I Have A Burst Pipe, Why Is It So Expensive To Repair?
So, you have a burst pipe?
Your neighbour told you their burst pipe cost RXXX.XX to repair and your plumber has quoted you RXXX.XX + R1000.00.
Why the discrepancy in the prices? Surely a plumber is a plumber?
The working reality is there are two main factors in any plumbing job.
- The labour time required to complete the job, start to finish
- The materials required to complete the job
Labour:
Every job carries a labour component. In the case of a burst pipe – how long will it take to expose the burst pipe? Is the pipe in a wall or is it underground? Does the plumber need to lift paving to expose the pipe? How deep is the pipe? What obstacles will be met in the digging process? – rocks or concrete. These factors, and more, will determine the labour component of any plumbing job.
Material Choice:
In our example of a burst pipe, a repair or replacement of the pipe is required. There are many different types of pipes and pipe sizes and each different type and size carries a different price. The main types of pipes we encounter are:
- Galvanised – old technology, time consuming to work with, difficult to install
- Copper – Most common is newer houses, easy to work with & repair, most expensive
- Polycop (Polypropylene) – suitable for outdoor use, expensive fittings, cannot be used for hot water
- HDPE – suitable for outdoor use, cannot be used in walls or indoors, cannot be used for hot water
- Multilayer/plastic – many varieties, each with their own fittings
