How much a plumber costs
Quick answer
Across the US, a licensed plumber typically charges $45 to $150 an hour. Most also charge a service call or trip fee of $50 to $150, which often covers the first hour. A small repair such as clearing a drain or replacing a faucet usually totals $100 to $300. Larger jobs are priced per project: a 50-gallon water heater runs $700 to $3,100 installed, and repiping a whole house $4,000 to $16,000.
The table shows national ranges for the jobs people call a plumber for most. Each range includes labor and standard parts.
| Job | US average (typical range) | Typical |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly rate (licensed plumber) | $45–$150/hr | $100/hr |
| Service call / trip fee | $50–$150 | $100 |
| Clear a clogged drain | $100–$275 | $190 |
| Install a faucet | $120–$300 | $210 |
| Install a toilet | $350–$800 | $575 |
| Find and fix a leak | $150–$650 | $350 |
| Burst pipe repair | $500–$5,000 | $1,500 |
| Sewer line repair | $500–$3,800 | $1,800 |
| Gas line repair or install | $350–$2,000 | $900 |
| Water heater, 50-gal tank, installed | $700–$3,100 | $1,600 |
| Tankless water heater (gas), installed | $2,100–$5,600 | $3,800 |
| Whole-house repipe | $4,000–$16,000 | $9,000 |
US national averages for 2026, labor and standard materials included, from published cost guides (sources at the end of this page). Local prices differ: see the city table below, or enter your ZIP code in the cost estimator.
What moves the price
Most of the gap between a low quote and a high one comes down to four things:
- Where you live. Labor costs differ a lot between metros. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Area Cost Factors put New York City at 1.31 and San Antonio at 0.80 against a national 1.00, so the same repair can cost well over half again as much in Manhattan as in South Texas.
- Access. Pipes under a concrete slab, inside plaster walls or in a tight crawl space take longer to reach than pipes under a sink.
- Timing. Evening calls usually cost about 1.5 times the normal labor rate, weekends about twice, and holidays more.
- Permits. Water heaters, gas lines and repipes need a permit in most cities, which adds fees and an inspection.
Find a plumber near you
When you search for plumbers near me, you usually need someone today and want to know they hold a license. Enter your ZIP code and the job below. If GOLDGCP has a local guide for your area, you will see local prices and the rules that apply there; anywhere else in the US, you get a price for your ZIP code and a vetted, licensed plumber matched to your area.
Plumbing prices in 50 US metros
Here is what a licensed plumber's hourly rate looks like across the 50 largest US metros, based on each metro's construction cost factor. Metros with a full local guide are linked.
| Metro | Cost factor | Hourly rate (licensed plumber) |
|---|---|---|
| New York | 1.31 | $59–$195/hr |
| San Francisco Bay Area | 1.28 | $58–$190/hr |
| San Jose | 1.28 | $58–$190/hr |
| Boston | 1.23 | $55–$185/hr |
| Chicago | 1.20 | $54–$180/hr |
| San Diego | 1.19 | $54–$180/hr |
| Sacramento | 1.17 | $53–$175/hr |
| Philadelphia | 1.15 | $52–$175/hr |
| Seattle | 1.15 | $52–$175/hr |
| Providence | 1.15 | $52–$175/hr |
| Los Angeles | 1.14 | $51–$170/hr |
| Detroit | 1.13 | $51–$170/hr |
| Riverside–San Bernardino | 1.11 | $50–$165/hr |
| Portland | 1.10 | $50–$165/hr |
| Las Vegas | 1.10 | $50–$165/hr |
| Milwaukee | 1.10 | $50–$165/hr |
| Hartford | 1.10 | $50–$165/hr |
| Minneapolis–St. Paul | 1.06 | $48–$160/hr |
| Pittsburgh | 1.06 | $48–$160/hr |
| Denver | 1.05 | $47–$160/hr |
| Washington DC | 1.04 | $47–$155/hr |
| St. Louis | 1.04 | $47–$155/hr |
| Cincinnati | 1.02 | $46–$155/hr |
| Salt Lake City | 0.99 | $45–$150/hr |
| Orlando | 0.98 | $44–$145/hr |
| Columbus | 0.98 | $44–$145/hr |
| Cleveland | 0.98 | $44–$145/hr |
| Baltimore | 0.96 | $43–$145/hr |
| Kansas City | 0.96 | $43–$145/hr |
| Jacksonville | 0.96 | $43–$145/hr |
| Virginia Beach–Norfolk | 0.94 | $42–$140/hr |
| Miami | 0.93 | $42–$140/hr |
| Tampa | 0.93 | $42–$140/hr |
| Indianapolis | 0.93 | $42–$140/hr |
| Phoenix | 0.90 | $41–$135/hr |
| Rochester | 0.90 | $41–$135/hr |
| Oklahoma City | 0.89 | $40–$135/hr |
| Buffalo | 0.89 | $40–$135/hr |
| Nashville | 0.87 | $39–$130/hr |
| Memphis | 0.87 | $39–$130/hr |
| Richmond | 0.87 | $39–$130/hr |
| Louisville | 0.86 | $39–$130/hr |
| Birmingham | 0.86 | $39–$130/hr |
| Atlanta | 0.85 | $38–$130/hr |
| Charlotte | 0.85 | $38–$130/hr |
| Raleigh–Durham | 0.85 | $38–$130/hr |
| Dallas–Fort Worth | 0.84 | $38–$125/hr |
| Houston | 0.82 | $37–$125/hr |
| Austin | 0.82 | $37–$125/hr |
| San Antonio | 0.80 | $36–$120/hr |
Cost factors from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Area Cost Factors (US average = 1.00). Outside these metros, the cost estimator uses your state's price level from the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Linked metros have a full local guide.
