Before I go into figures I will say that there is a LOT of variation in pay and the figures stated are only approximations based on research. What plumbers get paid depends on experience, education and where you live. Ask yourself: Is there a demand in your area?  Or are plumbers adverts all over the classifieds page begging for work? More demand means more work and more pay! Are you qualified to fit and maintain gas or oil boilers? Etc…

The average wage for a plumber is £26000 per annum. This is a very distorted figure and it takes into account long established self employed London plumbers some of whom can earn around £50000 according to one source. At the other end of the scale you can work for £0, yes £0! People are so keen to gain experience they will work for free. I am sure I will have to do the same. There was a young lad on the local radio looking for an unpaid position only a couple of weeks ago. And with employment being like it is employers have the upper hand and at the same time are keen to reduce costs by reducing expenditure on wages.

In comparison with other trades, plumber’s wages are now very much in line.

In summary:

• Trainee Plumbers desperate for experience sometimes work on a voluntary basis.
• Newly qualified plumbers with an NVQ3 can start on £15000-£21000.
• Experienced plumbers can earn £21000-£35000.
• Experienced Plumbers in supervisory positions can earn £35000 or more.
• Self employed city plumbers putting in the hours can earn around £50000 but more
• Self employed plumbers earnings normally range from £30-40k full time.

I have to admit that I am not particularly passionate about pipes or blockages. What appeals to me is the plumbing lifestyle. I love being self employed, I like a technical challenge and I don’t like being in one place for too long. I like working with people but I also like to be able to choose not to work with unpleasant people.  Plumbing offers a certain amount of freedom; to work in other parts of the UK or even abroad, part time or full time.  Its freedom that is the biggest appeal, relative to other jobs,  plumbing (and some other trades) offer you as much freedom from wage slavery as you are going to realistically get, unless you want to live in the wild.

Plumber Wages Summary

If you are going into plumbing for the money then you need to check there is demand in your area, no demand equals low wages. You will also want to go into the highest paying area which is probably gas and heating engineers but this requires the most time and work. If there is no demand in where you live you may consider relocating or commuting. Working for one of the big boys like British gas may be an option. That being said, plumbing probably won’t bless you with spectacular riches; the average plumber wage is about £26k per year. Being realistic; if you work outside of London and if you are not highly qualified or experienced you may not get close to this figure anytime soon.  Starting salaries can be around £15-20k for the newly qualified. Some experienced plumbers acting in a supervisory capacity can earn over £35000. More on wages in a future post.

Demand for Plumbers

It is often said that there is a national shortage of plumbers; this is not strictly true. Demand varies a lot from place to place. Check the yellow pages, your local papers for ads; if there are loads then you may be out of luck. Try asking a friendly local plumber if he is keeping busy.

At the end of the day the answer to this question lies within that brain of yours; you have to figure it out for yourself!