Cost of Plumbing in a Flat: Complete Price List for Plumbing Works

Key facts about plumbing prices

New water pipework in a flat costs 504 to 756 EUR, chasing channels into concrete 28.50 to 42.70 EUR per metre, fitting a Geberit WC frame 99 to 149 EUR and a linear shower channel 97 to 145 EUR. Non-standard work is charged by the hour at 40.70 to 61.10 EUR. All prices are for labour only, without materials. A complete plumbing installation for the bathroom, WC and kitchen of a three-room flat typically comes to 1,800 to 2,400 EUR in labour. Current prices for every item, calculated from the live price list, are on the Plumbing work page.

Whether the plumbing lasts for decades, however, does not depend on the price but on three things nobody sees once the tiles are on: a pressure test before the pipes are covered, the correct fall on the waste pipes and careful waterproofing around every penetration in the bathroom.

What does a complete plumbing installation in a flat include?

A complete installation means cold and hot water supply pipes, waste pipes and the connection of every fixture: from the riser to each tap, the WC, the washing machine and the dishwasher. It also includes shut-off valves where the supply enters the flat and, if needed, a pressure-reducing valve.

Supply pipes are most often made of PP-R polypropylene joined by heat fusion or multilayer composite pipe with press fittings. Multilayer pipe can run in longer sections without joints inside the wall, which reduces the number of places where water could escape. Each system comes with the manufacturer's installation instructions, including the fittings and tools it requires, and mixing the pipes of one brand with the fittings of another is not recommended.

Waste pipes are made of plastic push-fit pipe. Installation guides for short connection pipes usually give a consistent fall of about 2 to 3 %, which means 2 to 3 cm per metre, and the manufacturer's instructions state the exact minimum. Pipes should be as short as possible with as few bends as possible, and insulating them along their full length reduces noise.

The pressure test: a step that must never be skipped

Before the channels are filled, the pipework is pressurised and checked to see whether the pressure holds and nothing drips. Test pressure, duration and procedure are set by technical standards and by the pipe system manufacturer in its test protocol. One manufacturer of multilayer pipe systems, for example, specifies a main test at 1.1 times the highest operating pressure, at least 11 bar, for 30 minutes without a measurable drop. Before the test the system is flushed, filled and vented, and any appliances not built for the test pressure are disconnected.

For you as a customer one point matters most: do not allow the channels to be closed without a written pressure test record. Ideally, be present at the test and photograph the gauge at the start and at the end. All related items are listed in the plumbing work category.

How much do new pipework and preparation cost?

The core item is the installation of new water pipework in a flat, which costs 504 to 756 EUR for a typical flat with a bathroom, WC and kitchen. The price covers cold and hot water pipes, waste pipes, shut-off valves and the pressure test. In flats with two bathrooms or a kitchen far from the riser, the price rises with the length of the runs.

Preparation for plumbing is more expensive than for electrics: water and waste pipes have a larger diameter, and in concrete apartment blocks the channels are cut into concrete. Chasing channels for plumbing in concrete therefore costs 28.50 to 42.70 EUR per metre, compared with 5.70 to 8.50 EUR per metre for electrical work. After the pressure test the channels are made good with cement mortar. Channels must not be cut freely into load-bearing concrete walls, and if in doubt the route should be agreed with a structural engineer or the building manager.

In older blocks there is often a connection to a cast-iron waste stack at 41 to 62 EUR per joint, which requires special transition fittings. Replacing the stack has to be coordinated with the building management and the neighbours. Non-standard work (rerouting, repairs to old pipes, emergencies) is charged at an hourly rate of 40.70 to 61.10 EUR. Current prices for pipework and preparation are in the plumbing work category.

How much does fitting sanitaryware and taps cost?

Fitting the fixtures is the final stage of the plumbing and happens only after tiling. Prices are for labour, the client chooses the sanitaryware and taps.

