Plumbing customers call because something is leaking now. They want to know what it will cost before you open the cabinet. That makes flat rate pricing a good fit, as long as every flat price comes from your real labor rate and your real times. Here is how to build it.
- Build one loaded hourly rate, then derive your service fee and flat prices from it.
- Fixr lists plumber rates at $75 to $150 an hour, with most homeowners paying around $90 for a journeyman.
- Service call fees run $50 to $300 in Fixr's guide, and it gives $150 to unclog a drain and $120 to replace a toilet as flat rate examples.
- Water heater repair runs $150 to $750 in Fixr's guide. Price repairs against the cost of a replacement so the customer can choose.
Start with your labor rate
Start with the wage. The closest group the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes is plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters. In its May 2025 wage survey, that group's national mean wage was $34.70 an hour and the median was $30.67 (BLS OEWS 47-2152).
Add your labor burden on top: payroll taxes, workers' comp and any paid time off. If burden in your state comes to 22% of wages, a $31 an hour tech costs you $37.82 an hour. That loaded number is what goes into the job cost.
Add the non-billable hours: driving, supply house runs, estimates that do not close and callbacks. The free plumbing labor rate calculator turns your costs and billable hours into the rate your prices need.
Fixr's plumber guide puts the national range at $75 to $150 an hour, with most homeowners paying an average of $90 an hour for a journeyman, from $45 at the low end to $200 for a master plumber on complex work (Fixr).
Set a service call fee
A service fee covers the drive and the first look. It should be your rate x the time from your last stop to diagnosing this one, plus mileage. Fixr lists service call fees of $50 to $300, a transportation fee of $50 to $200 and an emergency call-out fee of $200 to $300 (Fixr). Decide whether you credit the fee to the repair, and say so on the estimate.
Build flat rate prices
Time your common jobs and set a fixed price for each: average hours x rate, plus parts with your markup. Fixr gives two flat rate examples: $150 to unclog a drain and $120 to replace a toilet, and notes a new water heater might carry a flat rate of $400 for the install.
| Job | Published price | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Plumber, hourly | $75 to $150 | Fixr |
| Service call fee | $50 to $300 | Fixr |
| Unclog a drain, flat rate example | $150 | Fixr |
| Replace a toilet, flat rate example | $120 | Fixr |
| Water heater repair | $150 to $750, average $450 | Fixr |
| Water heater repair labor | $50 to $150 an hour | Fixr |
A worked example: a flat price for a faucet swap
The customer supplies the faucet. All inputs are assumptions.
- Average time from your log: 1.25 hours on site plus 0.5 hours of drive = 1.75 hours
- Loaded labor: 1.75 x $37.82 = $66.19
- Supply lines and small parts: $22
- Drive: 16 miles x $0.76 = $12.16
- Direct cost: $66.19 + $22 + $12.16 = $100.35
- Overhead plus profit: 25% + 15% = 40% of the price
- Price: $100.35 / 0.60 = $167
Quote it as one number. When you get faster at faucets, the price stays and the margin grows.
Repair or replace, as three options
On a failing water heater or an old fixture, give the customer a choice: the repair, a standard replacement and a better replacement with a longer warranty. Koira's estimates send up to three options from your price list. The customer picks, signs and pays the deposit on the same page.
When the job is done, the invoice goes out as you tap done and the customer can pay at the door by QR code, card or phone wallet.
Answer the emergency first
A burst pipe goes to whoever answers. On Grow, the AI receptionist answers on your Koira number, texts back missed calls in about a minute and offers three open times. It never quotes a price that is not on your list.
Common plumbing pricing mistakes
- Hourly quotes on routine work. A fixed number wins more yeses.
- Service fee below your drive cost. Every call should pay for getting there.
- Parts at cost. Sourcing, warranty and returns take time. Mark them up.
- No after-hours rate. Nights and weekends cost you more. Price them that way.
Questions contractors ask
How much should a plumber charge per hour?
Enough to cover your loaded wage, overhead and non-billable hours. Fixr lists $75 to $150 an hour, with most homeowners paying around $90 for a journeyman.
What should a plumbing service call cost?
Your rate x the time to get there and diagnose, plus mileage. Fixr lists service call fees of $50 to $300.
Is flat rate better than hourly for plumbing?
For jobs you know, usually yes. Customers approve a fixed price faster, and you keep the gain when you get quicker.
How much does water heater repair cost?
Fixr puts water heater repair at $150 to $750, with an average of $450.
