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Plumber in Gardiner, ME

Family-owned, licensed and insured plumbing for Gardiner homes, from our base in Augusta.

Your local plumber in Gardiner, Maine

Gardiner sits a short drive south of our Augusta base, where Cobbosseecontee Stream drops 130 feet to meet the Kennebec River. It is a small city of about 6,000 people with some of the oldest housing in Kennebec County, and a downtown that knows exactly what the river can do to a basement.

Old houses, old pipes

Almost half of Gardiner’s homes were built before 1940, and two thirds before 1960. The Water Street historic district was rebuilt after the fire of 1860, and much of the housing around downtown predates 1940. In homes like these we regularly find corroded galvanized supply lines, cracked cast-iron drains and leaking shut-off valves that have not been turned in decades. Our pipe repair service replaces failing sections with copper or PEX and tests them under pressure.

Older drain lines are also where stubborn clogs live. If a sink or tub keeps slowing down, drain cleaning is the first step, and we will tell you if the pipe needs more than that.

Basements near the river

Gardiner’s downtown took at least nine feet of water in the December 2023 flood. Not every basement in town is at that risk, but homes on low ground near the river and the stream deal with high groundwater every spring. A working sump pump, sized for the pit and discharging away from the foundation, is the plumbing side of keeping a basement dry. We handle sump pump installation and replacement, including battery backups for storms that take the power out.

After any water event, check the water heater and the burner or boiler controls before relying on them again. If a tank was submerged, our water heater installation work covers tank, tankless and heat-pump replacements.

Water, sewer and permits in Gardiner

The Gardiner Water District serves Gardiner, Randolph, Farmingdale and Pittston from two groundwater wells on River Road in South Gardiner, used since the 1970s in place of Cobbossee Stream. Wastewater goes to the city’s own treatment plant on River Avenue, and the city is replacing aging sewer mains in phases. City code requires an internal plumbing permit through Code Enforcement for work that needs one.

Neighbors across the river in Randolph and next door in Farmingdale share much of this infrastructure. For everything else we cover, see our Central Maine service areas or call for a free estimate.

Plumbing services in Gardiner

Repairs, replacements and installations for homes and businesses throughout the Gardiner area.

Kitchen Plumbing

From sink installations and dishwasher hookups to garbage disposal replacements and faucet upgrades, RJC Plumbing handles all your kitchen plumbing needs with expert craftsmanship and attention to detail.

Kitchen Plumbing in Gardiner

Bathroom Plumbing

Whether you are remodeling your bathroom, upgrading fixtures, or replacing a tub or shower, our experienced team delivers beautiful results with lasting quality and minimal disruption to your home.

Bathroom Plumbing in Gardiner

New Construction Plumbing

RJC Plumbing provides complete plumbing system installations for new construction projects across Central Maine, coordinating with builders to ensure every pipe, fixture, and connection is installed right the first time.

New Construction in Gardiner

Service Plumbing & Emergency Repairs

When a plumbing emergency strikes, RJC Plumbing responds fast. We tackle clogs, leaks, burst pipes, and drain backups with urgency and expertise to minimize damage and restore your plumbing quickly.

Emergency Repairs in Gardiner

Water Heater Installation & Repair

From traditional tank water heaters to on-demand tankless systems, RJC Plumbing installs, repairs, and replaces water heaters with same-day service available so your home is never without hot water for long.

Water Heaters in Gardiner

Pipe Repair & Replacement

Our team provides expert leak detection, pipe repair, and full pipe replacement services for homes and businesses throughout Central Maine, protecting your property from water damage with durable, code-compliant repairs.

Pipe Repair in Gardiner

Drain Cleaning & Clogged Drain Repair

Clogged kitchen sink, slow shower, backed-up toilet or a main line that will not drain — RJC Plumbing clears drains and repairs the toilets and faucets behind them, often the same day, for homes across Augusta and Central Maine.

Drain Cleaning in Gardiner

Well Pump Repair & Pressure Tank Service

No water, low or surging pressure, or a pump that runs constantly — RJC Plumbing diagnoses and repairs well pumps, pressure tanks, switches and controls for homes on private wells across Augusta and Central Maine.

