How Much Does an Average Plumbing Job Cost?



Owning a home is a source of immense pride for millions across the globe. However, nobody said it’s an easy task. Being a homeowner entails care of it thoroughly and continuously. In this way, a home may even be compared to a child! And just like a child, a well-treated home is a happy one.

One of the primary issues that need to be looked after is the house’s plumbing. Indeed, this is one essential yet very commonly forgotten area. If you are a homeowner looking for plumbing service, you are probably wondering how hard it will be on your wallet. And as with many questions, the simple answer is that it depends.

An average plumbing job’s cost may vary considerably depending on the type of issue among other things. Here are a few most common plumbing jobs with their cost estimates:


Inspection is one of the most critical aspects of this job. Just like a doctor can’t treat a disease properly unless he comes to a proper diagnosis, a plumber can’t fix an issue he can’t identify. Thus, I would recommend finding the best possible expert for this work.

A thorough examination of the house includes everything from checking for leaky faucets and runny toilets to abnormal water pressures and molds or rotting wood. (which is indicative of long-standing leaky pipes). Appliances like washing machines that use water may also be checked for any faults.

If the inspection only involves a visual examination, the cost will be around 300 dollars. However, for specific issues, a camera may need to be inserted down a pipe, in which case more expertise is required, and the price is higher- close to 500 dollars.

Appliance Repair:

If an appliance is not working because of an electrical issue, it is not a plumber’s job to know how to fix it. For that, you would need to contact an electrician. However, a plumber is expected to know how to fix water flow related issues of machines such as heaters, dishwashers, washing machines, etc.

These appliances could require several repairs during their lifetime. There could be a block in the inflow of water, meaning they won’t fill up or there may be a clogged drain preventing it from draining properly. Both the inflow and waste may be leaky too. A heater may also have gas leakage- a health and fire hazard.

The cost of a washing machine repair could range from just 100 dollars up to 500 dollars.  A dishwasher repair’s cost also has a wide range but will generally be 20 to 30 percent less than that of a washing machine. A water heater may cost between 300 to 550 dollars to fix.

Sink, Faucets, Toilets:

Imagine you have a tap that drips one drop of water every second. On the surface, this may not seem like much more than a nuisance. However, if this problem persists for an entire year that leaky tap would have wasted an astounding 2,082 gallons of water! You can see why fixing such a leak should be of paramount importance.

If a dripping tap can waste so much water, you’d be right in assuming that a runny toilet would be a much worse issue since it loses water at a much faster rate. Indeed, a runny toilet can increase your water bill two or even three-fold.

If a sink is clogged, you might be able to fix it yourself using a toilet plunger. However, a deeper blockage down the drain requires an expert to fix. Plumbers can charge 100-500 dollars to fix a leaky faucet or clogged sink whereas a toilet repairs cost somewhere between 150-200 dollars.


While simple issues like a leaky faucet may be irritatingly prominent, many major plumbing issues are not so visible to a naked eye. This is because a house’s main pipelines mostly run behind walls. Furthermore, the problems that may persist inside these pipelines is even less visible.

Thus, pipeline issues rarely manifest themselves in the early stages. They tend to grow insidiously causing severe damage in the process. This is why I consider it my duty as a homeowner to look for plumbers near me and get my pipes checked prophylactically regularly.

Because of the invasive work required and amount of damage seepage from a pipe can cause to adjacent structures, fixing this issue could cost an eye-watering 1000 to 3000 dollars.


Other than the different types of repairs, plumbing costs may also depend on several other variables. For example, a well-reputed service is sure to charge more than an independent contractor. Plumbers will also charge more if called for an emergency visit compared to a non-emergency one. They might also ask for more if called on holidays or weekends. Quality and cost of materials is also something to consider.

I must concede that the plumbing cost seems rather expensive at face value. However, if these aren’t dealt with promptly you only end up paying a fortune in the long run. So why wait instead of staying on top of the issue?


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