How Much Does A Plumber Cost in Melbourne?

Indeed, the cost of living is increasing with each passing day all across Melbourne, Australia. It forces people to figure out the trade services’ price even before they shift to this beautiful city. Plumbers are tradespeople that people often require in their houses; they are the last resort when DIYs don’t work.

Whether you have a dripping tap or somehow damaged pipe, resulting in a full-blown burst of water (that calls for an emergency), plumbers can fix things quickly with their years of expertise. But to show some magic, plumbers ask for a price. What do you have to pay the plumber for? Do you know it?

Probably not. That’s why you are here. Finding an answer to the question “How much does a plumber cost in Melbourne?” That’s a legit question! Imagine calling in for plumbing services. You estimate paying a few dollars, but the plumber shows up with a bill of a whopping thousand dollars. Your heart will skip a beat!

So, let’s not make them surprise you and determine how much a plumber costs in Melbourne. Plumbers generally charge $80-$200 per hour in Melbourne. Go through this comprehensive article for more in-depth information on how much plumbers cost in Melbourne without further delay.

1. Types of Plumbers in Melbourne

Before you delve deep into knowing the plumber cost in Melbourne, first, let’s understand how many types of plumbers exist in the market and the various ways they charge for plumbing jobs. So, there are two types of plumbers. First are those who work with builders or renovators. Others are service plumbers who show up upon request. Here’s in-depth information regarding various types of plumbers in Melbourne:

Contract Plumber: These plumbers usually work with builders or renovators and specialise in new builds. These plumbers are required to be booked months before building your home or a commercial building. Contract plumbers don’t have enough time to show up for minor faults or leakage in your home; they are busy throughout the year.
Service Plumber: When you call a plumber during the day or night when you face any problem related to the water supply system or dripping tap haunting you at night, that’s a service plumber. They are up for jobs 24/7, mostly have a website listed on Yellow Pages or Google, and you can also find their reviews to determine their service quality (most essential).

Since you are a homeowner, you must be looking for information regarding how much a service plumber costs in Melbourne, and we will talk about service plumbers throughout the blog. Here’s how much a service plumber costs in Melbourne:

Hourly: Some plumbers charge on an hourly basis, which means you have to pay a call-out fee (ranging between $80 and $160). Then, they charge an hourly rate once they arrive (depending on their expertise or average market rate). The only good thing about this way of charging for plumbing jobs is that you can stick to the plumber, keep an eye on their work, and figure out the service bill you will receive. However, there is no control over the cost of plumbing service, as it might take an hour, two hours, or more.
Flat Rate: While most plumbers stick to their hourly rate, some also have plumbing services with a flat rate; that’s quite similar to quoting. You need to familiarise the plumber with the difficulties you are facing or the tasks that need to be done and they will provide you with an estimate of how much the service would cost. Since you know the bill you are going to get after the plumbing service, you don’t need to do anything like pay attention to what the plumber is doing every ten minutes.

Pro Tip: It is best to hire the nearest plumber to your location; if you live in the northern part and call in for a service based out of West Melbourne, there is a higher chance you’ll have to pay more for their services.

2. Different Ways Plumber Charge for Services

Generally, flat rates are given for larger plumbing jobs that take too much time, while for the most minor jobs, plumbers charge on an hourly basis. This method of charging for plumbing jobs suits those who already have an idea of how the task would take and the hourly price is not that high (it must be $60-$120 per hour). However, there are still some points that you should take into account before hiring a plumber with an hourly rate, including the following:

Whether or not they will arrive with all the parts required during the plumbing job or they will get the parts after seeing the requirements (and charge you for the time they spent procuring the parts),
Does the plumber have the right skills and experience to perform the job they are hired for? Inexperienced plumbers often take more than expected, resulting in a much higher bill than you estimated.
What happens if the plumbing job takes longer than expected? Are you going to pay for the extra time or is there some cap on how long the plumbing job will take? Throwing money into the wind is not a good deal.
Mistakes do happen while working but if the plumber is charging you for their own stuff ups; that’s a red flag. It is usually done by the plumbers who work at the lower end, so communicate and make a wise decision.
How much will the plumber charge you for the parts required to be replaced? Are they going to give you parts at the trade price or charge a margin? If they charge a margin on the products/parts required to be changed, they must be able to handle a warranty claim, especially on the larger items, such as heaters, hot water systems, etc.

If you get a flat-rate charging plumber easily, it is best that you reach out to many and get quotes from each to determine what offers you the best for the minimum amount. Here are the factors that you need to consider before hiring a plumber with flat-rate charging:

Will the dispatch fee be waived when you go ahead with the plumbing? Some plumbers do it, while others deny it. Communicate with your plumber before they arrive at the site or your home.
Is the plumber good at answering phones and communicating? Was it difficult to reach them over the phone for the first time? If it was too difficult to reach them initially and make them understand the job, don’t expect them to be good at post-service or when you have a complaint.
Does the plumber have good reviews on the most popular review sites? Checking the reviews before you proceed to hire a service is one of the best ways to gauge the quality of service you’ll get. To check the reviews of plumbers, you can trust websites like Google, Yelp, Facebook, Trustpilot, etc.
What warranty/guarantee does the plumber or plumbing company you plan to hire offer on the product they sell? You should connect with a plumbing service provider who is ready to replace the products if they are faulty or don’t meet your expectations.

