Plumbers near me in United Kingdom

To find a reputable plumber in United Kingdom, start by browsing plumbers near you.

Then check each shortlisted business using the following criteria:

• Recent reviews and photos of previous work

• Membership of a recognised trade association, such as the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (CIPHE)

• TrustMark registration, which indicates that the business has been vetted and meets the required standards

• Public liability insurance

• Gas Safe registration for any work involving gas appliances or fittings

For further guidance, read TrustMark’s top tips for hiring reliable tradespeople.

Gas Safe plumbers carry an ID card. The front shows a photo and a seven digit licence number. The back lists which appliances they can legally work on, so a plumber cleared for cookers may not be cleared for boilers. Check the number on the Gas Safe Register site.

General plumbing needs no licence at all. For non gas work, look for WaterSafe approval against the Water Supply Regulations, CIPHE membership and public liability insurance.

Plumbers in the UK typically charge between £40 and £60 per hour, depending on their location, experience and the circumstances of the job.

Out-of-hours or emergency plumbing work may cost more, with rates rising to £80 per hour or higher, plus a call-out fee.

Before any plumbing work begins, confirm which rate applies and ask for an itemised written quote that you can compare and refer back to. Our guide to how much plumbers charge provides a more detailed breakdown of the likely costs.

Call-out fees for plumbers typically range from £50 to £100, with higher charges for emergencies or out-of-hours work.

Some plumbers waive the call-out fee if they carry out the work during the visit, while others offer a free consultation before providing a quote for the job.

Always confirm any call-out fees before booking a professional to avoid unexpected charges.

Replacing a toilet or tap in United Kingdom costs between £50 and £250, excluding the price of the new fitting.

Typical labour costs by job include:

• Toilet replacement: £100 to £250

• Tap replacement: £50 to £150

The complexity of the installation will have the biggest effect on the price. A simple like-for-like replacement will be cheaper, whereas changing from a close-coupled toilet to a wall-hung model is likely to be more expensive.

Ask the plumber for a full breakdown of the labour and material costs, then compare several detailed quotes based on the same scope of work.

General plumbing work does not require a licence in the UK, as plumbers mainly train through vocational courses and apprenticeships.

You can ask for proof of the following instead:

• Training records, with NVQs in Plumbing and Domestic Heating being among the most common qualifications

• Gas Safe registration for any work on gas appliances

• A valid Gas Safe ID card, the details of which you can check

Anyone working on gas appliances must be registered with the Gas Safe Register, which ensures that they are qualified to install, repair or maintain gas systems safely.

Read our plumber hiring tips and advice for more information on choosing a plumber.