Charles H. Francis & Sons Plumbing & Heating, Inc.
- Verified
- Source-checked Oct 29, 2026
- Independent
Virginia Class A contractor license #2701039629, in business since 1966.[1][2]
Charles H. Francis & Sons Plumbing & Heating is a family plumbing company at 122 Thompson Street in Ashland, started in 1966 and now run by the founders' two sons. It focuses on plumbing for new homes and service calls. Call (804) 798-8580.
About Charles H. Francis & Sons
Charles H. Francis & Sons has been an Ashland plumbing company for six decades. Its site says Charles H. Francis, Sr and his wife, Jean Francis, started the company in 1966, and that their sons, Charles H. Francis, Jr and James V. Francis, own and run it now. That makes it a second-generation family business. The state's tradesman list shows both sons holding master plumber and master gas fitter cards first issued in 1995, and the company's Class A contractor license, at the Thompson Street address, dates to January 1992.
The site describes the work in one line: residential new plumbing installation and service, in Ashland and the surrounding areas. In practice that means two kinds of jobs: plumbing for houses being built, and repair calls in houses people already live in. The license carries the Plumbing and Gas Fitting specialties, and the company name includes heating, but the site does not list heating or gas services by name, so ask on the phone if that is what you need.
This is a phone-first business. The site has no service request form and no email address. It has a phone number, the street address, a link to pay a bill online, and a job application form. Its Google listing showed an 8:30 AM opening on the morning it was checked, and the site itself publishes no hours. BBB has kept a file on the company since 2006; it is not BBB accredited and BBB has not rated it.
Charles H. Francis & Sons suits Ashland homeowners who want a plumber with a long local record and the owners still in the business, and builders who need residential plumbing for new houses. Anyone who wants to book online or compare a published price list should look elsewhere: the site has neither.
Charles H. Francis & Sons services
- New-home plumbing: residential new plumbing installation, per its site
- Plumbing service: repair calls for existing homes
- Gas fitting: the license carries the Gas Fitting specialty; ask what gas work the company takes
- Online bill payment: an invoice payment page linked from its site
Known for: Plumbing for new houses · Residential plumbing service in Ashland
Hours
The site does not publish hours. Its Google listing showed an 8:30 AM opening when checked on October 29, 2026.
What to know before you call
- Book by phone at (804) 798-8580. The site lists no email and no service request form; its only form is a job application.[2]
- If you already have an invoice, the site links to an online bill pay page run by a payment processor.[2]
- Google lists the company as "Charles H. Francis & Sons, Plumbing and Heating" at the same address and number, and BBB files it under heating system repair.[3][4]
How to hire a licensed plumber in Virginia
- Plumbing work over $1,000 needs a Virginia Board for Contractors license. Search the company's name or number on DPOR's License Lookup before you sign anything.[5][6][7]
- The license class caps the size of the job. Class C covers jobs over $1,000 and under $30,000, Class B covers $30,000 to under $150,000, and Class A covers $150,000 and up. A higher class means a bigger allowed contract; it says nothing about workmanship.[5]
- A plumbing contractor must hold a master plumber license as a condition of its contractor license, so the record should name a master tradesman.[5]
- Read the specialties on the license. Look for Plumbing (PLB), and Gas Fitting (GFC) for gas lines and gas appliances. A Home Improvement (HIC) license alone does not cover plumbing or gas work.[8]
Charles H. Francis & Sons questions
Is Charles H. Francis & Sons licensed in Virginia?
Yes. Charles H Francis & Sons Plumbing and Heating Inc holds Class A contractor license 2701039629 at 122 Thompson St, Ashland, with Plumbing and Gas Fitting specialties. It was first issued on January 7, 1992 and expires January 31, 2028. The number starts with 2701, an older DPOR format, rather than the 2705 most current licenses use.[1]
Who owns Charles H. Francis & Sons?
The founders' sons. The company's site says Charles H. Francis, Sr and his wife, Jean Francis, started it in 1966, and that Charles H. Francis, Jr and James V. Francis now own and operate it. Both sons hold master plumber and master gas fitter cards on the state's tradesman list.[2][9]
What kind of plumbing work does Charles H. Francis & Sons do?
Its site says it specializes in residential new plumbing installation and service. That covers plumbing for houses under construction and repair calls in existing homes. The site does not list individual repairs, heating work or commercial jobs, so describe your job on the phone to confirm the company takes it.[2]
How do I contact Charles H. Francis & Sons?
By phone. The site says to call (804) 798-8580 for service and gives the shop address as 122 Thompson Street, Ashland, Virginia 23005. It has no service request form and lists no email address. Existing customers can pay an invoice through the online bill pay link on the site.[2]
How we checked
Source-checked Oct 29, 2026 · 10 dated sources
Why we listed them
The Francis family has run this company in Ashland since 1966, according to its site, and the site, the state license and the Google listing all give the same Thompson Street address. Both owners named on the site hold master plumber cards registered in Ashland.[2][2]
The site says the company was started by Charles H. Francis, Sr and Jean Francis and is owned and operated by their sons, Charles H. Francis, Jr and James V. Francis.[2][9]
License and history
Credentials
Sources
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