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Knob Hardware & Tool Store owner Sanu Silwal says plumbing accounts for about 10% to 12% of the store’s revenue, despite the department being only a few years old. The retailer stocks a range of products and organizes displays, while staff help customers identify parts and understand their projects. A SupplyHouse survey cited in Hardware Retailing found that many homeowners attempt DIY plumbing repairs, with more than half of those attempts failing to fix the problem or making it worse.
Knob Hardware & Tool Store in Connelly Springs, North Carolina, has built a plumbing department that owner Sanu Silwal says contributes 10% to 12% of store revenue, according to a report by Hardware Retailing. The report describes the independent retailer’s plumbing inventory and staff assistance for homeowners and trade customers.
Founded in 2023, Knob Hardware carries departments and services ranging from hunting and fishing to U-Haul rentals and screen repair. Silwal told Hardware Retailing that plumbing is a relatively new but meaningful part of the business. The store stocks faucets, pumps, drain and waste products, valves, pipes, fittings, supply lines and hoses, alongside specialty items such as sewage pumps, water-leak monitoring products and less common repair fittings.
Silwal said the department serves both DIY customers and contractors, whose needs can differ. Homeowners may need help confirming a part’s size, connection or compatibility with an existing fixture; professionals often need a clearly organized selection so they can return to a job quickly. The store sorts products by type and use, placing larger boxed items on shelves and smaller fittings and accessories in bins or on peg hooks.
Knob Hardware does not have a dedicated plumbing sales team. Instead, Silwal said general sales staff help across the department, with more experienced employees handling complicated questions. He said staff receive training on basic product categories, applications, sizing, fittings, connections and common repairs. The report describes the sales approach as understanding the customer’s problem before recommending a product, particularly for specialty items where the right choice depends on the repair and the product’s intended use.
DIY Repairs and Retailer Assistance
Silwal’s reported revenue figure describes plumbing’s share of Knob Hardware’s business. The report does not establish whether other retailers would see similar results. Plumbing repairs may involve additional costs or delays when a part is unsuitable or a repair does not resolve the issue.
A SupplyHouse survey of 1,001 U.S. homeowners, cited by Hardware Retailing, found that 71% of homeowners who faced plumbing issues tried a DIY fix before calling a professional. Of those attempts, 51% either failed to resolve the issue or made it worse. The survey results describe respondents’ reported experiences; they are not a measure of Knob Hardware’s customers or sales.
Silwal described the store’s combination of product inventory and staff assistance. The report also lists how-to videos, in-store demonstrations and grouped repair kits as possible resources for retailers. These are recommendations in the report, not services confirmed as currently offered by Knob Hardware.
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A New Store Builds Its Plumbing Range
Hardware Retailing’s report places the department within a broader pattern of homeowners delaying repairs. The SupplyHouse survey found that 93% of respondents delayed plumbing or HVAC repairs at least sometimes; 13% said they waited six months or longer to address their most recent issue, and 8% said they did not address it. The reported figures combine plumbing and HVAC in the delay question, so they should not be read as plumbing-only rates.
The survey also found that minor leaks and clogged drains were the plumbing problems respondents put off longest. Reported response times differed by generation: 45% of baby boomers said they addressed their most recent issue immediately, compared with 34% of Gen X, 35% of millennials and 31% of Gen Z. These are survey results and do not explain why the groups responded differently.
Silwal’s account describes how the department’s inventory and staff assistance are organized around customer needs. Standard products are handled as readily available, higher-volume items; specialty products are more likely to require staff to ask about the problem, dimensions, capacity, connections and intended use. The report describes this distinction as part of the store’s merchandising and customer assistance.
““We train our staff on the basic plumbing product categories, including product applications, sizing, fittings, connections and common repair situations.””
— Sanu Silwal, owner of Knob Hardware & Tool Store, quoted by Hardware Retailing
Sales Figures and Survey Limits
The 10% to 12% revenue figure is Silwal’s estimate as reported by Hardware Retailing. The report does not state the period covered, provide audited sales data or break down revenue by product type, so the figure cannot be independently assessed from the material provided. It also does not identify which products or services generate the department’s sales.
The SupplyHouse survey is described as covering 1,001 U.S. homeowners, but the report does not provide its field dates, sampling method, margin of error or full questionnaire. The survey findings therefore offer reported consumer responses, not a verified measure of all homeowners’ behavior. The report also does not provide evidence on whether the store’s guidance changes repair outcomes or affects customer return rates.
It remains unclear whether Knob Hardware plans to expand the department, add dedicated plumbing staff, or introduce the suggested educational materials and repair kits. The report presents these resources as ideas for retailers rather than confirmed plans for this store.
How the Department May Develop
Hardware Retailing’s report does not announce a specific expansion or next milestone for Knob Hardware’s plumbing department. Silwal said general sales staff assist customers, more experienced employees take on complex questions, and the store stocks both everyday plumbing supplies and specialty parts.
The report lists online repair videos, in-store demonstrations and grouped emergency repair kits as possible resources for retailers addressing common problems such as clogged drains, running toilets and dripping faucets. Knob Hardware’s adoption of any of these ideas has not been confirmed. Further information on sales performance over time, customer outcomes and any planned changes to the department would clarify the retailer’s future plans.
Key Questions
How much of Knob Hardware’s revenue comes from plumbing?
Owner Sanu Silwal told Hardware Retailing that plumbing brings in around 10% to 12% of total store revenue. The report does not specify the period or provide audited figures.
What plumbing products does the store carry?
The report lists faucets, pumps, drain and waste products, valves, pipes, fittings, supply lines and hoses. It also names specialty products such as sewage pumps, leak-monitoring products and repair fittings.
Does Knob Hardware have a dedicated plumbing team?
No. Silwal said general sales staff assist across the plumbing department, while more experienced employees provide additional help with complicated questions or projects.
What did the SupplyHouse homeowner survey find about DIY plumbing?
Hardware Retailing reported that 71% of homeowners who faced plumbing issues tried a DIY fix before calling a professional. Among those attempts, 51% did not resolve the issue or made it worse. The survey covered 1,001 U.S. homeowners.
Has Knob Hardware announced new plumbing services or an expansion?
No such plan is stated in the report. Videos, demonstrations and repair kits are offered as ideas for retailers, not confirmed Knob Hardware initiatives.
Source: hardwareretailing.com