Outside these metros, GOLDGCP's cost estimator uses your state's price level from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, so every US ZIP code gets a local estimate.
Hourly rates, flat rates and service fees
Plumbers bill by the hour, by a flat rate, or by a mix of the two.
Hourly billing charges for time on the job plus parts. You will see it for diagnosis, leak hunting and any job where the size of the problem stays unknown until the wall is open. Ask whether the clock starts at your door or at the shop, and whether there is a minimum, often one hour.
Flat-rate pricing quotes one price for a defined job, such as replacing a toilet or a water heater, before work starts. You know the cost before anyone picks up a wrench, and if the job runs long, that is the plumber's problem. Flat rates are usually built from the company's average time for that job, so a quick job may cost a bit more than it would by the hour.
A service call fee (also called a trip or dispatch fee) covers getting a licensed plumber and a stocked truck to your home. Many companies credit it toward the repair if you go ahead with the work.
What plumbing problems cost to ignore
Small leaks waste more water than most people expect. According to the EPA's WaterSense program, household leaks waste nearly 1 trillion gallons of water a year across the US. The average household's leaks can waste more than 9,300 gallons a year, and about 10% of homes have leaks that waste 90 gallons or more every day. A running toilet or a dripping faucet is usually a repair of a few hundred dollars at most. A hidden leak left alone can rot subfloors and feed mold, and in homes on concrete slabs it can wash out the soil under the foundation.
Warning signs that need a plumber soon:
- A water bill that rises without a change in use
- The sound of running water when every fixture is off
- A warm spot on the floor, often a hot water line leaking under a slab
- Slow drains in several fixtures at once, which points to the main line
- Rusty or discolored water, which can mean corroding supply pipes
- Water stains on ceilings or walls
Repair or replace? What the age of your plumbing tells you
What your pipes and heater are made of, and how old they are, says a lot about what will fail next.
| Part | Typical life | What failure looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Tank water heater | 8 to 12 years (often less with very hard water) | Rusty water, rumbling, leaks at the base |
| Galvanized steel supply pipe | Common in homes built before the 1960s; corrodes from inside | Falling water pressure, brown water after the tap sits |
| Cast iron drains | Often 40 to 50 years; 25 to 30 in hot, humid places like South Florida | Slow drains, repeat clogs, sewer smells |
| Copper supply under a slab | Long-lived, but stressed by moving soil and heat | Pinhole leaks, warm spots on floors |
Repairing a part near the end of its life often buys only a little time. It helps when the plumber shows you the old part or camera footage of the line, so you can see for yourself whether replacement makes sense.
Licenses: every state does it differently
The US has no national plumbing license. Each state sets its own rules, and sometimes a city or county does too, so what "licensed" means depends on where you live. A few examples from GOLDGCP's city guides:
| Where | Who licenses plumbers | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| California | Contractors State License Board, C-36 Plumbing license | Unlicensed work allowed only under $1,000 with no permit and no employees |
| Texas | Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners | Owners may do their own plumbing in their homestead only |
| Florida | Department of Business and Professional Regulation | Certified (CFC) licenses work statewide; unlicensed contracting can be a felony |
| Arizona | Registrar of Contractors | The $1,000 handyman limit does not cover plumbing work |
| New York City | City Department of Buildings, Licensed Master Plumber | Only a licensed master plumber can file plumbing work with the city |
| New Jersey | State Board of Examiners of Master Plumbers | Only a licensed master plumber can pull a plumbing permit |
Wherever you are, ask for the license number and check it on the licensing board's website before work starts.
