Independent Contractor Service Agreement — The Pocono Plumber

This Independent Contractor Service Agreement ("Agreement") is between The Pocono Plumber LLC ("Company"), a Pennsylvania limited liability company, and the undersigned individual ("Contractor"), an independent service provider operating in Pennsylvania. By completing this verification and signing below, Contractor agrees to all terms herein.

How This Works — The Simple Version

The Pocono Plumber is a fully operating plumbing company. We run paid marketing and advertising, execute SEO campaigns, handle all customer calls and communication, generate and manage leads, maintain the website and quoting system, and run the software that makes quoting, permitting, and invoicing simple — all so Contractor can focus on what they do best: the plumbing work itself, and then go home.

Contractor is not required to accept every job and can stop working with Company at any time. Contractor keeps 60% of every job completed.

1. Nature of Relationship

The Pocono Plumber is the customer-facing brand. Contractor is an independent service provider — not an employee, agent, partner, or joint venturer of Company.

Company handles: all customer communication and lead generation; quote support and the invoicing platform; payment collection from customers; permit applications wherever they can be completed remotely; and marketing, SEO, and platform administration.

Contractor handles: the plumbing work itself — safely, correctly, and to code.

These responsibilities are distinct; neither party assumes the other's obligations. Contractor retains full independence in how work is performed and is not subject to Company's direction on technical methods, hours, or tools. Contractor is not obligated to accept any job assignment and may decline without penalty. Contractor is solely responsible for their own federal and state taxes, self-employment taxes, benefits, equipment, vehicle, fuel, and transportation. Company will issue a Form 1099 where required by law.

Business entity requirement. Contractor must operate through a registered Pennsylvania business entity (an LLC or corporation), not as a sole individual. Contractor shall provide Company with the entity's legal name and formation documentation before accepting any job assignment. All payments, invoices, and obligations under this Agreement run between Company and Contractor's entity; the individual signing this Agreement does so as an authorized representative of that entity.

Subcontracted labor. Contractor's entity may complete accepted jobs using its own employees or subcontracted workers, at its own discretion. Contractor remains solely responsible for the work, conduct, licensing, and supervision of anyone it brings to a job site, and for maintaining any individually required licenses or certifications for those workers. Company's relationship is with Contractor's entity only — Company has no relationship with, and assumes no responsibility toward, any individual Contractor's entity engages to help perform the work.

2. Compensation

Contractor receives 60% of every job. Company retains 40%.

Contractor has full discretion over job pricing through Company's portal, and Company will not modify or cap Contractor's quoted price without Contractor's approval. Contractor's share is intended to cover all costs of performing the job — labor, materials, travel, and equipment — and Contractor is responsible for pricing accordingly. Permit fees paid by Company on the customer's behalf are added as a line item on the customer invoice and included in gross revenue for the 60/40 split.

Payment of Contractor's share is issued within 3 business days of cleared customer payment, along with a job-level summary showing the amount collected and Contractor's share calculation.

3. Quotes, Deposits & Non-Payment

Contractor agrees to generate all customer quotes through Company's portal before commencing any job.

Deposits. For jobs quoted at $1,000 or more, a deposit of one-third (1/3) of the quoted total is collected from the customer by Company before work begins. If a customer fails to pay the remaining balance after work is completed, Contractor's share of the collected deposit is paid out immediately upon job completion and is not contingent on collecting the remainder.

Cancelled jobs with purchased materials. If an accepted job is cancelled after Contractor has already purchased materials, Company will make reasonable efforts to recover those documented costs from the customer; if unrecoverable, both parties will discuss in good faith.

Non-payment. Company handles all collection efforts on unpaid jobs. Any amounts recovered are divided according to the 60/40 split after deducting recovery costs. Contractor agrees to cooperate by providing documentation of work performed, time on site, and materials used if requested.

4. Payments & Invoicing

All customer payments are directed to The Pocono Plumber LLC through Company's official channels. Contractor shall not provide personal payment information to any customer.

If a customer pays cash directly to Contractor, Contractor remits Company's share within 48 hours. Checks must be made payable to The Pocono Plumber LLC; Contractor shall mail the check to Company's designated address or photograph both sides and transmit within 24 hours for mobile deposit. Company will not deduct amounts from Contractor's share on future jobs to offset refunds, chargebacks, or payment disputes from prior jobs, except where Contractor has separately agreed in writing.

Contractor agrees to generate an invoice through Company's portal upon completion of every job.

5. Job Assignments

Job offers are sent through Company's platform. Contractor may accept or decline freely, without penalty. Accepting a job is a commitment to complete it. If Contractor cannot complete an accepted job, Contractor agrees to notify Company as soon as reasonably possible; if departure creates an immediate risk to the customer's property (e.g., an active leak), Contractor agrees to take reasonable steps to mitigate that risk and facilitate a handoff.

