How much does a plumber cost in the UK?
A Plumber costs £45 to £90 in the UK, typically around £55 per hour. What moves the price most is whether you are charged an hourly rate, so a simpler job sits near the bottom of that range and a larger or higher-spec one near the top. Prices reviewed June 2026.
Most UK plumbers charge about £45 to £90 an hour, with £55 to £60 typical away from London. Expect a call-out fee of £40 to £80, a day rate of £250 to £450, and £75 to £180 for a common small job such as a leak or a new tap.
Plumber cost calculator
Use the calculator to price your Plumber in 2026. Adjust the options and area for a UK cost range. Nothing is sent anywhere.
Plumber cost breakdown
Typical Plumber costs, by option:
| Your plumber's hourly rate | Typical UK cost |
|---|---|
| Standard rate (North, Wales and Midlands) | £45 to £65 |
| Cities and the South East | £55 to £80 |
| London or a premium specialist | £70 to £90 |
What's included in the price?
Typical Plumber prices include:
- The plumber's time on site, charged by the hour, half day or as a fixed price for the job
- A call-out or first hour that covers travel and working out what is wrong
- Common fittings and consumables like washers, PTFE tape, seals and small joints
- Testing the repair and checking for leaks before they leave
- Clearing up and taking away the old parts
- Public liability insurance and, for gas or unvented work, the right registration
What changes the price?
The things that move Plumber prices most:
Whether you are charged an hourly rate, a half day, a full day or a fixed price for the job
The time of the visit, as evenings, weekends and emergencies cost far more
Your region, with London and the South East well above the rest of the UK
How long the job takes and how easy the pipes and stopcock are to reach
The cost of any parts, from a cheap washer to a new toilet, pump or cylinder
Whether the work needs a registered engineer, such as gas or unvented hot water
How the price is built up
The core figure is the plumber's time, charged as an hourly rate, a call-out that covers the first hour, or a day rate for longer work. On top sits their travel, van, tools, insurance and any registration for gas or unvented work, which is why even a ten-minute fix carries a minimum charge. Timing then moves the total the most: a standard weekday visit is the cheap end, while evenings, weekends and emergencies can double or treble the rate. Parts are added on where the job needs more than a few pennies of fittings. A plumber's bill is mostly labour, since most small jobs are a bit of the plumber's time plus cheap fittings like washers, tape and seals. Parts only push the cost up on bigger jobs, where a new toilet, pump or cylinder can add anywhere from £50 to several hundred pounds on top of the fitting.
Ways to keep the cost down
- Book routine work in normal hours and avoid the emergency and weekend premium wherever you can
- Ask for a fixed price on a defined job rather than an open-ended hourly rate
- Line up two or three small jobs for one visit so you only pay one call-out
- Buy the obvious parts yourself, such as a tap or toilet, so you are not paying a trade markup
Does where you live change the cost?
In London, a Plumber typically costs around £70 per hour, about 30% above the UK average of £55. In the North, Scotland and Wales the guide figure is nearer £50.
| Region | From | Typical | Up to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midlands / East (UK average) | £45 | £55 | £90 |
| London | £60 | £70 | £120 |
| South East / South West | £50 | £65 | £100 |
| North / Scotland / Wales | £40 | £50 | £85 |
Guide prices per hour, scaled with the same regional multipliers as the calculator. Not quotes.
Plumber cost in major UK cities
| City | From | Typical | Up to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belfast | £40 | £45 | £75 |
| Birmingham | £45 | £55 | £90 |
| Bristol | £50 | £60 | £100 |
| Cardiff | £40 | £50 | £85 |
| Edinburgh | £45 | £55 | £90 |
| Glasgow | £40 | £50 | £80 |
| Leeds | £40 | £50 | £85 |
| Liverpool | £40 | £50 | £85 |
| London | £60 | £70 | £120 |
| Manchester | £45 | £55 | £85 |
| Newcastle | £40 | £50 | £80 |
| Sheffield | £40 | £50 | £85 |
City guide estimates, scaled by local labour costs. Indicative averages for Plumber, not quotes.
London and the South East run about £70 to £90 an hour, while much of the North, Wales and the Midlands sits nearer £45 to £65. Day rates follow the same pattern, from around £250 outside the cities to £450 or more in London.
Common questions
How much does a plumber cost per hour in 2026?
Most UK plumbers charge around £45 to £90 an hour in 2026, with £55 to £60 typical away from London. Many set a minimum charge or a call-out fee of £40 to £80 that covers the first hour, then bill by the hour after that. For a longer job you may be quoted a day rate of £250 to £450, or £400 to £600 in London, which usually works out cheaper per hour than paying the hourly rate all day.
How much is a plumber's call-out fee?
A plumber's call-out fee is usually £40 to £80 in normal working hours, and it often includes the first 30 to 60 minutes on site. Some plumbers roll the call-out into their hourly rate rather than charging it as a separate line. Emergency and out-of-hours call-outs are much higher, commonly £100 to £250 for the first hour on evenings, weekends and bank holidays, so it pays to ask exactly what the call-out covers before you book.
What does a plumber charge for common jobs?
Common small jobs are often priced as a fixed fee rather than by the hour. As a rough guide for 2026: fixing a dripping tap or a leaking joint is about £75 to £150, replacing a tap £80 to £150, unblocking a toilet or sink £80 to £180, fitting a new toilet around £150 to £300 in labour, and installing a basin with taps £150 to £300. Parts are added on top where they are more than a cheap washer or seal.
What makes a plumber more expensive?
The biggest jumps come from timing and location. An emergency or out-of-hours visit can cost two to three times the standard rate, and London plumbers charge well above the rest of the UK. Awkward access to pipes or the stopcock adds time, and pricey parts such as a new pump, cylinder or toilet lift the bill. Work that needs a Gas Safe engineer or an unvented hot water ticket also costs more than general plumbing.
Can I do the plumbing myself instead of paying a plumber?
Plenty of small jobs are DIY friendly, such as changing a tap washer, fitting a new toilet seat or clearing a blocked trap, and doing them yourself saves the £40 to £80 call-out plus labour. The line to draw is anywhere a mistake floods the house or breaks the law: pipework under pressure, moving a stopcock, and anything on gas or an unvented cylinder. A weeping joint behind plaster or under a floor costs far more to put right than the plumber you avoided.
Is it worth paying for an emergency plumber?
For a burst pipe, a leak coming through a ceiling or no water at all, an emergency plumber at £100 to £250 for the first hour is usually money well spent, because the damage builds by the minute. For anything that can wait, book a plumber in normal hours and you will pay the standard £45 to £90 an hour instead. If it is not urgent, turning the water off at the stopcock and waiting a day can halve the cost.
These are independent guide prices based on typical UK jobs in 2026. Your actual cost depends on your property, spec, access and where you live. Always get at least three written quotes before committing.