For UK plumbers
Plumber quote template (UK)
A clear layout for a plumbing quote that sets out scope, terms and VAT properly, so the customer knows what is included before you lift a floorboard.
What a plumber quote should include
Plumbing quotes go wrong in one predictable place: what is hidden. Behind the old suite, under the floor, inside a wall you have not opened. A good plumbing quote prices the visible work firmly and handles the hidden work honestly, so the customer is not surprised and you are not out of pocket.
- Your business and registration. Trading name, address, contact, any Gas Safe registration where the job involves gas, and your VAT number if registered.
- The customer and the site. Their name and the property address.
- A specific scope. The exact suite or work, removal of the old, first and second fix, and the finish standard.
- Labour and materials. Days by your rate, plus the suite, pipe, fittings and any parts named where it helps the customer trust the price.
- VAT. If registered, subtotal, 20% VAT and total. If not, say so.
- Timeline. Days on site and whether water will be off at points.
- Payment terms. When you expect payment and any deposit against ordered parts.
- Exclusions. Tiling, making good and decoration are often excluded. Say so clearly.
- Validity period. "Valid for 30 days" so a suite price does not follow you around after supplier costs move.
A plumber quote example
The figures below are illustrative and shown only to demonstrate the layout. They are not market rates. Price every job from your own supplier prices and day rate.
| Section | Detail | Amount (example only) |
|---|---|---|
| Strip out | Remove and dispose of existing bathroom suite | £X |
| First fix | Alter and run hot, cold and waste pipework to new positions | £X |
| Suite supply and fit | Bath, basin, WC, taps and shower, supply and install | £X |
| Second fix and test | Connect, commission and pressure test | £X |
| Subtotal | £X | |
| VAT (20%, if registered) | £X | |
| Total | £X |
Scope note: "Remove existing suite, supply and fit new bath, basin, WC and thermostatic shower, alter pipework as needed, test and commission. Excludes tiling, making good and decoration." Terms note: "Price assumes existing pipework and floor structure are sound. Any hidden defect found on strip out will be quoted and agreed in writing before proceeding. Valid for 30 days."
The mistakes that cost plumbers money on a quote
- Pricing what you cannot see. Committing a firm price to pipework you have not opened up is how a good day turns into a loss. Add a clear variations line.
- Vague scope. "Bathroom" invites the customer to expect tiling and decoration you never priced. Spell out what is in and what is out.
- No variations clause. Rot under a floor or a failed soil connection is common on old jobs. Say extras are quoted and agreed before you proceed.
- Confusing a quote with an estimate. A quote is a fixed price. An estimate can move. Label the document as one, never both. See quote vs estimate.
- Leaving out making good. If you are not filling holes or replastering, exclude it plainly.
Should a plumber send a quote or an estimate?
For a defined job, a fixed suite install to an agreed plan, quote it firmly. For a repair where the true extent is hidden until you open up, a leak of unknown source or old pipework in poor condition, an estimate with a firm quote to follow is the honest approach. Put the scope and variations in writing either way. Our guide to quote vs estimate for UK trades explains when each is fairer.
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This page is practical quoting guidance, not legal advice, and it does not cover gas or other registration obligations, which are set by the applicable rules. For a serious dispute or a large sum, take proper advice.
Plumber quote FAQ
What should a plumber quote include?
Your business and any registration details, the customer and site, a specific scope, a breakdown of labour and materials, VAT, a timeline, payment terms, exclusions and a validity period.
How do I quote a bathroom installation?
List the suite, the removal of the old one, first and second fix pipework, whether tiling and making good are included, and add a variations line for anything found behind the old suite or under the floor.
Should a plumber quote or estimate a repair?
For a defined job like a fixed suite install, quote it. For a leak of unknown extent that you cannot see until you open up, an estimate with a firm quote to follow is often fairer.
Do plumbers charge VAT on a quote?
If you are VAT registered, show subtotal, 20% VAT and the total. If you are not registered, say so clearly on the quote.
Related guides: How to write a professional quote · All trade quote templates · Electrician template · Builder template