Indeed, the cost of living is increasing with each passing day all across Melbourne, Australia. It forces people to figure out the trade services’ price even before they shift to this beautiful city. Plumbers are tradespeople that people often require in their houses; they are the last resort when DIYs don’t work.
Whether you have a dripping tap or somehow damaged pipe, resulting in a full-blown burst of water (that calls for an emergency), plumbers can fix things quickly with their years of expertise. But to show some magic, plumbers ask for a price. What do you have to pay the plumber for? Do you know it?
Probably not. That’s why you are here. Finding an answer to the question “How much does a plumber cost in Melbourne?” That’s a legit question! Imagine calling in for plumbing services. You estimate paying a few dollars, but the plumber shows up with a bill of a whopping thousand dollars. Your heart will skip a beat!
So, let’s not make them surprise you and determine how much a plumber costs in Melbourne. Plumbers generally charge $80-$200 per hour in Melbourne. Go through this comprehensive article for more in-depth information on how much plumbers cost in Melbourne without further delay.
1. Types of Plumbers in Melbourne
Before you delve deep into knowing the plumber cost in Melbourne, first, let’s understand how many types of plumbers exist in the market and the various ways they charge for plumbing jobs. So, there are two types of plumbers. First are those who work with builders or renovators. Others are service plumbers who show up upon request. Here’s in-depth information regarding various types of plumbers in Melbourne:
- Contract Plumber: These plumbers usually work with builders or renovators and specialise in new builds. These plumbers are required to be booked months before building your home or a commercial building. Contract plumbers don’t have enough time to show up for minor faults or leakage in your home; they are busy throughout the year.
- Service Plumber: When you call a plumber during the day or night when you face any problem related to the water supply system or dripping tap haunting you at night, that’s a service plumber. They are up for jobs 24/7, mostly have a website listed on Yellow Pages or Google, and you can also find their reviews to determine their service quality (most essential).
Since you are a homeowner, you must be looking for information regarding how much a service plumber costs in Melbourne, and we will talk about service plumbers throughout the blog. Here’s how much a service plumber costs in Melbourne:
- Hourly: Some plumbers charge on an hourly basis, which means you have to pay a call-out fee (ranging between $80 and $160). Then, they charge an hourly rate once they arrive (depending on their expertise or average market rate). The only good thing about this way of charging for plumbing jobs is that you can stick to the plumber, keep an eye on their work, and figure out the service bill you will receive. However, there is no control over the cost of plumbing service, as it might take an hour, two hours, or more.
- Flat Rate: While most plumbers stick to their hourly rate, some also have plumbing services with a flat rate; that’s quite similar to quoting. You need to familiarise the plumber with the difficulties you are facing or the tasks that need to be done and they will provide you with an estimate of how much the service would cost. Since you know the bill you are going to get after the plumbing service, you don’t need to do anything like pay attention to what the plumber is doing every ten minutes.
2. Different Ways Plumber Charge for Services
Generally, flat rates are given for larger plumbing jobs that take too much time, while for the most minor jobs, plumbers charge on an hourly basis. This method of charging for plumbing jobs suits those who already have an idea of how the task would take and the hourly price is not that high (it must be $60-$120 per hour). However, there are still some points that you should take into account before hiring a plumber with an hourly rate, including the following:
- Whether or not they will arrive with all the parts required during the plumbing job or they will get the parts after seeing the requirements (and charge you for the time they spent procuring the parts),
- Does the plumber have the right skills and experience to perform the job they are hired for? Inexperienced plumbers often take more than expected, resulting in a much higher bill than you estimated.
- What happens if the plumbing job takes longer than expected? Are you going to pay for the extra time or is there some cap on how long the plumbing job will take? Throwing money into the wind is not a good deal.
- Mistakes do happen while working but if the plumber is charging you for their own stuff ups; that’s a red flag. It is usually done by the plumbers who work at the lower end, so communicate and make a wise decision.
- How much will the plumber charge you for the parts required to be replaced? Are they going to give you parts at the trade price or charge a margin? If they charge a margin on the products/parts required to be changed, they must be able to handle a warranty claim, especially on the larger items, such as heaters, hot water systems, etc.
If you get a flat-rate charging plumber easily, it is best that you reach out to many and get quotes from each to determine what offers you the best for the minimum amount. Here are the factors that you need to consider before hiring a plumber with flat-rate charging:
- Will the dispatch fee be waived when you go ahead with the plumbing? Some plumbers do it, while others deny it. Communicate with your plumber before they arrive at the site or your home.
- Is the plumber good at answering phones and communicating? Was it difficult to reach them over the phone for the first time? If it was too difficult to reach them initially and make them understand the job, don’t expect them to be good at post-service or when you have a complaint.
- Does the plumber have good reviews on the most popular review sites? Checking the reviews before you proceed to hire a service is one of the best ways to gauge the quality of service you’ll get. To check the reviews of plumbers, you can trust websites like Google, Yelp, Facebook, Trustpilot, etc.
- What warranty/guarantee does the plumber or plumbing company you plan to hire offer on the product they sell? You should connect with a plumbing service provider who is ready to replace the products if they are faulty or don’t meet your expectations.
3. Some Common Plumbing Jobs and Their Prices
Plumbing Job | Plumber Cost in Melbourne |
---|---|
Dripping Taps or Leaking Toilets | $60-$140 |
Installing Sink Taps or Bath Taps | $80-$250 |
Installing Toilets or Sinks | $160-$550 |
Replacing Water Heaters | $1,200-$4,500 |
Solar Hot Water System Installation | $3,000-$12,000 |
Broken Plumbing Pipes | $5,000-$20,000 |