WC and concealed systems

The wall-hung WC has largely replaced the floor-standing one. Fitting and connecting a Geberit Duofix or Kombifix frame costs 99 to 149 EUR and includes anchoring the frame, connecting water and waste and fitting the flush plate. The frame is then boxed in with blockwork or plasterboard. The mounting height depends on the frame manufacturer and the finished floor level, so the floor build-up must be known before the frame is fixed.

Walk-in shower

A modern level-access shower consists of three jobs: fitting and bedding a linear shower channel at 97 to 145 EUR, setting a concealed iBox shower mixer body at 94 to 140 EUR and, after tiling, fitting the glass shower screen. The concealed body has to go in before tiling, so fitting and recessing concealed bodies is one of the first jobs after chasing. With a shower channel, the height of the floor build-up is decisive: the manufacturer states how many centimetres of floor the channel needs including the fall, and this must be checked before demolition.

Basin, taps and washing machine

Fitting a basin costs 32 to 48 EUR, plus fitting a basin or sink tap and, for a bath, fitting a bath mixer. A washing machine and dryer need a valve with a waste connection at 49 to 74 EUR, and every fixture should get isolation valves so that individual appliances can be shut off without turning off the water for the whole flat. Current prices for fitting all fixtures are on the Plumbing work page.

How does plumbing work during a renovation, step by step?

1. Planning. The exact positions of the basin, WC, shower, washing machine and kitchen units are fixed before chasing, because moving a tap after the channels are closed means cutting again. The plumber needs to know the specific products, the type of taps and the mounting heights of concealed bodies.

2. Chasing and installing pipework. Supply pipes, waste pipes and concealed bodies are installed, and hot water pipes are insulated. In a typical flat this usually takes 2 to 3 working days.

3. Pressure test and photos. The channels are closed only after a successful test and after every route has been photographed.

4. Waterproofing. In wet zones a waterproofing coating around the bath and under the shower is applied in two coats, with sealing tape in the corners and collars around every outlet. Professional articles repeatedly warn that plumbers sometimes damage the waterproofing when fitting a floor drain or channel, or fail to bond the channel's sealing flange into it. Only then do the tilers start.

5. Final fit. After tiling and grouting, the sanitaryware, taps, shower glass and washing machine are fitted. Plumbing during a renovation is always coordinated with the electrical installation in the bathroom (a separate circuit for the washing machine, the position of the extractor fan), and in concrete blocks it is part of the renovation of the bathroom and toilet core. If the whole bathroom is being redone, see also the Bathroom renovation page.

What happens in practice: the most common mistakes

Covering pipes without a pressure test. A leaking joint only shows months later as a damp patch on the wall or at the neighbours below, and repairing it means removing tiles. Always ask for a written record.

Too little fall on waste pipes. With too little or uneven fall, dirt settles in the pipe and it blocks. This often happens when the WC or shower is moved further from the stack, where there simply is not enough floor height for the required fall.

Outlets not aligned with the tile surface. If tap outlets or a concealed body do not match the plane of the future tiling, the tap sits crooked or the cover plate cannot be tightened. The plumber therefore needs to know the thickness of the adhesive and tiles.

Unsealed penetrations and extra holes. Collars around outlets are left out, the channel's sealing flange is not bonded into the waterproofing, or the joint around the bath is filled with expanding foam. Mistakes are covered in detail in the article on plumbing work during a bathroom renovation.

Fitting sanitaryware before tiling. The basin and WC are mounted on finished tiles, otherwise gaps remain that cannot be sealed properly.

What customers and plumbers argue about most

• What the price includes. Chasing and making good, connection to the stack, materials, removal of rubble. Ask for an itemised quote.
• Extra hourly work. Old pipework often reveals corroded sections that need replacing. Agree that the plumber shows them to you before starting and gives an estimate of the hours.
• Leaks years later. Without a pressure test record and photos it is hard to prove whether the fault arose during installation, so keep the documentation.

