How much should you pay a plumber?
When there’s something wrong with your plumbing – a leaky pipe or a dripping tap – or you’re working on an upgrade, like a new sink, there’s always the temptation to try it yourself.
And while it is possible to work out small jobs with the help of some YouTube tutorials, sometimes it really is just better to call in the experts to handle it!
There’s always the risk that you can make a problem worse if you’re not totally sure what you’re doing – even something as simple as not re-tightening something enough, or forgetting to put a washer back in, can mean more leaky headaches in the long run.
We understand why people aren’t always keen to call a plumber in for little jobs, though. We’ve all had our experiences with traders who charge too much for a job, leaving you feeling a bit silly – and out of pocket! – when you find out a friend got a much better price for something else.
We’ve been in the business for decades between us, so at this point we’ve seen it all, heard all the horror stories, and have a pretty good idea of what you should be expecting to pay for typical small jobs, so we’ve put together a list of the most common jobs, and how much you should expect to pay.
What do these prices include?
Everything! All these job prices include materials (apart from the cost of an actual new appliance, like a sink or toilet itself), labour, and call-out fees. That’s where a lot of the horror stories start – you get a quote for the job, but it doesn’t include the parts, or the cost of the call-out.
These prices also include disposing of old materials – so you won’t be left with an old toilet dumped in the front garden.
Our advice? Always make sure you ask the question when you’re getting a quote – what does the price include? If there’s anything missing, alarm bells should be ringing.
The 11 most common plumbing jobs – and what you should pay for them
So, including, labour, and call-out, the following jobs shouldn’t set you back much more than…
- Installing a new outside tap – £90
- Replacing a tap washer – £45
- Installing new bathroom sink or bath taps – £125
- Replacing a toilet, in the same position, with no new pipework (and the customer supplies their own toilet!) – £115
- Repairing a gas leak, or burst water pipe – £65
- Cap off gas or water pipe – £65
- Servicing of appliances – £45 per appliance
- Landlord’s gas safety check – £65
- Exchanging a sink, in the same position, with no new pipework (and, once again, the customer supplies their own sink) – £115
- Alter pipe work (gas or water) – £25 per hour
- Boiler repair – £25 per hour
A quick note on gas jobs…
Even knowing what a job should cost you, we know many people will still be inclined to give it a go for themselves. We can’t stop you – but we’d just like to remind you that under no circumstances should you ever carry out any gas-related work yourselves.
Any gas work should be carried out by a gas-safe engineer, who is listed on the Gas Safe Register. That’s the rule, and there’s nothing that can be done about it!
How long should the work take?
These jobs will all vary – but they really shouldn’t take much more than about four hours for a new sink or toilet.
Only the very biggest jobs should really be taking more than a day, so if someone’s quoting you multiple days to get the job done, it’s worth looking elsewhere to see if other companies give you a similar answer.
Want a more specific answer on how much a job will cost you? You can get a free boiler quote from us online, or you can contact us for a price on any work you need doing. We’re always here to help!