# How much does a plumber cost?

Updated: 2026-10-21 · https://pros411.com/en/guides/plumbers/plumber-cost

## Short answer

Plumbers usually charge about $45 to $200 an hour, most often around $70 to $120 (HomeAdvisor), plus a service call or trip fee of $50 to $300. A typical small job lands around $150 to $500: HomeAdvisor’s average plumbing project is $341 and This Old House puts the average job at $150 to $500. Nights, weekends and holidays cost more, often 1.5 to 3 times the normal rate.

## Hourly rates by source

| Source (updated) | What it covers | Price range | Average |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| HomeAdvisor (Jun 19, 2026) | Hourly rate | $45 to $200 | Most charge $70 to $120 |
| HomeAdvisor (Jun 19, 2026) | Apprentice / journeyman / master | $45 to $90 / $60 to $110 / $80 to $200 | $70 / $90 / $120 |
| Fixr (Jan 30, 2025) | Hourly rate | $75 to $150 | $90 |
| This Old House (Jun 6, 2026) | Hourly rate | $25 to $200 | About $100 plus service fee |
| HomeGuide (Sep 25, 2023) | Hourly rate | $45 to $150 | $75 |

For comparison, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median wage for plumbers at $30.67 an hour (May 2025). That is what the plumber earns, not what you are billed: the bill also covers the van, tools, insurance, license, travel and the business.

## Service calls and emergencies

| Item | Source | Price range |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Service call (often includes the first hour) | HomeAdvisor / HomeGuide / Fixr | $100 to $250 / $50 to $200 / $50 to $300 |
| Trip or call-out fee added to labor | HomeAdvisor | $50 to $300 |
| Emergency hourly | HomeGuide | $100 to $350 or more |
| After-hours weekday / weekend / holiday, per hour | HomeGuide (Dec 30, 2025) | $120 to $300 / $150 to $350 / $200 to $450 or more |
| After-hours service call or surcharge | HomeGuide | $150 to $250 |
| Emergency or after-hours extra | HomeAdvisor | $100 to $300 or more (1.5 to 3 times the hourly rate) |

## Common plumbing jobs

| Item | Source | Price range |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unclog a sink, tub, shower or toilet (simple clog) | HomeGuide | $100 to $275 (average $216) |
| Clear clogs or snake a drain | HomeAdvisor / Fixr / This Old House | $95 to $500 / $100 to $500 / $100 to $500 |
| Unclog a toilet | Fixr | $200 to $700 (average $350) |
| Main sewer line clog | HomeAdvisor / HomeGuide / Fixr | $187 to $569 (average $376) / $200 to $500 / $350 to $650 (average $475) |
| Hydro jetting the sewer line | HomeAdvisor / HomeGuide | $350 to $600 / $600 to $1,400 |
| Sewer camera inspection | HomeAdvisor / HomeGuide | $271 to $1,725 (average $995) / $125 to $500 with a cleanout |
| Fix a leaking pipe | Fixr / This Old House / HomeGuide | $150 to $350 / $150 to $450 / $150 to $850 |
| Replace or install a toilet | Fixr / This Old House | $250 to $800 (average $450) / $300 to $800 |
| Replace a faucet | HomeAdvisor / This Old House | $150 to $600 / $150 to $600 |
| Install a garbage disposal | Fixr / HomeGuide | $300 to $600 (average $500, unit included) / $600 to $850 |

Dates: HomeAdvisor Jun 19, 2026; HomeGuide Dec 2025 (clogs, sewer) and Sep 2023 (other jobs); Fixr Jan 2025 to Jan 2026; This Old House Jun 6, 2026.

## What raises the bill

- Time and access: pipes inside walls, under a slab or in a crawlspace take longer, and so does a sewer line with no cleanout.
- Timing: nights, weekends, holidays and busy days after a freeze or heavy rain.
- Who does the work: apprentice, journeyman or master plumber.
- Minimum charges of one or two hours and travel outside the plumber’s area.
- Materials and fixtures, permits for bigger jobs, and water damage repairs, which are billed separately.

