$357 for an afterhours 15min plumbing job - reasonable rate?

plentifoo on 19/01/2023 - 01:05
Last edited 19/01/2023 - 01:07

Hi all,

I'm not looking to dispute this as I didn't ask for a quote at first. I rang my plumber on speed dial when my wife told me we had a burst copper pipe right where the water meter is (outdoors). The plumber lives in my neighbourhood, so he's only like 3 mins out and he's done several other jobs around my house, installed taps and whole home filtration system for a reasonable fee then. He's a great bloke and the community loves him.

He came by and told me this would be an afterhour emergency call out as it was around 5.15pm when he arrived. He sorted it out in 15mins and clueless me expected it to cost anywhere from $150-$200. But then I got slapped with a $357 invoice and was a little taken aback.

Is this the normal going rate now for an afterhour emergency burst pipe repair?
based in WA.

Home & Garden

Comments

  • salmon123 on 19/01/2023 - 01:23
    +4

    Is this the normal going rate now for an afterhour emergency burst pipe repair?

    I don't know about WA, but in Sydney getting any sort of tradie to do any sort of work for under $500 seems impossible these days, especially for small jobs. Obviously they'd rather chase a bigger/longer job.

    I doubt you would get much change from $357 even if you waited unit the next day during "business hours"

    • plentifoo on 19/01/2023 - 01:35

      that's great to hear thanks for your input this time of the night!

      • Gervais fanboy on 19/01/2023 - 01:43
        +6

        Wait till he sends you a bill for an after hours consult..

  • garetz on 19/01/2023 - 03:06
    -4

    Dam, thats a very good price, most plumbers would charge anywhere from $900 to $1200 for that.

  • Euphemistic on 19/01/2023 - 06:41
    +3

    Itemised? Sounds reasonable for an after hours call-out.

    • plentifoo on 19/01/2023 - 11:03

      $300 - afterhours emergency callout (burst pipe at meter)

      $25 - parts

      $32.50 - gst

      $357.50 - total

      • Euphemistic on 19/01/2023 - 11:25
        +2

        Sounds pretty reasonable when it’s broken down like that.

  • kolorijo on 19/01/2023 - 07:34

    Got a burst shower around 8pm. Called the plumber and paid around $900. This was 8 years ago in Sydney. Fixed and done in 15 minutes.

    • ihbh on 19/01/2023 - 08:12
      +8

      You couldn't turn it off at the mains and wait until the morning?

      Or you have too much money?

      • elgrande on 19/01/2023 - 13:11
        +1

        Wanted to shower..

      • kolorijo on 20/01/2023 - 16:37

        We were renting out some of the rooms and didn't want to inconvenient people with no water.

  • Overclocked91 on 19/01/2023 - 08:16
    +1

    A completely reasonable amount to charge for after-hours.

  • Adredocto on 19/01/2023 - 08:16
    +2

    Ahh no wonder all the plumbers advertise they do emergency repairs.

  • KaTst3R on 19/01/2023 - 08:46

    I had a simple job done (20 mins) that cost $299 inclusive of GST. This after hour call seems reasonable.

    • marc0polo on 25/10/2023 - 07:52

      Who’s your plumber?

  • ballofspam on 19/01/2023 - 09:12

    Most of that cost would of been the after hours call out fee.

  • DarkOz on 19/01/2023 - 09:29

    told me this would be an afterhour emergency call out

    That's your answer. The fact that he lives in your neighbourhood doesn't change this job into a normal hour non-emergency call out.

  • Stewardo on 19/01/2023 - 09:44
    +1

    The plumber might have been at home making dinner for his family, he takes your call drops everything comes straight over digs a hole uses his expensive equipment
    and you expect him to do that for $150 Including parts and GST?
    If he did charge like that what would dissuade people from calling him at all hours of the night.

  • star-ggg on 19/01/2023 - 10:18
    +3

    100% markup for after hours seems right. By offering after hours service he's also essentially on call the whole time. You're not just paying him for the job but the fact he needs to disrupt his schedule any time so he can come that one time you need him.

    • fantombloo on 19/01/2023 - 17:00
      +1

      Not exactly on call - they can refuse a job if they want to

      • star-ggg on 19/01/2023 - 22:51

        Then your reputation starts taking a beating. Why advertise after-hours service if you are going to refuse them.

        • fantombloo on 19/01/2023 - 23:30

          That's up to each plumber to decide.

          I'm not a plumber but I turn down work sometimes - it's usually a calculated response.

  • Some Human on 19/01/2023 - 11:18
    +3

    It wasn't just 15 mins of work, there would have been 4 years of study and many years of on the job training and aquired knowledge that went into getting the amount of time it took down to 15 mins.

    It actually sounds like a pretty good price to me.
    Keep that guy's number handy.

    • coffeeinmyveins on 19/01/2023 - 12:06
      +3

      People often forget this. They see the individual job being done and don't consider the amount of time that went into learning that skill and buying the tools necessary to be able to do it, also the fact that they are operating a business and have expenses etc.

  • Seraphin7 on 19/01/2023 - 11:28
    +3

    It's probably the going rate for after hours … but if you have a prior direct and a more general community relationship with the dude, calling a job at 5.15pm an "after hours emergency" is arguably a bit stiff on his behalf.

    • coffeeinmyveins on 19/01/2023 - 12:07
      +1

      Yeah I feel like if this guy was really a community known plumber then fifteen minutes past what is considered after hours is a bit cheeky on his part..

      • brendanm on 19/01/2023 - 14:25

        Maybe he knocks off at 4.

      • Euphemistic on 19/01/2023 - 15:33

        Plumbers don’t finish at 5. They start at 7 and finish at 3.

  • Archi on 19/01/2023 - 13:21
    +1

    15 min plumbing job.

    sometimes you're not paying for the time they are there, but the experience they have gained over the years to do the job in 15 minutes.

  • iand on 22/01/2023 - 01:01

    also note if the fault is on the house side of the meter it's your problem, if its the meter or the non house side it's the water boards problem not yours. ie: if the mains tap at the meter won't turn of properly don't call a plumber call the water supplier

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