Is a TCR Membership Worth It? What's Included and Who It's For
Yes, for most homeowners who call a plumber more than once a year, a TCR membership pays for itself. The Preferred plan costs $240 a year and includes a free mainline cleanout worth $138, plus 15% off any invoice. If you need even one camera inspection or one repair call during the year, you've likely already covered the cost.
What do the two membership tiers actually include?
TCR offers two tiers: Essential and Preferred. Both include a full annual home plumbing inspection covering fixtures, your water heater, and shut-off valves.
Essential: $12.50/month or $125/year. Includes 10% off any invoice and 30% off camera inspections ($210 down to $147). No mainline cleanout.
Preferred: $25/month or $240/year. Includes 15% off any invoice, 50% off camera inspections ($210 down to $105), and one free annual mainline cleanout.
Who actually comes out ahead with a membership?
A membership makes the most sense if you fall into one of these groups:
Homeowners with older homes where cast iron or clay sewer lines are more likely to need regular cleanouts
Anyone who's been recommended a camera inspection or had one completed before and knows they'll likely need another one
Households that call a plumber for at least one paid job per year, even something small like a water heater flush
People who like knowing their annual inspection is already scheduled instead of something they forget about
If you've never had a plumbing issue and don't own an older home, the math is closer. The annual inspection alone still has value, since small issues, such as a slow drip under a water heater, or a shut-off valve that's stuck, are a lot cheaper to catch early than to find out about during an emergency.
Even common issues can lead to huge savings. We see mainline and drain cleaning calls often, and we'll usually recommend a camera inspection to see what's actually going on in the line. It's not just a formality, those inspections often catch real problems early, like a cracked pipe from root intrusion or a section of line that's started to collapse, before they turn into a bigger mess. A membership provides up to 50% off the camera inspection, and if a repair does turn out to be needed, your invoice discount applies there too.
Does the membership cover emergency calls?
Membership doesn't waive emergency service fees, but it still applies your discount to whatever the invoice ends up being. So if a pipe freezes and bursts at 7,000 feet of elevation in January, your 15% off still applies to that emergency repair.
What if I want to upgrade or have questions about my membership?
If you started with Essential and want to move to Preferred, your CSR can handle that upgrade over the phone (it's not something that happens out in the field). Annual members keep their locked-in rate for 12 months from enrollment, so there's no surprise increase mid-term.
Is it worth calling to ask?
If you're not sure which tier fits your home, or you just want someone to walk you through the math for your specific situation, give us a call. TCR Rooter & Plumbing has been serving Flagstaff, Sedona, Williams, Munds Park, Winslow, and the surrounding area since 1993, and we're happy to talk through it with no pressure at 928-773-4905.
