Update 2022: The UK has experienced unprecedented levels of inflation over the last 18 months and the cost of some home repairs and improvements has surged by around 40-60%. The plumbing price list on this page was updated in 2022, if you would like a fixed price for your project, fill in this form with your details.

Plumbers carry out a wide range of jobs around the home, from upgrades and large installations to emergency repairs and small jobs.

But how much do all of these projects cost? What is the going rate to get a plumber out in the UK in 2022?

We recently updated several of our detailed price guides such as bathroom installations, central heating power flushing and radiator costs.

On this page, however, we will reveal not only how much plumbers are charging but also how long you can expect each job to take.

Here is a quick list of what you can expect to discover on this page:

General Plumbing Prices

1. cost to jet/unblock drains
2. cost to clear out gutters and rainwater systems
3. install a new kitchen sink
4. replace a radiator
5. replace a toilet
6. install tap set to either a bath, basin or sink
7. replace a wall thermostat
8. thermostatic radiator valves
9. wall tiling work on a per hour basis
10. plumb in a washing machine

Gas Related Project Costs

1. install a new gas hob
2. swap an old boiler for a new condensing variant
3. servicing and gas safety certificates

Some of the prices below will include the materials, others will be for labour only as stated.

Please see each description for more details.

Drain Jetting, Cleaning and Unblocking by a Plumber:

Underground pipes in the garden are the responsibility of the homeowner, the utility companies will usually only repair or maintain drains outside of your property boundaries (unless they are shared with a neighbour).

Both rainwater and sewer pipes can become blocked and may need jet flushing to solve the issue.

Below is a suggested plumber’s price for this work.

Don’t forget that price is for a fairly simple jet flush. If the blockage is caused by a collapsed pipe or perhaps tree roots and the work involves an additional repair, then this will add extra cost.

We have also provided a cost guide for unblocking a sink or toilet, although you may pay more if your plumber has a minimum charge or call out fee as this work is usually completed in less than one hour:

(You may also like: This page contains information about drain CCTV survey costs)

Gutter Unblocking and Clearing:

Moss, leaves, twigs and other material can cause blockages in the roof gutters or rainwater pipe system.

Failure to regularly maintain the gutters can lead to all sorts of problems such as rotten fascias, damp patches and mould.

The price below is per metre of guttering and includes checking and if necessary unblocking any rainwater pipes above ground level.

Expect a typical semi-detached house to take a couple of hours. Add extra time and charges for cleaning the exterior of the gutters if you request it.

This type of work is carried out by roofers, gutterers, roofline companies, some plumbers and also specialist gutter cleaning firms.

As a rule of thumb; roofers and roofline installers tend to charge more than dedicated gutter cleaning firms.

Expect to pay extra if you have a gutter guard filter and want it re-fitted after the gutters have been cleaned.

Price For a Plumber to Install a Kitchen Sink:

Below is our price guide for a plumber to remove an existing sink and replace it with a new one.

The price is for the labour only as we assume you will be supplying the sink and disposing of the old one.

The work should take between 1 and 3 hours depending on how much pipework is needed and also whether the worktop needs trimming and by how much.

For the sake of comparison, the plumber’s price below is for a standard-sized sink:

Replace a Radiator:

To remove and replace a radiator in roughly the same location expect to pay the amount shown below.

This price includes some minor pipework but assumes the radiator isn’t being relocated to a new place, which would cost more.

We believe that a radiator replacement job would take around 2 hours depending on how much pipework is needed.

As you can see from the table below, we have displayed the cost in two parts; the labour and a separate cost for a standard radiator:

Plumbers Prices to Remove and Replace a Toilet:

Replacing a toilet can be unpredictable as how long it takes to rip and replace depends on the age of the existing system and the size of the pipework.

The table below shows the labour and material cost to replace a fairly modern toilet with a new one.

Expect the work to take between 2 and 4 hours:

Replacing Taps:

This is “bread and butter” work for plumbers, it’s the type of work they do day in and day out.

Below is a labour cost to replace a tap set to either a sink, basin or bath.

We haven’t included the cost of the taps themselves as there are so many to choose from and they all have different prices.

Expect the work to take no more than one hour:

Wall Thermostats:

Wall thermostats are used to control the temperature of the home. They are usually located in a common room such as a dining or living room.

When the central heating system is switched on, it will stay on until your desired temperature is reached. It will then automatically switch off the heating until the temperature cools.

Replacing a unit like-for-like will take less than one hour and this work is often completed by plumbers and electricians.

Replacing a unit and moving it to a new location OR installing a wall thermostat for the first time will involve additional wiring and will cost more than our suggested price below:

Thermostatic Radiator Valves:

This type of thermostat is placed on most radiators in the house so you can control the temperature of each radiator independently.

