Emergency Plumber Cost

Want to know the cost of an emergency plumber?

Emergency plumbing repair costs can vary wildly, but they tend to be split into two parts:

• An emergency call out fee
• The charge for completing the work

The average emergency plumber call out fee is around £75, with labour charges typically starting at £60 per hour.

No matter how long it takes, the majority of plumbers will charge for a minimum of one hour’s work. If the job looks like it will take a whole day, most plumbers will charge a day rate, averaging at about £400 per day, although some may still charge an hourly rate regardless.

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How Much Do Emergency Plumbers Charge?

Most emergency plumbers charge an emergency call out fee of around £75, plus an hourly rate of about £60. For a typical emergency plumbing repair, the total cost often comes to around £135 to £255, depending on the job and the time of day.

Emergency plumbing repair costs depend on four factors:

• The distance from the plumber's location to the job
• The complexity of the job
• How long it takes (charged hourly, or at a plumber’s day rate)
• The cost of any parts required

The quoted cost will be divided into two parts – a call out charge and hourly/day rate. Then there may be an additional cost added to your bill if any parts are needed to complete the job.

Further to this, the time of year or time of day may affect your final bill – a call out on Christmas Day or at 3am is likely to incur a larger call out fee than at a standard time on a weekday.

At this point it is worth mentioning that whatever the cost, an emergency plumber can save you a lot of money in the long run – water damage, rot and mould, as a result of a plumbing issue, will cost a lot more to repair than the initial problem alone.

Emergency Plumber Prices

There are many reasons for calling out an emergency plumber. Here are typical costs and timescales for some of the most common jobs:

Emergency Plumber Costs by Area

If you are searching for an emergency plumber near you, labour rates can vary depending on where you live. London usually has the highest emergency plumber prices, while hourly rates in other parts of the UK are often slightly lower.

The table below shows typical emergency plumber call out fees and hourly labour rates in major UK cities.

These are only guideline prices. Emergency plumber costs can also rise outside normal working hours, on weekends, on bank holidays, or where specialist parts are needed. This is especially true in bigger cities where demand is higher.

Why Are Emergency Plumbers More Expensive in London?

Emergency plumbers in London usually charge more because labour costs, parking, travel time and operating costs are higher than in most other parts of the UK. Out-of-hours call outs can also be more expensive in busy city areas.

Emergency Plumbing Material Costs

If you need an emergency plumber, they should arrive with a basic toolkit providing the most common materials to stop the problem in its tracks (e.g., patch repair a broken pipe). However, a professional, experienced and skilled plumber will often carry the materials to do a full fix – e.g. permanently repair or replace the broken pipe.

Most plumbers will also have a supply of basic materials with them which they can use to repair the most common faults on site, but more specialised parts may need to be purchased to do a full repair.

Your plumber may include some of the materials they expect to use in their guide quote, but most will just quote for their anticipated work time and add any additional materials on at the end.

As a guide, this is what you can expect to pay for common plumbing materials:

This is what you can expect to pay for boiler specific materials. These costs will typically be more expensive, espeically if you need a whole new boiler, and may take some time to be ordered and arrive.

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Emergency Plumber Call Out Charges

Emergency plumber costs include the call out charge, and the hourly or day rate.

Emergency call out fees vary depending on how far the plumber has to travel, the area of the country you live in, as well as the individual plumber's rates. However, you can work off an average emergency call out fee of about £75.

The emergency call out fee covers petrol costs, as well as the inconvenience of the call out. Emergency plumber prices are usually higher outside normal working hours, with evening, weekend, and bank holiday call outs often costing more than weekday daytime visits.

Here's what to expect:

• Smaller jobs are typically charged at an hourly rate, while longer jobs are charged at a daily rate, which works out cheaper per hour.
• You will usually be charged for the first hour even if the plumber fixes your problem in five minutes.
• After the first hour, charges are typically made in increments of 15 or 30 minutes, although rounding up to the next full hour isn't uncommon.

Once your plumbing issue has been assessed, you may also be told if any material costs are required. For any small materials that are cheap to replace, they will likely include these in the cost of the work, but anything larger will be added to your bill.

An experienced and professional plumber should give you the options of different priced materials so you can fit them to your budget.