How to choose a reliable plumber

Check that the business is properly registered and, where your country requires it, that the plumber holds the relevant qualification or licence for water installations, and ask for 2 to 3 recent references. Insist on a written itemised quote (pipework, chasing, each fixture separately) and on a pressure test record as a condition for paying for the first-fix pipework. Ask whether the company carries liability insurance, and agree the length of the warranty on the work in writing. An experienced plumber asks about the positions of furniture and appliances before starting to chase.

In an apartment building, the risers and the main stack are usually common property. Before touching them, inform the building management or owners' association, and check with your local authority whether the planned work needs any notification. Practical rules also differ between countries and water suppliers, for example where the water meter sits and who may move it.

Real example: plumbing in a three-room flat

A complete replacement of the plumbing in the bathroom, WC and kitchen of a three-room flat in a concrete apartment block from 1982, with the bath replaced by a walk-in shower with a channel. New pipework 630 EUR, chasing 12 metres of channels in concrete 420 EUR, making good 95 EUR, connection to a cast-iron stack (2 joints) 100 EUR, Geberit frame 125 EUR, concealed bodies and iBox 230 EUR, shower channel 120 EUR, shower glass 95 EUR, basin and taps 105 EUR, washing machine valve 60 EUR, isolation valves and access panels 70 EUR.

Total 2,050 EUR in labour, with materials (pipes, fittings, Geberit frame, iBox, channel) adding a further 1,150 EUR. The client had planned for less: the difference came from an unplanned replacement of a corroded waste pipe under the bath and an extra valve for a dryer. The work took 4 days plus 1 day of final fitting after tiling. Current prices for individual items are in the plumbing price list.

Handover checklist

• Do you have the pressure test record and photos of every route before it was covered?
• Are there shut-off valves at the entry to the flat and under every appliance, and do they close easily?
• Does water drain from every outlet quickly and without gurgling?
• Are the traps, flexible hoses and joints under the basin and sink dry after an hour of use?
• Does the WC stop running after flushing, and does the cistern refill correctly?
• Are the access panels to valves and the stack reachable?
• Do you have the warranty certificate and the instructions for the taps and concealed systems?

The right approach to plumbing

Plumbing is a long-term investment that nobody sees once it is built in, which makes the quality of materials, the pressure test and the waterproofing all the more important. Plan the positions of the sanitaryware before chasing, have a spare outlet prepared for a dryer or dishwasher, and do not economise on concealed systems, because replacing them means breaking open the whole wall.

FAQ: common questions about plumbing prices

How much does plumbing in a flat cost?

New pipework costs 504 to 756 EUR, and a complete installation for the bathroom, WC and kitchen including chasing, making good and fitting sanitaryware comes to 1,800 to 2,400 EUR in labour, plus materials. Current prices are on the Plumbing work page.

Why is chasing for water more expensive than for electrics?

Water and waste pipes have a larger diameter and the channels are cut into concrete rather than plaster: hence 28.50 to 42.70 EUR per metre against 5.70 to 8.50 EUR per metre for electrics. Current prices for both are in the plumbing work and electrical work categories.

What is a pressure test and why does it matter?

The pipework is pressurised according to the pipe system manufacturer's protocol and checked to see whether the pressure holds. The test reveals leaks before the pipes are covered, so do not allow the channels to be closed without a written record.

How long does plumbing in a flat take?

Pipework with the pressure test takes 2 to 3 working days, and fitting the sanitaryware after tiling another 1 to 2 days. Overall, the plumbing is spread over several weeks of a bathroom renovation.

Calculate the plumbing price for your flat

This overview gives an indicative price range, and current prices are always on the Plumbing work page. The actual price depends on the length of the runs, the number of fixtures and the condition of the existing waste pipes. Before you contact a plumber, work out an indicative price in the Numiq online calculator. You get a realistic idea of market prices and a stronger position in negotiations, and after signing in you can return to your calculations at any time.

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