Tradespeople costsPlumbers

Our research

In September 2007 we asked 4,000 Which? online panel members to complete a survey rating their satisfaction with 9 different trades and 1,843 replied.

We asked which jobs they'd used the trades for. We have listed the 2 most common jobs under each trade heading.

We also asked members about any problems that they'd experienced and how they'd found their workers.

We've focused on the 2 most common jobs for each trade, giving guideline timings from our senior building control officer and average UK prices provided by the Building Cost Information Service (BCIS).

These prices take the highest and lowest regional variations into account, so prices may differ where you live. They include VAT and standard materials.

Plumbers and heating engineers

In our survey, people used plumbers more than any other trade

Plumbers and heating engineers were used more than any other trade, with boilers requiring a great deal of attention in particular. So it’s encouraging that 65% of members were very satisfied with the work.

However, 22% encountered difficulties – most often complaining that the work wasn't up to scratch or that the job overran.

Common jobs

Job: To install a boiler

Time: 1 day

Price: £1,560 to £4,320

Handy hint: If it’s sited in a tricky place and you need extended flues, it will take longer. The cheaper price given above is for a wall-mounted condensing boiler in a small terraced house.

Job: To safety check gas fittings

Time: One hour

Price: £50 to £70+ (price from gas-elec Safety Systems, a national inspection company)

Handy hint: Engineers should check flues and appliances and carry out spillage tests. Use a Corgi-registered fitter for jobs involving gas.