Emergency plumber cost, our published rate card
Most emergency plumbers won’t tell you what they charge until you’ve already let them in.
One rate, whatever the hour
3am on a bank holiday costs exactly the same as Tuesday lunchtime. No call-out fee. The price is agreed in writing before work starts, and it doesn’t move.
| When you call | First hour | Each extra half hour |
|---|---|---|
| Weekday, 8am to 6pm | £99 | £49 |
| Weekday evening | £99 | £49 |
| Overnight | £99 | £49 |
| Weekend | £99 | £49 |
| Bank holiday | £99 | £49 |
Parts are charged on top, at the cost of the part. If a part has to be sourced, you approve the cost before we buy it.
What an emergency plumber costs, by time on the job
£99 covers the first hour, then each extra half hour is £49, plus the cost of parts. Charging starts when the engineer arrives, not when the van sets off, and there is no call-out fee on top. The same figure applies day, night and weekend.
What is an emergency plumber call-out fee?
A call-out fee is a fixed charge for coming to your home. It is added before the plumber has looked at the problem, and on top of the hourly rate or the price of the job. Some firms charge more for a call-out at night, at weekends or on bank holidays. Others say “no call-out fee” but then charge a minimum of two hours, which is the same money with a different name. None of this is wrong in itself, as long as you are told up front. The problem is when you only find out on the invoice. So before anyone sets off, ask three things: is there a call-out fee, is there a minimum charge, and does the price change at night?
Plumber call-out cost: how to compare quotes
Do not compare the headline numbers. Compare what a normal job would cost from start to finish. Most emergency jobs take between one and two hours. So work out the total for that time from each firm: call-out fee, plus the hourly rate, plus any night or weekend extra. Then ask whether the price will be fixed in writing once the fault is found, and how long the work is guaranteed for. A cheap-looking quote with a big call-out fee and no written price is usually the dearer one in the end.
We do not charge a call-out fee at any time. You pay £99 for the first hour and £49 for each extra half hour. That is the same at 3am on a Sunday as on a Tuesday afternoon. There is no night, weekend or bank holiday surcharge, and no extra for your postcode. Once the engineer has found the fault, you get a fixed price in writing before any work starts, and that price does not change. The work is guaranteed for twelve months. If a part needs to be ordered, you agree the cost before we buy it. So the number you compare is the number you pay.
Questions people ask
Is the first-hour rate really the same at 3am?
Yes. £99 first hour, £49 per additional half hour, at any hour of any day including bank holidays. Night premiums are a choice firms make, not a cost they bear.
Do I pay a call-out fee if you cannot fix it?
There is no call-out fee at any time. You pay for the time on the job, £99 for the first hour and £49 for each extra half hour, plus the cost of any parts you agreed to.
What about parts?
Common parts are carried and priced on the fixed quote. Anything special-order is approved by you at cost + stated handling before we buy it, the receipt is yours to see.
Do quotes ever change mid-job?
The quoted price is the price. If opening up reveals something genuinely different (a second burst, a collapsed run), work stops and a new decision is yours before a penny more is spent.