When you get two plumbing quotes and one is noticeably lower, it's tempting to take it. Sometimes that's the right call. But the price on the quote and the price of the job over the next few years aren't always the same thing. This post looks at where a low price can make sense, and where it tends to come back to bite.
What a low quote can leave out
A quote is only cheap if it covers the same work. Before you compare, check whether each one includes:
- Finding the cause, not just the symptom. Clearing a blocked drain without checking why it blocked is quicker and cheaper. It's also why some drains block again a month later.
- Parts. Is the price for a specific brand and model, or "supply and fit" with whatever's cheapest on the day?
- Making good. Does it include backfilling, re-laying pavers or patching where access was needed?
- Compliance paperwork. Licensed plumbers and gas fitters in WA have to lodge paperwork with the regulator for certain jobs. If a quote seems to skip that step, ask why.
When a cheaper option is fine
For small, contained jobs, such as a new tap washer, a toilet cistern repair or swapping a mixer, there isn't much room for the work to go wrong. If the plumber is licensed and the parts are decent, a lower price is just a lower price.
Where cutting corners costs more
Recurring drain blockages
In older parts of Mandurah like Halls Head and Dudley Park, repeat blockages are often tree roots getting into clay pipe joints. A quick clear fixes today's problem. A camera inspection shows whether the pipe needs a repair so you're not paying for the same call-out every few months. More on that on our blocked drains page.
Hot water systems
The cheapest unit isn't always the right one for your household or your roof. A system that's too small, or the wrong type for your gas or power setup, costs you every day you use it.
Gas work
Gas fitting is licensed work with no exceptions. A cheap, unlicensed job on a cooktop, heater or LPG connection isn't a bargain. It's a safety risk, and it can void your insurance.
Septic and ATU properties
On semi-rural blocks around Karnup, Pinjarra and the Yunderups, plumbing work near a septic tank or aerobic treatment unit needs to be done properly the first time. Mistakes here are messy and slow to fix.
Questions worth asking any plumber
- Are you licensed for this work, and can I see your licence number?
- Is this a fixed quote or an estimate?
- What happens if you find something else once you start?
- Is there a call-out fee, and when does it apply?
- Will you fix the cause, or just the symptom?
A good plumber, whatever they charge, will answer those plainly.
The real comparison
It's not cheap versus expensive. It's whether the job gets done once, properly, by someone licensed to do it. That's usually the cheaper outcome, even if it isn't the cheaper quote.
If you want a clear quote for a job in Mandurah or the Peel region, call Drainpro Plumbers on 0413 904 259 or request a quote online.