The Real
Cost
of Plumbing
What actually goes into running a professional, insured plumbing business — and why it matters for you.
Why Does Professional Plumbing Cost What It Does?
It's a fair question. You call a plumber, they come out for an hour, fix your dripping tap, and the bill is £125 or more. You might think: “That's a lot for an hour's work.”
What you don't see is everything behind that hour. The van that got me there. The insurance that protects you if something goes wrong. The tools I've invested in over 15 years. The training and certifications. The guarantee that means I'll come back free of charge if there's a problem. The 30 minutes each way I drove to reach you.
The Reality: When you pay for professional plumbing, you're not paying for an hour of someone's time. You're paying for the entire infrastructure that makes professional, guaranteed, insured work possible.
The Real Numbers: What It Costs to Run Rosebourne Plumbing
I'm going to be transparent about what it actually costs to run a professional plumbing business. These aren't guesses — these are the real figures we deal with every month.
| Business Cost | Annual Cost |
|---|---|
| Van (finance, maintenance, MOT) | £6,000 - £8,000 |
| Fuel (covering Andover, Marlborough, Hungerford) | £5,000 - £7,000 |
| Insurance (public liability, tools, van) | £2,500 - £3,500 |
| Tools and equipment (replacement, new) | £2,000 - £4,000 |
| Training and certifications | £1,000 - £2,500 |
| Software (ServiceM8, accounting, website) | £1,500 - £2,500 |
| Phone system (In Your PA call answering) | £1,800 - £2,400 |
| Marketing (Google, local advertising) | £2,000 - £4,000 |
| Accountant and bookkeeping | £1,200 - £1,800 |
| Uniform and workwear | £300 - £500 |
| Consumables (PPE, cleaning, supplies) | £800 - £1,200 |
| TOTAL ANNUAL OVERHEADS | £24,000 - £38,000+ |
That's £24,000 to £38,000 every year before I've paid myself a penny. And it doesn't include National Insurance, pension contributions, or time off for holidays and sickness.
The Maths: If the business turns over £80,000 in a year (which requires working consistently for 48+ weeks), after overheads there's around £45,000-£55,000 left. That still needs to cover my income, tax, and any profit for the business to grow. It's not as much as it might look from the outside.
Insurance: The £10 Million Question
We carry £10 million public liability insurance. That sounds like a big number — because it is. Here's why it matters:
What Could Go Wrong:
- •A pipe connection fails and floods your home
- •Water damage to floors, ceilings, electrics
- •Damage to neighbouring properties in flats
- •Contents damage (furniture, electronics)
- •Alternative accommodation costs while repairs happen
What Insurance Covers:
- ✓Full repair costs to your property
- ✓Contents replacement
- ✓Third-party damage claims
- ✓Legal fees if disputes arise
- ✓Peace of mind for you and us
When you hire an uninsured plumber, you're taking on all that risk yourself. If something goes wrong — and in plumbing, water damage can happen in minutes — you're on your own to chase someone who probably doesn't have the means to put it right.
Real Example:
A flexi hose fails under a kitchen sink while the homeowners are at work. Water runs for 6 hours. Damage to kitchen flooring, skirting boards, under-cupboard units, and the ceiling of the flat below. Total claim: £28,000. With proper insurance, that's handled. Without it, the customer or the plumber would need to find nearly £30,000.
Training and Certifications: The Invisible Investment
When you see “qualified plumber,” what does that actually mean? Here's what it took to get here — and what it takes to stay current:
Initial Qualification (4+ years)
NVQ Level 2 and Level 3 in Plumbing and Heating. That's not a weekend course — it's years of study, practical work, and assessment. College fees, lost earning time, and thousands of hours of supervised work.
G3 Unvented Hot Water Certification
Required by law to work on unvented hot water cylinders. Additional course, exam, and annual registration. Without this, legally you cannot install or service most modern hot water systems.
Water Regulations (WRAS) Training
Understanding and compliance with Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations. Ensures all work meets legal requirements for water supply connections.
Manufacturer Training
Specific training on equipment we install regularly. Heat pump cylinders, water treatment systems, specialist fixtures. Each manufacturer has their own requirements.
Ongoing Professional Development
Building regulations change. Products evolve. New technologies emerge. Staying current isn't optional — it's essential to doing the job properly.
None of this is free. Course fees, travel, accommodation for residential courses, time away from paid work — it adds up to thousands of pounds every year. But it's the difference between someone who knows what they're doing and someone who's making it up as they go.
The Tool Kit: £15,000+ of Equipment You Never See
A professional plumber doesn't turn up with a bag of spanners from B&Q. The van I arrive in carries over £15,000 worth of specialist equipment — and that's not counting the van itself.
