The Invoice Is the Estimate: How Upfront Plumbing Pricing Works

When you call a plumber, you probably have two questions:

What’s wrong? And how much is this going to cost?

The first question usually requires some investigating. The second shouldn’t require a surprise at the end of the job.

At American Plumbing Company, we use upfront pricing because we believe homeowners should understand what they are agreeing to before work begins. Our technicians carry a pricing book with them so they can diagnose the problem, explain the recommended solution, and provide the price for the job.

We have a simple way of explaining what happens next:

The Invoice Is the Estimate

Once we diagnose your plumbing problem and determine the work that needs to be done, we provide you with the price before we begin the repair.

You approve that price before the work starts.

And assuming you don't request additional work or make changes to the scope of the job, the price you approved is the price on your final invoice.

In other words:

The invoice is the estimate.

We don't want you watching the clock while your plumber works. We don't want you wondering whether an unexpected complication is adding another hour to your bill. And we don't believe the final invoice should be the first time you know what a plumbing repair costs.

We Price the Job, Not the Hour

American Plumbing Company does not charge by the hour for our standard service work. We price by the job.

There is an important difference.

With hourly pricing, a homeowner may know the plumber's hourly rate but still not know what the repair will ultimately cost.

How long will it take?

Will a difficult fitting add another hour?

What happens if the plumber has to make another trip to the van?

Those questions can make homeowners feel like the meter is running every minute a technician is at their home.

With upfront, by-the-job pricing, the focus shifts from how long the plumber is standing in your house to what it takes to properly complete the repair you approved.

Our technicians can take the time needed to do the job correctly without you feeling like you need to stand nearby watching the clock.

Why Our Technicians Carry a Pricing Book

Every American Plumbing Company service van carries our pricing book.

That's intentional.

Our technicians aren't supposed to look at your home, guess what you might be willing to pay, and come up with a number on the spot.

The pricing book helps us create consistency in how our services are priced.

Of course, plumbing isn't one-size-fits-all. Two homes can have what sounds like the same problem but require very different repairs once the plumbing system is evaluated.

That's why diagnosing the problem comes first.

Once we know what is happening, your technician can explain the recommended repair and provide the upfront price for that work.

You then decide whether you'd like us to proceed.

What Is the $79 Diagnostic Fee?

Our standard diagnostic fee is $79. We only charge this if we need to come back to complete the work. If you approve the work on-site, this is not billed to you.

That fee covers having a trained plumbing professional come to your home and evaluate the problem so we can determine what is actually happening and what it will take to correct it.

If you approve the recommended work and American Plumbing Company returns and completes the repair, the $79 diagnostic fee is credited back on your final invoice.

We believe there is value in diagnosing a plumbing problem correctly before recommending a repair.

A dripping faucet may be obvious. A loss of water pressure, unexplained increase in a water bill, recurring drain problem, slab leak or water heater issue may require more investigation.

We don't want to sell a repair based on a guess.

We want to understand the problem first.

What If Something Changes During the Job?

Sometimes plumbing has surprises hiding behind walls, underground or inside equipment.

That's especially true in older homes.

If we discover something that changes the scope of the work, we don't simply add unexpected charges to the final invoice and hand it to you afterward.

We stop and talk with you.

We'll explain what we found, what we recommend and what the additional work would cost.

You approve the change before we proceed.

The same applies if you decide to add something while we're already there.

For example, you may originally approve a faucet repair and then decide you'd also like us to replace another fixture.

That's additional work, so we'll discuss the price with you first.

The principle remains the same:

You should know what you're agreeing to before we do it.

Why Don't We Put All of Our Plumbing Prices Online?

It's tempting to ask, "Why not just list the price of every plumbing repair on the website?"

Because plumbing system, and homes, are different.

A repair that sounds identical over the phone may require different materials, access or work once a plumber sees it in person. Posting a single price without understanding the actual situation could be misleading.

We would rather diagnose the problem and give you an accurate price for your job.

There are some services where we can provide a helpful starting point. For example, HALO whole-home water filtration systems currently start at $2,600.

But even with a filtration system, your home's plumbing and installation requirements can affect the final price.

T

hat's why we still evaluate the home and provide an upfront price before installation.

Where Does the Freedom Club Fit In?

Our Freedom Club maintenance plan is another way we're trying to make home plumbing a little more predictable.

Freedom Club isn't a replacement for upfront pricing. Members still know the price of recommended work before approving it.

Instead, the program is designed around ongoing plumbing maintenance and helping homeowners identify potential problems before they become bigger ones.

For homeowners who plan to stay in their homes and want to take a proactive approach to their plumbing system, a maintenance plan can make a lot of sense.

And just like our service pricing, we want the details of the membership to be clear before you join.

Good Plumbing Shouldn't Come With a Surprise Invoice

We know homeowners don't call a plumber because they were hoping to spend their day dealing with a plumbing problem.

Usually, something has gone wrong.

There's no hot water. A pipe is leaking. A toilet won't stop running. The water pressure suddenly dropped. There's water somewhere it shouldn't be.

You already have enough uncertainty.

The final bill shouldn't add more.

That's why American Plumbing Company uses upfront, by-the-job pricing.

We diagnose the problem.

We explain what we found.

We tell you what we recommend.

We give you the price.

You decide whether you'd like us to proceed.

And unless you approve a change to the work:

The invoice is the estimate.

That's how we believe plumbing service should work.

Frequently Asked Questions About Our Upfront Pricing

Does American Plumbing Company charge by the hour?

No. For our standard service work, we use upfront, by-the-job pricing rather than billing homeowners by the hour. You'll know the price of the work before you approve it.

How much is American Plumbing Company's diagnostic fee?

Our standard diagnostic fee is $79. If you approve the recommended work and we complete the repair, the $79 diagnostic fee is credited back on your final invoice.

Can my final plumbing bill be higher than the price I approved?

Not without a change to the approved scope of work. If we discover something that requires additional work, or if you ask us to add another service, we'll discuss the additional work and pricing with you before proceeding.

Why can't you give me an exact plumbing repair price over the phone?

Many plumbing problems can have multiple causes. We don't want to quote a repair you may not actually need. Our technician evaluates the situation first and then provides an upfront price based on the work required.

Do your plumbers have set pricing?

Our technicians carry our pricing book in their service vehicles. This gives our team a consistent system for pricing our services rather than simply making up a number at your home.

How much does a HALO water filtration system cost?

HALO whole-home water filtration systems from American Plumbing Company start at $2,600. The final price depends on your home's plumbing and installation requirements, and you'll receive an upfront price before approving the installation.

What is the American Plumbing Company Freedom Club?

The Freedom Club is our plumbing maintenance plan designed for homeowners who want to take a more proactive approach to maintaining their home's plumbing. It complements our upfront pricing philosophy by helping make plumbing maintenance more planned and predictable.