What a call-out charge covers
It covers a technician travelling to you, looking at the fault properly and pricing it in front of you. Plenty of jobs cannot be costed honestly down a phone line, so the £49 trip charge buys a figure from somebody who has actually seen the problem.
How the rest of the bill is built
- Labour. Charged at the hourly rate for the time of day, with a one-hour minimum.
- Half-hour units. After the first hour, time is rounded to 30 minutes. A job of one hour ten minutes is charged as an hour and a half, not two hours.
- Materials. Parts are charged separately on top of labour.
- VAT. Added to the published rates.
The hourly rates for every service and time band are listed on the prices page.
Questions to ask any plumber before they come out
- What is the call-out charge, and is it separate from labour?
- What is the hourly rate at this time of day?
- Is there a minimum charge?
- Does the quote include VAT and materials?
- Will the price change when you arrive?
If a company will not answer these on the phone, treat that as a warning sign. You can see how we answer them in our guide to emergency plumber costs.
Can I avoid a call-out charge?
For a genuine emergency, no reputable firm works for free. What you can control is the time of day. If you can stop the leak with the stop tap and wait until a weekday, booked work is charged at a lower rate than an out-of-hours call.
What if I am unhappy with the charge?
Ring us and ask for customer services. We speak to the technician and look at what was done and what was charged. If our instructions were not followed and your concern is borne out, you get a partial or full refund.
Frequently asked questions
What is your call-out charge?
Our trip charge is £49, which covers a technician attending, assessing the fault and quoting on site.
Is the minimum charge one hour?
Yes, one hour on every job, then 30-minute units.
Are materials included in the call-out charge?
No. Materials are charged separately.