Diagnostic Equipment
- • Thermal imaging camera (£400-£2,000)
- • CCTV drain camera (£500-£3,000)
- • Pressure testing equipment (£200-£500)
- • Pipe and cable detector (£150-£400)
Power Tools
- • Cordless drill set (£200-£500)
- • SDS hammer drill (£200-£400)
- • Reciprocating saw (£150-£300)
- • Pipe freezing kit (£300-£600)
Hand Tools
- • Pipe wrenches (various sizes) (£100-£300)
- • Basin wrenches, tap spanners (£100-£200)
- • Soldering equipment (£150-£300)
- • Pipe cutters and crimping tools (£200-£500)
Specialist Equipment
- • Power flushing machine (£1,500-£3,000)
- • Drain jetting equipment (£500-£2,000)
- • Press fitting tools (£500-£1,500)
- • Expansion vessel testing kit (£100-£200)
Tools break, wear out, and need replacing. Technology improves and new equipment becomes necessary. The “man with a van” who quotes you £60 probably isn't carrying the diagnostic equipment to find your hidden leak, or the specialist tools to do the job properly.
The 12-Month Guarantee: What It Really Means
Every job we do comes with a 12-month workmanship guarantee. That's not a marketing gimmick — it's a real commitment that has real costs attached to it.
What the Guarantee Covers:
- ✓Free callback: If something we've done develops a problem within 12 months, we come back and fix it at no charge
- ✓Parts and labour: Both are covered if the issue is with our workmanship
- ✓Priority response: Guarantee callbacks take priority over new enquiries
- ✓No arguing: If it's our work, we own it
This is a cost we build into every job. We keep records of every piece of work, maintain spare parts for common issues, and allocate time for guarantee callbacks. It's one of the reasons professional plumbing costs more than getting your mate's uncle to do it — and one of the reasons it's worth it.
The Difference: If the cheapest quote you got develops a problem, you'll be lucky to get them to answer the phone. With a professional guarantee, you have recourse and someone who stands behind their work.
Time: The Invisible Cost
When we quote you £125 for an hour's work, that hour actually costs us much more. Here's what a typical “one-hour job” actually involves:
| Activity | Time |
|---|---|
| Phone/email enquiry and booking | 10-15 mins |
| Travel to job (average across service area) | 25-35 mins |
| Actual work on site | 45-60 mins |
| Clean up and customer handover | 10-15 mins |
| Return travel | 25-35 mins |
| Invoicing and admin | 10-15 mins |
| TOTAL TIME FOR “ONE HOUR JOB” | 2.5 - 3 hours |
So a £125 “hour” is actually 2.5-3 hours of time. That works out at £40-£50 per actual hour worked — and that's before deducting fuel, wear and tear, and overheads.
This is why minimum charges exist. Without them, small jobs would literally cost the business money to complete. The £125 minimum ensures every job contributes fairly to the costs of running a professional service.
The “Cheaper” Alternative
There will always be someone offering to do it cheaper. Here's what they're probably not carrying:
| Protection | Professional | “Cheap” Option |
|---|---|---|
| Public liability insurance | ✓ £10M | ✗ None |
| Qualified to NVQ Level 3 | ✓ | ? |
| 12-month guarantee | ✓ | ✗ |
| Professional tools and equipment | ✓ | Basic |
| Registered business address | ✓ | Mobile only |
| Still in business next year | ✓ | ? |
| Recourse if something goes wrong | ✓ | ✗ |
I've lost count of the number of callbacks we've done to fix work by someone who was “cheaper.” The customer ends up paying twice — once for the bodge, and once for us to put it right. The cheapest quote is rarely the cheapest outcome.
What You're Really Paying For
When you book Rosebourne Plumbing, your money goes towards:
£10M Insurance Protection
Full public liability coverage protecting you and your property if anything goes wrong.
12-Month Guarantee
If our work develops a problem, we come back and fix it free of charge.
Qualified Professional
15+ years experience, NVQ qualified, continuously trained on the latest techniques and regulations.
Professional Equipment
£15,000+ of specialist diagnostic and repair equipment for every type of job.
Plus the peace of mind that comes with knowing you're dealing with a registered, traceable, professional business that will still be here if you need us next month, next year, or five years from now.
The Bottom Line: Professional plumbing costs what it costs because doing it properly costs what it costs. We could cut corners, drop insurance, skip training, and offer bargain-basement prices. But then we wouldn't be Rosebourne Plumbing — we'd be another name on the list of plumbers who won't answer their phone when something goes wrong.
— Will Gaze, Owner, Rosebourne Plumbing
Ready to Work With a Transparent Professional?
Now you understand what goes into professional plumbing, you can make an informed choice. Check our pricing page for transparent rates.
Related Reading
Why We Moved to Transparent Pricing
The honest story behind ditching free quotes and publishing our prices upfront.
Read Full Article →Complete Guide to Plumbing Costs in Hampshire
Transparent pricing guide for all plumbing services in Andover, Marlborough and Hungerford.
Read Full Guide →Professional Plumbing Service: What to Expect
What sets a professional plumbing service apart and what you should expect.
Read Full Guide →