Where plumbers sit on price
Plumbers are at the higher end of the trades, and deservedly — a fault means a flood or carbon monoxide, not a dead light. Nationally that's £300–£480 a day (roughly £45–£75/hour), with London and the South East well above and the North and Midlands closer to £45–£65/hour. Five-plus years' experience and a solid reputation put you at the top of your region — check the live figure on the plumber benchmark page.
Emergency call-outs are your profit
A burst pipe at 11pm on a Sunday is worth far more than a Tuesday service, because your availability has value. A sensible structure:
- Weekday 9–5: no call-out fee (day rate / hourly)
- Evenings & Saturday: £50–£80 call-out + 1.5× hourly
- Sunday & nights: £80–£120 call-out + 2× hourly
- Bank holidays: £120–£150 call-out + 2–2.5×
Set a minimum emergency charge (£150–£200) even for a quick fix. Track and chase what you're owed so late payers don't wipe out the premium.
Installs vs repairs
Repairs and service work (leaks, TMV swaps, blockages) are typically £150–£300 — half-day or day-rate work with 15–20% on parts. Full bathroom installs are better split into first fix (pipe runs) and second fix (connecting finished fittings), quoted separately, so the customer sees what's included. Don't price "a bathroom" as a flat £1,200 — a shower swap is four hours, a full gut is three or four days.
The Gas Safe boundary
You can do all the water-side work — supply, radiators, underfloor heating, second-fix pipework for a new boiler. You cannot install, remove or service a boiler, or work on gas pipework, without Gas Safe registration. If you're not registered, refer it or partner with someone who is and take a finder's fee. The liability isn't worth the risk.
Common mistakes
- Underselling emergencies — standard day rate for a 2am fix means £175 for lost sleep. Add 100–150%.
- Not quoting materials upfront — "£150 to diagnose, and the PCB is £280 — proceed?" beats a surprise on the invoice.
- Free callbacks that aren't your fault — fix your own errors free; a separate new fault is a new call-out.
Price the whole job properly in the job-cost calculator, then send it with the quote builder.