## How to keep it down

- Know where your main water shut-off is and close it during a leak: less water, less damage.
- Describe the problem clearly when you call and send photos or a short video by text or WhatsApp.
- Ask before the visit what the service call includes and whether they charge a flat price per job or by the hour.
- If it can wait until business hours without causing damage, wait: after-hours rates can be much higher.
- Ask for the price in writing before work starts, and check the license (plumbers need a state license in Texas, California and Florida).

## When to call a plumber

- Water is leaking and you cannot stop it at the fixture valve.
- Sewage comes up in a tub or shower, or several drains are slow at once.
- No water or no hot water in the house.
- You smell gas near a water heater: leave and call the gas company first.

Find plumbers in your city: https://pros411.com/en/plumbers

## Frequently asked questions

### How much does a plumber charge per hour?

HomeAdvisor lists $45 to $200 an hour, with most plumbers at $70 to $120. Fixr’s average is $90 and This Old House’s is about $100, plus a service fee.

### How much does an emergency plumber cost?

HomeGuide lists $100 to $350 or more per hour for emergencies, with weekend rates of $150 to $350 and holiday rates of $200 to $450 or more, plus an after-hours call fee of $150 to $250.

### How much does a plumber charge to replace a toilet?

Fixr lists $250 to $800 with materials (average $450) and This Old House lists $300 to $800.

### How much does it cost to install a garbage disposal?

Fixr lists $300 to $600 with the unit included (average $500). HomeGuide lists $600 to $850.

### Why is there a service call fee?

It covers the trip, the time to diagnose and often the first hour of work. Ask whether it is credited toward the repair if you hire them.

## Sources

- [HomeAdvisor: how much does a plumber cost (updated Jun 19, 2026)](https://www.homeadvisor.com/cost/plumbing/hire-a-plumber/)
- [HomeAdvisor: main sewer line clog (updated Jun 19, 2026)](https://www.homeadvisor.com/cost/plumbing/clean-a-sewer-line/)
- [HomeAdvisor: sewer camera inspection (updated Jun 19, 2026)](https://www.homeadvisor.com/cost/plumbing/sewer-inspection/)
- [HomeGuide: plumber cost per hour (Sep 25, 2023)](https://homeguide.com/costs/plumber-cost)
- [HomeGuide: emergency plumber cost (Dec 30, 2025)](https://homeguide.com/costs/emergency-plumber-cost)
- [HomeGuide: cost to snake a drain (Dec 19, 2025)](https://homeguide.com/costs/cost-to-unclog-snake-a-drain)
- [HomeGuide: sewer line cleaning cost (Dec 1, 2025)](https://homeguide.com/costs/main-sewer-line-cleaning-cost)
- [HomeGuide: sewer camera inspection cost (Dec 19, 2025)](https://homeguide.com/costs/sewer-camera-inspection-cost)
- [Fixr: cost to hire a plumber (updated Jan 30, 2025)](https://www.fixr.com/costs/plumbing)
- [Fixr: cost to unclog a toilet (updated Jan 31, 2025)](https://www.fixr.com/costs/unclog-toilet)
- [Fixr: cost to unclog a main sewer line (updated Jan 31, 2025)](https://www.fixr.com/costs/unclog-main-sewer-line)
- [Fixr: garbage disposal installation cost (updated Jan 31, 2025)](https://www.fixr.com/costs/garbage-disposal-installation)
- [Fixr: toilet installation cost (updated Jan 28, 2026)](https://www.fixr.com/costs/toilet-installation)
- [This Old House: plumbing cost guide (updated Jun 6, 2026)](https://www.thisoldhouse.com/plumbing/reviews/plumbing-cost)
- [U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/plumbers-pipefitters-and-steamfitters.htm)