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COSTS

What plumbing jobs cost

A plain price list for common plumbing jobs in the UK, with every figure taken from a named, dated source.

IN SHORT

Most UK plumbers charge £40 to £60 an hour in 2026, or about £325 to £375 a day, according to Checkatrade and MyBuilder. Many don't charge a separate call-out fee, and emergency work can cost up to double the normal rate. A small job such as fixing a dripping tap is typically £50 to £150, says MyBuilder.

These are typical 2026 prices from the main trade platforms' cost guides and Which?'s survey of its Trusted Traders, with a few smaller guides where they fill a gap. Each figure is shown as its source gives it, with the source named and dated. We haven't averaged anything across sources. Where we have a fuller guide to a job, its row links to it.

Plumber prices in the UK: the price list

On small jobs, the plumber's time usually costs more than the parts. Here is what the sources say for the common jobs.

JOBTYPICAL PRICESOURCE
Hourly rate£40 to £60 an hourCheckatrade, June 2026; MyBuilder, August 2026
Day rate£325 to £375 a dayCheckatrade, June 2026; MyBuilder, August 2026
Call-out chargeOften none. Where charged, £80 to £120 on a weekday daytimeCheckatrade, March 2026; MyBuilder, August 2026
Emergency rate£75 to £150 an hour, plus a £100 to £120 call-outCheckatrade, June 2026
Replace a toilet ball or fill valve£50 to £300, parts included, VAT extraWhich?, May 2026
Unblock a toilet£75 to £150, parts extraCheckatrade, May 2026
Fix a dripping tap£50 to £150MyBuilder, August 2026
Replace a kitchen tap£140 to £240 supply and fit, before VATCheckatrade, June 2026
Replace a radiator valve (TRV)£70 to £140 per radiator, fittedMyJobQuote, September 2026
Fit an outside tap£80 to £150 on the wall behind the kitchen sink, usually including the tapMyJobQuote, September 2026
Plumb in a washing machine£40 to £80 where the connections are already there, including VAT, outside London and the South EastFantastic Services, September 2026 (one firm's guide; no major platform gives a 2026 figure)
Replace a toiletLabour from about £150 for a like-for-like swapCheckatrade, May 2026

The sources don't all count the same things. Which?'s figures include parts but not VAT. Most of the others don't say whether VAT is included, and VAT is only added if the plumber is VAT-registered. Treat each row as a guide, and ask what a quote includes.

How plumbers price their work

Plumbers charge in four main ways, and one quote can mix them.

  • By the hour. Most UK plumbers charge £40 to £60 an hour, say Checkatrade and MyBuilder. Some have a minimum charge, such as one hour, so a 20-minute job can cost the same as a full hour. More in our guide to what plumbers charge per hour.
  • By the job. Small jobs are often priced by the visit, because travel and setting up are part of the work. Which?'s figures for fixing a tap or replacing a fill valve are prices for the whole job.
  • A call-out charge. Checkatrade says there's no standard fixed call-out fee, and many plumbers just charge their hourly rate, except for emergencies. Where there is a fee, it often covers the first hour, but not always. See plumber call-out charges.
  • A day rate. For longer jobs, Checkatrade and MyBuilder put a plumber's day rate at about £325 to £375.

What moves the price

The same job can cost very different amounts depending on where you live, when you need it and what it involves.

  • Where you live. Every source with a view says London and the South East cost more. Fantastic Services puts it at about 20 to 30% above the rest of the UK. BestBuilders says London is about 30 to 50% above most of the North, the Midlands, Wales and Scotland.
  • When you need it. Checkatrade says an emergency plumber may charge up to double the normal hourly rate, plus a call-out. Our guide to emergency plumber costs has the details.
  • Experience. MyBuilder puts a mid-level plumber at £40 to £60 an hour and an experienced one at £60 to £80.
  • Parts. Hourly rates are usually for labour only. BestBuilders says materials are often charged at cost plus about 10 to 25%.
  • Access. A valve inside a boxed-in cistern, or a tank in the loft, takes longer to reach than one under a lift-off lid.

Why small jobs cost what they do

On a small job, most of what you pay for is the plumber's time, including getting to you, not the part. Checkatrade's guide to fixing a dripping tap says the parts cost a few pounds and most repairs take an hour or less. Even so, you're paying for the visit: travel, parking and setting up come with every job, and some plumbers charge a minimum, such as one hour.

That's also why small jobs end up waiting. Our guide on why small plumbing jobs are hard to get done explains more, including how to make yours an easy yes. One tip that helps on price too: list two or three small jobs for the same visit, so the minimum charge covers more than one.

Plumber prices in Bristol

Only one of the major cost guides gives figures for Bristol, so treat them as a rough guide. MyJobQuote's emergency plumber guide, updated 7 October 2026, lists Bristol at £60 to £75 an hour, with a call-out of £75 to £95 and a day rate of £380 to £480. The same table puts London at £75 to £95 an hour.

The table sits on an emergency guide and doesn't say whether these are standard or out-of-hours rates, or whether VAT is included. BestBuilders places Bristol and parts of the South West between London and the rest of the UK, but gives no figure. Checkatrade, MyBuilder and Which? give no regional prices at all.

Need a plumber in Bristol?

Fill My Day is coming soon to Bristol. It will send your job to checked plumbers nearby who have free time, and they'll reply with their own price. It's free to use at launch and you pay the plumber directly. It isn't taking bookings yet: see what's launching in Bristol.

Where these figures come from

Plumbing cost guides

GOOD TO KNOW

Questions,
answered straight.

How much does a plumber charge per hour in the UK?

Usually £40 to £60 an hour in 2026, according to both Checkatrade and MyBuilder. Rates are higher in London and the South East, and out of hours. See what plumbers charge per hour.

Do plumbers charge a call-out fee?

Not always. Checkatrade says many plumbers simply charge their hourly rate, except for emergencies. MyBuilder puts a weekday daytime call-out, where there is one, at £80 to £120.

Is VAT included in plumbers' prices?

Only if the plumber is VAT-registered, and many cost guides don't say whether their figures include it. Which?'s figures exclude VAT. Ask whether a quote includes it.

Are plumbers more expensive in Bristol?

One source, MyJobQuote, puts Bristol at £60 to £75 an hour, above the national £40 to £60. It's the only Bristol figure we found, and it comes from a guide to emergency plumbing, so treat it as a rough guide and get a quote.

KEEP READING

Where to next.

FIRST STOP / BRISTOL

Bristol.
You’re up first.

The app is in development and isn't taking bookings yet. Plumbers first, other trades to follow.

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