Cost guide
How much do taps and showers cost?
Changing a tap costs £90 to £200 in labour, and fitting a shower is £180 to £450. A shower pump for a low pressure system is £400 to £800 fitted, and an electric shower needs an electrician as well as a plumber.
Typical prices
Ranges, not quotes. A quote depends on your room.
| Work | Typical UK price |
|---|---|
| Replace basin or kitchen tap | £90 to £200 |
| Replace tap where valves are seized | £150 to £280 |
| Mixer shower, like for like | £180 to £350 |
| Thermostatic shower valve replacement | £220 to £450 |
| Electric shower, plumbing only | £200 to £400 |
| Shower pump, supply and fit | £400 to £800 |
Have isolation valves fitted while somebody is already under the sink. They cost a few pounds each and they take a chunk out of every plumbing bill you receive afterwards.
What moves the price
- Whether there are working isolation valves under the fitting, or the system has to be drained.
- Access. A kitchen tap in a cupboard behind a waste and a boxed stack takes longer than one on an open bench.
- Tap type. A monobloc with flexible tails is quicker than a pillar tap on rigid pipework.
- For a shower, whether it stays in the same position on the same feeds.
- Electrical work for an electric shower, which is a separate certified trade.
- Whether the system pressure supports the fitting you have chosen.
What the money buys: replacing kitchen and basin taps.
Who quotes for it
53 of the 61 plumbers and heating engineers listed on this site take on taps and showers.
Most of them in one place: Liverpool (13), Leeds (11), Birmingham (10), Manchester (10), Glasgow (9).
Questions about taps and showers
Why is my shower pressure so low?
On a gravity fed system, low pressure is normal and comes from the height of the cold tank above the shower. A pump or a change to a pressurised cylinder is the answer, not a new shower head.
What is a thermostatic shower valve?
A valve that holds the outlet temperature steady when the pressure changes elsewhere in the house, and shuts down if the cold supply fails. It is what stops the scald when someone flushes a toilet.