A plumbers call-out fee is a set amount charged by a plumbing business to come to your home or business.
The call-out fee covers all of the costs incurred for the time it takes to arrive. In addition, the call-out fee covers employee costs, vehicle costs and business overhead costs.
Generally, for those businesses that charge call-out fees, the call-out fee only allows for arriving at your home or business. It does not allow for any investigation work of your plumbing problem.
What is a plumbing diagnostic evaluation fee?
Here at Whywait Plumbing, we do not merely charge a plumbers call-out fee to arrive at your home or business.
Since 1999 we have charged on every job we are called out to diagnostic evaluation fee. We require this fee to be paid by credit card when you book your appointment with us.
When you call us, we guarantee that we inform you of our initial upfront fault finding/investigation diagnostic evaluation fee and what that fee is.
Once you are happy to accept our diagnostic pricing, we’ll secure your booking by providing your credit card to cover the initial fault-finding/investigation diagnostic evaluation fee.
What is the difference between a call-out fee & a diagnostic evaluation fee?
Plumbing companies that charge a call-out fee use it to cover the journey for a plumber to arrive at your home or business.
Plumbing companies that charge a diagnostic evaluation fee cover the initial journey cost plus the cost to inspect your plumbing problems, diagnose the cause, and provide fully costed solutions.
No call-out fee plumbers
Some plumbing companies heavily advertise that they have a no call-out fee. It may sound suitable for budget-minded potential customers, but…..I guarantee you will end up paying the plumbers call-out fee anyway.
Remember, if something is FREE, it has no value to the plumbing business offering it or to the customer receiving it. No call-0ut fee plumbing businesses transfer the costs of getting to the job in their other costs plus a margin, so either way, you pay.
The perception that advertising a no-call out fee creates is that you are getting something for free, as it will be cheaper. Perception is never reality, as no business can work for free.
Think about it, would you go to work for free?
What you should you ask about a plumbers call-out fee?
Always ask on the phone what their call-out fee is and what it includes. For example, many plumbing businesses have a call-out fee and an additional minimum charge for their time.
Clear communication is paramount to avoiding disputes. Determine precisely what the plumber will charge you to arrive at your home or business and investigate what work is required.
Always ask on the phone what is their call-out fee and what does it include. Many plumbing businesses not only have a call-out fee but an additional minimum charge for their time.
Clear communication is paramount to avoiding disputes. Be very clear in your own mind exactly what the plumber will charge you to arrive at your home or business and investigate what work is required.
Why do call-out fees vary so much?
Contrary to popular urban myths, there is no such thing as a fixed rate, recommended rate, or the going rate for a plumbers call-out fee.
Every plumbing business is not the same. Every plumbing business has different employee costs, overhead, and productivity levels required to set a call-out or diagnostic evaluation fee.
It is illegal under the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 for businesses to collude in setting prices. The Act aims to give all businesses a fair and competitive operating environment. It covers anti-competitive conduct, price-fixing, unconscionable conduct and numerous other issues, such as advertising. The Act also sets out consumers’ rights and responsibilities.
It is also illegal under the Act for there to be any set or recommended rates by master plumbers associations.
Other factors influencing call-out fees are the type of service required, the time of day, and which day. For example, significant variances will occur if you need plumbing service at night, on weekends or public holidays.
So how much should a plumbers call-out fee be?
The reality is that asking how much a plumbers call-out fee should be is akin to asking how long a piece of string is.
Remember, there are no recommended call-out fee rates, as every business has to determine what they charge.
As a rough guide, in my experience, a plumbers call-out fee during normal weekday working hours will vary from $0 to $150 to arrive on the job. However, for an emergency plumbing call-out, the costs increase dramatically, and you can expect to pay between $150 and $500.
I can only reiterate that you need to be clear about precisely what the plumber will charge you to arrive at your home or business and investigate what work is required.
Both the plumber and the customer have rights and responsibilities. Sadly there is a culture of mutual distrust between customers and plumbers, each being wary of being ripped off by the other.
Here at Whywait Plumbing, we aim to be always upfront with our pricing starting with our initial plumbers call-out fee or diagnostic fee. So when we ask you to pay that diagnostic fee upfront by credit card, we are both committing from the beginning.
We guarantee and disclose our diagnostic fee up front and provide an upfront fixed price guarantee for all residential and domestic clients. As a result, there is no game-playing, our clients are always informed of costs upfront, and there are never any hidden costs or nasty surprises.
