Pricing plumbing jobs correctly is one of the most critical skills for running a profitable plumbing business. Price too high and you lose work to competitors. Price too low and you leave money on the table — or worse, work at a loss. This guide will walk you through proven strategies that successful UK plumbers use to price their work accurately and profitably.
1. Understanding Your Costs First
Before you can set profitable prices, you need a clear picture of what every job truly costs you. Many plumbers focus only on materials and forget about the hidden costs that eat into profits.
Direct Costs
- Materials: Pipes, fittings, sealants, soldering materials, and specialist parts
- Labour: Your hourly rate or that of any employees/subcontractors
- Equipment: Specialist tools, hire charges, and consumables
- Travel: Fuel, vehicle wear, and time spent driving to the job
Indirect (Overhead) Costs
- Van insurance, maintenance, and MOT
- Public liability and professional indemnity insurance
- Gas Safe or other certification fees
- Accountancy and bookkeeping costs
- Phone, software subscriptions, and marketing
- Pension contributions and National Insurance
Tip: Calculate your total monthly overheads and divide by the number of billable hours you work. This gives you your overhead cost per hour — which you must cover before you make any profit.
2. Setting Your Hourly Labour Rate
Your labour rate should reflect your experience, qualifications, location, and the complexity of the work. In 2026, typical UK plumber hourly rates range from £40 to £80 per hour, depending on region and specialisation.
To calculate your minimum viable hourly rate:
- Decide your target annual income (e.g., £45,000)
- Add your total annual overhead costs (e.g., £15,000)
- Divide by your available billable hours per year (e.g., 1,600 hours = 40 weeks × 40 hours, after holidays and admin time)
- Result: (£45,000 + £15,000) ÷ 1,600 = £37.50/hour minimum
This is your break-even rate. Your actual charge-out rate should be higher to account for profit margin, quiet periods, and business growth investment.
3. Material Markup Strategies
Most successful plumbers apply a markup of 15–30% on materials. This covers the time you spend sourcing, collecting, transporting, and managing stock.
Different strategies work for different situations:
- Fixed percentage markup (20–25%): Simple and consistent. Works well for standard jobs
- Tiered markup: Higher percentages on small items (40–50%), lower on expensive items (10–15%)
- Bundled pricing: Include materials in a fixed project price rather than itemising everything
4. Common Job Pricing Benchmarks
While every job is unique, here are typical pricing benchmarks for common plumbing jobs in the UK (2026):
- Tap replacement: £80–£150 (including basic tap)
- Toilet repair/replacement: £100–£250
- Radiator installation: £150–£350 per radiator
- Boiler service: £70–£120
- Boiler installation: £1,500–£3,500 (depends on type and complexity)
- Bathroom refit (labour only): £1,500–£4,000
- Emergency call-out: £100–£200 minimum (plus hourly rate)
Remember: These are guidelines, not rules. Your pricing should reflect your local market, experience level, and the specific complexity of each job.
5. Pricing Methods: Day Rate vs Fixed Quote
You have two main approaches to pricing:
Day Rate / Hourly Rate
Best for: Reactive repairs, diagnostic work, and jobs where the scope is unclear. Typical day rates for UK plumbers range from £250–£450 per day.
Fixed Price Quotes
Best for: Planned installations, bathroom refits, and larger projects. Clients prefer the certainty of fixed pricing, and you can build in a healthy margin by estimating accurately.
The key to profitable fixed-price work is experience — the more jobs you complete, the better you become at estimating time and materials. Using quote software like QuoteGuru helps you build a library of templates so you can price similar jobs quickly and consistently.
6. Using AI to Optimise Your Pricing
Modern tools like QuoteGuru's AI Pricing Assistant can analyse your quoting history and compare it with market data to suggest optimal pricing for each job type. This helps you:
- Identify jobs where you consistently undercharge
- Spot pricing trends in your local area
- Maintain healthy profit margins without losing competitiveness
- Save time on pricing research and calculation
7. Common Pricing Mistakes to Avoid
- Forgetting to include travel time: Always factor in the time and cost of getting to and from the job
- Underestimating job duration: Add a 10–20% buffer for unexpected complications
- Not accounting for waste: Materials waste can add 5–10% to your costs
- Competing on price alone: Clients value reliability, professionalism, and speed — not just the cheapest quote
- Not reviewing prices regularly: Material costs, fuel, and insurance change annually. Review your rates at least twice a year
Conclusion
Pricing your plumbing jobs correctly is a balancing act between winning work and maintaining profitability. By understanding your true costs, setting appropriate rates, and using modern tools to optimise your pricing, you can build a thriving plumbing business that pays you what you're worth.
Ready to start creating professional quotes faster? Try QuoteGuru free and see how our AI Pricing Assistant can help you price every job with confidence.