Costs
Plumber hourly rates and call-out charges
A plumber charges £40 to £100 an hour depending on region and on the work, with a first hour or call-out charge on top for emergencies. Out of hours roughly doubles it.
Hourly and day rates
A self-employed plumber typically charges £40 to £100 an hour, or £250 to £450 for a day, depending on the region and on whether gas work is involved. Day rates are better value for anything over about three hours, and most plumbers will suggest one for a list of small jobs.
London runs highest, with day rates commonly £350 to £500 and hourly rates from £60. Northern England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland typically sit 20% to 30% below London. Gas Safe registered work carries a modest premium over general plumbing, mostly because the qualification and the insurance cost more to hold.
Call-out charges and the first hour
Two different structures get called a call-out charge, and they are worth telling apart. A call-out fee is a fixed amount for turning up, with time charged on top from the moment of arrival. A first hour charge is a minimum that includes an hour's labour. The same £120 means very different things under the two.
Ask which it is, and ask what the rate is after the first hour. On an emergency visit that second number is often what the invoice actually turns on.
Out of hours, weekends and bank holidays
Evening rates typically run £90 to £180 for the first hour, and overnight, Sunday and bank holiday rates £120 to £250. Some firms change rate at midnight rather than at a fixed evening hour, so a job starting at 11pm can straddle two rates.
A same day booking in ordinary working hours is roughly half the out of hours price, which is why the honest question when you call is whether the problem can be contained until morning. A stopcock turned off usually means it can.
Fixed prices and what they cover
Some jobs are priced as a fixed figure rather than by time: boiler installations, bathroom refits, power flushes and landlord safety records. A fixed price is generally better for you on anything with a predictable scope, because the risk of it taking longer sits with the plumber.
What to check in a fixed price is what is excluded. Making good after chasing walls, replacing valves found seized on the day, and disposal of an old appliance are the three exclusions that appear most often as extras.
Common questions
How much does a plumber charge per hour in the UK?
£40 to £100 depending on region and on whether gas work is involved. London and the south east sit at the top of that range, and the north, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland at the bottom.
Is a day rate cheaper than hourly?
For anything beyond about three hours, usually yes. A day rate also means the plumber is not watching the clock, which tends to produce better work on a list of small jobs.
Do plumbers charge for quotes?
Not usually for a straightforward quote. A diagnostic visit that involves fault finding is chargeable, and most firms credit the fee against the repair if you go ahead.