Blocked drains or a blocked toilet are a Christmas nightmare
Christmas and New Year holiday emergency plumbing services on the Gold Coast have always been a priority service thatWhywait Plumbing Serviceshas guaranteed to provide 24/7.
For the plumbers at Whywait Plumbing the traditional Christmas and New Year holiday period results in attending more blocked toilets, blocked kitchen sinks, blocked showers and blocked drains than any other time of the year.
In many homes, the sewer drains have worked fine all year with only two people living in the house. All over the Gold Coast families and friends descend on homes where the plumbing has worked fine all year, or so everyone thought.
Many homes plumbing and sewer drains are stretched to breaking point with a sudden increase from two to twenty people plus descending on Christmas Day.
The result is overflowing sewage and no flushing toilet, which can be a real party stopper, especially in our summer’s heat.
Warning signs of a potential blocked sewer at Christmas
As I repeatedly warn everyone, all too often, the warning signs of an impending blockage in your drains have been there for months.
The most common warning signs of a looming problem sewer drain or toilet are:
gurgling sounds coming from the toilet or bathroom floor waste or laundry tub
an overflowing drain gully outside the house
foul odours in the bathroom or toilet
Do you have a Christmas plumbing emergency?
If you have your extended family and friends in your home and are experiencing any of the following, then you have an emergency.
No Water or a Burst Pipe –if your household has no running water or has water flooding everywhere, this is an emergency;
Blocked Sewer Drains –Bathroom, Kitchen, Laundry & Toilet blockages overflowing inside or outside your home is an emergency;
Blocked Toilets –a blocked or overflowing toilet is an emergency;
Gas Leaks –if you can smell gas call us immediately as this can mean there is a leak that’s potentially dangerous.
What will a Plumber cost over the Christmas & New Year Holidays?
After 44 years of providing emergency plumbing services we know near the top of the question list for every client is
Over Christmas and the 2021 new year holidays, we will provide service as usual.
When you call us, we will explain that we charge an initial upfront fault finding/investigation diagnostic evaluation fee and what that fee is as listed below.
Once you are happy to accept our diagnostic pricing, we’ll secure your booking by your providing your credit card to cover the initial fault finding and investigation diagnostic evaluation fee.
Christmas Day Diagnostic Service Fee:Allows for attending to the job site, diagnosing of work required and presenting costed requirements to you –$550.00 or Service Partner $59.40 inclusive of GST
Christmas Eve, Boxing Day & New Years Day Diagnostic Service Fee:Allows for attending to job site, diagnosing of work required and presenting costed requirements to the client –$330.00 or Service Partner $59.40 inclusive of GST
Our on call Christmas emergency plumber Gold Coast employees
Gary Mays
Licensed Plumber & Drainer
Gary will be answering the phones over the Christmas period. Gary began the business in 1976 with Whywait Plumbing celebrating 44 years of continuous service on 11 November 2020.
David James
Licensed Plumber, Drainer & Gasfitter
David has worked for us since 2019 and is our emergency plumber on call on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
Nathan Parrish
Licensed Plumber & Drainer
Nathan has worked for us since 2015 and is our emergency plumber on call on the Boxing Day public holiday, New Years Eve and New Years Day.
I recently had a client comment that Gold Coast Plumbers bury their mistakes far more than doctors bury their mistakes. It is a comment I cannot disagree with in any way. Increasingly we see underground plumbing work that is so non-compliant it’s confirming Gold Coast Plumbers bury their mistakes, knowingly and deliberately.
Calling them mistakes is not being truthful because we all know it’s a deliberate act to cut costs. We all understand those plumbing companies that choose to undertake construction work are under enormous competitive pressure to reduce construction costs continually.
However, because of these plumbing companies buckling to pressure from project managers, builders and developers, they are in an ever downward spiral of negligently breaking the law. The reality is all of the parties involved in the lawbreaking know the chances of them getting caught are slim as the inspections by City of Gold Coast’s plumbing, and drainage inspectors are cursory at best.
Underground water pipes, house sewer drains and house stormwater drains are all buried underground. Unfortunately for property owners, it can take years before the problems become apparent and they investigate the issue. By this time the original construction job is out of warranty, and the QBCC will show little interest in any investigation of negligence.
Investigation and rectification of non-compliant installation of underground plumbing infrastructure fall onto the hapless property owner. Rectification bills can be enormous, and the likelihood is there is no insurance coverage or any desire by the council or state regulatory authorities to investigate.
