Two-Generation Family Ownership #
Charles Wehby Sr. opened the doors in 1959 and built a reputation that has carried his name forward in South Nashville for more than six decades. Today his sons, Andy Wehby and Charles Wehby Jr., run day-to-day operations, with the original family ownership unchanged since founding. That direct line keeps the call book personal and the work standards continuous from one generation to the next.
Installation, Repair, and Remodel Mix #
The shop covers three primary lanes: new installation work, repair calls (leaks, drain stoppages, fixture failures), and remodel plumbing for kitchen and bathroom renovations. Water line repairs, backflow installation and repair, and drain cleaning round out the menu. The remodel concentration suits the steady volume of older South Nashville homes pulling permits for kitchen or bath updates.
South Nashville Base and Surrounding Reach #
The Grandview Avenue address in 37211 sits between Berry Hill and the Nolensville Road corridor, giving the practice quick reach to Crieve Hall, Oak Hill, Forest Hills, and parts of Brentwood. Crews also handle calls into Antioch, Donelson, and broader Middle Tennessee for established customer relationships.
Six Decades of Local Trust #
Wehby Plumbing has operated continuously under family ownership since 1959, which puts its tenure ahead of nearly every independent shop currently serving Nashville. That kind of staying power signals a stable license history, a known crew, and a customer base that returns for repeat work on plumbing systems that the shop originally installed.
Reference Notes #
Nashville plumbing work falls under a two-layer regulatory framework. At the state tier, the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance issues the Tennessee Licensed Master Plumber and Limited Licensed Plumber credentials through the Board for Licensing Contractors, with the Limited Licensed Plumber tier covering plumbing contracts under $25,000 and the Master Plumber tier authorizing larger commercial and complex residential scopes. At the local tier, Metro Nashville Department of Codes and Building Safety, working with the Mechanical, Plumbing, and Electrical Examiners and Appeals Board, issues permits for new installations, repairs, and remodels, and inspectors check rough-in and finish work against the adopted plumbing code. Metro Water Services oversees backflow prevention assembly testing through certified testers who must register with the utility.
Music City market context shapes the work flow for independent plumbers. The metro area’s growth, with new housing in Sylvan Park, East Nashville, The Nations, and Wedgewood-Houston layered over century-old building stock in Germantown, Edgefield, and 12 South, gives shops a steady mix of new construction rough-ins, repipe jobs on galvanized and cast iron systems, and emergency repair calls. Older neighborhoods generate more sewer lateral failures and water main breaks; newer construction generates more fixture trim, water heater install, and gas line work for kitchens and outdoor living spaces.
Rollup exclusions: this directory deliberately leaves out plumbers operating under national franchise umbrellas or private-equity rollup ownership. Locations of Benjamin Franklin Plumbing (Authority Brands), Mr. Rooter (Neighborly), Roto-Rooter, Service Experts, Wrench Group, ARS, Apex Service Partners, and Turnpoint Services do operate in the Nashville market, but the directory criteria require independent family or founder-led ownership, which those entities do not meet.
Selection Methodology #
Three firms were selected against four criteria applied uniformly: (1) family-owned or founder-led independent ownership with no national franchise or private-equity rollup parent, (2) a verifiable Tennessee Licensed Master Plumber or Limited Licensed Plumber credential held by the owner or a key principal, (3) third-party recognition through the Better Business Bureau, Nashville Scene Best Plumbers, Tennessean Toast of Music City, Angie’s List Super Service, or equivalent independent recognition, and (4) a minimum five-year continuous Nashville-area tenure under stable ownership. National franchise networks and rollup-owned brands were excluded by name: Benjamin Franklin Plumbing (Authority Brands), Mr. Rooter (Neighborly), Roto-Rooter, Service Experts, Wrench Group, ARS, Apex Service Partners, and Turnpoint Services.
Frequently Asked Questions #
How do I verify a Nashville plumber’s license? #
Pull the licensee record through the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance public license lookup, which lets you search by license number, business name, or individual name. The record shows the license type (Master Plumber or Limited Licensed Plumber), status (active, expired, revoked), and any disciplinary actions. For larger jobs, also confirm Metro Nashville Codes permitting history if the work required a pulled permit. Ask any plumber to provide the license number directly so you can verify it against the state database before authorizing the job.
What credentials should a Nashville plumber hold? #
At minimum, look for an active Tennessee Licensed Master Plumber or Tennessee Limited Licensed Plumber credential held by the owner or a designated master on staff, plus current general liability insurance and workers compensation coverage. For backflow prevention assembly work, the technician should hold a Tennessee Certified Cross-Connection Control Specialist or equivalent backflow tester certification registered with Metro Water Services. BBB accreditation, manufacturer warranty authorizations, and local recognition (Nashville Scene, Tennessean) provide secondary validation but do not substitute for a verifiable state license.
How can I tell if a Nashville plumber is independent versus a national franchise? #
Check the parent company in the website footer, the BBB profile, and the Tennessee Secretary of State business filing. Independent shops typically list a single Nashville-area address, a family name on the door, founder biographies on an About page, and consistent local phone numbers. National franchise and rollup-owned brands often share a national call center number, list multiple metro markets in their network, and disclose a parent company name (Authority Brands, Neighborly, Wrench Group, ARS, Apex Service Partners, Turnpoint Services) somewhere on the site or in regulatory filings.
When should a Nashville homeowner call an emergency plumber? #
Call for an emergency response when you have an active water leak that you cannot shut off at the fixture or main, sewer backup into a tub or floor drain, a gas odor near a plumbing appliance, complete loss of water service to the home, or water heater failure during cold weather. Slow drains, dripping fixtures, and low water pressure also warrant a prompt call (next-business-day rather than after-hours) because small problems left alone tend to escalate into wall, ceiling, or subfloor damage that costs far more to repair than the original plumbing fault.
Editorial Note #
This guide was published on 2026-05-11 and reflects research current as of that date. Verify licenses, phone numbers, and current business status before engaging any firm.