Well Pump Repair in Gardiner

Sump Pump Installation & Replacement

A sump pump that fails during spring melt can flood a basement fast. RJC Plumbing replaces failed sump pumps with a properly sized unit and adds battery backup systems for homes across Augusta and Central Maine.

Sump Pumps in Gardiner
White plumbing service van with a ladder rack mounted on top
Water dripping from a leaking outdoor pipe joint

Gardiner at a Glance

What the housing stock, water and sewer setup mean for a plumbing job here.

5,961

Population (Census / ACS estimate)

Median year built: 1944

Homes built before 194047%

Galvanized steel and early copper are common — a lot of homes here predate 1940.

Water

Gardiner Water District

Sewer

City of Gardiner Wastewater Treatment

Natural Gas

Summit Natural Gas of Maine

Code Office

City of Gardiner Code Enforcement Office

Main Heating Fuels (relevant to water heater choice)

  • Heating oil 58%
  • Natural gas 14%
  • Propane 12%
  • Other 17%

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · en.wikipedia.org · api.censusreporter.org · gardinermaine.gov · gardinerwaterdistrict.com · gardinermaine.gov

Gardiner on the map

Codes & Permits for Plumbing in Gardiner

In Gardiner, plumbing permits come from the Local Plumbing Inspector at the City of Gardiner Code Enforcement Office (Gardiner City Hall, 6 Church Street, Gardiner, ME 04345, (207) 582-6892). With 5,961 residents, Gardiner is required to enforce the Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code (MUBEC). Gardiner sits at the confluence of the Kennebec River and Cobbosseecontee Stream, which drops 130 feet over falls through downtown.

  • The EPA's Lead and Copper Rule Revisions required every U.S. community water system to complete an initial inventory of lead, galvanized-requiring-replacement, and unknown-material service lines by October 16, 2024; the follow-on Lead and Copper Rule Improvements, finalized October 8, 2024, requires full replacement of remaining lead lines within 10 years. epa.gov
  • The Maine Plumbers' Examining Board (within the Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation, Department of Professional and Financial Regulation) licenses plumbers statewide and maintains the plumbing rules and laws (Title 32, Chapter 49); day-to-day permit issuance and inspection for a given town is carried out locally by a Local Plumbing Inspector (LPI), who is often the same person as the municipality's Code Enforcement Officer. maine.gov

How RJC Plumbing Handles Plumbing in Gardiner

  • 47% of Gardiner's homes predate 1940 (median year built 1944), so before we quote a plumbing job we find out what's actually behind the wall — galvanized steel, cast iron, early copper or PEX.
  • Gardiner Water District supplies most of Gardiner from gravel-packed wells; on a plumbing job we work fixture by fixture on your side of that meter.
  • Work that needs a permit gets one from the City of Gardiner Code Enforcement Office before we start, under Maine's 2021 Uniform Plumbing Code.
Gardiner, ME
Open grounds along Oaklands Farm Road, near the historic Oaklands estate in Gardiner.
Street View © Google
Testimonials

What Our Customers Say

Google reviews

“very thorough and professional. took the time to explain possibility of results, I would use their service again and recommend to anyone”

emily h

September 2026

Google

“Great communication and service. Josh provided an estimated arrival time on the day and was on time. The service was quick and professional. I also really liked that there was someone on the office. Madison provided excellent updates and communication.”

Daniel Philbrick

July 2026

Google

“Great service and communication! I've been very pleased with their work!”

Marina Savage

July 2026

Google

“Riley and his crew are awesome guys! They handled all the plumbing in our new bathroom. They were efficient and finished the project in the timeframe they had quoted. Riley and his guys made us feel so comfortable that we left him at our home alone while we ran errands.”

Michael Giroux

June 2026

Google

“RJC came to do all the plumbing for our new bathroom. They always came on time and their professionalism was particularly noteworthy. They also kept their workspace clean and were respectful of our home. I would highly recommend them.”

Mudiwa Mupotsa-Giroux

June 2026

Google

“Riley called to let us know when he would arrive. He was very knowledgeable, polite, and answered all of our questions. The work completed was very professional and thorough. We hope to use them again.”

Paul Perzanoski

June 2026

Google

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