I believe we have the best plumbing regulations and standards in the world. We used to have the best enforcement in the world to ensure our buildings met the high standards required. The enforcement of the Plumbing and Drainage Act of 2018 and the preceding laws have become so lax that most buildings constructed in the last twenty years have multiple underground plumbing defects. Disastrously for property owners, the majority of these defects are waiting to break down and cause havoc finally.
When these buried mistakes are covered by insurance and break down, causing water damage, every one of us bears a cost via ever-increasing property insurance premiums on all buildings. If enforcement had occurred at the construction stage, then this water damage would have never happened.
It is our experience as maintenance plumbers that builders and developers perceive they can reduce costs and increase profits by not complying with the Plumbing and Drainage act of 2018.
The legal obligations of complying with the Plumbing Code of Australia, which is Volume 3 of the National Construction Code, is not even a consideration.
I accept this lack of compliance has come about due to multiple factors and pressures. Nevertheless, this short-sighted attitude and systematic non-compliance with what is the law affects property owners with prodigious rectification costs. I believe that the project managers, builders, developers and plumbers involved in this ongoing fraud of property owners and insurance companies are well aware of what they are doing but blame it on:
Competitive pressures in the construction industry where the lowest price wins mentality rewards plumbers who take non-compliant short cuts to reduce costs to win jobs
All builders actively forcing cost-cutting on sub-contractors and suppliers
Time constraints on plumbers to complete the job and be paid
The reluctance of builders to inform clients that unforeseen issues have arisen which will increase the cost of construction
The failure of building certifiers and plumbing inspectors to defect non-compliant work and the turning of a blind eye to incorrectly graded trenches, lack of compaction and inappropriate backfilling of trenches
Continual lack of enforcement by the Queensland Government regulators
Every one of the above has in their view a justifiable excuse for what is occurring but all that is required is for the law to be obeyed. The Plumbing and Drainage Act of 2018 and the Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019 merely need to be enforced to stop Gold Coast Plumbers bury their mistakes attitude continuing.
By enforcing the law, everyone is a winner and will return us to the standards that previously existed where non-compliant work was defected without a second thought. Every plumber I discuss this with would be more than happy with this to occur as it would create a level playing field for the plumbing industry where efficiency was rewarded rather than non-compliant short cuts. It further protects property owners and the entire construction industry that is already under a cloud due to the cladding non-compliance in buildings throughout Australia.
As licensed plumbers, we are mindful that non-compliant plumbing is a public health risk. I reiterate most of the non-compliant work is knowingly and deliberate which is ultimately negligent behaviour. Sooner or later insurance companies and no-win no-pay lawyers will awaken to the fact that this non-compliance is negligence resulting in the plumbing industry as a whole is portrayed as cowboys with no integrity ripping off poor property owners.
This is a scenario where no one wins except the lawyers. As a critical industry plumbers cannot allow a perception that plumbers as a whole are unable to undertake legally compliant work. We certainly need no more regulation we just need the existing laws and regulations enforced to protect the community’s health as a whole.
Plumbing quotes over the phone are meaningless without any validation as they are based on perception rather than experienced observation and onsite investigation. Every day we receive phone calls asking us to diagnose a plumbing, drainage or gas problem over the phone. We can only talk in generalities based on the vague information we are given.
Generally, after receiving this general broad sweeping advice, we are then asked how much we would charge to undertake the repair. We then have to explain it’s impossible to give any accurate pricing over the phone without an onsite investigation to diagnose the actual problem.
“When we are asked to diagnose and quote a plumbing problem over the phone, we put on our genie costume and look into our crystal ball.”
The reality is every plumbing problem is unique in its own way. Despite what you think, plumbing installations can be complicated.
Regrettably, 90% of the plumbing infrastructure in any building is concealed.
So what you are observing and attempting to describe to us over the phone is regularly wholly the reverse of what is transpiring under your floor or in the wall.
Sending us photos or videos can be of assistance. Even so, they still only show the extent of the problem, not the actual cause. But the reality is we always cannot give you plumbing quotes over the phone as photos and videos never tell the complete story.
No Professional Plumber Will Give Plumbing Quotes Over The Phone
No professional plumber, no matter how experienced they are can ever give legitimate plumbing quotes over the phone. There is only one way to diagnose a plumbing problem, and that is by an onsite investigation. No matter what you think, you can visually observe, you only see part of the potential problem at best. No two plumbing installations are ever wholly the same no matter how alike they may appear.
