What it costs, on a page you did not have to ask for.
$175 an hour, one hour minimum, billed in half hours after that. Free thirty minute consultations. No trip charge, no fuel surcharge, no after hours multiplier. You pay when the job is finished.
THE WHOLE PRICING MODEL
One rate. One minimum.
Half hours after that.
There are no tiers, no membership, no priority plan and no diamond level service agreement. Ron charges for his time at one rate, and materials are what materials cost.
The one hour minimum exists because driving out, parking, carrying tools in and diagnosing the problem takes real time whether the repair itself takes five minutes or fifty. After that first hour, billing is in half hours, so a job that runs an hour and ten minutes is billed at an hour and a half rather than rounded up to two.
What we never do. No dispatch fee. No trip charge. No fuel surcharge. No diagnostic fee that gets waived if you agree to the work on the spot, which is just a pressure tactic with a nicer name. No card held to secure a booking.
- Consultation and estimate
- Free30 minutes
- Ron looks at the job in person and tells you what it needs and what it will cost. No charge and no obligation, even if you use somebody else.
- Labor, first hour
- $175minimum charge
- Applies to every service call, weekday, Saturday or emergency.
- Labor after the first hour
- $175per hour, billed by the half
- Ninety minutes is charged as ninety minutes.
- Emergency callout
- $175same rate
- No after hours multiplier. Nights, weekends and Sundays are billed at the ordinary rate.
- Water heater replacement
- By sizeabout 4 hours
- The tank sets the price. Use the estimator on the water heater page for your own range.
- Parts and materials
- At costplus fitting time
- Shown to you before they go in. If you would rather buy the part yourself, that is fine and it does not change the labor rate.
- Permits
- At costvaries by city
- Water heaters and gas work are permitted in California. We pull it and pass on what the city charged.
REALISTIC RANGES
What common jobs actually come to.
These are ranges from real jobs, not a price list. Every house is different and something unexpected behind a wall changes the number. They are here so you can sanity check any quote you are given, including ours.
| Job | Usual time | Typical total | What moves it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen or bathroom faucet swap | 1 hr | $175 to $260 | Seized angle stops, awkward access under the sink |
| Toilet replacement, same location | 1 hr | $175 to $310 | Damaged flange, floor level raised by new tile |
| Garbage disposal replacement | 1 hr | $175 to $290 | Different mounting system, dishwasher connection |
| Single blocked fixture | 1 hr | $175 to $260 | How far down the branch it is |
| Main line clearing | 1 to 2 hrs | $175 to $420 | No cleanout, roots, distance to the blockage |
| Hydro jetting a kitchen line | 2 hrs | $350 to $560 | Length of run, how heavily glazed it is |
| Camera inspection | 1 hr | $175 to $300 | Access, length of the line |
| Angle stop replacement, each | Within the hour | $175 for the first | Several in one visit share the same hour |
| Hose bibb replacement | 1 hr | $175 to $290 | Whether the wall has to be opened |
| Pressure regulator | 1 to 2 hrs | $300 to $520 | Where it sits, condition of the surrounding pipe |
| Water heater, 40 gal gas, garage | 4 hrs | $1,900 to $2,900 | Venting, expansion tank, access |
| Water heater, 50 gal gas, closet | 4 to 5 hrs | $2,300 to $3,400 | Access, venting, drain pan |
| Slab leak location | 1 to 2 hrs | $175 to $420 | Size of the house, how clear the signs are |
| Appliance gas hookup | 1 hr | $175 to $300 | Existing shutoff condition, connector required |
Totals include labor and typical materials. Permits, where required, are additional and charged at what the city charges. Ranges are indicative and were last reviewed in August 2026.
HOW TO READ ANY PLUMBING QUOTE
Five questions worth asking.
Ask us these. Ask the next company these. If the answers are vague, that is information.
- Is that the total, or does it become the total after a technician assesses it? A number that only exists after somebody is in your house is not a quote.
- Is there a trip charge, dispatch fee or diagnostic fee on top? And is the diagnostic fee waived if you say yes on the day? If so, that is a pressure device.
- Does it include the permit? For water heaters and gas work in California, it needs one.
- Who is actually doing the work? And will they be the person who quoted it?
- What happens if it turns out to be worse than expected? The answer should be that they stop and talk to you, not that they carry on and present a bigger bill.
The agreement, in plain words
When you book, you tick a box confirming you understand the hourly rate, that materials are additional and shown to you first, and that payment is due once the work is finished. That is the entire contract. There is nothing else to sign and nothing gets taken up front.
Pricing questions
Now you know the price.
Pick a time that suits you. No deposit, no card, and you pay when the job is finished.