Plumbing Prices

I would like to know what the typical cost would be for a plumber to replace the plumbing behind my washing machine. The work would involve cutting about a 12"x12" hole into the wall for access to the copper pipes and cutting into the copper pipes about 6" down and rebuild back up including the fittings and plastic enclosure at the top for the washer hoses both hot and cold. I had this done today and they charged me 990.00. It took him about 2 hours. He had a plumbers job book that he referred to for the pricing. Was I ripped of today or was this about average for the work that was done.

Thank you

Reply to
jerrjocnc
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"jerrjocnc"

Yes, you got ripped off. That price would even make the guys on this board from New York and New Jersey choke, I think. Did you get a look at this "pricing book"?

Reply to
Mike Grooms

sounds like id be around 200.00 or less for labor.

Reply to
Ned Flanders

Did you pay the bill yet

Reply to
gen.stephens

Jerrjocnc, About the $990 that he charged you: Did the plumber quote you this price of $990 *before* he started the job and then you agreed to the price before he did the plumbing job for you *or* did he do the work first and then he told you the bill was $990?

Jabs

Reply to
Jabs

On Tue, 28 Jun 2005 18:22:18 -0700, gen.stephens wrote (in article ):

If you agreed to the price before the plumber started the question is moot.

"Menu Pricing" plumbers rely on the notion that their customers have no clue what something should cost and that the property owner has taken time out of their day to keep an appointment. The uninformed property owner is eager to solve the problem and having been shown the price book, in the heat of the moment gives the go ahead.

These menu pricing plumbers have tremendous overhead with all of the advertising they do and trucks they run making it convenient for home and property owners to have a job finished quickly. You pay a premium price for that convenience.

It may have been a fair price for that particular plumber to do it when the property owner wanted it done. Some may consider it a rip-off but if you okay the work at that price you have only yourself to blame for impatience and not doing due diligence.

If he gave you the price after he was done I'd ask for a time and material breakdown.

Doug

Reply to
plumbguru2

It sounds like that plumber ripped you a new one buddy.

We don't know what all the guy did for the $990. It's possible he had to do more than you realize.

As for your price breakdown. That washer box + other materials probably cost less than $30-$45 for the entirety of the materials he used.

The MOST I can figure on that job using a time/material/overhead analysis of the work + materials is $612.50. Even that is on the pricey side.

If he charged you $200/hour + doubled materials + 25% on his overhead, you should have paid $612.50.

Looks like that particular plumber is basing his price book on approx. $350/hour.

Yeah...you got ripped.

Either that or he ran the sewer machine to clean the pipe or he had to install an additional vent to bring it up to code, etc.

Most of us can yank a washer box and install a new one in less than an hour (btw)

Did he patch your sheetrock or anything else? or did he just do the plumbing?

you got ripped.

Reply to
Blackbeard

That's a very fair price in my book. The guy was a pro and you know you will never have a problem with it.

Reply to
Red Jacket

Firstly, It's important to know the difference between 'riped-off' and 'overcharged'

'Ripped-off' is when someone doesn't give or gives you something not agreed upon AND, sometimes, the purchaser paying an unagreed, exorbitant fee. Such as...a mechanic, we'll say, tells you your engine is shot and he'll replace it with ALL O.E. parts. Well, he doesn't. Instead he uses some off brand parts and even at that jacks the price above the previous agreed amount. That's a rip-off

Reply to
a

A,

I'm a plumber, and it's just crazy Assuming the guy was there only 2 hours, and it was just a washing machine box to hook up, how could the bill be nearly a thousand dollars? I mean, the parts couldn't have cost $100, and $400/hr has to be high, even for you, ain't it??

Reply to
Mike Grooms

A, I'm a plumber, and it's just crazy Assuming the guy was there only 2 hours, and it was just a washing machine box to hook up, how could the bill be nearly a thousand dollars? I mean, the parts couldn't have cost $100, and $400/hr has to be high, even for you, ain't it??

Like I said, overcharged? Definetly.

Even for a toilet seat wielding fool like me.

Reply to
a

"a"

I was actually shooting at Red, who said it was "very fair." You just got in the way.

Reply to
Mike Grooms

I'll be sure to duck next time.

"a"

I was actually shooting at Red, who said it was "very fair." You just got in the way.

Reply to
a

Anything can be "what if'ed" to death. In 90% of all cases a washer box, fittings, and two hours labor does not need to come close to $990. Although I would love to have ten crews each doing 4 of those every day.:>)

Bob Wheatley

Reply to
Bob Wheatley

You'd go higher ?

Reply to
Red Jacket

Hey, what if that place was some form of health hazard or had who knows what in the place ? I seen places I'd never go in, I gave a super high price and let them call some other sucker.

Recall the AIDS thing ? How much was it to clean a P trap at that time ?

I had people want a simple replace a tub...Ok ? Yeah, I go look and its to go into 100 year old lead drainage system and in no way would they upgrade. Ok, this is my price. I AIN'T NO FOOL.

Reply to
Red Jacket

"Red Jacket" wrote

I'm guessing that you are an honest man. Not everyone is.

Bob Wheatley

Reply to
Bob Wheatley

Right ! And common sense tells me something is rotten in Denmark. The guy had a reason to charge that much. We ain't got the whole story.

Reply to
Red Jacket

Be brutal in truth and honesty. You win every time. However I'm not above telling a wopper.

Reply to
Red Jacket

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