Unfortunately, there are too many plumbers who will give quotes over the phone. This is entirely unprofessional and no more than a marketing ploy to entice you to engage them to come to solve your problem. Think about it would you expect a doctor to diagnose a medical condition over the phone. In reality, it’s actually easier to diagnose a medical problem over the phone than it is a plumbing problem, but no doctor will do so without first examining you.
I guarantee that 99% of the time that the plumbing quotes over the phone increase within ten minutes of the plumber’s arrival. This will always be explained away by a myriad of excuses that your description of the problem was not accurately disclosed. It will always be your fault.
The reason the quote they provided to you over the phone increases is simple. Once onsite, the plumber can have a better understanding of all the variables. Even then, once they start on the repairs, there are frequently multiple changes to the cost as more faults appear that were not detected in the initial visual inspections.
Google Searches Do Not Make You a Plumber
It’s continuously amusing talking to someone who has done a Google search to locate what the remedy to their plumbing problem is. Usually, they have already decided what rectification work is required and are ringing getting multiple plumbing quotes over the phone.
It is my experience that 90% of the time the diagnosis is wrong, which in turn ensures the remedy they have decided upon on Google is wrong.
After their Google search, they further confuse themselves by talking to multiple plumbers which just creates further confusion. Ultimately every decision then only becomes about price so they choose a plumber who will come to site for free who advertises “No Call Out Fee”.
Once again, this is a fallacy because no legitimate plumbing business can come to your house for free. Sending a fully equipped truck with a licensed plumber costs at least $150 so I guarantee you will pay all of the costs in one way or another.
Plumbing Problems Are A Challenge For Both Plumber and Client
The reality is solving plumbing problems takes time and patience. We accept that finding a reputable plumbing company can be daunting as often you need to act quickly when a plumbing emergency occurs.
Solving a plumbing problem that is not completely obvious such as water leaking out of a wall can be frustrating. Here at Whywait Plumbing, we are specialist maintenance plumbers so we know that a leak can be occurring in a multitude of locations and running internally until it finds a route to flow freely. That is why we don’t smash open walls or floors to look for the problem but instead use our leak detection equipment to pinpoint the location of the leak.
For a client, this can create a perception we are procrastinating, but the reality is we are using our experience to solve the problem. When it comes to maintenance plumbing, hiring an experienced specialist who is older and wiser will always remove the misconceptions.
Regrettably, plumbers are only remembered for the terrible events that occur, such as a burst pipe or overflowing sewage. Due to the emergency type situations that most people call a plumber, there are numerous misconceptions about what a plumber can do and cannot do quickly. In too many circumstances, this is aligned to the cost rather than the outcome.
Do yourself a favour always and engage a plumber that is clearly experienced and been around a while. Above all else, avoid the temptation to get plumbing quotes over the phone. You need to ensure that your plumber comes to the site and undertakes a thorough site inspection before any work is undertaken.
If you need assistance on any plumbing, drainage or gas problem, call us 24/7 on (07) 55804311 as we have 43 years of experience in solving dilemmas that others cannot.
Gold Coast homeowners are increasingly subjected to allegedly “free compliance audits” by Gold Coast City Council plumbing inspectors. To justify their jobs in a depressed market with almost nil construction activity, Gold Coast City Council plumbing inspectors act like desperate door-to-door salesmen knocking on the doors of homeowners who have upgraded hot water systems. There is no legislative requirement for these audits to occur, and the homeowner does not need to allow them to enter their home.
To fill in time and justify their jobs, Gold Coast City Council plumbing inspectors are undertaking “audits” that are not requested and are unannounced. The plumbing inspectors are knocking on the door and stating they are there to inspect the hot water service. Legally they can assess the work if invited to do so by you. No Gold Coast plumber is asking them to evaluate the work, as none of us sees any value in doing so. Neither Gold Coast City Council nor its plumbing inspectors take any risk or responsibility, so their inspection is of no real value except to justify their jobs.
If Gold Coast City Council plumbing inspectors arrive unannounced at your door, he has no right of entry. He may request access by your invitation to inspect work that pertains to the form 4 plumbing contractors are legally obliged to lodge, but that is the absolute limit. If you refuse him entry, then he must immediately depart.
