Tell local plumbers what needs fixing
Describe a leaking joint, a toilet that keeps refilling or a shower that changes temperature. Include the postcode and whether the fault is urgent, so businesses can judge the journey, the likely parts and the time needed.
My Plumbing Prices introduces homeowners to independent plumbing businesses. Submit one free online enquiry and you may receive up to four quotations from plumbers who cover your postcode and take on that work. Responses depend on availability and local coverage; four quotations are not guaranteed. You can decline every quotation.
From your description to a quotation
- Explain the symptoms. Give the room, fitting, when the problem started and whether the water is isolated.
- Discuss the enquiry. Suitable plumbers may ask for a photograph, a model number or details of your hot water system.
- Agree any assessment charge. Sending an enquiry is free; a plumber’s diagnostic visit or call-out may be chargeable. Check before booking it.
- Compare written scopes. Confirm parts, labour, VAT, access and making good, then choose whether to accept a quotation.
Indicative UK plumbing prices
The first six ranges below match this site’s service guide figures. The extra rows show narrower examples within those services, rather than charges to add automatically. These are budgeting estimates, not guaranteed prices, fixed offers or measured averages for your town. Ask for a total including VAT where applicable, and confirm what parts and call-out time it includes.
| Service or task | Guide range | Scope to check |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency Plumber | £100–£450 | Urgent attendance or make-safe work; agree whether the permanent repair is included. |
| Leaking Pipe Repairs | £120–£600 | From accessible joint repairs to harder-to-reach pipework; specialist tracing and reinstatement may be extra. |
| Tap Repair and Replacement | £80–£300 | Repair or straightforward replacement; expensive designer taps and difficult access can add more. |
| Toilet Repairs and Installation | £90–£550 | From cistern repairs to straightforward replacement; confirm whether the new suite is supplied. |
| Shower Plumbing and Repairs | £150–£1,200 | From valve repairs to pump or valve replacement with access work; extensive retiling may be extra. |
| Blocked Sink and Waste Pipe Clearing | £75–£250 | Domestic traps and waste runs; underground drains and major alterations are separate work. |
| Tap washer or standard cartridge repair | £80–£180 | Accessible fitting and obtainable parts; specialist cartridges can cost more. |
| Toilet fill or flush valve replacement | £90–£220 | Accessible cistern with a standard replacement mechanism. |
| Like-for-like shower pump replacement | £300–£700 | Suitable replacement pump on an existing compatible installation. |
| Accessible sink trap replacement | £75–£150 | Standard trap and a short visit; longer waste alterations cost more. |
Price sense-checks include Which?’s surveyed plumbing costs and MyBuilder’s pump cost guide. Their job definitions and VAT treatment vary; the ranges here cover our broader service categories. Some straightforward jobs cost less, while extensive damage, specialist parts or overnight attendance can exceed them.
What moves the total up or down?
An accessible compression joint is quicker to reach than one below a tiled floor. Tell the plumber about tight cupboards, fixed bath panels, parking restrictions and flats where shutting off water affects neighbours. Larger properties and longer pipe runs can take more time to drain, trace and refill.
Parts vary too. A common washer is different from a discontinued cartridge; a basic close-coupled toilet is different from a concealed frame installation. Ask whether your quote covers supply and fitting or fitting only. For shower pumps, the replacement must suit the stored-water system, not simply look like the old unit.
Call-out fees may cover travel, a set period on site or diagnosis only. Evenings and weekends can attract higher rates. Agree how extra time is billed and ask the plumber to contact you before exceeding an agreed spend. Leak tracing, drying out, plastering, flooring and decoration may need separate quotations.
Useful details for each type of repair
- Pipes: say whether water appears continuously or after a fitting is used; mention exposed copper, plastic or old lead pipework.
- Taps: include the make if known, pictures of the tap and connections, and whether you already have the replacement.
- Toilets: describe the flush, refill and leak location; mention concealed cistern access and whether this is the only toilet.
- Showers: distinguish a mixer from an electric shower; note temperature swings, weak flow, pump noise or a stain below the tray.
- Blocked wastes: say which fittings drain slowly, whether several are affected and whether any drain chemicals have already been used.
Additional tasks such as isolation valves, basin wastes and appliance connections can be discussed alongside the main repair. A blockage affecting several rooms or an outside drain may require a drainage specialist rather than a routine sink-trap visit.
Checks before accepting a quotation
Companies joining the network are asked to provide relevant insurance details and references. Before booking, ask the business for current evidence that its insurance covers your job, and check references for similar repairs. An introduction does not guarantee the work. WaterSafe Register lists approved contractors with training in the water fittings rules; it is a useful additional check rather than a licence every domestic plumber must hold.
A plumber is not automatically qualified for gas appliance or electrical work. For gas work, check an engineer’s Gas Safe registration and work categories; for electric showers, ask who will carry out and test the electrical connection. Electrical Safety First’s bathroom advice explains why bathroom electrics need particular care.
Is the water still escaping?
If water is escaping, close the internal stopcock only if you can reach it safely. Keep away from wet sockets, light fittings and electrical equipment. Isolate electricity only from a dry, safe position; do not touch wet switches or enter standing water to reach the consumer unit. Arrange urgent help directly if the leak cannot be controlled. This website does not monitor emergencies or dispatch plumbers, and an enquiry does not reserve an arrival time.
Send the details and choose in your own time
Complete the enquiry form with the symptoms and access information. Each responding plumber gives their own price and availability. We arrange the introduction; you decide whether to book and agree the work directly with that business.