Much do plumbers charge? What is a good hourly rate? Should I get a quote upfront? Do I need an itemised bill?
I'd like to address each of these questions to give everyone a clear guide to plumbers and how they charge.
Hourly rate (Time + Materials) - this is when a plumber will typically charge a call out fee ($80-$160 and sometimes more) then charge an hourly rate or a division of that (per 15mins or per 30mins) once they have arrived. The downside is that you have no idea how much your bill will come to and you also have no control.
Flat rate pricing is the same as quoting every job before the plumber starts no matter how small so you know how much you are up for before he starts work.
We believe this is a much fairer way to go and it keeps everyone informed along the way. If you are getting any plumbing work done, make sure you know how much you are spending before the plumber even lifts a tool. Each job will be different and to give an accurate quote a plumber will need to take a look to ensure there are no nasty surprises.