Unfortunately, the plumbing inspectors are loose with the truth and make out that they are legally obligated to undertake this audit. They do not inform homeowners that it is optional and not a legislative requirement.
The individual plumbing inspectors are not to blame for these events but are forced to do so as they work in an appalling atmosphere at Gold Coast City Council. It has been common knowledge within the plumbing industry for many years that the Gold Coast City Council plumbing inspectors are a deeply troubled organisation with bullying, abuse of power, nepotism, cronyism and double standards a daily occurrence.
Several clients of Whywait Plumbing that have received these unexpected visits were shocked when we phoned to say their hot water service we installed six months ago has had a defect notice issued. In every instant, as long as Whywait Plumbing receives the defect notice, we undertake the “repairs”, which invariably are that the tempering valve legally required to deliver hot water at 50 degrees is over temperature. To date, every home we have returned to is between 1-3 degrees over temperature. To see more information on the requirements of tempering valves and your obligations, click here.
Many of our clients have told us that they do not want the plumbing inspectors returning to their homes to re-audit. This we have conveyed via email to Gold Coast City Council plumbing inspectors on behalf of our clients. As a result, we had a phone call from the Gold Coast City Council Plumbing & Drainage Supervisor, Brian Till, recently, who informed us we should be encouraging our clients to have the re-audit undertaken; otherwise, we will remain responsible for the defects despite our notifying Gold Coast City Council that rectification work has been conducted.
Furthermore, Brian Till advised that the property will have registered against the title that there are outstanding plumbing defects which can have severe financial repercussions if you wish to sell your home.
If you get an unexpected knock on the door from a Gold Coast City Council plumbing inspector, we recommend you decline to allow them entry to your home. However, declining access does not affect you as they walk away, and the file is closed.
However, suppose you have had a defect notice issued. In that case, we recommend allowing a re-audit at a time that is suitable for you to ensure no defects are registered against your property. If you desire, we will attend at no cost to reassure you and ensure that due process is complied with.
Traditionally most homes used copper pipes to circulate hot and cold water. Since the 1970’s plastic pipes have increasingly replaced traditional copper or galvanised steel pipes.
Over the last ten years, pipe-in-pipe systems have been commonly installed to circulate water in most newly constructed homes. The inner pipe for drinking water is made of a plastic called cross-linked polyethylene (PEX).
Since the advent of plastic plumbing systems, there have always been questions regarding the effects on health and do they affect the taste and odour of drinking water. International studies have shown that plastic pipes can release substances that give drinking water an unwanted taste and odour. It has also been suggested that some of these substances may be carcinogenic.
Several investigations worldwide on health issues have been conducted, and most are inconclusive or positive. The Norwegian Institute of Public Health has just released a new study on whether leaching or leakage products from these pipes harm health and if they affect the taste and odour of drinking water. The potential leakage products consist of residues of additives used during manufacture to give plastic pipes their desired properties and any subsequent breakdown products.
The Norwegian study results indicated:
There are no health risks associated with drinking water from PEX pipes
A few types of PEX-pipe may cause prolonged undesirable taste and odour if the water remains in pipes over time
Although the taste and odour usually dissipate with use, water from two PEX types still had an unpleasant smell and taste after a year.
The volatile organic compounds that leaked from new PEX pipes were generally low.
The level was further reduced with the use.
No correlation was found between manufacturing methods and leaking products.
This study was undertaken far more scientifically than many tests or studies in Australia. It is common in Australia for international products that have undergone extensive testing to fail AS4020 based on a highly subjective taste test from a panel of 5 – 7 people. The Norwegian study tested ten different PEX pipe types for leaching products in a standardised laboratory test. The water was in contact with the tubes for 72 hours.
Three different manufacturing methods produce pipes known as PEX-a, PEX-b or PEX-c. These methods use slightly different additives, but this study found no correlation between production methods and leakage products. Two of the most commonly occurring substances detected in the experiment’s water were 2.4-di-tert-butyl-phenol and methyl-tert-butyl ether (MTBE). For three new pipe types, MTBE was detected in higher concentrations than the US government’s recommended limits for the taste and odour of drinking water (USEPA). Still, the values were reduced to below this limit after the tubes were used for a while.
This study confirms what the plumbing technicians at Whywait Plumbing frequently observe: no matter what type of pipe, there can be a taste or odour in new piping systems or where a house has been unoccupied. The taste and odour soon disappear once the water is in use in the house and is in constant circulation.