3. Some Common Plumbing Jobs and Their Prices

Though you can face many types of issues with your plumbing system, there are some common problems with plumbing that every homeowner faces once in a while. This section will take you through how much a plumber costs in Melbourne for common plumbing jobs.

Plumbing Job	Plumber Cost in Melbourne
Dripping Taps or Leaking Toilets	$60-$140
Installing Sink Taps or Bath Taps	$80-$250
Installing Toilets or Sinks	$160-$550
Replacing Water Heaters	$1,200-$4,500
Solar Hot Water System Installation	$3,000-$12,000
Broken Plumbing Pipes	$5,000-$20,000

Dripping Tap and Leaking Toilet

It is one of the most common plumbing issues that manifest in homes and workspaces that could lead to large water bills and also haunt you at night. Dripping taps and leaking toilets can also cause other plumbing problems if left untreated. The cost of fixing a dripping tap or a leaking toilet ranges between $60-$140 if the problem has occurred recently.

However, if you have been facing the problems of dripping taps and leaking toilets for quite some time, there must be underlying issues requiring more work. You can discuss the problems and make the plumber understand the main issue to get a quote. Be ready to pay more than the quoted price if the plumbing issue is much bigger than expected!

Blocked Drains

Plumbers are required to perform a number of steps to clear drains (commercial or residential) properly, carefully and safely. CCTV diagnostics is one of the most essential parts of clearing blocked drains, as it helps plumbers determine the cause of the blockage. Once they know the root cause, it is quite easy for them to fix the issue of blocked drains.

The cost of fixing blocked drains starts at $80 in Melbourne; however, if there is any type of crack or tree roots breaking through the pipe walls, you might need pipe relining services. Expect to pay between $5,000 and $20,000 if your plumbing pipes are found to be broken or cracked; the cost of service depends on the severity of the damage caused!

New Plumbing Installations

When you plan to upgrade the plumbing system of your home, revamp your bathroom, or simply need to replace the old pipes, expect to pay hourly rates. Don’t forget to add the cost of plumbing materials to the plumber’s cost in Melbourne. Here’s the cost of each installation you might require in your home:

Shower Heads and Taps: The average cost of installing a new shower head, bath tap, sink tap, and mixer tap is between $80 and $250.
Water Heaters: You may have to pay from $1,200 to $4,500 if you need to get a new water heater installed or replace an old one.
Toilets, Sinks, and Baths: Since these are large items, you will also get a larger bill for their installation and repair.
Solar Hot Water Systems: If you need to install a solar hot water system in your home, expect to pay the plumber for service between $3,000 – $12,000. The plumber’s cost of solar hot water system installation in Melbourne will depend on the complexity of the work and whether you need to install solar panels first.

Emergency Plumbing Jobs

Sometimes, due to negligence or other reasons, the plumbing pipes in a household burst, resulting in water everywhere. That’s what we call an emergency plumbing job! For these types of jobs, plumbers charge additional rates, especially if the incident happens at night, after hours, at weekends or on holidays.

The additional charges for plumbing jobs in Melbourne apply to the hourly rates, call-out fees, or both. Again, the plumber cost in Melbourne during an emergency plumbing job will depend on the severity of the damage and the time when you are calling in for plumbing services, i.e., day, night, odd hours, after hours, etc.

4. Average Cost of Plumbing a New Home in Melbourne

The probability is high that you are looking for information regarding the cost of a plumber in Melbourne. However, if you are also interested in determining the cost of plumbing a new home, you will also find it here. See the table for the current cost of plumbing a new home in Melbourne.

Plumbing Job	Plumber Cost in Melbourne
Pipework Installation	$2,000-$15,000 (depending on the size)
Hot Water System Installation	$2,000-$5,000
Bathroom, Kitchen, or Laundry	$600-$2,000 per Appliance
Air-Conditioning Plumbing	$7,000-$12,000

Note: All the costs for plumbing jobs in Melbourne are average costs and for flat rates or exact costs, you need to connect with a qualified plumber or plumbing company.

Final Verdict

Plumbers are tradespeople who often need to be hired to fix the plumbing systems and perform many other tasks. Whether you have a dripping tap, a leaking toilet, or the house is filled with water due to a pipe burst, a qualified plumber can fix the issues in no time. The cost of a plumber depends on the job they need to perform for you; for instance, if you need to install toilets, expect a bill from $160 to $550.

On the other hand, people calling a plumber for solar hot water system installation may get a bill between $3,000 and $12,000. All the information you need regarding “how much does a plumber cost in Melbourne” is mentioned in this blog. However, keep in mind that all the amounts listed in this write-up are average rates; you are still required to contact your plumber for exact hourly or flat rates.

Hopefully, after reading this comprehensive blog on plumber costs in Melbourne, you might have gotten the information you were seeking. For more such blogs and articles, stay tuned!