Find a trusted plumber in Perth

Hot water and hard water in Perth homes

Hot water takes up a big part of a Perth plumber’s week. Plenty of homes here run solar hot water on the roof, a heat pump or a gas storage tank, and each one fails in its own way. Water in many Perth suburbs is on the hard side, so scale builds up in tanks, elements, tempering valves and mixer cartridges, and that can shorten the life of a system or a set of taps.

The warning signs are a relief valve that drips all day, water that only runs lukewarm, or a tank that rumbles while it heats. A plumber can tell you whether a new valve or element will buy a few more years or whether the tank is finished. If it’s finished, ask for a like-for-like price and one alternative, because the right choice depends on your roof, whether you have mains gas and how many people shower each morning.

Sewers, bores and the Water Corporation

The Water Corporation runs Perth’s water and sewer mains. Roughly speaking, the pipes that serve only your home are yours to look after, and the shared main is theirs. In older suburbs such as Mount Lawley, Subiaco and Fremantle, house drains are often old clay pipe with joints that roots work their way into, and the galvanised water pipe inside the walls can be close to the end of its life. A drain camera shows where a blockage is before anyone starts digging.

In plenty of established suburbs the sewer main runs through back yards, and building a patio, pool or extension close to it needs the Water Corporation’s approval. Get your plumber to locate it before you plan anything. Garden bores are common too, and bore water has to be kept apart from the drinking supply, so any bore or reticulation tie-in needs the right backflow protection.

Checking a plumber’s WA licence

Plumbers and gas fitters in WA are licensed through Building and Energy, and you can look up any of them on the free WA Online Licence Search. The business quoting you should hold a plumbing contractor’s licence, which starts with PL. A TL number belongs to a tradesperson working under a contractor, and gas work needs a gas fitter’s licence starting with GF. Check that the name matches the quote and the licence is current.

For most plumbing beyond minor repairs, the plumbing contractor lodges a certificate of compliance with Building and Energy. Ask for a copy and keep it with your house papers. Our WA licence checks page walks through the search.

What plumbers charge in Perth

Perth usually sits mid-range for plumbing. Expect around $90 to $150 an hour in business hours, plus a call-out fee of roughly $80 to $200, and $150 to $300 an hour after hours. A dripping tap is often $120 to $300 all up, clearing a blocked sewer with a jetter around $250 to $700, and a new hot water system typically $1,800 to $4,500 installed, depending on the type.

Leaks under a slab can take a while to find, which is why leak detection and repair ranges from about $300 to $1,500. Our plumber price guide lists more jobs. Treat every figure as a guide, not a quote.

Matched with one Perth plumber

Tell us what’s wrong and which suburb you’re in, and we’ll match you with one licensed plumber who covers your area, from Joondalup down to Rockingham and out to the hills. We check the licence, insurance, ABN and reviews before we make the match. You won’t have five plumbers ringing you, and we don’t sell your details.

Browse plumbers in other cities or other Perth trades, or get a free quote when you’re ready.