Things to know
Boiler servicing and emergency work should never be quoted the same way. A service is predictable, so price it flat. Customers will compare that against other flat-rate quotes without flinching. An emergency callout is different: it carries a genuine after-hours premium, so state it as its own line. A customer calling at 11pm won't be surprised by the total, and you won't quietly eat the cost of being available out of hours.
Copper and fitting prices move, sometimes by the week. A quote that stays silent on this can leave you underquoting a job that gets delayed, or defending a price rise to a customer who thought the number was final. One sentence in the notes solves both problems: "materials priced as of [date], subject to change if work starts after [X] days." It reads as professional, not evasive.
If the job could turn into "we opened the wall and found more," say so upfront. Separate the confirmed scope from the possible extras: "if we find X, this becomes a separate quote." That's more honest than a number padded to cover every possibility, or a quote that gets revised twice before the job is even finished. Customers remember being warned far more kindly than they remember being surprised.
A 12-month workmanship warranty is standard for plumbing work. It only builds trust if it's written down instead of promised verbally on the day. State exactly what it covers: the fitting and installation, but not necessarily a part that fails on its own. A customer calling six months later with a leak will know immediately whether it's a callback or a new job, and you won't be negotiating the boundary from memory.
Typical plumber line items and UK prices
Indicative ranges, excluding VAT. Rates vary by region (London and the South East run higher) and by job size.
| Item | Unit | Typical range |
|---|---|---|
| Call-out / first hour (daytime) | per visit | £60–£110 |
| Emergency call-out (evenings, weekends) | per visit | £120–£200 |
| Labour (after first hour) | per hour | £45–£75 |
| Replace kitchen or basin mixer tap (fit only) | per tap | £80–£150 |
| Fix leaking pipe or joint (accessible) | per repair | £90–£180 |
| Supply and fit WC (close-coupled) | per WC | £250–£450 |
| Install unvented cylinder (fit only, G3)Cylinder supplied separately; price varies by size and pipe run. | per job | £600–£1,100 |
| Disposal of old fittings | per job | £20–£60 |
Common plumber jobs and how to price them
- Leaks and burst pipes
- Call-out plus time and materials. Itemise the first hour separately so the customer sees why a ten-minute fix is not priced pro rata.
- Bathroom suite replacement
- Fixed price for first-fix and second-fix plumbing, with tiling, electrics and making good either excluded or quoted as separate lines.
- Tap, WC and valve swaps
- Flat per-item rates work well — customers compare these against online prices, so state whether parts are included.
- Unvented cylinder installs
- Fixed price including G3 commissioning and Building Regulations notification; cylinder and expansion vessel on their own lines.
- Outside taps and garden supplies
- Fixed price, noting the double-check valve required under the water fittings rules.
Regulations and certificates to reference
- Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999 — every fitting you install must comply, and some work (e.g. a bidet, a pump, or a large-bore supply) has to be notified to the water company before you start. Membership of an approved contractor scheme such as WaterSafe lets you self-certify and issue a work-completion certificate — name it on the invoice.
- Building Regulations Part G (unvented hot water) — installing or replacing an unvented cylinder over 15 litres needs a G3-qualified installer and is notifiable. Quote the commissioning and notification as a line, not a hidden cost.
- Gas Safe Register — if a job touches a gas appliance or gas pipework — even just disconnecting a cooker — you must be Gas Safe registered. If you are not, say on the quote that gas work is excluded and arranged separately.
- Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 — quotes agreed in the customer’s home carry a 14-day cancellation right. Genuine urgent repairs the customer called you out for are exempt, but planned work is not — get written agreement before starting inside the 14 days.
Payment terms plumbers commonly use
- Reactive work: payment on completion by card or bank transfer, stated on the quote before you attend.
- Bathroom refits: deposit to cover sanitaryware (often 25–30%), balance on completion — or a stage payment at first-fix for longer jobs.
- Landlord and agent work: 14–30 days, with the property address and any works order number on the invoice.
Read more: Invoice payment terms explained · Payment methods to offer clients
VAT and CIS for plumbers
VAT
Below the VAT registration threshold (currently £90,000 turnover in a rolling 12 months) you can quote without VAT — a genuine price advantage on domestic work. Once registered, plumbing labour and parts are standard-rated at 20%.
Installing bathroom adaptations for a disabled customer (e.g. a level-access shower) can be zero-rated if they sign an eligibility declaration. Keep it with the invoice.
Construction Industry Scheme (CIS)
Domestic customers never deduct CIS. If you subcontract to a builder or developer, they deduct 20% (registered) or 30% (unregistered) from your labour — not from materials — so show labour and materials as separate figures on the invoice.
VAT-registered subcontractors invoicing a VAT-registered contractor usually fall under the domestic reverse charge: no VAT added, with a note that the customer accounts for it to HMRC.
General guidance, not tax advice — check your position with HMRC or an accountant.
Read more: Do I need to charge VAT on my invoices? · What must an invoice include? (UK legal requirements)
What this template includes
- Itemised parts, labour, and call-out charges
- Tax / VAT calculation row
- Valid-until date and payment instructions
- Brand-coloured header with your logo
- PDF download or shareable tracked link
Full guide
How to Start a Plumbing Business as a Sole Trader
Frequently asked questions
Not for the water side. You only need Gas Safe registration if the job includes work on gas pipework or appliances. If it does and you are not registered, list that part as excluded so the customer arranges a registered engineer.
It is worth a line on jobs that need notifying to the water company or certifying, such as a new outside tap or a pumped shower. If you belong to a scheme like WaterSafe, name it and say a completion certificate will be issued.
Quote the visible scope as a fixed price and add a clause that concealed defects found when opening up floors or walls will be priced separately before any extra work starts. Customers accept that far more readily than a revised invoice.
Yes. Most plumbers charge the first hour as a minimum. Put the minimum on the quote or your booking confirmation so the customer knows a quick fix still costs the call-out rate.
A clear plumbing quote should list parts, labour hours and rate, any call-out charge, total before and after tax, a valid-until date, and your payment terms. Adding a workmanship warranty line helps build trust.
Most plumbers use 14–30 days. Parts prices fluctuate, so a shorter validity window protects you from being held to old pricing. The template defaults to 30 days but you can change it.
Yes — set your tax rate once in Settings and every quote applies it automatically with a separate Tax line in the totals block.
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