If Company incurs direct and demonstrable costs from job abandonment attributable to Contractor, Company reserves the right to seek reimbursement for those specific costs — pursued separately, never deducted from unrelated job payments.

6. Complaints & Callbacks

Contractor provides a 90-day workmanship warranty on all work performed, covering defects caused by Contractor's workmanship. It does not cover normal wear and tear, customer misuse, pre-existing conditions, or manufacturer/product defects.

If a complaint arises, Company will notify Contractor promptly with all available details, give Contractor the first opportunity to inspect and respond, and communicate with the customer professionally without assuming liability on behalf of either party. No insurance claim or financial action will be initiated against Contractor without first completing this process, except where immediate action is required to prevent further property damage.

If Contractor acknowledges responsibility, Contractor remedies the issue directly. If Contractor disputes responsibility, Company and Contractor review documentation together — if the evidence doesn't support the customer's claim, Contractor is not required to take corrective action or bear financial responsibility. If Contractor is unresponsive to a documented notice for 24 hours, Company may arrange corrective work through another party; reimbursement will only be sought where the issue is attributable to Contractor's work, and will never be deducted from payments on unrelated jobs.

7. Indemnification (Physical Work Only)

Contractor agrees to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless The Pocono Plumber LLC, its owners, and its agents from any claim, loss, liability, damage, or cost — including reasonable attorneys' fees — arising directly from the physical plumbing work Contractor performs, or its physical effects: property damage, personal injury, code violations, and defective workmanship caused by Contractor's work.

This indemnification is limited to the physical performance of the work itself and its direct consequences. It does not extend to Company's marketing, scheduling, invoicing, permitting, or other business operations, which remain Company's responsibility, and it does not expand Contractor's liability beyond claims arising from work Contractor actually performed. Any claim under this section is still subject to the complaint and dispute process described in Section 6.

8. Permit Determination & Administration

Determining whether a municipal or local permit is required for a given job is part of the scope of work and falls within Contractor's professional judgment and discretion. Contractor controls the scope of the job and is in the best position to know what the work requires.

When a permit is required. When Contractor determines a permit is required, Contractor notifies Company through the portal. Company will then handle the permit application and process to the extent it can reasonably be completed remotely, using Contractor's license information and the job details provided. Where a permit requires Contractor's physical presence, signature, or an action Company cannot complete remotely, Company will notify Contractor through the portal and by SMS of specifically what is needed.

When a permit is not required. When Contractor determines that no permit is required for a specific job, Contractor notifies Company of that determination through the portal, and Company documents it as part of the job record. Contractor's determination — not Company's independent judgment — is the basis for whether a permit is pursued on a given job. Contractor remains responsible for the accuracy of that determination and for compliance with all applicable permitting requirements for the work performed.

By signing this Agreement, Contractor consents to receive automated SMS notifications from The Pocono Plumber related to job assignments, job status, permit-related messages, and other portal messages. Contractor may opt out at any time by replying STOP. Message and data rates may apply.

9. Non-Plumbing Work

This Agreement covers plumbing services only. Contractor may independently offer non-plumbing services directly to customers, provided such work is conducted entirely outside of The Pocono Plumber brand, platform, and invoicing system. Any plumbing work arising from a customer relationship established through Company must be performed through Company's platform under this Agreement.

10. Term & Termination

This Agreement begins on the date signed and continues until either party ends it. Either party may end the relationship at any time, for any reason, with no notice period required — Contractor need only let Company know through any official channel (text, call, or portal message), and give Company a heads-up before stepping away from an active job so a handoff can be arranged. Company may remove Contractor from the platform at any time and will notify Contractor when it does. Any job accepted before termination is communicated will be completed and compensated under the terms of this Agreement.

11. Dispute Resolution

Both parties agree to first attempt good-faith resolution through direct communication before pursuing legal action. Either party may request a written summary of the dispute. If unresolved 30 days after written notice, either party may pursue available legal remedies. This Agreement is governed by the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

12. Licensing & Registration

The Pocono Plumber LLC is registered as a Pennsylvania Home Improvement Contractor, HICPA Registration #PA223619. Contractor agrees to maintain valid HICPA registration and all applicable local licenses throughout the duration of this Agreement, and to notify Company promptly of any changes in licensing status.

13. Insurance

Contractor must carry active General Liability insurance with a minimum of $500,000 per occurrence and provide Company with a current Certificate of Insurance. Contractor consents to Company verifying coverage details directly with Contractor's insurance provider.

Additional Insured status. Company asks to be listed as an Additional Insured on Contractor's policy. In plain terms: if a customer sues The Pocono Plumber over work performed by Contractor, Contractor's policy may respond on Company's behalf. Company does not use this status to initiate claims against Contractor directly, and will not trigger this coverage without first completing the complaint process in Section 6. Additional Insured coverage would only ever be triggered by a customer lawsuit directly related to Contractor's work, and Company will notify Contractor before any claim is filed — this is a legal safeguard for both parties, not a mechanism to come after Contractor.