Plumber day rates in South East
South East England · 2026
£345–£550
per day, ex VAT
£43–£69
per hour
+15%
vs UK average
A plumber working in South East typically charges £345–£550 a day (£43–£69 an hour), ex VAT — 15% above the UK average of £390 a day. The commuter belt carries a clear premium — strong renovation demand from Surrey, Kent, Sussex and the Home Counties keeps diaries full, and many trades here can pick and choose their jobs.
Plumbers' day rates sit at the top end of the trades because so much of the work is reactive — a burst pipe can't wait for a cheaper quote. Established plumbers with good reviews routinely turn work away, which is what holds the range up.
What moves a plumber's rate
- 01Emergency and out-of-hours call-outs, which command a significant premium over planned work
- 02Full bathroom installations versus repair and maintenance days
- 03Parts and materials markup policy — some price trade supply into the rate, some bill it separately
- 04Water Regulations (WRAS) compliance on supply work
South East vs everywhere else
| London | £405–£650 |
| South East | £345–£550 |
| East of England | £315–£505 |
| South West | £300–£480 |
| Scotland | £290–£465 |
| West Midlands | £290–£460 |
| North West | £280–£450 |
| East Midlands | £275–£440 |
| Yorkshire | £270–£430 |
| Wales | £265–£425 |
| North East | £255–£410 |
| Northern Ireland | £245–£395 |
Charging £450? Prove it's enough.
The market range is the market's number. Yours depends on your overheads, your tax pot and how many days you actually bill. Run it through the calculator, then send the quote while the number's fresh.
Other trades in South East
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Indicative ranges compiled from public cost guides, reviewed July 2026. Ex VAT. A guide, not a quote, and not financial advice.