How to quote as a plumber: fixed price or day rate?
18 August 2026
Every plumber has been burned by a "small job" that turned into three days under a floor. The right quote protects you from that without scaring the customer off.
Fixed price for defined jobs
Bathroom tap swap, new rad, outside tap — if you can see the whole job, quote it fixed. Customers strongly prefer a known number, and you win jobs against day-rate competitors just by being certain.
Day rate when you can't see the problem
Leak tracing and old-house surprises deserve a day rate plus materials. Say it plainly in the quote: "Investigation charged at £280/day. Once the fault is found I'll fix a price for the repair." That sentence turns an awkward conversation into a professional process.
Always write down what's excluded
The line that saves you: "Quote covers items listed. Any additional work will be quoted separately before it's done." When you open the wall and find lead pipe, you send a revised quote rather than absorbing the cost or arguing at the door.
Get the agreement signed before you start
A verbal yes is worth very little when a job goes sideways. A signed quote — with your terms, the price breakdown, and a deposit if you're buying materials — means the awkward conversations mostly never happen.
With QuoteNod you build that quote on your phone, the customer signs it from a link, and you both keep a tamper-evident PDF. Free for 14 days, then £12 a month.