Cost Factors of Emergency Plumbing

Here some of the most common factors affecting emergency plumbing costs:

• Who You Hire — Different emergency plumbers charge different rates, so it's up to you to compare your quotes. Emergency plumbers often charge higher rates than standard fees, especially outside of normal working hours (typically evenings, weekends, or holidays), so it's best to confirm this beforehand.
• Materials Needed — Your emergency plumbing problem will likely have to be fixed using materials, and unless the plumber includes them, they raise the cost. You may have some say in the materials used, but the plumber may just choose the ones that are most suitable for the job.
• The Type of Job — Some plumbing work is straightforward, but a more complex job will not only require a more experienced plumber, but may also take longer to evaluate and fix, both of which will cost more money.
• Ease of Access — If pipework is difficult to reach, it's going to take much longer for the plumber to gain access and assess the issue, and it will also cost extra afterwards to repair the damage.
• Size and Complexity — The size of a plumbing issue may at first seem obvious, but any problem that arises could be just a symptom of a larger problem hidden in the pipework, which will increase the overall cost of the job.
• Emergency Cover and Insurance — If you have home emergency cover, you will probably have your plumbing system and boiler/central heating covered under your policy, though every company's policies differ and whether your plumbing issue counts as an emergency will change between insurers. It is worth reviewing your documentation once your plumber has established the issue, to see whether you're covered.
• Temporary Fix — Some emergency plumbing jobs can be fixed on the spot, whereas others may require a temporary solution, which will hopefully last long enough for you to call a standard plumber to complete the job. There are also times when a plumber will be within their rights not to attempt a temporary fix, especially for compliance or health and safety reasons, such as when a system involves gas or a pressurised water system.

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Types of Emergency Plumbing Jobs

There are lots of emergency plumbing jobs, but below are the most common ones, along with how you can identify if you have a problem, how you can prevent a future problem, and what is entailed in fixing it.

Blocked Toilet Cost

If your toilet doesn't flush, the water doesn't go down, or water gurgles in your shower/bath drain, you know you have a blocked toilet or a plumbing emergency.

The causes are usually a blockage in the toilet trap (e.g. flushed toys or too much toilet roll), old pipes with restricted flow, or toilets without enough water pressure to properly flush.

If you need to hire an emergency plumber for unblocking a toilet, it will likely take around 1 hour, so including the call out fee, you'll probably be charged about £175. It is unusual for a toilet blockage to need more than standard plumbing tools to repair, so you likely won't incur a bill for materials.

Blocked Sink Cost

Like with a blocked toilet, a blocked sink usually occurs when something has gone down the drain that shouldn't have. In bathrooms, this is usually hair and small items, and in kitchens, this is usually grease, oil, and bits of food.

Unblocking a sink should take less than an hour and won't require additional materials, so you're looking at a bill of about £175 for the call out and repair. You may still need to clean and unclog drains to prevent any future build-up.

Toilet Replacement Cost

If your toilet is constantly getting clogged, has cracks in the porcelain, wobbles, or has a large build-up of mineral deposits, you'd be strongly advised to replace your toilet.

If you need to replace a toilet, you will have four things to pay for: your plumber's call out fee, hourly rate, the new toilet, and the materials needed.

It takes between 1 and 4 hours, depending on experience and the type of toilet, so your labour charge will be between £60 and £250.

The toilet itself will cost between £45 and £350, and materials will come to approximately £50. Add to this your average emergency call out fee of £75, and your total bill will be between £230 and £725.

Tap Replacement Cost

If any taps in your house are rusting, cracked, leaking, wobbly, stained, or encrusted with limescale, it's probably time to replace your bath and sink taps.

Replacing a tap in an emergency will have four separate charges on your bill: the call out fee, the labour charge, the tap cost, and the cost of any additional materials.

Replacing the taps should take between 1 and 3 hours, so your labour charge will be £60 to £180. The taps themselves can be as basic or ornate as you'd like, so you could be looking at between £10 and £250. Adding these costs to the average call out fee of £75, your emergency plumber could charge between £145 and £650 to replace your tap.

Leaking Radiator Cost

A leaking radiator may be due to an underlying fault within your central heating, causing corrosion, loose parts, or worn out pieces that need to be replaced.

So long as the leak is fairly simple to repair, a plumber should be able to complete the job in 1 to 3 hours. There will likely be no charge for materials, as often a repair only requires tightening or loosening of nuts, bolts and washers, plus some PTFE tape and sealant to ensure a watertight finish.

However, you may need a replacement radiator valve which will cost between £4 and £55. The total cost will be your call out charge, labour cost and potentially a new valve, coming to between £139 and £310. If the radiator itself needs replacing, your plumber can remove and replace a radiator, costing between £150 and £855 in total

Thermostatic Radiator Valve Installation Cost

Your TRV can potentially break for a number of reasons – often the older style analogue ones will stick, meaning you can’t change the temperature. They can also be less responsive when you amend their heat setting, meaning you don’t get the temperature change that you're after.

If you want a plumber to install a single TRV, or replace a broken one, you will need to pay the usual call out fee, as well as the cost of the new TRV unit. They are very quick to change, so a plumber should be able to do it within the first hour of the visit, charging for a single hour’s labour, or about £60.

The total cost for the emergency replacement of a single TRV unit will be between £148 and £225.

Hot Water Tank Repair Cost

A faulty hot water tank will cause some fairly obvious problems, including an unusual smell in the hot water, gritty or discoloured water, insufficient hot water, or a leaking tank. If the tank itself is corroded or leaking, it's likely time for a full replacement.

