How Much You Can Expect to Pay for Professional Plumbing Repair
By Space Coast Daily // December 30, 2022
If your home’s plumbing is getting old and worn out you need to hire the right reputable and licensed plumbing contractor to either fix the existing issues, or install brand new fixtures, appliances, and mechanical systems entirely.
Says the professionals at Fixd Repair, a Carrolton, TX, appliance repair services company near Dallas, the maintenance of your most essential home systems such as plumbing and HVAC is all about helping the customer though the ordeal of breakdowns and fixture/appliance replacements. It’s also about working with them when it comes to the cost of repair and replacement.
That said, a reputable firm will not only get the job done right and fast, the first time around, but they will walk you through affordable maintenance plans that will save you anxiety and the pain that comes with operating costs in these highly inflationary times.
With all this mind, how much can it cost for professional plumbing repair in 2023 and beyond? According to a recent article by Forbes, it’s not easy determining the average cost of pluming repairs. Once you contact a professional plumber for a repair or replacement, you’re looking at a minimum of $400, much of this coming in the form of labor.
Major repairs can cost anywhere from several hundred dollars to thousands of dollars. But for major work, it’s best to get several quotes from several different contractors. Hopefully, you have the time to get the quotes before the problem gets worse or causes a major inconvenience to your entire family.
Defining Plumbing Repair Costs
Says Forbes, the hourly labor cost for a licensed plumber will only comprise one portion of your overall service invoice. The other costs come from new parts and appliances, plus diagnostic inspections on the new work if it’s required.
In some cases, a plumbing company will need to issue you a transport charge. You’ll also have to pay for permits, and any other superfluous charges that come about such as disposal service costs.
Small jobs like leaky faucets or broken toilet flushers will come with a minimum charge that will comprise the entire plumbing repair bill. Other simple tasks like minor repairs to shower heads or HVAC filter replacement, will usually be billed at a flat rate.
Most Common Plumbing Repair Costs
Normal, everyday life takes its toll on plumbing and HVAC systems. As a homeowner with a family, you will definitely face one of the following issues sooner or later:
Clogged Drains
A clogged drain is just what it sounds like—an obstruction of the flow of water due to a blockage. Most plumbers can snake a clogged drain for about $150.
Drainage Backups
A drainage backup can be a real problem since it involves several clogged drains. It means the home’s main drain pipe is clogged. If this occurs, you can expect to dish out anywhere from $500 to $1,000 depending upon the complicated nature of the issue.
Drainage backups are more common in older homes where the sewer pipes are so old, tree roots have penetrated them. Replacing or repairing a badly damaged sewer line can cost upwards of several thousand dollars. This is where you’ll want to get a few quotes from several reputable licensed and bonded plumbers.
Leaks
Drain and supply lines can be affected by the occasional leak. A simple p-trap repair will only run you around $100. But a severe supply line fix can cost you 5X more.
Faucet Replacement or Repair
If your faucet is constantly dripping its internal components require replacement. This should cost around $100 to $150. If the fixture has deteriorated to the point of unfixable, it will need to be replaced. This will cost around $300 in plumbing labor plus the cost of the new faucet.
Toilet Replacement or Repair
If your toilet tank is constantly running, the noise can not only be annoying but will cost you $200+ to repair. If the toilet is so old, it requires replacement, you will need to pay around $500 in plumbing labor fees, plus the cost of the fixture of your choice.
Some high-tech toilets these days are engineered with built-in bidets. These will run you around $1,000 apiece.
Plumbing Appliance Repairs
Installation or repair of appliances can cost you around $150 to $400. The overall price will depend largely on whether or not the appliance requires a simple hookup, re-installation, or fix.
New boilers and HVAC systems can run in the thousands of dollars for replacement. Again, you’ll want to get several quotes for this kind of plumbing job.
Sump Pump Replacement or Repair
Forbes states that sump pumps don’t usually require repair so much as replacement. Sump pumps contain very few moving parts that are replaceable. If one or more of these parts breaks or fails, it’s a fair assumption that the pump is no longer in working condition and therefore needs to be replaced.
If you need to have a new sump pump installed, it can cost you $500 plus the cost of the pump, along with the disposal of the old pump.
Cost of Plumbing Systems Repairs
It only makes sense that the larger the repair, the more money it will cost you. Homeowners with active families will eventually face one or more of these pluming system repair situations sooner or later:
Water Heater Replacement or Repair
Life expectance for a water heater is usually 10 to 12 years. If you own a home for long enough, it’s not at all uncommon to have to replace or repair yours at some point. While repairs can cost about $500, full replacements will cost anywhere from $1,000 to $7,000 for more complicated systems that service large homes.
Soft Water Systems and Water Treatment System Repair
Some people live is areas where the water is hard and difficult to cook and clean with. In that case, they require the installation of a soft water system. If the water treatment system in your home fails, you can expect to pay anywhere from $500 to $1,000 to have it repaired.
Main Water Supply Line Fix
In urban areas, main water supply lines are usually the city’s water department responsibility. But that responsibility ends where the supply line meets the house’s plumbing system.
In the case of a city that doesn’t own the main water supply line, or if you find yourself in the position of having to repair the valves or pipes that exist beyond the meter, you should plan on paying anywhere from $500 to $1,000 depending on the severity of the problem or problems.
Main Drain Line Fix
If the main drain line that services your home gets clogged, you can expect a plumber to snake it for around $500. But all too often the plumber is only a part of the overall repair bill since the line is located underground making access difficult without some form of excavation equipment.
Excavating to expose the underground pipe and then fixing the home and the lawn once the repair is completed will likely prove the most expensive portion of the project.
Sewer Repairs
Most sewer issues cannot be resolved without excavating the ground. It’s not only an expensive project and a repair is not always possible without bringing in city contractors to dig up a portion of the road or sidewalk.
If you find yourself with a major sewer issue, you can expect to pay anywhere from around $4,000 to $6,000 for a major repair.
Or, you can sell your home.
