Any site that publishes a rand figure for your geyser without seeing your roof is guessing, and the guess is marketing. Plumbing prices move on things that only exist at your property: how the cylinder is mounted, how far a plumber must carry it, what the existing valves and pipework look like, and whether a ceiling has already been damaged.
That does not mean you have to accept a vague number. It means the comparison happens on scope rather than on a single figure.
What a proper quote contains
- The registered business name, contact details, and a PIRB registration number or IOPSA membership where certification is involved.
- A description of the actual work, not just a job title — which pipe, which fixture, which valves, and what is being replaced rather than repaired.
- Materials and equipment listed with sizes and ratings. For a geyser, the cylinder capacity in litres and the pressure rating, plus the valves and tray.
- Labour, callout and after-hours charges stated separately from materials.
- What is excluded. Tiling, painting, plastering, carpentry, electrical work and ceiling repairs are the usual exclusions and the usual surprises.
- Which certificates will be issued and whether issuing them is included in the price.
- The guarantee: how long, on workmanship, on parts, and what voids it.
- VAT treatment stated clearly, and whether the total is inclusive.
Questions that turn two prices into a real comparison
- 01What exactly are you replacing, and what are you leaving in place?
- 02Is this an inspection to diagnose the problem, or a quote to fix a problem you have already diagnosed?
- 03What happens to the price if you open the wall or lift the paving and find something different? What is the process before extra work starts?
- 04Who supplies the fittings, and which range are you quoting on?
- 05Is the callout fee credited against the work if I accept the quote?
- 06Which certificates do I get, and are they included?
- 07What is your guarantee on workmanship, and how do I claim on it?
Diagnosis is a service, not a freebie
For leak detection and recurring blockages, the diagnosis is most of the value. Acoustic detection, pressure testing and CCTV camera inspections take equipment, time and skill, and they are what stop a repair from becoming a series of guesses.
A plumber who charges to find the fault properly and then quotes a defined repair is usually cheaper over a year than one who attends for free and clears the same drain four times. Ask what the diagnostic method is and what you get from it — a report, footage, a marked location.
Reasonable caution
- A quote for underground or in-wall work given without anyone attending the property.
- Pressure to authorise work immediately, or a discount that expires while the plumber is standing in your kitchen.
- Full payment up front for work that has not started, with no written scope.
- A promise of a compliance certificate from someone who cannot give you a registration number.
- No written quote at all — just a figure over the phone and an arrival time.
- A condemned geyser with no explanation of what was tested. Ask about the element, the thermostat and the valves before accepting that the cylinder has failed.
How this site fits in
We publish the page and take the request. Your details go to one local plumbing business, not to a call centre and not to a list of five companies who will all phone you. The plumber inspects and names the price. We never quote on their behalf, and we do not publish rate cards we cannot stand behind.
If a request does not fit any plumber we work with in your area, we would rather tell you that than sell your details onward.
Common questions
Should I always take the cheapest quote?
Only once you are sure the two quotes cover the same work. The cheaper one often excludes valves, a drip tray, making good or the certificate. Compare the scope first, then the price.
Is it normal to pay a callout fee?
Yes, particularly for after-hours attendance and for diagnostic work. Ask whether the fee is credited against the job if you accept the quote — many plumbers do.
Why will you not give me a price range?
Because a range wide enough to be honest is useless, and a range narrow enough to be useful would be invented. The plumber who inspects your installation gives you the number, and that is the only figure worth having.