To replace your hot water tank with a similar model, a plumber will likely need an entire day, though if you're looking to upgrade, it may take two plumbers. That means your call out charge could be doubled, as could your labour charges.

One plumber for one day might cost about £455, but two plumbers for one day will be closer to £900. The tank itself might cost between £150 and £900, which means the total bill for replacing your tank will be between £640 and £1,835.

Leaking Boiler Cost, and Other Boiler Repairs

There are many issues which can contribute to a boiler emergency. Your boiler could be losing pressure, you've got a water or gas leak, or you're left with no heating and no hot water in the midst of a cold winter.

If the emergency involves a boiler, radiators, or heating controls rather than pipework alone, you may need an emergency heating engineer instead of a general plumber. In many cases, call out charges are similar, usually ranging from £75 to £120 before labour and parts.

Getting an annual boiler service should resolve any minor issues before they grow into big problems. You can go one of three ways with boiler repairs - you can pay ad-hoc for any issues as they arise, pay for a fixed fee boiler repair, or sign up for a pay-monthly boiler repair service.

For ad-hoc boiler repairs, your bills will vary depending on the job, the time it takes, and any parts or materials required.

Gas Leak Cost

Gas leaks are usually easy to diagnose. Common signs include the smell of sulphur, dead houseplants, hissing or whistling sounds, pilot lights frequently blowing out, soot or scorch marks on your boiler, or an orange or yellow coloured flame instead of blue.

If carbon monoxide is leaking, you may feel dizzy or nauseated, in which case go outside immediately.

You can prevent gas leaks by ensuring your gas appliances have been installed and regularly checked by a Gas Safe registered engineer. If you have a gas leak, get it repaired immediately and ensure your emergency plumber is Gas Safe registered before you hire them. The repair usually takes 1 to 2 hours, leaving your charge at about £135 to £195.

Burst Water Pipe Cost

There are two main causes of burst water pipes – water pressure (clogs can cause a backup of water, making the pipes expand, crack or burst), and cold (the water in the pipes freezes, expands and leads to cracks or bursts).

You can usually identify a leak/burst pipe by noting any waterlogged areas in your garden, taking regular meter readings (to identify sudden changes in use) and noticing low flow in your taps.

You can prevent some types of burst pipes by ensuring you insulate your pipes in winter and shut off/empty unnecessary pipes (e.g. garden taps), and also ensure any blockages to your system are cleared quickly to prevent water build-up.

A plumber will take between 1 and 3 hours to fix a burst water pipe, and the materials used (short pieces of pipe, nuts and couplers) shouldn’t cost more than £15.

That means your total fix, including call out fee will cost between £150 and £270.

Blocked/Overflowing Drain (CCTV survey) Cost

An overflowing or blocked drain is usually caused by the same things causing blocked toilets and sinks – unsuitable things being flushed down the toilets.

An overflowing drain blockage often contains wipes, hair, tissues and sanitary products; grease or fat; toys/foreign objects; or trees/leaves.

To prevent these issues, follow the same advice you would for a blocked toilet – limit items being flushed down the toilet, use sink strainers to catch hair and food, don’t pour oil or grease down your drain, and additionally make sure you regularly remove leaves and other debris from around your drains.

If your drain needs unblocking, you will sometimes need a CCTV survey – this is where a specialist company will insert a camera into the drainage system, and use it to identify any blockages, leaks etc that need to be repaired.

This is a much better solution than traditional methods of identifying drain problems, which often required digging up sections of your garden to review the pipes physically.

There are specialist companies who complete CCTV drain surveys, and the average price for the job is £90 to £250which takes 1 to 2 hours. However, this does not include the repair of the problem, only the diagnosis. The actual repair will take 1 to 2 days and will cost closer to £850.

How to Find and Hire an Emergency Plumber

If you need to hire an emergency plumber, there are a few things you should consider before making your final decision.

• Ask to see proof of professional qualifications – they should have level 2 or 3 diplomas in plumbing, as well as level 3 gas-related qualifications. Some may also have progressed to HND or degree level. Many plumbers will have completed an apprenticeship with work signed off by a supervisor.
• Ask if they are Gas Safe Registered, as this is a legal requirement in certain situations, such as boiler work.
• Check whether they belong to a trade association (e.g. Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineers or Association of Plumbing and Heating Contractors). You can verify membership directly with the association.
• Check they have the correct insurance before any work starts.
• Ask for references from previous customers where possible.
• Check whether they offer a warranty on parts and labour.
• Ask if they hold additional accreditation such as WaterSafe.
• Ask what relevant experience they have with emergency plumbing work.
• Look for recommendations or reviews from previous jobs.

Beware a cheap plumber – they may only hire poorly trained/inexperienced employees on a low wage; they may only use cheap parts; and they may not be willing to fix any mistakes they make without an additional charge. Ensure you do your research before you go ahead with your chosen plumber.

Check out our Emergency Plumber Near Me page to help you find an emergency plumber in your area!

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