These are great if you have empty rooms in your house and don’t want to waste money heating the rooms.

The cost of each item is around £15 for a cheap valve and up to £40 for a polished chrome variant.

While they are fairly simple and quick to fit, the system does need to be drained beforehand and each radiator should be fully tested after installation so you should allow a couple of hours for a typical two or three-bedroom house.

Kitchens and bathrooms don’t need these valves as these rooms make use of water (cooking, bath, shower etc) so the radiator should always come on with the system so these rooms can dry out:

Wall/Floor Tiling – Per Hour:

When carrying out plumbing repairs there are situations when wall tiling “making good” type of repairs are also required.

Here are a few examples:

• installing a new toilet or basin
• relocating or correcting the position of a bath
• boxing in exposed pipework

Below is a labour only price guide for small tiling jobs, we assume that the customer will be supplying the tiles and grout.

As with our other price guides, we also assume that the customer will dispose of the small amount of waste that is generated.

How long all of this work takes will depend on how many tiles are required and also how well the original tiles have adhered to the walls/floors.

Many tilers prefer to price per job rather than per hour and there are some minimum charges to consider, but for small repairs, expect to pay the following per hour:

Remove and Replace a Gas Hob:

Gas hobs are often independent of the oven and can be removed and replaced.

This work must be carried out by a qualified and registered gas engineer so the cost is slightly higher than comparative non-gas projects.

Expect the work to take no more than a couple of hours, in some cases in as little as an hour.

The price below is for labour only, we have provided a suggested guide price for the item cost of a standard white gas hob:

Cost to Install a Condensing Boiler:

Old boilers are usually very inefficient compared to their modern condensing counterparts.

You can expect to regain at least some of your financial outlay via reduced heating bills.

The price below is for the labour to replace a standard gas boiler with a condensing boiler in the same position, it also includes all labour including associated pipework:

Gas Servicing and Safety Certificate Prices:

Gas safety checks are a basic check of the gas system to ensure it’s safe and a certificate is provided upon completion. For landlords, they should be completed once per year.

Gas servicing is a more comprehensive check and may involve cleaning and tuning to improve performance.

Sometimes both are combined into one with a discount:

Connect a New Washing Machine:

Euronics Receipt – £40 to deliver and connect a washing machine and dispose of the old one

Many suppliers offer very reasonable installation fees for white goods.

For example, Euronics currently charge £40 for delivery, the connection of the new machine and removal/disposal of old machine.

If you were to instruct a local handyman to do this work, then expect to pay anything from £20-60.

For a plumber or plumbing company, you’ll end paying their minimum charge or call-out fee, which is variable.

Hourly Rates, Minimum Charges and Call Out Fees:

Most plumbers will have a minimum charge which is often a call out fee or an amount equivalent to one hour’s work.

Additional time is then charged either per hour, per half hour or per 15 minutes.

Hourly rates vary around the country and the size of the company you choose is also a factor.

A larger business with shareholders and layers of middle management staff will obviously have more overheads than a small one-man type trader.

Below is our per hour price guide for the South of the UK, including London.

For areas outside of the south, expect the cost to decrease by around 30%.

As a general rule of thumb, the further away from London you are, the less it will cost you.

The prices above assume that the work will be carried out during normal office hours.

For evening work and weekends expect the cost to increase by up to 50%.

There is high demand for plumbers during the evening and weekends as not everyone can take time off work during the day to be at home.

The Difference Between Plumber’s Hourly Rates, Estimates and Quotations:

Quotations are also known as fixed-price contracts, you will pay an agreed sum upon completion, regardless of how long the work takes. In most cases, the quotation will include the labour, materials and waste disposal. Quotations are the safest option as the amount you pay can only go up by prior agreement, although you should read the paperwork thoroughly to make sure everything you want is included. This type of contract is often used on projects such as house rewires, new roofs or any job where you know exactly what you want to be included in the cost.

An estimate is where your tradesperson will take a guess as to how long the work will take and what materials will be needed and the cost. If the work takes longer or more materials are needed, then you will foot the bill for this. Estimates are often used on large projects where you aren’t sure about some aspects of the work. For example; a house extension where you haven’t decided on the type or quality of the fixtures and fittings, flooring carpets, type of taps etc.

An hourly or half-hourly rate is often used by plumbers and electricians for small and medium-sized projects that can be completed in less than one day. Your tradesperson can take a guess as to how long the work will take but ultimately you will be billed for their actual time.

Where Did These Plumber’s Prices Come From?

We gathered these prices from published price lists on plumber’s websites.

All of our plumber prices were updated in April 2022 and most of the websites were for plumbers in the south of the UK, including London.

Our figures are an average of the prices we sourced and are not an offer of work.

Get a Quote

If you are looking for a plumbing price from a rated and reviewed local business, hit the link below to see how we can help you: