When Does a Plumbing Job Need a Fixed Quotation?
Most reactive plumbing and heating repairs are charged on an hourly basis, since the scope of the fault is not always known until an engineer has diagnosed it. However, for larger or more clearly defined projects, a fixed quotation is often the more sensible approach, giving you cost certainty before work begins.
This guide explains the kinds of jobs that typically warrant a fixed quotation, how the estimate process works, and what to expect along the way.
Jobs Typically Suited to a Fixed Quotation
Larger projects such as a full bathroom refit, a boiler replacement, re-piping a section of a property, or installing a new hot-water cylinder are generally better suited to a fixed quotation than hourly billing, since the scope of materials and labour can be reasonably well defined in advance.
Similarly, jobs where a survey has already identified the cause of a problem, such as a known section of drain requiring relining, can often be quoted with confidence once the full extent is understood.
Jobs Better Suited to Hourly Billing
Reactive repairs, such as diagnosing a leak of unknown origin, fixing a boiler fault, or clearing a blockage, are generally billed hourly because the actual cause and time required are not known until the engineer has investigated. Attempting to fix-quote this type of work in advance risks either overcharging for a simple fault or underquoting for a complex one.
How the Estimate Process Works
Estimates are usually free of charge. However, more complicated surveys, particularly those requiring specialist equipment such as drain cameras for extensive investigation, may be chargeable, and any such charge will always be explained to you before it is incurred, so there are no surprises.
What a Fixed Quotation Includes
A fixed quotation will set out the scope of work, the materials to be used, and the total price, giving you a clear picture of the cost before committing. This is particularly valuable for planned works such as bathroom installations, where budgeting accuracy matters more than for a same-day repair.
Materials Within a Fixed Quote
Materials included within a fixed quotation are still subject to the same 20% mark-up applied across our pricing structure, and this is factored into the overall figure quoted rather than itemised separately in most cases, unless you specifically request a detailed breakdown.
Getting the Right Type of Estimate for Your Job
If you are planning larger works in Wimbledon or the surrounding area and would like cost certainty, it is worth mentioning this when you get in touch so we can arrange a proper survey and provide a fixed quotation, rather than assuming hourly billing by default.
Need a plumber or heating engineer?
We arrange appointments across Wimbledon and south west London at clear hourly rates. Call 020 3727 2578 or request an appointment.