Permits
Most cities require a permit for water heater replacement, gas line work, repipes, sewer line replacement and anything that adds or moves fixtures. Simple repairs, such as clearing a clog or replacing a faucet with the same kind, usually don't need one. A licensed plumber normally pulls the permit and schedules the inspection, and the fee is a line on the estimate. If you skip a required permit, you can face fines and doubled fees later, and the missing permit often turns up when you sell the house.
In an emergency
If water is pouring out, these steps limit the damage before a plumber arrives:
- Close the shutoff valve at the fixture, or the main shutoff for the house. It is usually where the water line enters the home, or at the meter.
- If water is near outlets or appliances, turn off the power to that area at the breaker panel.
- For a sewage backup, stop using all water in the house, including toilets and the washing machine.
- Take photos for your insurance company before cleanup starts.
- Call a licensed plumber. After-hours rates apply, so ask for the call-out fee and hourly rate on the phone.
How to hire a plumber
- Check the license number with your state or city licensing board.
- Confirm the company carries liability insurance, and workers' compensation if it has employees.
- Get a written estimate that separates labor, parts and permit fees.
- For larger jobs, get at least two quotes, and ask each plumber what caused the problem as well as how they would fix it.
- Pay in stages as the work is finished. Avoid paying the whole amount up front.
Before getting a job through GOLDGCP, every plumber in the network passes a license check, insurance verification, a background check and reference calls. You pay in milestones as the work gets done.
Plumbing guides by city
GOLDGCP has detailed local guides covering prices, licensing, permits and the problems that are common in each area:
- Plumber in Los Angeles: galvanized pipe in older homes, hard water, earthquake strapping, LADBS permits
- Plumber in New York: NYC Licensed Master Plumbers, lead service lines, owner-paid sewer lines, Local Law 152
- Plumber in Dallas-Fort Worth: clay soil and slab leaks, attic water heaters, Texas licensing, freezes
- Plumber in Phoenix: very hard water, short water heater life, copper slab leaks
- Plumber in Miami: failing cast iron drains, septic to sewer conversion, hurricane backups
GOLDGCP serves every US ZIP code. Where there is no city guide yet, the cost estimator above still prices your job at your local rate.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a plumber charge per hour?
Nationally, $45 to $150 an hour, plus a service call of $50 to $150. Master plumbers, big-city metros and after-hours calls sit at the top of the range or above it.
How much does it cost to have a plumber come out?
The visit alone usually costs $50 to $150 as a service call or trip fee. Many plumbers include the first hour of work in that fee or credit it toward the repair if you hire them.
What does a typical plumbing repair cost?
Most common repairs cost $100 to $650. Clearing a drain runs $100 to $275, installing a faucet $120 to $300, a toilet $350 to $800, and finding and fixing a leak $150 to $650. Prices are higher in expensive metros.
Why do plumbing prices vary so much by city?
Labor and business costs differ by region. Official construction cost factors range from about 0.80 in San Antonio to 1.31 in New York City against a US average of 1.00, and local rules on licensing and permits add their own costs.
Is it cheaper to pay a plumber by the hour or a flat rate?
That depends on the job. A flat rate protects you when the work runs long and makes quotes easy to compare, while hourly billing can come out cheaper for a quick, simple fix. For jobs with unknowns, such as hidden leaks, plumbers usually bill hourly for diagnosis and then quote the repair.
Do I need a permit for plumbing work?
For water heaters, gas lines, repipes, sewer line replacement and new fixtures, usually yes. Simple repairs usually don't. Rules are set locally, so a licensed plumber should know what your city requires and pull the permit.
How do I know if a plumber is licensed?
Ask for the license number and look it up on your state's licensing board website, or the city's if your area licenses locally, as New York City does. The name, status and license type should match the company and the work.
How we calculate these prices
GOLDGCP starts from national price ranges for each job, taken from published 2026 cost guides and checked against local price guides where they exist. To get a local price, we multiply the national range by the construction cost factor for the metro from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Area Cost Factors (US average = 1.00). Where that table has no entry for a metro, we use the nearest listed location or the state value. For ZIP codes outside the 50 largest metros, the cost estimator uses the state's price level from the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities. Ranges include labor and standard materials but not unusual site conditions, so a written quote after an inspection is always the final price.
Sources
- How much does a plumber cost? · HomeGuide
- How much does an emergency plumber cost? · HomeGuide
- Water heater installation or replacement cost · HomeGuide
- Fix a Leak Week · U.S. EPA WaterSense
- Check a License · California Contractors State License Board
- Plumbing License Law · Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners
- Limited Alteration Applications · NYC Department of Buildings
- Area Cost Factors, PAX Newsletter 3.2.1 (2024) · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- Regional Price Parities by State · U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
About this guide
Written by the GOLDGCP editorial team. Prices come from national cost guides; rules and statistics come from the agencies and reports linked in the text. We update this page when prices or codes change.