Plumbing Costs & Choosing a Plumber
What things should cost, and how to pick a firm that won’t make it worse.
What a boiler service should cost
Boiler servicing is not something we do, so this one belongs with a boiler engineer. Whoever you ask, find out what is included: a genuine service requires a calibrated flue gas analyser and takes the better part of an hour, and neither of those is free to the firm doing it.
A service and a safety certificate are not the same thing
This is the most expensive misunderstanding in domestic plumbing. A CP12 safety check confirms the appliance is safe right now. A service cleans the burner and heat exchanger, checks seals and combustion, and is what actually extends the boiler’s life and keeps the manufacturer warranty valid. Many people pay for the certificate believing they bought the service, and find out when a warranty claim is refused.
What legitimately changes a price, and what should not
Access, parts and time legitimately change it. A pipe under a solid floor genuinely costs more than one under a sink. What should not change it is the hour of the day: a firm charging a night premium is making a pricing choice, not covering a cost. And a price that moves after work has started, without a new decision from you, is the mechanic behind almost every horror story.
The four questions that protect you
Is there a call-out fee? What is the hourly rate, and is it higher at night? Does it include parts? Is there a minimum charge? A reputable firm answers all four without hesitating, on the phone, before sending anyone. If the answer to the last one is no, keep dialling, that single question filters out most of the bad outcomes.
Check the company, not the van
Anyone can put a name and a phone number on a van. A company number takes thirty seconds to look up at Companies House and tells you who you are actually dealing with. Ask for it before anyone starts. A professional expects you to ask and is not remotely offended by it.
Guides
How Much Does It Cost to Replace a Toilet in London?
Our fixed £245 price for a like-for-like toilet swap, old toilet taken away, how long the job takes, and what makes other toilets cost more.
What Is Plumbing Work? What a Plumber Does at Home
Plumbing work explained in plain terms, from water supply, hot water and waste pipes to first fix and second fix, and which rules apply.
What Does an Emergency Plumber Actually Do?
What the job involves, what to expect from a good one, and the questions worth asking at the door.
DIY vs Professional Plumbing: Where the Line Is
What you can safely do yourself, what is false economy, and what is actually illegal.
The Plumbing Tools Worth Owning at Home
Seven tools that handle most small plumbing jobs, and the ones to leave to the trade.
How to Choose a Plumber You Can Actually Trust
The five checks that separate a professional from a phone number on a lamppost.
How Long Does an Emergency Plumber Take to Arrive?
What "emergency response" really means, and the honest range across London.
What Do Plumbers Charge Per Hour in the UK?
Typical UK call-out fees and hourly rates, what legitimately moves them, and the questions that stop you being overcharged at 2am.
Questions people ask
How much is a boiler service?
It varies by firm and by what is included. We do not service boilers, so ask a heating engineer for the price in writing, and check it is a full service rather than only a safety check.
Is a boiler service worth it?
Financially, yes, for one reason above all others: almost every manufacturer requires an annual service for the warranty to remain valid, and a missed year is the most common reason a claim is refused. A free heat exchanger is worth considerably more than the service that protected it.
How much does an emergency plumber cost?
There is no call-out charge. It is £110 for the first hour, then £45 for each additional half hour, plus the cost of parts, and the same at any hour of the day or night.
How do I know if a plumber is overcharging?
You largely cannot, after the fact, which is why the protection has to come before. Ask for the hourly rate, the call-out fee and the minimum charge before anyone is sent, and compare them with published rates. A firm that will not tell you its rate on the phone has told you something important about how it prices.