Upfront pricing
How to read a plumbing quote.
Seven things worth checking before you sign anything, ours included. If a quote can't survive these questions, that tells you more than the total does.
It should say what, not just how much
A quote that reads “plumbing repair: $850” is not a quote, it is a number. You should be able to see the fixture or the run being worked on, the parts going in, and what happens to the old ones. If you can't tell from the paperwork what will be different about your house afterwards, ask before you sign.
Find out whether it's a price or an estimate
These are different things and the words get used interchangeably. A price is a number the company commits to. An estimate is a guess that can move. Ask directly: “Is this the number I'll pay, or can it change?” A straight answer either way is fine. A vague one tells you something.
Check how parts are handled
Parts can be included in the line price, listed separately at cost, or marked up. All three are legitimate. What matters is that you know which one you're looking at before the work starts, rather than discovering it on the final invoice.
Look for the diagnostic or trip fee
Most companies charge something to come out and diagnose, and the question is whether it's credited against the work if you go ahead. Both practices are normal; the number should be on the paperwork either way, not mentioned at the door. Ours is zero: the diagnosis visit is free, with nothing to credit and nothing to waive.
Understand what triggers a change order
Sometimes what's behind the wall isn't what anyone expected. A good quote says what happens then: work stops, you get a new number, and nothing continues until you approve it. A quote that's silent on this is the one that turns into a bigger bill.
Check the license number is on it
California contractors must carry a CSLB licence, and the number belongs on the paperwork. You can look any number up on the CSLB website in about thirty seconds. It shows the licence status, the classifications, and whether the bond and workers' comp are current. Ours is CSLB #1158448.
Ask what the warranty covers and for how long
Labour and parts are often warranted for different periods, and a drain clearing is frequently warranted differently from a repair. None of that is unusual. What matters is that it's written down rather than remembered differently by the two of you in six months.
Questions we get asked
- Should a plumber charge by the hour or by the job?
- Both are legitimate. Hourly can be fairer on a job whose scope genuinely isn't knowable up front. Flat-rate means you know the number before work starts. The risk with hourly is that you're the one carrying the uncertainty; the risk with flat-rate is paying for a buffer you didn't need. What matters is knowing which one you agreed to. We bill hourly plus parts, against a written estimate you approve first, so the uncertainty stops at that number rather than sitting with you.
- Is it rude to ask for a quote in writing?
- No, and any plumber who reacts badly to it has told you something useful. Written prices protect both sides. They're as much a record of what was agreed for us as they are for you.
- Should I get three quotes?
- For a large job, yes. For a small one, the time it costs you is usually worth more than the spread. If you do compare, compare the scope rather than the total. The cheapest number is often the one that's left something out.
- What if the price changes once they've started?
- It should only change if the scope changed, and you should be told and asked before the new work happens. Discovering a different number on the final invoice is not a change order, it is a surprise, and you're entitled to question it.