Plumbing Estimate Template for Plumbers
Fixtures, water heaters, repipes, drain cleaning, trip charge and permit on separate lines, so the homeowner signs off before you open a wall.
- Free, no signup
- PDF in about two minutes
- Works on a phone
What makes a plumbing estimate different
Most plumbing jobs start with something already wrong: a leaking tank, a slow drain, water on the floor. The customer wants a firm price before you touch anything, and you often cannot see what is behind the wall or down the line. A good plumbing estimate prices the known work at flat rates, puts the trip charge and permit in plain view, and says in advance what happens when a 40-year-old valve breaks in your hand.
Structure line items by fixture and task
Give each fixture, valve or drain its own row:
| Description | Qty | Unit | Unit price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toilet replacement, customer-supplied toilet | 1 | ea | $275 |
| Kitchen faucet swap, customer-supplied faucet | 1 | ea | $225 |
| Quarter-turn shutoff valve replacement | 3 | ea | $95 |
| Kitchen sink drain cleaning | 1 | ea | $195 |
| Camera inspection, main line | 1 | ea | $325 |
Typical 2026 flat rates for residential service:
- Trip or service charge: $50 to $150
- Sink, tub or shower drain cleaning: $150 to $300
- Main line cleaning from an accessible cleanout: $250 to $500
- Hydro jetting: $400 to $800
- Toilet install: $200 to $400 labor
- Tank water heater, 40 to 50 gal: $1,500 to $3,000 installed
- Tankless water heater: $3,000 to $6,500 installed
Repipes are usually quoted per fixture, counting each toilet, sink, tub, shower, hose bib and appliance connection. A two-bath house with ten to twelve fixtures commonly lands between $4,500 and $9,000 in PEX, more in copper. List the fixture count in the description so the customer can check it.
For water heaters, split the tank from the labor. When a customer asks about tankless, you can change two rows instead of rewriting the job, and the gas line upsizing and venting that tankless often needs show up as their own lines.
Worked example: water heater replacement plus fixture work
A customer's 12-year-old gas water heater is leaking. While you are there, they want a new toilet set and the old shutoff valves replaced:
| Description | Qty | Unit | Unit price | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trip charge | 1 | ea | $89 | $89 |
| 50 gal gas water heater, 40,000 BTU | 1 | ea | $1,250 | $1,250 |
| Water heater install, gas, water and vent | 1 | ea | $650 | $650 |
| Thermal expansion tank, 2 gal, installed | 1 | ea | $185 | $185 |
| Haul away old water heater | 1 | ea | $75 | $75 |
| Toilet replacement, customer-supplied | 1 | ea | $275 | $275 |
| Quarter-turn shutoff valve replacement | 3 | ea | $95 | $285 |
| Plumbing permit, water heater | 1 | ea | $125 | $125 |
Subtotal: $2,934. The expansion tank is its own row because many local codes require one on a closed system, and it is the item a customer is most likely to question. Writing "required by local code on closed systems" in the description saves the conversation.
Free download
Plumbing estimate template, ready to edit
The worked example above as a file, with its line items and terms already filled in. Change the prices, add your details and send it.
Or skip the file: fill it in above and download a PDFAll trade templates
Terms that fit plumbing work
- Validity: 30 days on fixture and water heater work. Equipment prices change and stock runs out.
- Deposit: usually none on service calls; on repipes and tankless installs, enough to cover materials. Check your state's rules; California caps home improvement down payments at 10% or $1,000, whichever is less.
- After-hours: "Work requested before 8 a.m., after 5 p.m., on weekends or on holidays is billed at 1.5 times the listed price."
- Drain warranty: "Drain cleaning includes a 30-day warranty on the same line from the same access point. Roots, grease buildup and broken pipe found on camera are not covered."
- Exclusions: drywall and tile repair after access, gas line work beyond the appliance connection, and code corrections outside the listed scope.
The common dispute: the valve that broke when you touched it
Old shutoff valves, supply lines and galvanized fittings often fail the moment they are turned. The customer sees a new leak that was not there before you arrived and assumes you caused it. Put the rule on the estimate:
"Existing valves, supply lines and fittings may fail when operated because of age and corrosion. If they do, replacement is $95 per valve, or as quoted on a written change order, and is not covered as damage."
Then show the customer the valve before you turn it. A written line plus a photo of the corrosion settles most of these before they start.
Prices on this page are ballpark US figures in US dollars for early 2026. They show how a quote is put together, not a rate survey: price from your own costs and your local market.
How to use
Three things, then download
Your business name, the client and the line items are all a PDF needs. Tax, dates and terms are there when you want them.
- 01
License on the header
Business name, phone, email and address, with your plumbing license number on the address line and your emergency phone if you run 24/7.
- 02
One row per fixture or task
Each fixture, valve or drain gets its own row, such as "Toilet replacement, customer-supplied" or "Main line cleaning from cleanout."
- 03
Price flat, note the rate
Flat rates for known tasks, plus a trip charge, after-hours multiplier and permit fee on their own lines.
- 04
Lock the terms
Validity window, deposit, what happens when an old valve fails, drain warranty and exclusions. Then download the PDF.
Use cases
Frequently asked questions
Your license number, a line per fixture or task with quantity and price, the trip charge, the permit fee if one is needed, and terms covering validity, deposit, warranty and exclusions. Note any customer-supplied parts on their line, since that changes who covers a defect.
In 2026 a 40 to 50 gallon tank water heater typically runs $1,500 to $3,000 installed, including haul-away. Tankless units usually run $3,000 to $6,500 installed, because they often need a larger gas line, new venting or a dedicated circuit.
Many do, usually $50 to $150, sometimes called a service or dispatch fee. Some shops credit it toward the repair if the customer approves the work that day; write that rule on the estimate either way.
Most charge 1.5 to 2 times the regular rate on nights, weekends and holidays, or add a flat after-hours dispatch fee of $150 to $300. Put the hours that count as after-hours on the estimate.
Flat rate is the norm for residential service work because customers want the price before you start. Hourly, often $100 to $200 per hour, fits open-ended jobs like leak tracing or remodel rough-in, ideally with a not-to-exceed amount.
Most US cities and counties require one, because it involves gas or electrical connections and a temperature and pressure relief valve. Fees commonly run $50 to $200; list it as its own line.
Related tools
Estimate templates by trade
Each page loads the line items that trade actually bills, in the units it bills them. Ballpark US figures, there to show the structure.